Protein Trans-splicing Research Articles

SPLICEFINDER – A Fast and Easy Screening Method for Active Protein Trans-Splicing Positions

Split intein enabled protein trans-splicing (PTS) is a powerful method for the ligation of two protein fragments, thereby paving the way for various protein modification or protein function control applications. PTS activity is strongly influenced by the amino acids directly flanking the splice junctions. However, to date no reliable prediction can be made whether or not a split intein is active in a particular foreign extein context. Here we describe SPLICEFINDER, a PCR-based method, allowing fast and easy screening for active split intein insertions in any target protein. Furthermore we demonstrate the applicability of SPLICEFINDER for segmental isotopic labeling as well as for the generation of multi-domain and enzymatically active proteins.

Oriented covalent immobilization of antibodies for measurement of intermolecular binding forces between zipper-like contact surfaces of split inteins.

In order to measure the intermolecular binding forces between two halves (or partners) of naturally split protein splicing elements called inteins, a novel thiol-hydrazide linker was designed and used to orient immobilized antibodies specific for each partner. Activation of the surfaces was achieved in one step, allowing direct intermolecular force measurement of the binding of the two partners of the split intein (called protein trans-splicing). Through this binding process, a whole functional intein is formed resulting in subsequent splicing. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to directly measure the split intein partner binding at 1 μm/s between native (wild-type) and mixed pairs of C- and N-terminal partners of naturally occurring split inteins from three cyanobacteria. Native and mixed pairs exhibit similar binding forces within the error of the measurement technique (~52 pN). Bioinformatic sequence analysis and computational structural analysis discovered a zipper-like contact between the two partners with electrostatic and nonpolar attraction between multiple aligned ion pairs and hydrophobic residues. Also, we tested the Jarzynski's equality and demonstrated, as expected, that nonequilibrium dissipative measurements obtained here gave larger energies of interaction as compared with those for equilibrium. Hence, AFM coupled with our immobilization strategy and computational studies provides a useful analytical tool for the direct measurement of intermolecular association of split inteins and could be extended to any interacting protein pair.

Structural basis for protein trans‐splicing by a bacterial intein‐like domain – protein ligation without nucleophilic side chains

Protein splicing in trans by split inteins has become a useful tool for protein engineering in vivo and in vitro. Inteins require Cys, Ser or Thr at the first residue of the C-terminal flanking sequence because a thiol or hydroxyl group in the side chains is a nucleophile indispensable for the trans-esterification step during protein splicing. Newly-identified distinct sequences with homology to the hedgehog/intein superfamily, called bacterial intein-like (BIL) domains, often do not have Cys, Ser, or Thr as the obligatory nucleophilic residue found in inteins. We demonstrated that BIL domains from Clostridium thermocellum (Cth) are proficient at protein splicing without any sequence changes. We determined the first solution NMR structure of a BIL domain, CthBIL4, to guide engineering of split BIL domains for protein ligation. The newly-engineered split BIL domain could catalyze protein ligation by trans-splicing. Protein ligation without any nucleophilic residues of Cys, Ser and Thr could alleviate junction sequence requirements for protein trans-splicing imposed by split inteins and could broaden applications of protein ligation by protein trans-splicing. The resonance assignments and structure coordinates have been deposited in BMRB (18653) and RCSB (2LWY).

Protein Scaffold-Activated Protein Trans-Splicing in Mammalian Cells

Conditional protein splicing is a powerful biotechnological tool that can be used to rapidly and post-translationally control the activity of a given protein. Here we demonstrate a novel conditional splicing system in which a genetically encoded protein scaffold induces the splicing and activation of an enzyme in mammalian cells. In this system the protein scaffold binds to two inactive split intein/enzyme extein protein fragments leading to intein fragment complementation, splicing, and activation of the firefly luciferase enzyme. We first demonstrate the ability of antiparallel coiled-coils (CCs) to mediate splicing between two intein fragments, effectively creating two new split inteins. We then generate and test two versions of the scaffold-induced splicing system using two pairs of CCs. Finally, we optimize the linker lengths of the proteins in the system and demonstrate 13-fold activation of luciferase by the scaffold compared to the activity of negative controls. Our protein scaffold-triggered conditional splicing system is an effective strategy to control enzyme activity using a protein input, enabling enhanced genetic control over protein splicing and the potential creation of splicing-based protein sensors and autoregulatory systems.

