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Qureshi S, Ahmed N, Rehman HM, Amirzada MI, Saleem F, Waheed K, Chaudhry A, Kafait I, Akram M, Bashir H. Investigation of therapeutic potential of the Il24-p20 fusion protein against breast cancer: an in-silico approach. In Silico Pharmacol 2024; 12:84. [PMID: 39301086 PMCID: PMC11408464 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-024-00252-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted delivery of therapeutic anticancer chimeric molecules enhances drug efficacy. Numerous studies have focused on developing novel treatments by employing cytokines, particularly interleukins, to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. In the present study, we fused interleukin 24 with the tumor-targeting peptide P20 through a rigid linker to selectively target cancer cells. The secondary structure, tertiary structure, and physicochemical characteristics of the constructed chimeric IL-24-P20 protein were predicted by using bioinformatics tools. In-silico analysis revealed that the fusion construct has a basic nature with 175 amino acids and a molecular weight of 20 kDa. By using the Rampage and ERRAT2 servers, the validity and quality of the fusion protein were evaluated. The results indicated that 93% of the chimeric proteins contained 90.1% of the residues in the favoured region, resulting in a reliable structure. Finally, docking and simulation studies were conducted via ClusPro and Desmond Schrödinger, respectively. Our results indicate that the constructed fusion protein exhibits excellent quality, interaction capabilities, validity, and stability. These findings suggest that the fusion protein is a promising candidate for targeted cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahnila Qureshi
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
| | - Nadeem Ahmed
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Muhammad Rehman
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
- University Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Science, University of Lahore, Lahore, 54590 Pakistan
| | | | - Fiza Saleem
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
- University Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Science, University of Lahore, Lahore, 54590 Pakistan
| | - Kainat Waheed
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
- University Institute of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Science, University of Lahore, Lahore, 54590 Pakistan
| | - Afeefa Chaudhry
- Department of Biology, Lahore Garrison University, Avenue 4, sector phase 6 DHA, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Iram Kafait
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Muhammad Akram
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
| | - Hamid Bashir
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West canal, Bank Road, Lahore, 53700 Pakistan
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Yang J, Wang QL, Wang GN, Ye JC, Li ZQ, Wang JY, Liang ZH, Li SX, Sun C, Liao WT, Gao YJ, Wang J, Mao Y, Yu C, Feng GK, Zeng MS. A pan-KRAS degrader for the treatment of KRAS-mutant cancers. Cell Discov 2024; 10:70. [PMID: 38937452 PMCID: PMC11211324 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-024-00699-4] [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: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
KRAS mutations are highly prevalent in a wide range of lethal cancers, and these mutant forms of KRAS play a crucial role in driving cancer progression and conferring resistance to treatment. While there have been advancements in the development of small molecules to target specific KRAS mutants, the presence of undruggable mutants and the emergence of secondary mutations continue to pose challenges in the clinical treatment of KRAS-mutant cancers. In this study, we developed a novel molecular tool called tumor-targeting KRAS degrader (TKD) that effectively targets a wide range of KRAS mutants. TKD is composed of a KRAS-binding nanobody, a cell-penetrating peptide selectively targeting cancer cells, and a lysosome-binding motif. Our data revealed that TKD selectively binds to KRAS in cancer cells and effectively induces KRAS degradation via a lysosome-dependent process. Functionally, TKD suppresses tumor growth with no obvious side effects and enhances the antitumor effects of PD-1 antibody and cetuximab. This study not only provides a strategy for developing drugs targeting "undruggable" proteins but also reveals that TKD is a promising therapeutic for treating KRAS-mutant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qiao-Li Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Guan-Nan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jia-Cong Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zi-Qian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing-Yun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhao-Hui Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shu-Xin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Cong Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wen-Ting Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yi-Jun Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yong Mao
- Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Chunjing Yu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China
| | - Guo-Kai Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Mu-Sheng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Shafiee-Ardestani Z, Shafiee F. Production of recombinant DNA fragmentation factor 40 in fusion to an antimicrobial peptide from spider venom and evaluation of its cytotoxic effects. Res Pharm Sci 2024; 19:93-104. [PMID: 39006972 PMCID: PMC11244711 DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.394824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Background and purpose DNA fragmentation factor 40 (DFF40) as an apoptotic molecule can represent a novel approach to cancer treatment. Lycosin-I (LYC-I), a peptide derived from spider venom, was considered for the targeted delivery of DFF40 to cancer cells. This study attempted to produce soluble DFF40-LYC-I and evaluate its selective lethal effects on HeLa cells. Experimental approach pTWINl vector was used to produce LYC-I and DFF40-LYC-I in E. coli BL21 (DE3) fused to inteins 1 and 2. IPTG