Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein Research Articles

Extração, purificação e caracterização físico-química da proteína verde fluorescente recombinante (GFPuv) expressa em Escherichia coli

O aumento do uso da proteína verde fluorescente (GFPuv) como ferramenta de pesquisas biotecnológicas requer um estudo mais cuidadoso das propriedades bioquímicas e físicas da molécula de GFPuv. Este trabalho teve como objetivo a aplicação de métodos físicos e químicos para o isolamento, a extração da GFPuv de células de Escherichia coli DH5-±, purificação da proteína, e o estudo da estabilidade desta em diferentes valores de pH. Células de E. coli expressando GFPuv foram submetidas a quatro ciclos sucessivos de congelamento e descongelamento intercalados por sonicação (CDS), para promover a permeação seletiva da GFPuv. Os permeados foram submetidos à extração por partição em três fases (TPP) e posterior purificação por eluição da proteína em coluna cromatográfica de interação hidrofóbica (HIC).Obteve-se rendimento semelhante em GFPuv no 1º ciclo de permeação seletiva (CDS) e por extração (TPP) associada à purificação (HIC) para os quais impurezas não foram visualizadas por eletroforese. As estruturas moleculares da GFPuv extraída e purificada mostraram-se inalteradas em valores de pH entre 6,0 e 9,8, e foram confirmadas nos espectros de emissão e de excitação.

Intramuscular immunization with poliovirus replicons primes for a humoral and cellular immune response to soluble antigen.

Vaccines that stimulate both cellular and humoral immunity will probably be needed to control many infectious diseases. Previously, our laboratory generated a vaccine vector that uses poliovirus genomes (replicons) in which the capsid genes have been replaced by foreign proteins. In the current study, we have evaluated the immune responses induced by immunization using poliovirus replicons encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP). Although intramuscular administration of replicons resulted in GFP expression in the muscle, the levels of anti-GFP antibodies in serum were low compared to those of mice immunized with soluble, recombinant GFP (rGFP). Intramuscular booster immunization with rGFP in animals primed with replicons encoding GFP resulted in production of both serum IgG1 and IgG2a GFP-specific antibodies. The cells isolated from spleens of animals primed with replicons and boosted with rGFP secreted IFN-gamma after in vitro stimulation with rGFP. Intramuscular immunization of animals with a single dose of replicons encoding GFP followed by two intranasal applications of rGFP resulted in serum GFP-specific IgG1 and IgG2a isotypes, consistent with induction of both humoral and cellular responses. The results of this study establish that immunization with replicons followed by boost with soluble antigen, even at a different site, can generate a more diverse immune response compared with immunization regimen using soluble antigen alone. This strategy could be exploited for the development of new vaccine approaches against infectious diseases.

Safety Assessment of Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein Orally Administered to Weaned Rats

Several proposed biotechnological applications of green fluorescent protein (GFP) are likely to result in its introduction into the food supply of domestic animals and humans. We fed pure GFP and diets containing transgenic canola expressing GFP to young male rats for 26 d to evaluate the potential toxicity and allergenicity of GFP. Animals (n = 8 per group) were fed either AIN-93G (control), control diet plus 1.0 mg of purified GFP daily, modified control diet with 200 g/kg canola (Brassica rapa cv Westar), or control diet with 200 g/kg transgenic canola containing one of two levels of GFP. Ingestion of GFP did not affect growth, food intake, relative weight of intestine or other organs, or activities of hepatic enzymes in serum. Comparison of the amino acid sequence of GFP to known food allergens revealed that the greatest number of consecutive amino acid matches between GFP and any food allergen was four, suggesting the absence of common allergen epitopes. Moreover, GFP was rapidly degraded during simulated gastric digestion. These data indicate that GFP is a low allergenicity risk and provide preliminary indications that GFP is not likely to represent a health risk.

