The alpha-lytic protease pro-region does not require a physical linkage to activate the protease domain in vivo

alpha-Lytic protease, an extracellular serine protease of Lysobacter enzymogenes 495, is synthesized as a pre-pro-protein. Previously it has been shown that when expressed in Escherichia coli, the protein is autocatalytically processed in the periplasmic space, and that the functional protease domain accumulates extracellularly. Engineered proteins lacking the 166 amino-acid pro-region were enzymatically inactive and remained cell-associated. By independently expressing the pro- and protease domains in vivo, evidence is provided here that direct covalent linkage is not required for production of active protease. We postulate that the pro-region acts as a template to promote the folding of the protease domain into an active configuration. Our results, combined with recent experiments on the evolutionarily unrelated subtilisin E (ref. 3), suggest that the ability of the pro-region of these bacterial proteases to facilitate folding of their protease domains is not a curiosity of a single system, but may reflect a general property of extracellular bacterial serine proteases.     

Crystal structure of a rhomboid family intramembrane protease

Escherichia coli GlpG is an integral membrane protein that belongs to the widespread rhomboid protease family. Rhomboid proteases, like site-2 protease (S2P) and gamma-secretase, are unique in that they cleave the transmembrane domain of other membrane proteins. Here we describe the 2.1 A resolution crystal structure of the GlpG core domain. This structure contains six transmembrane segments. Residues previously shown to be involved in catalysis, including a Ser-His dyad, and several water molecules are found at the protein interior at a depth below the membrane surface. This putative active site is accessible by substrate through a large 'V-shaped' opening that faces laterally towards the lipid, but is blocked by a half-submerged loop structure. These observations indicate that, in intramembrane proteolysis, the scission of peptide bonds takes place within the hydrophobic environment of the membrane bilayer. The crystal structure also suggests a gating mechanism for GlpG that controls substrate access to its hydrophilic active site.     

Chaperone-like activity of the AAA domain of the yeast Yme1 AAA protease

The AAA domain, a conserved Walker-type ATPase module, is a feature of members of the AAA family of proteins, which are involved in many cellular processes, including vesicular transport, organelle biogenesis, microtubule rearrangement and protein degradation. The function of the AAA domain, however, has not been explained. Membrane-anchored AAA proteases of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells comprise a subfamily of AAA proteins that have metal-dependent peptidase activity and mediate the degradation of non-assembled membrane proteins. Inactivation of an orthologue of this protease family in humans causes neurodegeneration in hereditary spastic paraplegia. Here we investigate the AAA domain of the yeast protein Yme1, a subunit of the iota-AAA protease located in the inner membrane of mitochondria. We show that Yme1 senses the folding state of solvent-exposed domains and specifically degrades unfolded membrane proteins. Substrate recognition and binding are mediated by the amino-terminal region of the AAA domain. The purified AAA domain of Yme1 binds unfolded polypeptides and suppresses their aggregation. Our results indicate that the AAA domain of Ymel has a chaperone-like activity and suggest that the AAA domains of other AAA proteins may have a similar function.     

cDNA cloning and expression of earthworm fibrinolytic enzyme component A

Earthworm fibrinolytic enzyme component A(EFEa),a protein with dual fibrinolytic activity ,is one of the major therapeutically important earthworm fibrinoltic enzyme components .The cDNA fragment encoded the mature protein was cloned from earthworm (Eisenia fetida )by the RT-PCR technique,The deduced amino acid sequence of the EFE component A show high homology with some members of serine proteases trypsin family,and the amino acid residues constituting the active sites are conserved in the EFEa as compared with the other proteins of the trypsin family ,The cDNA fragment was subcloned into the expression vector pQE31 and pMAL-c2X of E.coli.The resulting expression plasmids,pQE-efea and pMAL-efea ,were used to transform the E.coli strain M15.Recombinant protein bands corresponding with calcuated molecular witht were induced .The induced His6-EFEa fusion protein with pQE-efea was accumulated into inclusion body ,while the induced MBP-EFEa fusion protein with pMAL-efea was soluble and showed fibrinoloytic activities.     

Crystal structure of a retroviral protease proves relationship to aspartic protease family

Retroviral gag, pol and env gene products are translated as precursor polyproteins, which are cleaved by virus-encoded proteases to produce the mature proteins found in virions. On the basis of the conserved Asp-Thr/Ser-Gly sequence at the putative protease active sites, and other biochemical evidence, retroviral proteases have been predicted to be in the family of pepsin-like aspartic proteases. It has been suggested that aspartic proteases evolved from a smaller, dimeric ancestral protein, and a recent model of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protease postulated that a symmetric dimer of this enzyme is equivalent to a pepsin-like aspartic protease. We have now determined the crystal structure of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) protease at 3-A resolution and find it is dimeric and has a structure similar to aspartic proteases. This structure should provide a useful basis for the modelling of the structures of other retroviral proteases, such as that of HIV, and also for the rational design of protease inhibitors as potential antiviral drugs.     

