1
|
Xi J, Xiao J, Perez-Aguilar JM, Ping J, Johnson ATC, Saven JG, Liu R. Characterization of an engineered water-soluble variant of the full-length human mu opioid receptor. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:4364-4370. [PMID: 31588852 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1677502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
A water-soluble variant of the transmembrane domain of the human mu opioid receptor (wsMOR-TM) was previously characterized. This study explored whether the full-length version of the engineered water-soluble receptor, (wsMOR-FL), could be overexpressed in Escherichia coli and if it would retain water solubility, binding capability and thermostability. wsMOR was over-expressed and purified in E. coli BL21(DE3) cells (EMD/Novagen) as we reported previously for the wsMOR-TM. Both native N and C termini were added back to the highly engineered wsMOR-TM. Six His-tag was added in the N terminus for purification purposes. The wsMOR-FL was characterized using atomic force microscope for its monomeric state, circular dichroism for its secondary structure and thermostability. Its binding with naltrexone is also determined. Compared to the native human MOR, wsMOR-FL displays similar helical secondary structure content and comparable affinity (nM) for the antagonist naltrexone. The secondary structure of the receptor remains stable within a wide range of pH (6-9). In contrast to the transmembrane portion, the secondary structure of full-length receptor tolerated a wide range of temperature (10-90 °C). The receptor remains predominantly as a monomer in solution, as directly imaged using atomic force microscopy. This study demonstrated that functional full-length water-soluble variant of human mu receptor can be over-expressed and purified using an E. coli over-expression system. This provides a novel tool for the investigation of structural and functional properties of the human MOR. N- and C-termini strengthened the thermostability of the protein in this specific water soluble variant. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin Xi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jie Xiao
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,School of Chemical Sciences, Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla (BUAP), Puebla, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Jinglei Ping
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - A T Charlie Johnson
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jeffery G Saven
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Renyu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schmidt P, Bender BJ, Kaiser A, Gulati K, Scheidt HA, Hamm HE, Meiler J, Beck-Sickinger AG, Huster D. Improved in Vitro Folding of the Y 2 G Protein-Coupled Receptor into Bicelles. Front Mol Biosci 2018; 4:100. [PMID: 29387686 PMCID: PMC5776092 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2017.00100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Prerequisite for structural studies on G protein-coupled receptors is the preparation of highly concentrated, stable, and biologically active receptor samples in milligram amounts of protein. Here, we present an improved protocol for Escherichia coli expression, functional refolding, and reconstitution into bicelles of the human neuropeptide Y receptor type 2 (Y2R) for solution and solid-state NMR experiments. The isotopically labeled receptor is expressed in inclusion bodies and purified using SDS. We studied the details of an improved preparation protocol including the in vitro folding of the receptor, e.g., the native disulfide bridge formation, the exchange of the denaturating detergent SDS, and the functional reconstitution into bicelle environments of varying size. Full pharmacological functionality of the Y2R preparation was shown by a ligand affinity of 4 nM and G-protein activation. Further, simple NMR experiments are used to test sample quality in high micromolar concentration.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter Schmidt
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Brian J Bender
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Anette Kaiser
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Khushboo Gulati
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Holger A Scheidt
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Heidi E Hamm
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jens Meiler
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States.,Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | | | - Daniel Huster
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Physics and Biophysics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Saucedo AL, Hernández-Domínguez EE, de Luna-Valdez LA, Guevara-García AA, Escobedo-Moratilla A, Bojorquéz-Velázquez E, del Río-Portilla F, Fernández-Velasco DA, Barba de la Rosa AP. Insights on Structure and Function of a Late Embryogenesis Abundant Protein from Amaranthus cruentus: An Intrinsically Disordered Protein Involved in Protection against Desiccation, Oxidant Conditions, and Osmotic Stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2017; 8:497. [PMID: 28439280 PMCID: PMC5384071 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2017.00497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/22/2017] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are part of a large protein family that protect other proteins from aggregation due to desiccation or osmotic stresses. Recently, the Amaranthus cruentus seed proteome was characterized by 2D-PAGE and one highly accumulated protein spot was identified as a LEA protein and was named AcLEA. In this work, AcLEA cDNA was cloned into an expression vector and the recombinant protein was purified and characterized. AcLEA encodes a 172 amino acid polypeptide with a predicted molecular mass of 18.34 kDa and estimated pI of 8.58. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AcLEA is evolutionarily close to the LEA3 group. Structural characteristics were revealed by nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism methods. We have shown that recombinant AcLEA is an intrinsically disordered protein in solution even at high salinity and osmotic pressures, but it has a strong tendency to take a secondary structure, mainly folded as α-helix, when an inductive additive is present. Recombinant AcLEA function was evaluated using Escherichia coli as in vivo model showing the important protection role against desiccation, oxidant conditions, and osmotic stress. AcLEA recombinant protein was localized in cytoplasm of Nicotiana benthamiana protoplasts and orthologs were detected in seeds of wild and domesticated amaranth species. Interestingly AcLEA was detected in leaves, stems, and roots but only in plants subjected to salt stress. This fact could indicate the important role of AcLEA protection during plant stress in all amaranth species studied.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alma L. Saucedo