Protein Trans-Splicing of Multiple Atypical Split Inteins Engineered from Natural Inteins

Protein trans-splicing by split inteins has many uses in protein production and research. Splicing proteins with synthetic peptides, which employs atypical split inteins, is particularly useful for site-specific protein modifications and labeling, because the synthetic peptide can be made to contain a variety of unnatural amino acids and chemical modifications. For this purpose, atypical split inteins need to be engineered to have a small N-intein or C-intein fragment that can be more easily included in a synthetic peptide that also contains a small extein to be trans-spliced onto target proteins. Here we have successfully engineered multiple atypical split inteins capable of protein trans-splicing, by modifying and testing more than a dozen natural inteins. These included both S1 split inteins having a very small (11–12 aa) N-intein fragment and S11 split inteins having a very small (6 aa) C-intein fragment. Four of the new S1 and S11 split inteins showed high efficiencies (85–100%) of protein trans-splicing both in E. coli cells and in vitro. Under in vitro conditions, they exhibited reaction rate constants ranging from ∼1.7×10−4 s−1 to ∼3.8×10−4 s−1, which are comparable to or higher than those of previously reported atypical split inteins. These findings should facilitate a more general use of trans-splicing between proteins and synthetic peptides, by expanding the availability of different atypical split inteins. They also have implications on understanding the structure-function relationship of atypical split inteins, particularly in terms of intein fragment complementation.

Structure–activity studies on the upstream splice junction of a semisynthetic intein

Protein trans-splicing by split inteins holds great potential for the chemical modification and semisynthesis of proteins. However, the structural requirements of the extein sequences immediately flanking the intein are only poorly understood. This knowledge is of particular importance for protein labeling, when synthetic moieties are to be attached to the protein of interest as seamlessly as possible. Using the semisynthetic Ssp DnaB intein both in form of its wild-type sequence and its evolved M86 mutant, we systematically varied the sequence upstream of the short synthetic IntN fragment using both proteinogenic amino acids and unnatural building blocks. We could show for the wild-type variant that the native N-extein sequence could be reduced to the glycine residue at the (−1) position directly flanking the intein without significant loss of activity. The glycine at this position is strongly preferred over building blocks containing a phenyl group or extended alkyl chain adjacent to the scissile amide bond of the N-terminal splice junction. Despite their negative effects on the splicing yields, these unnatural substrates were well processed in the N–S acyl shift to form the respective thioesters and did not result in an increased decoupling of the asparagine cyclization step at the C-terminal splicing junction. Therefore, the transesterification step appeared to be the bottleneck of the protein splicing pathway. The fluorophore 7-hydroxycoumarinyl-4-acetic acid as a minimal N-extein was efficiently ligated to the model protein, in particular with the M86 mutant, probably because of its higher resemblance to glycine with an aliphatic c-α carbon atom at the (−1) position. This finding indicates a way for the virtually traceless labeling of proteins without inserting extra flanking residues. Due to its overall higher activity, the M86 mutant appears most promising for many protein labeling and chemical modification schemes using the split intein approach.

Transcriptome analysis of the bloodstream stage from the parasite Trypanosoma vivax

BackgroundTrypanosoma vivax is the earliest branching African trypanosome. This crucial phylogenetic position makes T. vivax a fascinating model to tackle fundamental questions concerning the origin and evolution of several features that characterize African trypanosomes, such as the Variant Surface Glycoproteins (VSGs) upon which antibody clearing and antigenic variation are based. Other features like gene content and trans-splicing patterns are worth analyzing in this species for comparative purposes.ResultsWe present a RNA-seq analysis of the bloodstream stage of T. vivax from data obtained using two complementary sequencing technologies (454 Titanium and Illumina).Assembly of 454 reads yielded 13385 contigs corresponding to proteins coding genes (7800 of which were identified). These sequences, their annotation and other features are available through an online database presented herein. Among these sequences, about 1000 were found to be species specific and 50 exclusive of the T. vivax strain analyzed here. Expression patterns and levels were determined for VSGs and the remaining genes. Interestingly, VSG expression level, although being high, is considerably lower than in Trypanosoma brucei. Indeed, the comparison of surface protein composition between both African trypanosomes (as inferred from RNA-seq data), shows that they are substantially different, being VSG absolutely predominant in T. brucei, while in T. vivax it represents only about 55%. This raises the question concerning the protective role of VSGs in T. vivax, hence their ancestral role in immune evasion.It was also found that around 600 genes have their unique (or main) trans-splice site very close (sometimes immediately before) the start codon. Gene Ontology analysis shows that this group is enriched in proteins related to the translation machinery (e.g. ribosomal proteins, elongation factors).ConclusionsThis is the first RNA-seq data study in trypanosomes outside the model species T. brucei, hence it provides the possibility to conduct comparisons that allow drawing evolutionary and functional inferences. This analysis also provides several insights on the expression patterns and levels of protein coding sequences (such as VSG gene expression), trans-splicing, codon patterns and regulatory mechanisms. An online T. vivax RNA-seq database described herein could be a useful tool for parasitologists working with trypanosomes.