Hevein-specific recombinant IgE antibodies from human single-chain antibody phage display libraries

IgE antibodies distinctively recognising allergenic epitopes would be ideal reagents in immunodiagnostics to detect and quantify allergens, as well as for the development of allergy diagnostics and therapeutics. We have isolated recombinant human IgE antibodies specific for the major latex allergen, hevein, from antibody phage display libraries using a green fluorescent protein (GFP)–hevein fusion as a selection antigen. Human IgE phage display libraries were constructed by combining the IgE heavy chain genes to kappa and lambda light-chain genes which were isolated from lymphocytes of a latex allergic patient. The screening of antibody libraries resulted in the enrichment of two hevein-binding scFvs designated as 1A4 and 1C2. Both antibodies showed specific binding to the hevein that could be inhibited by both the recombinant GFP–hevein and native hevein isolated from latex examination gloves. The scFvs were prone to aggregate and, thus, for further characterisation, they were converted to Fab fragments with human IgG1 or IgE isotype. Similar hevein-binding properties of the 1A4 and 1C2 Fab fragments and human IgE serum pool, conventionally used in the detection of latex allergens, demonstrate the potential utility of these recombinant antibodies for the analysis of latex allergen.

All Six Modules of the Gelatin-binding Domain of Fibronectin Are Required for Full Affinity

The gelatin-binding sites of fibronectin are confined to a 42-kDa region having four type I and two type II modules in the following order: I(6)-II(1)-II(2)-I(7)-I(8)-I(9). To determine the relative importance of each module for recognition of gelatin, recombinant green fluorescent fusion proteins were prepared in which individual modules or groups of modules were deleted, and the resulting proteins were tested for binding to gelatin by analytical affinity chromatography. Deletion of both type II modules did not eliminate binding, confirming that at least some of the type I modules in this region are able to bind gelatin. It was found that deletion of type I module 6 tends to increase the affinity, whereas deletion of any other module decreases it. Deletion of module I(9) had a large effect but only if module II(2) was also present, suggesting an interaction between these two noncontiguous modules. Analysis of more than 20 recombinant fusion products led to the conclusion that all modules contribute to the interaction either directly by contacting the ligand or indirectly through module-module interactions.

Phenotypic Analysis of Peripheral Blood γδ T Lymphocytes and Their Targeting by Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 in Vivo

There is increasing evidence that a wider range of lymphoid cell types other than CD4+ T helper lymphocytes are infected with HIV-1 in vivo, including CD8 lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and reticulodendritic cells. Each potentially contributes to the reservoir of infected cells that resist antiviral treatment and to the impairment of immune responses in AIDS. By quantitative PCR for HIV proviral sequences we have now obtained evidence for substantial infection of γδ lymphocytes, contributing 3–45% of the proviral load in peripheral blood. A large proportion of γδ lymphocytes constitutively expressed the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4, with evidence for marked up-regulation of CD8 in samples from HIV-infected individuals, corresponding to an activated phenotype. That γδ lymphocytes might be susceptible to HIV infection was investigated using in vitro infectivity assays of recombinant HIV-expressing green fluorescent protein, followed by flow cytometry. γδ, CD4, and CD8 lymphocytes were each productively infected, with γδ lymphocytes showing the greatest susceptibility. For each cell type, blocking assays with an anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody indicated that entry was CD4-dependent.

Permeation associated with three-phase-partitioning method on release of green fluorescent protein.

Transformed cells of Escherichia coli expressing recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFPuv) were subjected to two methods of extraction: (1) freezing/thawing/sonication (FTS) cycles prior to the three-phase partitioning (TPP) method, or (2) directly to TPP extraction. The amount of GFPuv released by the FTS plus TPP method varied: 374 microg/mL (first cycle), 93-442 microg/mL (second cycle), 32-359 microg/mL (third cycle), 18-115 microg/mL (fourth cycle). The GFPuv yields by the second method (TPP only) were, 23-54 microg/mL for the first extract and 33-91 microg/mL for the second. The FTS plus TPP method released similar amounts of GFPuv to that extracted by TPP; and provided a better mixture elution through the hydrophobic interaction column: 13-63 microg/mL for FTS plus TPP methods, and 2.5-13 microg/mL for TPP. The results showed that although selective permeation is a more laborious methodology, it was more efficient for obtaining of GFPuv in relation to the direct extraction of the cells for TPP.