嗜热菌Lon蛋白酶的功能分析

Lon蛋白酶是一种在各种生物体内广泛分布并且具有多种生物功能的蛋白质.以嗜热栖热菌（Thermus thermophilus HB8）的Lon蛋白酶（TTLon）为研究对象,将TTLon蛋白酶的编码基因克隆至pTrc His载体,并在大肠杆菌中进行了成功表达,采用Ni-NTA亲和层析对其进行分离纯化,并通过一系列实验证明Lon蛋白酶能够与ATP结合,具有依赖ATP的蛋白酶活性和依赖ATP的分子伴侣活性.     

Molecular cloning of a full-length cDNA for ECBP21 from Angelica dahurica

ECBP21 is an extracellular calmodulin-binding protein which was first detected and purified from extracellular extracts of suspension-cultured cells of Angelica dahurica. The purified protein was electroblotted onto PVDF membrane and the amino acid sequences from 1 to 20 were determined. Using degenerate oligonucleotides of the sequence, a full-length cDNA coding for ECBP21 was isolated by a combination of RT-PCR and 5′-RACE cloning. The cDNA contains 947 nucleotides and codes for a precursor protein of 216 amino acids. The N-terminal 1-25 amino acid sequence is a predicted signal peptide and the other 26-216 amino acid sequence is a mature peptide. The 26-45 amino acid sequence shows identity with the N-terminal amino acid sequence of purified ECBP21 from Angelica dahurica. The fragment of encoding the mature protein was cloned into pET-28b(+) and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3). A protein with relative molecular mass 21 ku was expressed in E. coli. Using a biotinylated-CaM gel overlay technique, the expression protein was tested for its ability to bind CaM. The results indicated that the expression protein is a Ca2+- dependent CaM-binding protein. Thus, these results further defined the cDNA clone for ECBP21. This work laid a foundation for elucidating biological functions of ECBP21 by using molecular biological means.     

Inhibition of retroviral protease activity by an aspartyl proteinase inhibitor

Retrovirus protease is an enzyme that cleaves gag and gag-pol precursor polyproteins into the functional proteins of mature virus particles. The correct processing of precursor polyproteins is necessary for the infectivity of virus particles: in vitro mutagenesis which introduces deletions into the murine leukaemia virus genome produces a protease-defective virus of immature core form and lacking infectivity. A therapeutic drug effective against disease caused by retrovirus proliferation could likewise interfere with virus maturation. The primary structure has so far been determined for the protease of avian myeloblastosis virus, and of murine, feline and bovine leukaemia viruses. Amino acid sequencing of the retrovirus proteases, either after their purification or from prediction from the nucleotide sequence, shows that they possess the Asp-Thr-Gly sequence characteristic of the aspartyl proteinases. In this report we show that retrovirus proteases belong to the aspartyl proteinase group and demonstrate an inhibition by the aspartyl proteinase-specific inhibitor, pepstatin A, on the activity of bovine leukaemia, Moloney murine leukaemia and human T-cell leukaemia virus proteases.     

HLA-A*0207重链胞外区原核表达载体的构建及表达

目的：克隆HLA-A*0207(A2)重链基因，构建在羧基端融合生物索化酶BirA底物肽(BirA substrate peptide，BSP)的A2重链胞外区原核表达载体，在大肠杆菌中进行表达。方法：以RT-PCR方法从HLA-A2^ 供白细胞中克隆A2基因并进行DNA测序，并以PCR方法构建在羧基端融合BSP的A2重链胞外区表达载体，在大肠杆菌B121(ED3)中进行表达。结果：从31名HLA-A2^ 供白细胞中克隆到的基因经DNA测序显示，只有从供2得到的基因是HLA-A*0207。将编码该基因编码重链胞外区1-275的序列和编码BSP的序列融合，构建融合蛋白表达载体，并以测序验证。融合蛋白在B121(ED3)中获得高效表达，产物相对分子质量为35000，约占菌体总蛋白的30％，主要存在于包涵体中，对包涵体进行洗涤后得到纯度为80％的重组蛋白。结论：成功克隆HLA-A*0207基因，构建了其胞外区和BSP融合蛋白表达载体并在大肠杆菌中获得高效表达。     

编码ATR的胞外区基因cDNA的克隆、测序及表达

目的克隆并在大肠杆菌中表达编码炭疽毒素受体(anthrax toxin receptor,简称ATR)的胞外区基因。方法收集CHO-K1细胞,提取其总RNA,经反转录成单链cDNA,以此为模板PCR扩增出编码ATR胞外区基因,将该基因克隆入载体pUC19中,测序正确后,亚克隆入表达载体pMal-c2x中进行表达。结果利用所设计的引物扩增出完整的编码ATR胞外区基因。以大肠杆菌为宿主在IPTG的诱导下获得表达,激光薄层扫描显示表达蛋白占总蛋白的39%。结论获得了编码ATR胞外区基因cDNA及其原核表达产物,为进一步研究炭疽毒素致病机理和炭疽病的防治奠定了基础。     

The receptor for transepithelial transport of IgA and IgM contains multiple immunoglobulin-like domains

We have cloned and sequenced cDNA for the receptor that mediates the endocytosis and transcellular transport of IgA and IgM across many glandular epithelia into external secretions. This receptor contains five extracellular domains which are strikingly homologous to each other and to immunoglobulin variable regions.     