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C.San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Eric E. Hernández-Domínguez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C.San Luis Potosí, México
| | | | | | - Abraham Escobedo-Moratilla
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C.San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Esaú Bojorquéz-Velázquez
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C.San Luis Potosí, México
| | | | - Daniel A. Fernández-Velasco
- Laboratorio de Fisicoquímica e Ingeniería de Proteínas, Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de MéxicoCiudad de México, México
| | - Ana P. Barba de la Rosa
- Department of Molecular Biology, Instituto Potosino de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, A.C.San Luis Potosí, México
- *Correspondence: Ana P. Barba de la Rosa,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Haughney SL, Petersen LK, Schoofs AD, Ramer-Tait AE, King JD, Briles DE, Wannemuehler MJ, Narasimhan B. Retention of structure, antigenicity, and biological function of pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) released from polyanhydride nanoparticles. Acta Biomater 2013; 9:8262-71. [PMID: 23774257 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2013.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Revised: 05/29/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is a choline-binding protein which is a virulence factor found on the surface of all Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. Vaccination with PspA has been shown to be protective against a lethal challenge with S. pneumoniae, making it a promising immunogen for use in vaccines. Herein the design of a PspA-based subunit vaccine using polyanhydride nanoparticles as a delivery platform is described. Nanoparticles based on sebacic acid (SA), 1,6-bis-(p-carboxyphenoxy)hexane (CPH) and 1,8-bis-(p-carboxyphenoxy)-3,6-dioxaoctane (CPTEG), specifically 50:50 CPTEG:CPH and 20:80 CPH:SA, were used to encapsulate and release PspA. The protein released from the nanoparticle formulations retained its primary and secondary structure as well as its antigenicity. The released PspA was also biologically functional based on its ability to bind to apolactoferrin and prevent its bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli. When the PspA nanoparticle formulations were administered subcutaneously to mice they elicited a high titer and high avidity anti-PspA antibody response. Together these studies provide a framework for the rational design of a vaccine against S. pneumoniae based on polyanhydride nanoparticles.
Collapse
|
5
|
Perez-Aguilar JM, Xi J, Matsunaga F, Cui X, Selling B, Saven JG, Liu R. A computationally designed water-soluble variant of a G-protein-coupled receptor: the human mu opioid receptor. PLoS One 2013; 8:e66009. [PMID: 23799068 PMCID: PMC3682944 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play essential roles in various physiological processes, and are widely targeted by pharmaceutical drugs. Despite their importance, studying GPCRs has been problematic due to difficulties in isolating large quantities of these membrane proteins in forms that retain their ligand binding capabilities. Creating water-soluble variants of GPCRs by mutating the exterior, transmembrane residues provides a potential method to overcome these difficulties. Here we present the first study involving the computational design, expression and characterization of water-soluble variant of a human GPCR, the human mu opioid receptor (MUR), which is involved in pain and addiction. An atomistic structure of the transmembrane domain was built using comparative (homology) modeling and known GPCR structures. This structure was highly similar to the subsequently determined structure of the murine receptor and was used to computationally design 53 mutations of exterior residues in the transmembrane region, yielding a variant intended to be soluble in aqueous media. The designed variant expressed in high yield in Escherichia coli and was water soluble. The variant shared structural and functionally related features with the native human MUR, including helical secondary structure and comparable affinity for the antagonist naltrexone (Kd = 65 nM). The roles of cholesterol and disulfide bonds on the stability of the receptor variant were also investigated. This study exemplifies the potential of the computational approach to produce water-soluble variants of GPCRs amenable for structural and functionally related characterization in aqueous solution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose Manuel Perez-Aguilar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jin Xi
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Felipe Matsunaga
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Xu Cui
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Bernard Selling
- Impact Biologicals Inc., Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jeffery G. Saven
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RL); (JGS)
| | - Renyu Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail: (RL); (JGS)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Talmont F, Moulédous L, Boué J, Mollereau C, Dietrich G. Denatured G-protein coupled receptors as immunogens to generate highly specific antibodies. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46348. [PMID: 23029489 PMCID: PMC3459905 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/31/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a major role in a number of physiological and pathological processes. Thus, GPCRs have become the most frequent targets for development of new therapeutic drugs. In this context, the availability of highly specific antibodies may be decisive to obtain reliable findings on localization, function and medical relevance of GPCRs. However, the rapid and easy generation of highly selective anti-GPCR antibodies is still a challenge. Herein, we report that highly specific antibodies suitable for detection of GPCRs in native and unfolded forms can be elicited by immunizing animals against purified full length denatured recombinant GPCRs. Contrasting with the currently admitted postulate, our study shows that an active and well-folded GPCR is not required for the production of specific anti-GPCR antibodies. This new immunizing strategy validated with three different human GPCR (μ-opioid, κ-opioid, neuropeptide FF2 receptors) might be generalized to other members of the GPCR family.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Animals
- Antibodies/immunology
- Antibodies/isolation & purification
- Humans
- Immunization
- Immunoglobulin G/biosynthesis
- Immunoglobulin G/immunology
- Immunoglobulin G/isolation & purification
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Pichia/genetics
- Protein Denaturation
- Protein Folding
- Receptors, Neuropeptide/administration & dosage
- Receptors, Neuropeptide/genetics
- Receptors, Neuropeptide/immunology
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/administration & dosage
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/immunology
