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Wang XB, Zhang CH, Zhang T, Li HZ, Liu YL, Xu ZG, Lei G, Cai CJ, Guo ZY. An efficient peptide ligase engineered from a bamboo asparaginyl endopeptidase. FEBS J 2024; 291:2918-2936. [PMID: 38525648 DOI: 10.1111/febs.17111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, a few asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) from certain higher plants have been identified as efficient peptide ligases with wide applications in protein labeling and cyclic peptide synthesis. Recently, we developed a NanoLuc Binary Technology (NanoBiT)-based peptide ligase activity assay to identify more AEP-type peptide ligases. Herein, we screened 61 bamboo species from 16 genera using this assay and detected AEP-type peptide ligase activity in the crude extract of all tested bamboo leaves. From a popular bamboo species, Bambusa multiplex, we identified a full-length AEP-type peptide ligase candidate (BmAEP1) via transcriptomic sequencing. After its zymogen was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and self-activated in vitro, BmAEP1 displayed high peptide ligase activity, but with considerable hydrolytic activity. After site-directed mutagenesis of its ligase activity determinants, the mutant zymogen of [G238V]BmAEP1 was normally overexpressed in E. coli, but failed to activate itself. To resolve this problem, we developed a novel protease-assisted activation approach in which trypsin was used to cleave the mutant zymogen and was then conveniently removed via ion-exchange chromatography. After the noncovalently bound cap domain was dissociated from the catalytic core domain under acidic conditions, the recombinant [G238V]BmAEP1 displayed high peptide ligase activity with much lower hydrolytic activity and could efficiently catalyze inter-molecular protein ligation and intramolecular peptide cyclization. Thus, the engineered bamboo-derived peptide ligase represents a novel tool for protein labeling and cyclic peptide synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Bo Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong-Hui Zhang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Teng Zhang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao-Zheng Li
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gang Lei
- Sanya Research Base of International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, China
| | - Chun-Ju Cai
- Sanya Research Base of International Centre for Bamboo and Rattan, China
- International Center for Bamboo and Rattan, State Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory of Bamboo and Rattan, Beijing, China
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Li HZ, Shao XX, Shou LL, Li N, Liu YL, Xu ZG, Guo ZY. Development of Esterase-Resistant and Highly Active Ghrelin Analogs via Thiol-Ene Click Chemistry. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:1655-1662. [PMID: 36262400 PMCID: PMC9575166 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The orexigenic peptide ghrelin exerts important functions in energy metabolism and has therapeutic potential to treat certain diseases. Native ghrelin carries an essential O-fatty acyl moiety; however, this post-translational modification is susceptible to hydrolysis by certain esterases in circulation, representing a major route of its in vivo inactivation. In the present study, we developed a novel approach to prepare various esterase-resistant ghrelin analogs via photoinduced thiol-ene click chemistry. A recombinant unacylated human ghrelin mutant was reacted with commercially available terminal alkenes; thus, various alkyl moieties were introduced to the side chain of its unique Cys3 residue via a thioether bond. Among 11 S-alkylated ghrelin analogs, analog 11, generated by reacting with 2-methyl-1-octene, not only acquired much higher stability in serum but also retained full activity compared with native human ghrelin. Thus, the present study provided an efficient approach to prepare highly stable and highly active ghrelin analogs with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Zheng Li
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Shao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Li-Li Shou
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ning Li
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine
at East Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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3
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Wang J, Li H, Shao X, Nie W, Liu Y, Xu Z, Guo Z. Identifying the binding mechanism of
LEAP
2 to receptor
GHSR
1a. FEBS J 2019; 286:1332-1345. [PMID: 30666806 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jia‐Hui Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
| | - Hao‐Zheng Li
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
| | - Xiao‐Xia Shao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
| | - Wei‐Han Nie
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
| | - Ya‐Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
| | - Zeng‐Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
| | - Zhan‐Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital School of Life Sciences and Technology Tongji University Shanghai China
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Rapid preparation of bioluminescent tracers for relaxin family peptides using sortase-catalysed ligation. Amino Acids 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-017-2455-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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5
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A negatively charged transmembrane aspartate residue controls activation of the relaxin-3 receptor RXFP3. Arch Biochem Biophys 2016; 604:113-20. [PMID: 27353281 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2016.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2016] [Revised: 06/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Relaxin-3 is an insulin/relaxin superfamily neuropeptide involved in the regulation of food intake and stress response via activation of its cognate receptor RXFP3, an A-class G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). In recent studies, a highly conserved ExxxD motif essential for binding of relaxin-3 has been identified at extracellular end of the second transmembrane domain (TMD2) of RXFP3. For most of the A-class GPCRs, a highly conserved negatively charged Asp residue (Asp(2.50) using Ballesteros-Weinstein numbering and Asp128 in human RXFP3) is present at the middle of TMD2. To elucidate function of the conserved transmembrane Asp128, in the present work we replaced it with other residues and the resultant RXFP3 mutants all retained quite high ligand-binding potency, but their activation and agonist-induced internalization were abolished or drastically decreased. Thus, the negatively charged transmembrane Asp128 controlled transduction of agonist-binding information from the extracellular region to the intracellular region through maintaining RXFP3 in a metastable state for efficient conformational change induced by binding of an agonist.