concentration and incubation temperature were optimized to achieve the highest level of soluble product. To remove inteins 1 and 2 from the recombinant peptide or protein, pH shift and dithiothreitol were used for a 24-h incubation period at room temperature, respectively. MTT assay was performed to assess the biological effects of these bio-molecules on HeLa and HUVEC cell lines. Findings/Results LYC-I and DFF40-LYC-I were detected in SDS-PAGE with bands of approximately 57 and 97 kDa, respectively. Furthermore, the 3 and 43 kDa bands showed the purified molecules. The IC50 value of DFF40-LYC-I and DFF40 was determined as 6.6 and 17.03 μg/mL for HeLa, respectively. LYC-I had no cytotoxic effects on both cell lines, even at high concentrations. Conclusion and implications A new fusion protein with targeted cancer treatment potential was produced for the first time by LYC-I with a safe profile on normal cells. This fusion protein exhibited higher cytotoxic effects in cancer cells compared to normal cells. However, additional investigations are required to determine the apoptosis induction and evaluate selective toxicity against other cancer and normal cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Shafiee-Ardestani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
| | - Fatemeh Shafiee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
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Aslam S, Zulfiqar F, Hameed W, Qureshi S, Zaroon, Bashir H. Fusion proteins development strategies and their role as cancer therapeutic agents. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2024; 71:81-95. [PMID: 37822167 DOI: 10.1002/bab.2523] [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: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Cancer continues to be leading cause of morbidity and mortality despite decades of research and advancement in chemotherapy. Most tumors can be reduced via standard oncology treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical resection, and they frequently recur. Significant progress has been made since targeted cancer therapy inception in creation of medications that exhibit improved tumor-selective action. Particularly in preclinical and clinical investigations, fusion proteins have shown strong activity and improved treatment outcomes for a number of human cancers. Synergistically combining many proteins into one complex allows the creation of synthetic fusion proteins with enhanced characteristics or new capabilities. Signal transduction pathways are important for onset, development, and spread of cancer. As result, signaling molecules are desirable targets for cancer therapies, and significant effort has been made into developing fusion proteins that would act as inhibitors of these pathways. A wide range of biotechnological and medicinal applications are made possible by fusion of protein domains that improves bioactivities or creates new functional combinations. Such proteins may function as immune effectors cell recruiters to tumors or as decoy receptors for various ligands. In this review article, we have outlined the standard methods for creating fusion proteins and covered the applications of fusion proteins in treatment of cancer. This article also highlights the role of fusion proteins in targeting the signaling pathways involved in cancer for effective treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shakira Aslam
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | | | - Warda Hameed
- King Edward Medical University, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shahnila Qureshi
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Zaroon
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hamid Bashir
- Center for Applied Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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5
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Cabral LGDS, Oliveira CS, Freire KA, Alves MG, Oliveira VX, Poyet JL, Maria DA. Antiproliferative Modulation and Pro-Apoptotic Effect of BR2 Tumor-Penetrating Peptide Formulation 2-Aminoethyl Dihydrogen Phosphate in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5342. [PMID: 38001606 PMCID: PMC10670255 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15225342] [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: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, the so-called "Triple-Negative Breast Cancer" (TNBC) subtype remaining the most challenging to treat, with low tumor-free survival and poor clinical evolution. Therefore, there is a clear medical need for innovative and more efficient treatment options for TNBC. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential therapeutic interest of the association of the tumor-penetrating BR2 peptide with monophosphoester 2-aminoethyl dihydrogen phosphate (2-AEH2P), a monophosphoester involved in cell membrane turnover, in TNBC. For that purpose, viability, migration, proliferative capacity, and gene expression analysis of proteins involved in the control of proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated upon treatment of an array of TNBC cells with the BR2 peptide and 2-AEH2P, either separately or combined. Our data showed that, while possessing limited single-agent activity, the 2-AEH2P+BR2 association promoted significant cytotoxicity in TNBC cells but not in normal cells, with reduced proliferative potential and inhibition of cell migration. Mechanically, the 2-AEH2P+BR2 combination promoted an increase in cells expressing p53 caspase 3 and caspase 8, a reduction in cells expressing tumor progression and metastasis markers such as VEGF and PCNA, as well as a reduction in mitochondrial electrical potential. Our results indicate that the combination of the BR2 peptide with 2-AEH2P+BR2 may represent a promising therapeutic strategy in TNBC with potential use in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laertty Garcia de Sousa Cabral
- Laboratory of Development and Innovation, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo 69310-000, Brazil; (L.G.d.S.C.); (M.G.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP), Sao Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
| | - Cyntia Silva Oliveira
- Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo 09913-030, Brazil; (C.S.O.); (V.X.O.)