Molecular quantification of genes encoding for green-fluorescent proteins

A quantitative PCR approach is presented to analyze the amount of recombinant green fluorescent protein ( gfp) genes in environmental DNA samples. The quantification assay is a combination of specific PCR amplification and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE). Gene quantification is provided by a competitively coamplified DNA standard constructed by point mutation PCR. A single base difference was introduced to achieve a suitable migration difference in TGGE between the original target DNA and the modified standard without altering the PCR amplification efficiency. This competitive PCR strategy is a highly specific and sensitive way to monitor recombinant DNA in environments like the efflux of a biotechnological plant.

Quantitative analysis of gene expression in preimplantation mouse embryos using green fluorescent protein reporter.

We have developed a method to monitor noninvasively, quantitatively, and in real-time transcription in living preimplantation mouse embryos by measuring expression of a short half-life form of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) following microinjection of a plasmid-borne EGFP reporter gene. A standard curve was established by injecting known amounts of recombinant green fluorescent protein, and transcriptional activity was then determined by interpolating the amount of fluorescence in the DNA-injected embryos. This approach permitted multiple measurements in single embryos with no significant detrimental effect on embryonic development as long as light exposure was brief (<30 sec) and no more than two measurements were made each day. This method should facilitate analysis of the regulation of gene expression in preimplantation embryos; in particular, during the maternal-to-zygotic transition, and in other species in which limited numbers of embryos are available.

Mutational analysis of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Tat protein transduction domain which is required for delivery of an exogenous protein into mammalian cells.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Tat protein transduction domain (PTD), which contains a high proportion of arginine and lysine residues, is responsible for highly efficient protein transduction through the plasma membrane. To identify the role of the PTD sequence motif in transduction, various deletions and substitutions were introduced into the PTD. Tat-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion proteins, containing various lengths of the Tat PTD, were expressed and the extent of their transduction into mammalian cells was analysed by Western blot analysis and fluorescence microscopy. Deletion analysis of PTD mapped to a nine amino acid motif (residues 49-57: RKKRRQRRR) sufficient for transduction. Further deletion of this Tat basic domain either at the N terminus or at the C terminus significantly decreased transduction efficiency. The transduction efficiencies of GFPs fused to nine consecutive lysine (9Lys-GFP) or arginine (9Arg-GFP) residues were similar to that of Tat(49-57)-GFP. The transduced proteins localized to both the nucleus and the cytosol, as assessed by confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis of subcellular fractions from transduced cells. Thus, the availability of recombinant GFP fusion proteins facilitates the simple and specific identification of protein transduction mediated by these peptide sequences. The modified PTD sequences designed in this study may provide useful tools necessary for delivering therapeutic proteins/peptides into cells.

Direct real-time evaluation of nitration with green fluorescent protein in solution and within human cells reveals the impact of nitrogen dioxide vs. peroxynitrite mechanisms.

3-Nitrotyrosyl adducts in proteins have been detected in a wide range of diseases. The mechanisms by which reactive nitrogen oxide species may impede protein function through nitration were examined by using a unique model system, which exploits a critical tyrosyl residue in the fluorophoric pocket of recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP). Exposure of purified GFP suspended in phosphate buffer to synthetic peroxynitrite in either 0.5 or 5 microM steps resulted in progressively increased 3-nitrotyrosyl immunoreactivity concomitant with disappearance of intrinsic fluorescence (IC(50) approximately 20 microM). Fluorescence from an equivalent amount of GFP expressed within intact MCF-7 tumor cells was largely resistant to this bolus treatment (IC(50) > 250 microM). The more physiologically relevant conditions of either peroxynitrite infusion (1 microM/min) or de novo formation by simultaneous, equimolar generation of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide (e.g., 3-morpholinosydnonimine; NONOates plus xanthine oxidase/hypoxanthine, menadione, or mitomycin C) were examined. Despite robust oxidation of dihydrorhodamine under each of these conditions, fluorescence decrease of both purified and intracellular GFP was not evident regardless of carbon dioxide presence, suggesting that oxidation and nitration are not necessarily coupled. Alternatively, both extra- and intracellular GFP fluorescence was exquisitely sensitive to nitration produced by heme-peroxidase/hydrogen peroxide-catalyzed oxidation of nitrite. Formation of nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) during the reaction between NO and the nitroxide 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazole-1-oxyl 3-oxide indicated that NO(2) can enter cells and alter peptide function through tyrosyl nitration. Taken together, these findings exemplified that heme-peroxidase-catalyzed formation of NO(2) may play a pivotal role in inflammatory and chronic disease settings while calling into question the significance of nitration by peroxynitrite.