Human nectin-like 1, a novel membrane protein interacting with protein 4.1 R

Human nectin-like 1 (NECL1) full-length cDNA was cloned by bioinformatics method when searching for candidate membrane proteins interacting with members of protein 4.1 family. The cytoplasmic and extracellular regions of NECL1 were expressed in and purified from E. coli, and the polyclonal antibody was produced. Interaction between the cytoplasmic region of NECL1 and the 30 kD membrane binding domain of protein 4.1 on red blood cell (4. 1R) was demonstrated by IAsys-biosensor system and GST pull-down experiment. Results of biotin-labeled peptide ELISA further demonstrated the key amino acids for the binding. The interaction research of NECL1's cytoplasmic domain provides basis for further study of the functions of NECL1 in nervous system.     

大肠杆菌yigP基因启动子的定位

在已知大肠杆菌yigP基因的最小功能片段为yigP-P4P2基础上,将该片段装载于无外源启动子的载体质粒上,通过功能回补yigP基因缺陷株JDP14,发现其可以代替温敏质粒,保证大肠杆菌正常生长,推断其包含完整转录单元。RT-PCR结果显示该片段内部有转录产物,即yigP-P4P2片段具有转录独立性。将不同长度的yigP-P4P2亚片段克隆到启动子探针质粒pSP-Z上,通过对重组菌进行蓝白斑筛选及β-半乳糖苷酶活性测定,结果显示pP40V3-Z/JM83和pP40V4-Z/JM83可观测到蓝色菌斑,并检测到较弱的β-半乳糖苷酶活性,由此表明大肠杆菌yigP基因启动子位于该片段上游,下游边界位于引物V4区域内。     

Evolutionary origin of a calcium-dependent protease by fusion of genes for a thiol protease and a calcium-binding protein?

Calcium-dependent protease (calcium protease) is apparently involved in a variety of cellular processes. Here we have attempted to clarify the role and regulatory mechanism of calcium protease by analysing its structure. The complete primary structure of calcium protease (relative molecular mass (Mr) 80,000 (80K), 705 amino acids) was deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cloned complementary DNA. The protein contains four distinct domains, and we have observed a marked similarity between the second and fourth domains and the papain-like thiol proteases and calmodulin-like calcium-binding proteins, respectively. This finding suggests that calcium protease arose from the fusion of genes for proteins of completely different function and evolutionary origin. Further, it provides functional insight into cellular regulatory mechanisms mediated by Ca2+ through calcium-binding proteins.     

离子对深海适冷菌Pseudoalteromonas sp. SM9913胞外蛋白酶分泌的影响

以海水产酶发酵培养基为对照，研究了多种离子对P. sp. SM9913 胞外蛋白酶分泌的影响. 结果表明，淡水培养基添加NaCl浓度越高，胞外蛋白酶的酶活也越高. K+、Ca2+、磷酸盐的协同作用促进胞外蛋白酶的分泌. Mg2+能够明显抑制胞外蛋白酶的分泌. Fe3＋对胞外蛋白酶分泌影响不明显.Sr2+、F-、B-这3种离子单独作用时都能促进胞外蛋白酶的分泌；但是这3种离子协同作用劣于单独作用. 实验浓度下上述多种离子协同作用可明显促进胞外蛋白酶的分泌. 该研究为深海适冷菌P. sp. SM9913 的淡水化培养和进一步研究胞外蛋白酶的分泌机制奠定了基础.     