| | | | - Monique Gonçalves Alves
- Laboratory of Development and Innovation, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo 69310-000, Brazil; (L.G.d.S.C.); (M.G.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP), Sao Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
| | - Vani Xavier Oliveira
- Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP), Sao Paulo 09913-030, Brazil; (C.S.O.); (V.X.O.)
- Center for Natural and Human Sciences, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre 09210-580, Brazil;
| | - Jean-Luc Poyet
- INSERM UMRS976, Institut De Recherche Saint-Louis, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 75010 Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, 75006 Paris, France
| | - Durvanei Augusto Maria
- Laboratory of Development and Innovation, Butantan Institute, Sao Paulo 69310-000, Brazil; (L.G.d.S.C.); (M.G.A.)
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP), Sao Paulo 01246-903, Brazil
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6
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Muhammad Rehman H, Rehman HM, Naveed M, Khan MT, Shabbir MA, Aslam S, Bashir H. In Silico Investigation of a Chimeric IL24-LK6 Fusion Protein as a Potent Candidate Against Breast Cancer. Bioinform Biol Insights 2023; 17:11779322231182560. [PMID: 37377793 PMCID: PMC10291407 DOI: 10.1177/11779322231182560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted delivery of therapeutic anticancer chimeric molecules enhances the efficacy of drug by improving cellular uptake and circulation time. Engineering the molecules to facilitate the specific interaction between chimeric protein and its receptor is critical to elucidate biological mechanism as well as accuracy in modeling of complexes. A theoretically designed novel protein-protein interfaces can serve as a bottom-up method for comprehensive understanding of interacting protein residues. This study was aimed for in silico analyses of a chimeric fusion protein against breast cancer. The amino acid sequences of the interleukin 24 (IL-24) and LK-6 peptide were used to design the chimeric fusion protein via a rigid linker. The secondary and tertiary structures along with physicochemical properties by ProtParam and solubility were predicted using online software. The validation and quality of the fusion protein was confirmed by Rampage and ERRAT2. The newly designed fusion construct has a total length of 179 amino acids. The top-ranked structure from alpha fold2 showed 18.1 KD molecular weight by ProtParam, quality factor of 94.152 by ERRAT, and a valid structure by a Ramachandran plot with 88.5% residues in the favored region. Finally, the docking and simulation studies were performed using HADDOCK and Desmond module of Schrodinger. The quality, validity, interaction analysis, and stability of the fusion protein depict a functional molecule. The fusion gene IL24-LK6 after cloning and expression in a suitable prokaryotic cell might be a useful candidate for developing a novel anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hafiz Muhammad Rehman
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- University Institute of Medical Lab Technology, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, The University of Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Muzzammel Rehman
- School of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Human Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of Health Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Naveed
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Tahir Khan
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Aqib Shabbir
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shakira Aslam
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Hamid Bashir
- Centre for Applied Molecular Biology (CAMB), University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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7
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Vakili B, Jahanian-Najafabadi A. Application of Antimicrobial Peptides in the Design and Production of Anticancer Agents. Int J Pept Res Ther 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-023-10501-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
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8
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Sadeghi F, Kajbaf M, Shafiee F. BR2, a Buforin Derived Cancer Specific Cell Penetrating Peptide for Targeted Delivering of Toxic Agents: a Review Article. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10384-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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9
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Production and Evaluation of In-vitro and In-vivo Effects of P28-IL24, a Promising Anti-breast Cancer Fusion Protein. Int J Pept Res Ther 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-021-10275-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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10
