High-level expression of human cytochrome P450 1A2 by co-expression with human molecular chaperone HDJ-1(Hsp40)

Heterologous Expression of Recombinant Human Cytochrome P450 (CYP) in Escherichia coli: N-Terminal Modification, Expression, Isolation, Purification, and Reconstitution

Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes play important roles in metabolising endogenous and xenobiotic substances. Characterisations of human CYP proteins have been advanced with the rapid development of molecular technology that allows heterologous expression of human CYPs. Among several hosts, bacteria systems such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) have been widely used thanks to their ease of use, high level of protein yields, and affordable maintenance costs. However, the levels of expression in E. coli reported in the literature sometimes differ significantly. This paper aims to review several contributing factors, including N-terminal modifications, co-expression with a chaperon, selections of vectors and E. coli strains, bacteria culture and protein expression conditions, bacteria membrane preparations, CYP protein solubilizations, CYP protein purifications, and reconstitution of CYP catalytic systems. The common factors that would most likely lead to high expression of CYPs were identified and summarised. Nevertheless, each factor may still require careful evaluation for individual CYP isoforms to achieve a maximal expression level and catalytic activity. Recombinant E. coli systems have been evidenced as a useful tool in obtaining the ideal level of human CYP proteins, which ultimately allows for subsequent characterisations of structures and functions.

Recombinant production of eukaryotic cytochrome P450s in microbial cell factories

Cytochrome P450s (P450s) comprise one of the largest known protein families. They occur in every kingdom of life and catalyze essential reactions, such as carbon source assimilation, synthesis of hormones and secondary metabolites, or degradation of xenobiotics. Due to their outstanding ability of specifically hydroxylating complex hydrocarbons, there is a great demand to use these enzymes for biocatalysis, including applications at an industrial scale. Thus, the recombinant production of these enzymes is intensively investigated. However, especially eukaryotic P450s are difficult to produce. Challenges are faced due to complex cofactor requirements and the availability of a redox-partner (cytochrome P450 reductase, CPR) can be a key element to get active P450s. Additionally, most eukaryotic P450s are membrane bound which complicates the recombinant production. This review describes current strategies for expression of P450s in the microbial cell factories Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Pichia pastoris.

Transformation of Escherichia coli and protein expression using lipoplex mimicry

We investigated a "one-step" method for transformation of and protein expression in Escherichia coli (E. coli) using a complex of n-stearylamine, a cationic lipid, and plasmid DNA, which mimics lipoplex-based approaches. When E. coli cells were treated with the cationic lipid-plasmid complex, the transformation efficiencies were in the range of approximately 2-3 × 10(6) colony-forming units. Further increase in the efficiency was obtained by co-treatment with calcium chloride (or rubidium chloride) and the complexes. Moreover, after DNA transfer, E. coli cells successfully expressed plasmid-encoded proteins such as cytochrome P450s and glutathione-S-transferase without overnight incubation of the cells to form colonies, an indispensable step in other bacterial transformation methods. In this study, we provide a simple method for E. coli transformation, which does not require the preparation of competent cells. The present method also shortens the overall procedures for transformation and gene expression in E. coli by omitting the colony-forming step.

Heterologous expression and characterization of wild-type human cytochrome P450 1A2 without conventional N-terminal modification in Escherichia coli

In this study, wild-type human CYP1A2 without the conventional N-terminal modification (second codon GCT) or the truncation of the N-terminal hydrophobic region was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. Its enzymatic properties were compared with N-terminally modified CYP1A2. Although modified CYP1A2 is almost all high-spin, some wild-type CYP1A2 shifted to low-spin. Spectral binding titrations with several ligands could be performed with wild-type enzyme, but not with modified enzyme. Kinetic parameters for several substrates were similar for the two CYP1A2 enzymes. However, the oxidation rates of phenacetin by modified enzyme were approximately 2-fold higher than those by wild-type enzyme. The intermolecular isotope effects were approximately 2 for phenacetin O-deethylation catalyzed by both enzymes. However, the wild-type enzyme, but not the modified enzyme, increased C-hydroxylation when O-deethylation rates were lowered by deuterium substitution. Molecular switching indicates that phenacetin rotates within the active site of wild-type enzyme and suggests a looser conformation in the active site of the wild-type enzyme than of the modified enzyme. These results reveal that the overall enzymatic properties of wild-type CYP1A2 enzyme are quite similar to those of modified CYP1A2, although its active site environment seems to differ from that of the modified enzyme.

Improvement in the expression of CYP2B6 by co-expression with molecular chaperones GroES/EL in Escherichia coli

Improvement of CYP2B6 expression was examined by co-expression with molecular chaperones GroES/EL. Although a CO-reduced difference spectrum was not detected in Escherichia coli transformed only by the CYP2B6-expressing vector, co-expression of GroES/EL resulted in high-level expression which reached over 2000 nmol P450/L. CYP2B6 was purified from the E. coli membrane with a high yield. Purified CYP2B6 showed 7-ethoxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin O-deethylase activity in a reconstitution system. This expression system would be useful for the production of large amounts of active CYP2B6 and for the detailed analysis of the enzyme.

Simultaneous production of two foreign proteins from a polyvirus-based vector

With the aim of developing a biotechnological tool for the production of foreign proteins in plants, we first engineered an infectious turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) cDNA that contained the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene or the bacterial beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene (uidA). Two insertion sites were assessed, either between P1 and HCPro cistrons or Pol and CP cistrons. In each construct, the junctions flanking the inserted gene coded for P1 and/or VPg-Pro cleavage recognition site sequences, to produce free GUS or GFP. After transfection by particle bombardment on Brassica perviridis, characteristic symptoms for TuMV infection appeared and Western blot analyses showed that GFP and GUS had been excised from the viral polyprotein. No significant differences in expression level were noticed between the two insertion sites. By RT-PCR, gfp was found to be stable over 30 days post-transfection (dpt) while uidA was gradually lost at 15 dpt. We also created two constructs containing either gene at each insertion sites on the same molecule. Attenuated systemic symptoms were observed after particle bombardment on B. perviridis and Western blot analyses showed that both foreign proteins were produced. Also, the same stability/instability as for the single-gene constructs were observed. These results indicate that it is possible to produce at least two foreign proteins simultaneously in a TuMV-based vector.

Temperature effect on the functional expression of human cytochromes P450 2A6 and 2E1 inEscherichia coli

Human cytochromes P450 (CYP) 2A6 and 2E1 are of great interest because of their important roles in the oxidation of numerous drugs and carcinogens. Bacterial expression systems, especially Escherichia coli cells, have been widely used for the production of various CYP enzymes in order to obtain high yield of proteins. The expression methods usually employ longer culture time (30-72 h) at lower temperature (usually under 30 degrees C). Expression levels of CYPs 2A6 and 2E1 at 37 degrees C were compared to those at 280 degrees C, which is a usual temperature used in most bacterial expression systems for human CYP expression. Within 18 h the expression levels of CYPs 2A6 and 2E1 reached up to 360 and 560 nmol per liter culture at 37 degrees C, respectively, which are compatible with those of 36 h culture at 280 degrees C. The activities of CYPs expressed at 37 degrees C were also comparable to those expressed at 28 degrees C. The present over-expression system can be useful for rapid production of large amounts of active human CYPs 2A6 and 2E1 in E. coli.