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/administration & dosage
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/genetics
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/immunology
- Recombinant Proteins/administration & dosage
- Recombinant Proteins/genetics
- Recombinant Proteins/immunology
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Franck Talmont
- CNRS, IPBS (Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale), Toulouse, France.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Banères JL, Popot JL, Mouillac B. New advances in production and functional folding of G-protein-coupled receptors. Trends Biotechnol 2011; 29:314-22. [PMID: 21497924 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2011.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2010] [Revised: 02/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of integral membrane proteins, participate in the regulation of many physiological functions and are the targets of approximately 30% of currently marketed drugs. However, knowledge of the structural and molecular bases of GPCR functions remains limited owing to difficulties related to their overexpression, purification and stabilization. The development of new strategies aimed at obtaining large amounts of functional GPCRs is therefore crucial. Here, we review the most recent advances in the production and functional folding of GPCRs from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies. Major breakthroughs open exciting perspectives for structural and dynamic investigations of GPCRs. In particular, combining targeting to bacterial inclusion bodies with amphipol-assisted folding is emerging as a highly powerful strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Louis Banères
- CNRS, UMR-5247, Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Faculté de Pharmacie, 15 avenue Charles Flahault, F-34000 Montpellier, France
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Schröder-Tittmann K, Bosse-Doenecke E, Reedtz-Runge S, Ihling C, Sinz A, Tittmann K, Rudolph R. Recombinant expression, in vitro refolding, and biophysical characterization of the human glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor. Biochemistry 2010; 49:7956-65. [PMID: 20690636 DOI: 10.1021/bi101159s] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Activation of the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) upon ligand binding leads to the release of insulin from pancreatic cells. This strictly glucose-dependent process renders the receptor and its ligands useful in the treatment of type II diabetes mellitus. To enable a biophysical characterization in vitro, we expressed the human full-length GLP-1R in the cytosol of Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies. After purification, refolding of the SDS-solubilized receptor was achieved by the exchange of SDS against the detergent Brij78 using an artificial chaperone system. Far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopic studies revealed that the receptor adopts a characteristic alpha-helical structure in Brij78 micelles. Ligand binding of the renatured protein was quantified by fluorescence quenching and surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy. In the presence of Brij micelles, the refolded receptor binds the agonist exendin-4 with an apparent dissociation constant of approximately 100 nM in a reversible one-step mechanism. To demonstrate that the detected ligand binding activity is not only due to an autonomously functional N-terminal domain (nGLP-1R) but also due to additional contacts with the juxtamembrane part, we separately expressed and refolded the extracellular domain relying on identical protocols established for the full-length GLP-1R. In support of the suggested multidomain binding mode, the nGLP-1R binds exendin-4 with a lower affinity (K(app) in the micromolar range) and a different kinetic mechanism. The lower ligand affinity of the nGLP-1R results entirely from a decreased kinetic stability of the receptor-ligand complex, dissociation of which is approximately 40-fold faster in the case of the nGLP-1R compared to the full-length GLP-1R. In summary, a framework was developed to produce functional human full-length GLP-1R by recombinant expression in E. coli as a prerequisite for eventual structure determination and a rigorous biophysical characterization including protein variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Schröder-Tittmann
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin-Luther-University, Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Strasse 3, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
This paper is the 31st consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2008 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (Section 2), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (Section 3); stress and social status (Section 4); tolerance and dependence (Section 5); learning and memory (Section 6); eating and drinking (Section 7); alcohol and drugs of abuse (Section 8); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (Section 9); mental illness and mood (Section 10); seizures and neurologic disorders (Section 11); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (Section 12); general activity and locomotion (Section 13); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (Section 14); cardiovascular responses (Section 15); respiration and thermoregulation (Section 16); and immunological responses (Section 17).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, 65-30 Kissena Blvd, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Muller I, Sarramégna V, Milon A, Talmont FJ. The N-Terminal End Truncated Mu-Opioid Receptor: from Expression to Circular Dichroism Analysis. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2009; 160:2175-86. [DOI: 10.1007/s12010-009-8715-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2009] [Accepted: 07/09/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
|
11
|
Monitoring the human beta1, beta2, beta3 adrenergic receptors expression and purification in Pichia pastoris using the fluorescence properties of the enhanced green fluorescent protein. Biotechnol Lett 2008; 31:49-55. [PMID: 18797996 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-008-9840-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2008] [Revised: 08/21/2008] [Accepted: 08/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The three beta adrenergic receptor subtypes, beta1-, beta2- and beta3-, were expressed in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. These receptors were N-terminally fused to the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and the fluorescent properties of EGFP were used: (1) to select the recombinant strains, (2) to monitor the expression of the fluorescent receptors, and (3) to monitor the purification of the receptors by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. We demonstrate here that Pichia pastoris can be an alternative host to express and purify milligram amounts of human beta adrenergic receptors.
Collapse
|