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Liu Y, Chen Y, Sha R, Li Y, Xu T, Hu X, Xu L, Xie Q, Zhao B. A new insight into the role of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in the migration of glioblastoma by AhR-IL24 axis regulation. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 154:106658. [PMID: 34082239 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Cancer occurrence and development are closely related to the environment. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is an important receptor mediating the toxic effects of many environmental compounds, and is also involved in regulating tumor cell migration. Glioblastoma is the most malignant glioma and exhibits high motility, but the effects of AhR on the migration of glioblastoma are still unclear. We aimed to understand the role of AhR in the migration of this type of tumor cell and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. In cultured human neuroblastoma cells (U87), we found that AhR overexpression or knockdown increased or suppressed the migration ability of U87 cells, respectively. Furthermore, inhibition of basal activation of the AhR pathway suppressed migration ability, suggesting a positive correlation between endogenous activity of the AhR pathway and cell migration. When the AhR pathway was activated by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) or 6-formyl [3,2-b] carbazole (FICZ), the migration of U87 cells was inhibited by inducing the expression of a tumor suppressor, IL24, which is a downstream responsive gene of AhR activation. Moreover, a similar AhR-IL24-dependent mechanism for migration inhibition of TCDD was documented in a breast cancer cell line and a lung cancer cell line. This study demonstrated that AhR plays important roles in regulating the migration of glioblastoma, and the induction of the AhR-IL24 axis mediates the inhibition of migration in response to TCDD or FICZ treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yangsheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Sha
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yunping Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxu Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Li Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qunhui Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Bin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Mao S, Chen Y, Sun J, Wei C, Song Z, Lu F, Qin HM. Enhancing the sustainability of KsdD as a biocatalyst for steroid transformation by immobilization on epoxy support. Enzyme Microb Technol 2021; 146:109777. [PMID: 33812565 DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2021.109777] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The Δ1-dehydrogenation of 3-ketosteroid substrates is a crucial reaction in the production of steroids. Although 3-ketosteroid Δ1-dehydrogenase (KsdD) catalyzes this reaction with high efficiency and selectivity, the low stability and high cost of the purified enzyme catalyst have limited its industrial application. In this study, an epoxy support was used to evaluate the covalent immobilization of KsdD from Pimelobacter simplex, and the best androsta-1,4-diene-317-dione (ADD) production was achieved after optimized immobilization of KsdD enzyme in 1.5 M NaH2PO4- Na2HPO4 buffer (pH 6.5) for 12 h at 25 °C. The immobilized KsdD exhibited higher tolerance toward 20 % methanol. The dehydrogenation reaction reached a conversion efficiency of up to 90.0 % in 2 h when using 0.6 mg/mL of 4-androstene-317-dione (AD). The W299A and W299 G mutants of KsdD were also immobilized, and both showed the better catalytic performance with higher kcat/KM values compared with the wild type (WT). The immobilized W299A, W299 G and WT KsdD respectively maintained 70.5, 65.7 and 38.7 % of their initial activity at the end of 15 reaction cycles. Furthermore, the W299A retained 66.3 % of the initial activity after 30 days of incubation at 4 °C, and was more stable than free KsdD, Thus, the immobilized W299A is a promising biocatalyst for steroid dehydrogenation. In this study, we investigated the application of immobilized enzymes for the dehydrogenation of steroids, which will be of great importance for improving the development of green technology and sustainable use of biocatalysts in the steroid manufacturing industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhong Mao
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China
| | - Ying Chen
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China
| | - Jing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China
| | - Cancan Wei
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China
| | - Zhan Song
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China
| | - Fuping Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China.
| | - Hui-Min Qin
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Industrial Microbiology, College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, National Engineering Laboratory for Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin, 300457, PR China.