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6
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Song G, Shao XX, Wu QP, Xu ZG, Liu YL, Guo ZY. Novel Bioluminescent Binding Assays for Ligand-Receptor Interaction Studies of the Fibroblast Growth Factor Family. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0159263. [PMID: 27414797 PMCID: PMC4944982 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0159263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently developed novel bioluminescent binding assays for several protein/peptide hormones to study their interactions with receptors using the so far brightest NanoLuc reporter. To validate the novel bioluminescent binding assay using a variety of protein/peptide hormones, in the present work we applied it to the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family using the prototype member FGF2 as an example. A fully active recombinant FGF2 retaining a unique exposed cysteine (Cys) residue was chemically conjugated with an engineered NanoLuc carrying a unique exposed Cys residue at the C-terminus via formation of an intermolecular disulfide linkage. The NanoLuc-conjugated FGF2 (FGF2-Luc) retained high binding affinity to the overexpressed FGFR1 and the endogenous FGF receptor with the calculated dissociation constants of 161 ± 21 pM (n = 3) and 25 ± 4 pM (n = 3), respectively. In competition binding assays using FGF2-Luc as a tracer, receptor-binding potencies of wild-type or mutant FGF2s were accurately quantified. Thus, FGF2-Luc represents a novel non-radioactive tracer for the quantitative measurement of ligand–receptor interactions in the FGF family. These data suggest that the novel bioluminescent binding assay can be applied to a variety of protein/peptide hormones for ligand–receptor interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Song
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Shao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing-Ping Wu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (ZYG); (YLL)
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (ZYG); (YLL)
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7
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Identification of hydrophobic interactions between relaxin-3 and its receptor RXFP3: implication for a conformational change in the B-chain C-terminus during receptor binding. Amino Acids 2016; 48:2227-36. [PMID: 27193232 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2260-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Relaxin-3 is an insulin/relaxin superfamily neuropeptide implicated in the regulation of food intake and stress response via activation of the G protein-coupled receptor RXFP3. Their electrostatic interactions have been recently identified, and involves three positively charged B-chain residues (B12Arg, B16Arg, and B26Arg) of relaxin-3 and two negatively charged residues (Glu141 and Asp145) in a highly conserved ExxxD motif at the extracellular end of the second transmembrane domain of RXFP3. To investigate their hydrophobic interactions, in the present work we deleted the highly conserved B-chain C-terminal B27Trp residue of relaxin-3, and mutated four highly conserved aromatic residues (Phe137, Trp138, Phe146, and Trp148) around the ExxxD motif of RXFP3. The resultant [∆B27W]relaxin-3 exhibited approximately tenfold lower binding potency and ~1000-fold lower activation potency towards wild-type RXFP3, confirming its importance for relaxin-3 function. Although the RXFP3 mutants could be normally trafficked to cell membrane, they had quite different activities. [F137A]RXFP3 could normally distinguish wild-type relaxin-3 and [∆B27W]relaxin-3 in binding and activation assays, whereas [W138A]RXFP3 lost most of this capability, suggesting that the Trp138 residue of RXFP3 forms hydrophobic interactions with the B27Trp residue of relaxin-3. The hydrophobic Trp138 residue and the formerly identified negatively charged Glu141 and Asp145 residues in the highly conserved WxxExxxD motif may thus form a functional surface that is important for interaction with relaxin-3. We hypothesize that the relaxin-3 B-chain C-terminus changes from the original folding-back conformation to an extended conformation during binding with RXFP3, to allow its B27Trp and B26Arg residues to interact with the Trp138 and Glu141 residues of RXFP3, respectively.