Inter-chain disulfide bond improved protein trans-splicing increases plasma coagulation activity in C57BL/6 mice following portal vein FVIII gene delivery by dual vectors

Protein trans-splicing based dual-vector factor VIII (FVIII) gene delivery is adversely affected by less efficiency of protein splicing. We sought to increase the amount of spliced FVIII protein and plasma coagulation activity in dual-vector FVIII transgene in mice by means of strengthening the interaction of inteins, protein splicing elements, thereby facilitating protein trans-splicing. Dual-vector delivery of the FVIII gene in cultured cells showed that replacement of Met226 in the heavy chain and Asp1828 in the light chain with Cys residues could facilitate inter-chain disulfide linking and improve protein trans-splicing, increasing the levels of spliced FVIII protein. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were coadministered dual vectors of intein-fused human FVIII heavy chain and light chain with Cys mutations via portal vein injection into the liver. Forty-eight hours post-injection, plasma was collected and analyzed for FVIII antigen concentration and coagulation activity. These mice showed increased circulating FVIII heavy chain polypeptide (442 ± 151 ng m(L-1) vs. 305 ± 103 ng mL(-1)) and coagulation activity (1.46 ± 0.37 IU m(-1) vs. 0.85 ± 0.23 IU mL(-1)) compared with control mice co-administered dual vectors expressing the heavy and light chains of wild-type FVIII. Moreover, coagulation activity was similar to that of mice receiving a single vector expressing FVIII (1.79 ± 0.59 IU mL(-1)). These findings indicate that improving protein trans-splicing by inter-chain disulfide bonding is a promising approach for increasing the efficacy of dual-vector based FVIII gene transfer.

Faster Protein Splicing with the Nostoc punctiforme DnaE Intein Using Non-native Extein Residues

Inteins are naturally occurring intervening sequences that catalyze a protein splicing reaction resulting in intein excision and concatenation of the flanking polypeptides (exteins) with a native peptide bond. Inteins display a diversity of catalytic mechanisms within a highly conserved fold that is shared with hedgehog autoprocessing proteins. The unusual chemistry of inteins has afforded powerful biotechnology tools for controlling enzyme function upon splicing and allowing peptides of different origins to be coupled in a specific, time-defined manner. The extein sequences immediately flanking the intein affect splicing and can be defined as the intein substrate. Because of the enormous potential complexity of all possible flanking sequences, studying intein substrate specificity has been difficult. Therefore, we developed a genetic selection for splicing-dependent kanamycin resistance with no significant bias when six amino acids that immediately flanked the intein insertion site were randomized. We applied this selection to examine the sequence space of residues flanking the Nostoc punctiforme Npu DnaE intein and found that this intein efficiently splices a much wider range of sequences than previously thought, with little N-extein specificity and only two important C-extein positions. The novel selected extein sequences were sufficient to promote splicing in three unrelated proteins, confirming the generalizable nature of the specificity data and defining new potential insertion sites for any target. Kinetic analysis showed splicing rates with the selected exteins that were as fast or faster than the native extein, refuting past assumptions that the naturally selected flanking extein sequences are optimal for splicing.

Engineering the Composition of L-Type (Cav1.2) Channels in Heart Cells using Split Intein-Mediated Protein Trans-Splicing