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12
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Lu Y, Yu Y, Liu F, Han Y, Xue H, Sun X, Jiang Y, Tian Z. LINC00511-dependent inhibition of IL-24 contributes to the oncogenic role of HNF4α in colorectal cancer. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2021; 320:G338-G350. [PMID: 33052062 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00243.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α (HNF4α) is an important transcription factor that acts as a pro-proliferative mediator during tumorigenesis, yet its function in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear. Hence, this study aims to explore roles that HNF4α plays in the CRC development. RNA quantification analysis was conducted to characterize the expression pattern of long intergenic noncoding RNA 00511 (LINC00511)/HNF4α/IL-24 in CRC tissues and cell lines. Using gain- and loss-of-function approaches, effects of HNF4α/LINC00511/IL-24 axis on biological processes such as proliferative, migrating, invading, apoptotic, and tumorigenic functions of CRC cells were evaluated. We further identified the interactions among HNF4α/LINC00511/EZH2/IL-24 using RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down along with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). LINC00511 was an upregulated lncRNA in CRC tissues and cells, which played an oncogenic role by strengthening the malignant phenotypes of CRC cells. LINC00511 downregulated IL-24 expression by interacting with EZH2. HNF4α could enhance LINC00511 transcription in an epigenetic manner, which finally accelerated cancer progression and tumorigenesis through LINC00511-mediated inhibition of IL-24. Those data together demonstrated the contribution of HNF4α to the progression of CRC through mediating the LINC00511/EZH2/IL-24 axis. Hence, our study provides a promising therapeutic target for CRC.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our findings on the roles of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 α/long intergenic noncoding RNA 00511/IL-24 axis provide new insights into the CRC and offer potential targets for translational applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Lu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanan Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Fuguo Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Han
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Huiguang Xue
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueguo Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Yueping Jiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
| | - Zibin Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, People's Republic of China
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13
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Seyedhosseini Ghaheh H, Ganjalikhany MR, Yaghmaei P, Pourfarzam M, Mir Mohammad Sadeghi H. Investigation of Supercharging as A Strategy to Enhance the Solubility and Plasminogen Cleavage Activity of Reteplase. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY 2020; 18:e2556. [PMID: 34056023 PMCID: PMC8148640 DOI: 10.30498/ijb.2020.2556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Reteplase, the recombinant form of tissue plasminogen activator, is a thrombolytic drug with outstanding characteristics, while demonstrating limited solubility and reduced plasminogen activation. Previously, we in silico designed a variant of Reteplase with positively supercharged surface, which showed promising stability, solubility and activity. This study was devoted to evaluation of the utility of supercharging technique for enhancing these characteristics in Reteplase. Objective To test the hypothesis that reinforced surface charge of a rationally-designed Reteplase variant will not compromise its stability, will increase its solubility, and will enhance its plasminogen cleavage activity. Materials and Methods Supercharged Reteplase coding sequence was cloned in pDest527 vector and expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3). The expressed protein was extracted by cell disruption. Inclusion bodies were solubilized using guanidine hydrochloride, followed by dialysis for protein refolding. After confirmation with SDS-PAGE and western blotting, extracted proteins were assayed for solubility and tested for bioactivity. Results SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis confirmed the successful expression of Reteplase. Western blot experiments showed most of Reteplase expressed in the insoluble form. Plasminogen cleavage assay showed significantly higher activity of the supercharged variant than the wild type protein (P < 0.001). The stability of the supercharged variant was also comparable to the wild type. Conclusion Our findings, i.e. the contribution of the surface supercharging technique to retained stability, enhanced plasminogen cleavage activity, while inefficiently changed solubility of Reteplase, contain implications for future designs of soluble variants of this fibrinolytic protein drug.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Parichehreh Yaghmaei
- Department of Biology, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Morteza Pourfarzam
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamid Mir Mohammad Sadeghi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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14