The solitary long terminal repeats of ERV-9 endogenous retrovirus are conserved during primate evolution and possess enhancer activities in embryonic and hematopoietic cells.

The solitary long terminal repeats (LTRs) of ERV-9 endogenous retrovirus contain the U3, R, and U5 regions but no internal viral genes. They are middle repetitive DNAs present at 2,000 to 4,000 copies in primate genomes. Sequence analyses of the 5" boundary area of the erythroid beta-globin locus control region (beta-LCR) and the intron of the embryonic axin gene show that a solitary ERV-9 LTR has been stably integrated in the respective loci for at least 15 million years in the higher primates from orangutan to human. Functional studies utilizing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene as the reporter in transfection experiments show that the U3 region of the LTRs possesses strong enhancer activity in embryonic cells of widely different tissue origins and in adult cells of blood lineages. In both the genomic LTRs of embryonic placental cells and erythroid K562 cells and transfected LTRs of recombinant GFP plasmids in K562 cells, the U3 enhancer activates synthesis of RNAs that are initiated from a specific site 25 bases downstream of the AATAAA (TATA) motif in the U3 promoter. A second AATAAA motif in the R region does not serve as the TATA box or as the polyadenylation signal. The LTR-initiated RNAs extend through the R and U5 regions into the downstream genomic DNA. The results suggest that the ERV-9 LTR-initiated transcription process may modulate transcription of the associated gene loci in embryonic and hematopoietic cells.

Intracellular release of recombinant green fluorescent protein (gfp(uv)) from Escherichia coli.

The recombinant green fluorescent protein (gfp(uv)) was expressed by Escherichia coli DH5-alpha cells transformed with the plasmid pGFPuv. The gfp(uv) was selectively permeabilized from the cells in buffer solution (25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0), after freezing (-70 degrees C for 15 h), by four freeze (-20 degrees C)/thaw cycles interlaid by sonication. The average content of released gfp(uv) (experiment 2) was 7.76, 34.58, 39.38, 12.90, and 5.38%, for the initial freezing (-70 degrees C) and the first, second, third and fourth freeze/thaw cycles, respectively. Superfusion on freezing was observed between -11 degrees C and -14 degrees C, after which it reached -20 degrees C at 0.83 degrees C/min.

Identification of critical batch operating parameters in fed-batch recombinant E. coli fermentations using decision tree analysis.

To develop a useful fermentation process model, it is first necessary to identify which batch operating parameters are critical in determining the process outcome. To identify critical processing inputs in large databases, we have explored the use of Decision Tree Analysis with the decision metrics of Gain (i.e., Shannon Entropy changes), Gain Ratio, and a multiple hypergeometric distribution. The usefulness of this approach lies in its ability to treat "categorical" variables, which are typical of archived fermentation databases, as well as "continuous" variables. In this work, we demonstrate the use of Decision Tree Analysis for the problem of optimizing recombinant green fluorescent protein production in E. coli. A database of 85 fermentations was generated to examine the effect of 15 process input parameters on final biomass yield, maximum recombinant protein concentration, and productivity. The use of Decision Tree Analysis led to a considerable reduction in the fermentation database through the identification of the significant as well as insignificant inputs. However, different decision metrics selected different inputs and different numbers of inputs to classify the data for each output.