Ca2+ influx through L-type (CaV1.2) channels in heart regulates excitation-contraction (EC) coupling, action potential duration, and gene expression. This versatility of L-type channels in heart is hypothesized to be mediated in part by differential sub-cellular compartmentalization and hormonal modulation of distinct CaV1.2 channel pools in cardiac myocytes. Such prevailing hypotheses are best tested directly in cardiac myocytes, since their unique cyto-architecture and signaling environment cannot be replicated in heterologous cells. There are two major hurdles: first, the large size of pore-forming α1C subunits exceeds the packaging capacity of viral vectors, necessary to express exogenous CaV1.2 channels in adult cardiac myocytes; second, endogenous channels are a source of confounding contaminating signals. To overcome these limitations, we focused on functionally reconstituting two separately expressed moieties of the channel using a novel split-intein-mediated protein splicing approach. In HEK 293 cells, split-intein fragments were trans spliced to generate full-length α1C as determined by Western blot. When co-expressed with auxiliary β subunits, trans-spliced α1C trafficked normally to the cell surface and yielded robust whole-cell currents (ICa). The split-intein fragments were readily incorporated into adenoviral vectors which when used to infect adult myocytes yielded trans-spliced α1C that was detected at the cell surface. To isolate exogenous ICa, we introduced mutations that reduced dihydropyridine sensitivity of trans-spliced α1C (α1CDHP-). In the presence of 10 μM nifedipine, myocytes expressing trans-spliced α1CDHP- yielded significantly larger currents than controls expressing trans-spliced α1C. The results demonstrate a novel approach to robustly engineer the pore-forming α1C subunit composition of CaV1.2 channels in cardiac myocytes, removing a longstanding technical obstacle to L-type channel structure-function studies in heart.

Protein Trans-Splicing of an Atypical Split Intein Showing Structural Flexibility and Cross-Reactivity

Inteins catalyze a protein splicing reaction to excise the intein from a precursor protein and join the flanking sequences (exteins) with a peptide bond. In a split intein, the intein fragments (IN and IC) can reassemble non-covalently to catalyze a trans-splicing reaction that joins the exteins from separate polypeptides. An atypical split intein having a very small IN and a large IC is particularly useful for joining synthetic peptides with recombinant proteins, which can be a generally useful method of introducing site-specific chemical labeling or modifications into proteins. However, a large IC derived from an Ssp DnaX intein was found recently to undergo spontaneous C-cleavage, which raised questions regarding its structure-function and ability to trans-splice. Here, we show that this IC could undergo trans-splicing in the presence of IN, and the trans-splicing activity completely suppressed the C-cleavage activity. We also found that this IC could trans-splice with small IN sequences derived from two other inteins, showing a cross-reactivity of this atypical split intein. Furthermore, we found that this IC could trans-splice even when the IN sequence was embedded in a nearly complete intein sequence, suggesting that the small IN could project out of the central pocket of the intein to become accessible to the IC. Overall, these findings uncovered a new atypical split intein that can be valuable for peptide-protein trans-splicing, and they also revealed an interesting structural flexibility and cross-reactivity at the active site of this intein.

Circular Permutation Prediction Reveals a Viable Backbone Disconnection for Split Proteins: An Approach in Identifying a New Functional Split Intein

Split-protein systems have emerged as a powerful tool for detecting biomolecular interactions and reporting biological reactions. However, reliable methods for identifying viable split sites are still unavailable. In this study, we demonstrated the feasibility that valid circular permutation (CP) sites in proteins have the potential to act as split sites and that CP prediction can be used to search for internal permissive sites for creating new split proteins. Using a protein ligase, intein, as a model, CP predictor facilitated the creation of circular permutants in which backbone opening imposes the least detrimental effects on intein folding. We screened a series of predicted intein CPs and identified stable and native-fold CPs. When the valid CP sites were introduced as split sites, there was a reduction in folding enthalpy caused by the new backbone opening; however, the coincident loss in entropy was sufficient to be compensated, yielding a favorable free energy for self-association. Since split intein is exploited in protein semi-synthesis, we tested the related protein trans-splicing (PTS) activities of the corresponding split inteins. Notably, a novel functional split intein composed of the N-terminal 36 residues combined with the remaining C-terminal fragment was identified. Its PTS activity was shown to be better than current reported two-piece intein with a short N-terminal segment. Thus, the incorporation of in silico CP prediction facilitated the design of split intein as well as circular permutants.

Ultrafast Protein Splicing is Common among Cyanobacterial Split Inteins: Implications for Protein Engineering

We describe the first systematic study of a family of inteins, the split DnaE inteins from cyanobacteria. By measuring in vivo splicing efficiencies and in vitro kinetics, we demonstrate that several inteins can catalyze protein trans-splicing in tens of seconds rather than hours, as is commonly observed for this autoprocessing protein family. Furthermore, we show that when artificially fused, these inteins can be used for rapid generation of protein α-thioesters for expressed protein ligation. This comprehensive survey of split inteins provides indispensable information for the development and improvement of intein-based tools for chemical biology.