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8
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De Niz M, Stanway RR, Wacker R, Keller D, Heussler VT. An ultrasensitive NanoLuc-based luminescence system for monitoring Plasmodium berghei throughout its life cycle. Malar J 2016; 15:232. [PMID: 27102897 PMCID: PMC4840902 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1291-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Bioluminescence imaging is widely used for cell-based assays and animal imaging studies, both in biomedical research and drug development. Its main advantages include its high-throughput applicability, affordability, high sensitivity, operational simplicity, and quantitative outputs. In malaria research, bioluminescence has been used for drug discovery in vivo and in vitro, exploring host-pathogen interactions, and studying multiple aspects of Plasmodium biology. While the number of fluorescent proteins available for imaging has undergone a great expansion over the last two decades, enabling simultaneous visualization of multiple molecular and cellular events, expansion of available luciferases has lagged behind. The most widely used bioluminescent probe in malaria research is the Photinus pyralis firefly luciferase, followed by the more recently introduced Click-beetle and Renilla luciferases. Ultra-sensitive imaging of Plasmodium at low parasite densities has not been previously achieved. With the purpose of overcoming these challenges, a Plasmodium berghei line expressing the novel ultra-bright luciferase enzyme NanoLuc, called PbNLuc has been generated, and is presented in this work. Results NanoLuc shows at least 150 times brighter signal than firefly luciferase in vitro, allowing single parasite detection in mosquito, liver, and sexual and asexual blood stages. As a proof-of-concept, the PbNLuc parasites were used to image parasite development in the mosquito, liver and blood stages of infection, and to specifically explore parasite liver stage egress, and pre-patency period in vivo. Conclusions PbNLuc is a suitable parasite line for sensitive imaging of the entire Plasmodium life cycle. Its sensitivity makes it a promising line to be used as a reference for drug candidate testing, as well as the characterization of mutant parasites to explore the function of parasite proteins, host-parasite interactions, and the better understanding of Plasmodium biology. Since the substrate requirements of NanoLuc are different from those of firefly luciferase, dual bioluminescence imaging for the simultaneous characterization of two lines, or two separate biological processes, is possible, as demonstrated in this work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana De Niz
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Rebecca R Stanway
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rahel Wacker
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Derya Keller
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Volker T Heussler
- Institute of Cell Biology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
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9
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Novel bioluminescent binding assays for interaction studies of protein/peptide hormones with their receptors. Amino Acids 2016; 48:1151-60. [DOI: 10.1007/s00726-016-2220-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/16/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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10
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Ferro P, Krotov G, Zvereva I, Rodchenkov G, Segura J. Structure-activity relationship for peptídic growth hormone secretagogues. Drug Test Anal 2016; 9:87-95. [PMID: 26811125 DOI: 10.1002/dta.1947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Growth hormone releasing peptides (GHRPs) could be widely used by cheating athletes because they produce growth hormone (GH) secretion, so may generate an ergogenic effect in the body. Knowledge of the essential amino acids needed in GHRP structure for interaction with the target biological receptor GHSR1a, the absorption through different administration routes, and the maintenance of pharmacological activity of potential biotransformation products may help in the fight against their abuse in sport. Several GHRPs and truncated analogues with the common core Ala-Trp-(D-Phe)-Lys have been studied with a radio-competitive assay for the GHSR1a receptor against the radioactive natural ligand ghrelin. Relevant chemical modifications influencing the activity for positions 1, 2, 3, and 7 based on the structure aa-aa-aa-Ala-Trp-(D-Phe)-Lys have been obtained. To test in vivo the applicability of the activities observed, the receptor assay activity in samples from excretion studies performed after nasal administration of GHRP-1, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, and Ipamorelin was confirmed. Overall results obtained allow to infer structure-activity information for those GHRPs and to detect GHSR1a binding (intact GHRPs plus active metabolites) in excreted urines. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Ferro
- Bioanalysis Research Group, Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain
| | - G Krotov
- Antidoping Centre, Moscow, Russia
| | | | | | - J Segura
- Bioanalysis Research Group, Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute), Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona, Spain
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11