Selective Permeation and Organic Extraction of Recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein (gfpuv) from Escherichia coli

BackgroundTransformed cells of Escherichia coli DH5-α with pGFPuv, induced by IPTG (isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside), express the green fluorescent protein (gfpuv) during growth phases. E. coli subjected to the combination of selective permeation by freezing/thawing/sonication cycles followed by the three-phase partitioning extraction (TPP) method were compared to the direct application of TPP to the same culture of E. coli on releasing gfpuv from the over-expressing cells.Material and MethodsCultures (37°C/100 rpm/ 24 h; μ = 0.99 h-1 - 1.10 h-1) of transformed (pGFP) Escherichia coli DH5-α, expressing the green fluorescent protein (gfpuv, absorbance at 394 nm and emission at 509 nm) were sonicated in successive intervals of sonication (25 vibrations/pulse) to determine the maximum amount of gfpuv released from the cells. For selective permeation, the transformed previously frozen (-75°C) cells were subjected to three freeze/thaw (-20°C/ 0.83°C/min) cycles interlaid by sonication (3 pulses/ 6 seconds/ 25 vibrations). The intracellular permeate with gfpuv in extraction buffer (TE) solution (25 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.0, 1 mM β-mercaptoethanol β-ME, 0.1 mM PMSF) was subjected to the three-phase partitioning (TPP) method with t-butanol and 1.6 M ammonium sulfate. Sonication efficiency was verified on the application to the cells previously treated by the TPP method. The intra-cell releases were mixed and eluted through methyl HIC column with a buffer solution (10 mM Tris-HCl, 10 mM EDTA, pH 8.0).ResultsThe sonication maximum released amount obtained from the cells was 327.67 μg gfpuv/mL (20.73 μg gfpuv/mg total proteins – BSA), after 9 min of treatment. Through the selective permeation by three repeated freezing/thawing/sonication cycles applied to the cells, a close content of 241.19 μg gfpuv/mL (29.74 μg gfpuv/mg BSA) was obtained. The specific mass range of gfpuv released from the same cultures, by the three-phase partitioning (TPP) method, in relation to total proteins, was higher, between 107.28 μg/mg and 135.10 μg/mg.ConclusionsThe selective permeation of gfpuv by freezing/thawing/sonication followed by TPP separation method was equivalent to the amount of gfpuv extracted from the cells directly by TPP; although selective permeation extracts showed better elution through the HIC column.

Antiviral activity of artesunate towards wild-type, recombinant, and ganciclovir-resistant human cytomegaloviruses.

Antiviral therapy of primary and recurrent infections with human cytomegalovirus is reserved for severe manifestations and faces several limitations. Presently candidates for novel drugs with lower adverse side effects and a minimized frequency of resistance formation are under investigation. Here we demonstrate that artesunate, an antimalaria drug with highly valuable pharmacological properties, possesses antiviral activity. A concentration-dependent inhibition of the replication of human cytomegaloviruses with wild-type phenotype was demonstrated in several cell lines. Inhibition was quantified using recombinant green fluorescent protein expressing virus variants. The IC50 values were in the same range for ganciclovir-sensitive and ganciclovir-resistant human cytomegalovirus, as calculated with 5.8+/-0.4 microM and 6.9+/-0.2 microM, respectively. This indicated a strong antiviral potential and a lack of cross-resistance. The optimal antiviral concentrations of artesunate were separable from those inducing cytotoxicity. In addition, the replication of viruses from three genera was seen to be artesunate-sensitive to varying degrees. This suggests a mechanism linked to cellular activation pathways. Both the protein levels and the DNA binding activity of the two virus-induced cellular transcription factors Sp1 and NF-kappaB were found to be markedly reduced in the presence of artesunate. We also analyzed the cellular signaling kinase phosphoinositide 3-kinase, required for the activation of factors such as Sp1 and NF-kappaB in infected fibroblasts. The phosphorylation of two downstream effectors of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, Akt and p70S6K, was markedly inhibited in the presence of artesunate. Thus, artesunate possesses attractive antiviral characteristics which are suggestively based on the interference with essential steps in the host cell kinase cascades.