Segmental isotopic labeling of a 140 kDa dimeric multi-domain protein CheA from Escherichia coli by expressed protein ligation and protein trans-splicing

Segmental isotopic labeling is a powerful labeling tool to facilitate NMR studies of larger proteins by not only alleviating the signal overlap problem but also retaining features of uniform isotopic labeling. Although two approaches, expressed protein ligation (EPL) and protein trans-splicing (PTS), have been mainly used for segmental isotopic labeling, there has been no single example in which both approaches have been directly used with an identical protein. Here we applied both EPL and PTS methods to a 140 kDa dimeric multi-domain protein E. coli CheA, and successfully produced the ligated CheA dimer by both approaches. In EPL approach, extensive optimization of the ligation sites and the conditions were required to obtain sufficient amount for an NMR sample of CheA, because CheA contains a dimer forming domain and it was not possible to achieve high reactant concentrations (1–5 mM) of CheA fragments for the ideal EPL condition, thereby resulting in the low yield of segmentally labelled CheA dimer. PTS approach sufficiently produced segmentally labeled ligated CheA in vivo as well as in vitro without extensive optimizations. This is presumably because CheA has self-contained domains connected with long linkers, accommodating a seven-residue mutation without loss of the function, which was introduced by PTS to achieve the high yield. PTS approach was less laborious than EPL approach for the routine preparation of segmentally-isotope labeled CheA dimer. Both approaches remain to be further developed for facilitating preparations of segmental isotope-labelled samples without extensive optimizations for ligation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10858-012-9628-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The Development of Methods for the Site-Specific Fluorescent Labeling of Spliceosomal Proteins for use in Single-Molecule Studies

Spliceosomes are multi-megadalton ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes responsible for catalyzing the removal of noncoding introns from eukaryotic precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) transcripts and ligating the flanking coding exon sequences to produce a mature messenger RNA (mRNA). Spliceosomal assembly and catalysis require a highly dynamic coordination of proteins and RNAs with the purpose of producing mature mRNA that can be properly transcribed by the ribosome. Due to the complexity of the process and a lack of suitable tools, there is still much unknown about the assembly of the spliceosome. Single molecule fluorescence microscopy tools have recently been developed for studies of spliceosome assembly and dynamics of the pre-mRNA substrate throughout splicing. In an effort to advance the study of splicing and delineate the exact timing and dynamics required to achieve splicing, we are currently investigating methods for the site-specific labeling of proteins, one of these methods being protein trans-splicing (PTS) using a split intein. Protein splicing is a naturally occurring process in which a protein editor, called an intein, excises itself out of a host protein in which it is embedded creating a new peptide bond between its two flanking regions, the exteins. PTS uses an artificially or naturally split intein to create a new peptide bond between flanking exteins similar to protein splicing. Upon incubation of the two components, protein splicing will take place, resulting in the ligation of the two extein regions. By fluorescently labeling one of the extein components, we hope to use PTS to site-specifically label several spliceosomal proteins with the ultimate goal of correlating the association and dissociation of spliceosomal components with pre-mRNA dynamics in order to gain a better understanding of the mechanism of pre-mRNA splicing.

Split Inteins: Nature's Protein Ligases.

Split inteins carry out a naturally occurring process known as protein trans-splicing, where two protein fragments bind to form a catalytically competent enzyme, then catalyze their own excision and the ligation of their flanking sequences. In the past thirteen years since their discovery, chemists and biologists have utilized split inteins in exogenous contexts for a number of biotechnological applications centered around the formation of native peptide bonds. While many protein trans-splicing technologies have emerged and flourished in recent years, several factors still limit their wide-spread practical use. Here, we discuss the development, applications, and limitations of split intein-based technologies and propose that further advancement in this field will require a more fundamental understanding of split intein structure and function.