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Wu QP, Zhang L, Shao XX, Wang JH, Gao Y, Xu ZG, Liu YL, Guo ZY. Application of the novel bioluminescent ligand-receptor binding assay to relaxin-RXFP1 system for interaction studies. Amino Acids 2016; 48:1099-1107. [PMID: 26767372 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-015-2146-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 11/27/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Relaxin is a prototype of the relaxin family peptide hormones and plays important biological functions by binding and activating the G protein-coupled receptor RXFP1. To study their interactions, in the present work, we applied the newly developed bioluminescent ligand-receptor binding assay to the relaxin-RXFP1 system. First, a fully active easily labeled relaxin, in which three Lys residues of human relaxin-2 were replaced by Arg, was prepared through overexpression of a single-chain precursor in Pichia pastoris and in vitro enzymatic maturation. Thereafter, the B-chain N-terminus of the easily labeled relaxin was chemically cross-linked with a C-terminal cysteine residue of an engineered NanoLuc through a disulfide linkage. Receptor-binding assays demonstrated that the NanoLuc-conjugated relaxin retained high binding affinity with the receptor RXFP1 (K d = 1.11 ± 0.08 nM, n = 3) and was able to sensitively monitor binding of a variety of ligands with RXFP1. Using the novel bioluminescent binding assay, we demonstrated that three highly conserved B-chain Arg residues of relaxin-3 had distinct contributions to binding of the receptor RXFP1. In summary, our present work provides a novel bioluminescent ligand-receptor binding assay for the relaxin-RXFP1 system to facilitate their interaction studies, such as characterization of relaxin analogues or screening novel agonists or antagonists of RXFP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing-Ping Wu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao-Xia Shao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Hui Wang
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Gao
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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12
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Abstract
Bioluminescence has been widely used in biomedical research due to its high sensitivity, low background, and broad linear range. In recent studies, we applied bioluminescence to ligand-receptor binding assays for some protein or peptide hormones based on a newly developed small monomeric Nanoluciferase (NanoLuc) reporter that has the so far brightest bioluminescence. The conventional ligand-receptor binding assays rely on radioligands that have drawbacks, such as radioactive hazards and short shelf lives. In contrast, the novel bioluminescent binding assays use the NanoLuc-based protein or peptide tracers that are safe, stable, and ultrasensitive. Thus, the novel bioluminescent ligand-receptor binding assay would be applied to more and more protein or peptide hormones for ligand-receptor interaction studies in future. In the present article, we provided detailed protocols for setting up the novel bioluminescent ligand-receptor binding assays using two representative protein hormones as examples.
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13
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Song G, Wu QP, Xu T, Liu YL, Xu ZG, Zhang SF, Guo ZY. Quick preparation of nanoluciferase-based tracers for novel bioluminescent receptor-binding assays of protein hormones: Using erythropoietin as a model. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2015; 153:311-6. [PMID: 26506452 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2015.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Nanoluciferase (NanoLuc) is a newly developed small luciferase reporter with the so far brightest bioluminescence. In recent studies, we developed NanoLuc as an ultrasensitive probe for novel bioluminescent receptor-binding assays of some protein/peptide hormones. In the present study, we proposed a simple method for quick preparation of the NanoLuc-based protein tracers using erythropoietin (Epo) as a model. Epo is a glycosylated cytokine that promotes erythropoiesis by binding and activating the cell membrane receptor EpoR. For quick preparation of a bioluminescent Epo tracer, an Epo-Luc fusion protein carrying a NanoLuc-6 × His-tag at the C-terminus was secretorily overexpressed in transiently transfected human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 T cells. The Epo-Luc fusion protein retained high-binding affinities with EpoR either overexpressed in HEK293T cells or endogenously expressed in mouse erythroleukemia cells, representing a novel ultrasensitive bioluminescent tracer for non-radioactive receptor-binding assays. Sufficient Epo-Luc tracer for thousands of assays could be quickly obtained within 2 days through simple transient transfection. Thus, our present work provided a simple method for quick preparation of novel NanoLuc-based bioluminescent tracers for Epo and some other protein hormones to facilitate their ligand-receptor interaction studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ge Song
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qing-Ping Wu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ya-Li Liu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zeng-Guang Xu
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shi-Fu Zhang
- Proteomic and Molecular Enzymology Lab, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhan-Yun Guo
- Research Center for Translational Medicine at East Hospital, College of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
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