腈基类化合物对半胱氨酸蛋白酶的抑制机理

半胱氨酸蛋白酶是人体自身产生的重要酶类物质,它广泛的参与人体新陈代谢和蛋白的水解。但过量产生的半胱氨酸蛋白酶会导致骨质疏松和乳腺癌。腈基类化合物分子是一种新发现的具有抑制半胱氨酸蛋白酶作用的靶向药物分子,高效且低副作用。但是它的抑制机理一直没有得到解决。本文介绍借助量子力学/分子力学（Q M/M M）的计算研究,解得了此类化合物对于半胱氨酸蛋白酶的抑制机理,并借助分子学软件设计了一种新型药物分子,有助进一步药物研究。     

Purification and cloning of amyloid precursor protein beta-secretase from human brain

Proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) generates amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide, which is thought to be causal for the pathology and subsequent cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. Cleavage by beta-secretase at the amino terminus of the Abeta peptide sequence, between residues 671 and 672 of APP, leads to the generation and extracellular release of beta-cleaved soluble APP, and a corresponding cell-associated carboxy-terminal fragment. Cleavage of the C-terminal fragment by gamma-secretase(s) leads to the formation of Abeta. The pathogenic mutation K670M671-->N670L671 at the beta-secretase cleavage site in APP, which was discovered in a Swedish family with familial Alzheimer's disease, leads to increased beta-secretase cleavage of the mutant substrate. Here we describe a membrane-bound enzyme activity that cleaves full-length APP at the beta-secretase cleavage site, and find it to be the predominant beta-cleavage activity in human brain. We have purified this enzyme activity to homogeneity from human brain using a new substrate analogue inhibitor of the enzyme activity, and show that the purified enzyme has all the properties predicted for beta-secretase. Cloning and expression of the enzyme reveals that human brain beta-secretase is a new membrane-bound aspartic proteinase.     

Domain of E. coli DNA polymerase I showing sequence homology to T7 DNA polymerase

Escherichia coli contains three DNA polymerases that differ in their size, ability to interact with accessory proteins and biological function. Monomeric DNA polymerase I (Pol I) has a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 103,000 (103K) and is involved primarily in the repair of damaged DNA and the processing of Okazaki fragments; polymerase II is of Mr 120K, and polymerase III has a Mr of 140K, is responsible for the replication of the DNA chromosome and is just one of several proteins that are required for replication. DNA polymerases from bacteriophage as well as those of eukaryotic viral and cellular origin also differ with respect to their size and the number of associated proteins that are required for them to function in replication. However, the template-directed copying of DNA is identical in all cases. The crystal structure of the large proteolytic fragment of Pol I shows that it consists of two domains, the larger of which contains a deep crevice whose dimensions are such that it can bind duplex DNA. The T7 polymerase consists of two subunits, the 80K gene 5 protein and the host-encoded 12K thioredoxin of E. coli. We show here that there is an amino acid sequence homology between at least eight polypeptide segments that form the large cleft in the Klenow fragment and polypeptides in T7 DNA polymerase gene 5 protein, suggesting that this domain evolved from a common precursor. The parts of the Pol I and T7 DNA polymerase molecules that bind the DNA substrate appear to share common structural features, and these features may be shared by all of these varied DNA polymerases.     

The structures of HsIU and the ATP-dependent protease HsIU-HsIV

The degradation of cytoplasmic proteins is an ATP-dependent process. Substrates are targeted to a single soluble protease, the 26S proteasome, in eukaryotes and to a number of unrelated proteases in prokaryotes. A surprising link emerged with the discovery of the ATP-dependent protease HslVU (heat shock locus VU) in Escherichia coli. Its protease component HslV shares approximately 20% sequence similarity and a conserved fold with 20S proteasome beta-subunits. HslU is a member of the Hsp100 (Clp) family of ATPases. Here we report the crystal structures of free HslU and an 820,000 relative molecular mass complex of HslU and HslV-the first structure of a complete set of components of an ATP-dependent protease. HslV and HslU display sixfold symmetry, ruling out mechanisms of protease activation that require a symmetry mismatch between the two components. Instead, there is conformational flexibility and domain motion in HslU and a localized order-disorder transition in HslV. Individual subunits of HslU contain two globular domains in relative orientations that correlate with nucleotide bound and unbound states. They are surprisingly similar to their counterparts in N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein, the prototype of an AAA-ATPase. A third, mostly alpha-helical domain in HslU mediates the contact with HslV and may be the structural equivalent of the amino-terminal domains in proteasomal AAA-ATPases.     

A novel protease from yeast with specificity towards paired basic residues

Paired basic residues have been observed as sites of proteolytic processing of prohormones in a wide range of eukaryotic species. This strongly suggests that proteases exhibiting specificity towards paired basic residues may be involved in prohormone processing, but candidate enzymes have not so far been identified. Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae alpha-cells synthesize and secrete alpha-mating factor, a peptide of 13 amino acids, the processing of which from a larger precursor involves cleavage at paired basic residues (-Lys-Arg-). We have therefore used them as a simple model system for the study of prohormone processing and report here the identification, in cell lysates, of a novel protease which specifically recognizes and cleaves the peptide bonds between consecutive basic residues. The purified enzyme, which we have called propheromone -convertase Y, has a molecular weight (MW) of around 43,000. It cleaves various peptide substrates at paired basic residues, but not at single basic residues, implying it is distinct from trypsin-like proteases. Its unique substrate specificity suggests the enzyme may be involved in propheromone processing in vivo.