Intein lacking conserved C‐terminal motif G retains controllable N‐cleavage activity

A split-intein consists of two complementary fragments (N-intein and C-intein) that can associate to carry out protein trans-splicing. The Ssp GyrB S11 split-intein is an engineered unconventional split-intein consisting of a 150-amino-acid N-intein and an extremely small six-amino-acid C-intein, which comprises the conserved intein motif G. Here, we show that fusion proteins containing the 150-amino-acid N-intein could be triggered to undergo controllable N-cleavage in vitro when the six-amino-acid C-intein or a derivative thereof was added as a synthetic peptide in trans. More importantly, we discovered, unexpectedly, that the 150-amino-acid N-intein could be induced by strong nucleophiles to undergo N-cleavage in vitro, and in Escherichia coli cells, in the absence of the motif G-containing six-amino-acid C-intein. This finding indicated that the first step of the protein splicing mechanism (acyl shift) could occur in the absence of the entire motif G. Extensive kinetic analyses revealed that both the motif G residues and the Ser+1 residue positively influenced N-cleavage rate constants and yields. The 150-amino-acid N-intein could also tolerate various unrelated sequences appended to its C-terminus without disruption of the N-cleavage function, suggesting that the catalytic pocket of the intein has considerable structural flexibility. Our findings reveal interesting insights into intein structure-function relationships, and demonstrate a new and potentially more useful method of controllable, intein-mediated N-cleavage for protein engineering applications.

Site-specific modification of ED-B-targeting antibody using intein-fusion technology

BackgroundA promising new approach in cancer therapy is the use of tumor specific antibodies coupled to cytotoxic agents. Currently these immunoconjugates are prepared by rather unspecific coupling chemistries, resulting in heterogeneous products. As the drug load is a key parameter for the antitumor activity, site-specific strategies are desired. Expressed protein ligation (EPL) and protein trans-splicing (PTS) are methods for the specific C-terminal modification of a target protein. Both include the expression as an intein fusion protein, followed by the exchange of the intein for a functionalized moiety.ResultsA full-length IgG specific for fibronectin ED-B was expressed as fusion protein with an intein (Mxe GyrA or Npu DnaE) attached to each heavy chain. In vitro protocols were established to site-specifically modify the antibodies in high yields by EPL or PTS, respectively. Although reducing conditions had to be employed during the process, the integrity or affinity of the antibody was not affected. The protocols were used to prepare immunoconjugates containing two biotin molecules per antibody, attached to the C-termini of the heavy chains.ConclusionFull-length antibodies can be efficiently and site-specifically modified at the C-termini of their heavy chains by intein-fusion technologies. The described protocols can be used to prepare immunoconjugates of high homogeneity and with a defined drug load of two. The attachment to the C-termini is expected to retain the affinity and effector functions of the antibodies.

ChemInform Abstract: Strategies and Perspectives in Ion‐Channel Engineering

AbstractReview: 50 refs.

Post-translational Ligation and Functional Multimerization of von Willebrand Factor After Intein-mediated Tri-fragmental Gene Delivery in Eukaryotic Cell*

von Willebrand factor(vWF) is a huge multimeric plasma glycoprotein with important functions involved in thrombosis and hemostasis.Its qualitative and/or quantitative abnormalities result in a bleeding disorder termed von Willebrand disease(VWD).Gene therapy is favorable for treatment of VWD because this disease is monogenic and the vWF is a secretory protein making non-specific targeting organ required for gene delivery.But the vWF gene is hardly packaged in most existing viral vectors especially the desired adeno-associated virus(AAV) vectors for its oversized cDNA in size(8.4 kb).The intein-mediated protein trans-splicing was explored to co-transfer split three fragmented vWF gene into eukaryotic cells by a ternary-vector system and the functional vWF protein was expected to be formed posttranslationally by protein trans-splicing.The vWF cDNA was broken into three fragments before codons of Cys1099 and Ser2004 which required for protein splicing and then fused with Ssp DnaE and Ssp DnaB inteins respectively.A group of three eukaryotic expression vectors were produced by inserting these three fusion genes into pcDNA3.1(+) respectively.By transient co-transfection of 293 cells with these three vectors the conditioned culture supernatant was observed for vWF multimer pattern by electrophoresis,analyzed for vWF antigen and binding capacity of coagulation factor Ⅷ(FⅧ) quantitatively.With FⅧ gene co-transfection,the antigen and activity of FⅧ in the culture supernatant were measured.The data showed that with intein-mediated protein trans-splicing after translation the culture supernatant from cells co-transfected with intein-fused three fragmented vWF genes displayed a vWF multimer pattern and FⅧ binding capacity similar to normal human plasma and cells of vWF gene transfected positive control,and the FⅧ secretion and activity were increased dramatically in FⅧ gene co-transfected cells indicating the functional recovery of spliced vWF as a FⅧ carrier.It suggests that inteins could be used as a powerful means for tri-fragmental co-delivery of the vWF gene and may be valuable for application of intein-based ternary AAV vector in split vWF gene delivery in gene therapy for VWD to overcome the packaging limitation of AAV vectors.