Enhanced heterologous protein production in Aspergillus niger through pH control of extracellular protease activity

The extracellular protease activity of Aspergillus niger AB4.1[p gpdAGLAGFP]#11, a recombinant strain producing a glucoamylase (GLA)–green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein, was investigated in a 15 l stirred tank reactor and accordingly a pH control strategy was designed to minimize protease activity and increase recombinant yield. By maintaining pH at 6 recombinant protein production was enhanced over 10-fold to 21.0 mg/l compared to growth at acidic pH or without pH control. Protease activity was found to increase after 2 days of culture corresponding to the point where glucose in the culture medium had been completely utilized. When grown at pH 6, A. niger protease activity in the culture was decreased 6-fold to 560 U/l, compared to 3600 U/l under normal, acidic culture conditions. Protease activity at fermentation pH 6 was consistently lower than that at fermentation pH 3 regardless of assay pH, and results indicate that this decrease in activity was a combination of sub-optimal enzyme activity and variation in the spectrum of proteases secreted under the different pH conditions. A comparison of the concentrations of recombinant GLA and GFP demonstrated that high protease activity was responsible for GFP losses. More GFP was secreted in the pH 3 run, but less GFP remained in the broth because of the high protease activity. Although controlling pH at 6 did not completely inhibit the proteases, the GFP concentration in the fermentation broth was increased greatly.

Temperature-Sensitive Phenotype of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells Defective in PEX5 Gene

SK32 mutant cells, which were isolated as peroxisome-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by an advantage of a visible peroxisome form of green fluorescent protein (GFP), were found to suffer from a functional loss of PEX5 gene encoding for PTS1R. The sequence analysis of cDNA indicated that PEX5 gene encoded for the two isoforms composed of 603 amino acids (PTS1RS) and 640 amino acids (PTS1RL). The mutation changed glycine to arginine at amino acid position 343 of PTS1RL (corresponding to the position 306 of PTS1RS) in SK32 cells. The mutant cells exhibited a temperature-sensitive (TS) phenotype on the peroxisomal localizations of the recombinant GFP and urate oxidase appending a genuine peroxisome targeting signal 1 (PTS1), a tripeptide of Ser-Lys-Leu (SKL) at the C-terminus, but did not on that of catalase harboring a divergent PTS1, Lys-Ala-Asn-Leu (KANL) sequence. 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (hereafter referred to as thiolase), which harbors an extension sequence (PTS2) at the N-terminus, never appeared to be affected on the peroxisomal localization in the mutant cells. When thiolase was examined on the molecular size in the mutant cells, the enzyme existed as the larger precursor form in the peroxisomes at 37°C and a considerable part (almost half) was converted to the mature size at 30°C. These results indicate that the amino acid substitution, Gly306Arg in PTS1RS and/or Gly343Arg in PTSRL, gives rise to TS phenotype on the peroxisomal translocation of PTS1 proteins and the maturation of PTS2 protein.

Functional correlation between the nuclear localization of Fht1p and its flocculation and heat tolerance activities in budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Fht1p is involved in the flocculation and heat tolerance machinery of budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Despite knowledge of its involvement in those phenotypes, a precise mechanism has yet to be discovered. To this end, we monitored the relationship between subcellular localization of Fht1p and its flocculation or heat tolerance function using newly developed expression vectors with a recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP; S65T/S147P) of Aequorea victoria added at both the N- and C-terminus of Fht1p. The main fluorescent signal of the GFP tagged with either a wild-type Fht1p or mutants which preserve their flocculation function was detected in the nucleus, whereas signals of functionless mutants were dispersed to the cytoplasm.

Functional Correlation between the Nuclear Localization of Fht1p and Its Flocculation and Heat Tolerance Activities in Budding Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fht1p is involved in the flocculation and heat tolerance machinery of budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Despite knowledge of its involvement in those phenotypes, a precise mechanism has yet to be discovered. To this end, we monitored the relationship between subcellular localization of Fht1p and its flocculation or heat tolerance function using newly developed expression vectors with a recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP; S65T/S147P) of Aequorea victoria added at both the N- and C-terminus of Fht1p. The main fluorescent signal of the GFP tagged with either a wild-type Fht1p or mutants which preserve their flocculation function was detected in the nucleus, whereas signals of functionless mutants were dispersed to the cytoplasm.