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Tham HY, Song AAL, Yusoff K, Tan GH. Effect of different cloning strategies in pET-28a on solubility and functionality of a staphylococcal phage endolysin. Biotechniques 2020; 69:161-170. [PMID: 32787565 DOI: 10.2144/btn-2020-0034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Endolysins have been studied intensively as an alternative to antibiotics. In this study, endolysin derived from a phage which infects methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli pET28a. Initially, the endolysin was cloned using BamHI/XhoI, resulting in expression of a recombinant endolysin which was expressed in inclusion bodies. While solubilization was successful, the protein remained nonfunctional. Recloning the endolysin using NcoI/XhoI resulted in expression of soluble and functional proteins at 18°C. The endolysin was able to form halo zones on MRSA plates and showed a reduction in turbidity of MRSA growth. Therefore, cloning strategies should be chosen carefully even in an established expression system as they could greatly affect the functionality of the expressed protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Y Tham
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Adelene A-L Song
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.,Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Khatijah Yusoff
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology & Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.,Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Geok H Tan
- Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.,Department of Agriculture Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University Putra Malaysia, 43400, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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15
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Yang L, Wu Y, He H, Hu F, Li M, Mo L, Xiao Y, Wang X, Xie B. Delivery of BR2‐SOX17 fusion protein can inhibit cell survival, proliferation, and invasion in gastric cancer cells through regulating Klotho gene expression. Cell Biol Int 2020; 44:2011-2020. [PMID: 32544287 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.11407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Revised: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lixia Yang
- Department of Cancer The First Affiliated Hospital of Changsha Medical School Changsha Hunan China
| | - Yue Wu
- Department of Cancer The First Affiliated Hospital of Changsha Medical School Changsha Hunan China
| | - Heli He
- Department of Cancer The First Affiliated Hospital of Changsha Medical School Changsha Hunan China
| | - Fan Hu
- Department One of Anorectal Surgery The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Changsha Hunan China
| | - Mei Li
- Department One of Anorectal Surgery The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Changsha Hunan China
| | - Li Mo
- Department One of Anorectal Surgery The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Changsha Hunan China
| | - You Xiao
- Department One of Anorectal Surgery The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Changsha Hunan China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department One of Anorectal Surgery The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Changsha Hunan China
| | - Biao Xie
- Department of Cancer The First Affiliated Hospital of Changsha Medical School Changsha Hunan China
- Department One of Anorectal Surgery The Second Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine Changsha Hunan China
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16
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Ghavimi R, Mohammadi E, Akbari V, Shafiee F, Jahanian-Najafabadi A. In silico design of two novel fusion proteins, p28-IL-24 and p28-M4, targeted to breast cancer cells. Res Pharm Sci 2020; 15:200-208. [PMID: 32582360 PMCID: PMC7306244 DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.283820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Revised: 01/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and purpose: An anticancer peptide P28, has shown to be cytolethal on various cancer cells including breast cancer. Moreover, p28 can be also used as a targeting moiety in the structure of fusion proteins. IL-24 (or its truncated form, M4) is a cytokine with anticancer activity against a wide range of tumor cells. We aimed at production of a fusion protein consisted of p28 and either IL-24 or M4 to target breast cancer. However, selection of a proper linker to join the two moieties without intervening each other’s function is a key factor in the construction of fusion proteins. In the present study, the impact of different linkers on construction of the two chimeric proteins (p28-IL-24 and p28-M4) was assessed in silico. Experimental approach: After selection of some linkers with different lengths and characteristics, a small library of the chimeric proteins was created and assessed. Furthermore, following selection of the most suitable linker, the three-dimensional structures and dynamic behavior of both fusion proteins were evaluated by homology modeling and molecular dynamic simulation, respectively. Findings / Results: Based on the results, a rigid linker having the peptide sequences of AEAAAKEAAAKA showed highest freedom of action for both moieties. Conclusion and implications: Between the p28-IL-24 and p28-M4 fusion proteins, the former showed better stability as well as solubility and might show stronger anticancer effects in vitro and in vivo, because its peptide moieties showed to exert their activities freely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Ghavimi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
| | - Elmira Mohammadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
| | - Vajihe Akbari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
| | - Fatemeh Shafiee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
| | - Ali Jahanian-Najafabadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran
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17
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Rasooli F, Hashemi A. Efficient expression of EpEX in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli using thioredoxin fusion protein. Res Pharm Sci 2019; 14:554-565. [PMID: 32038735 PMCID: PMC6937747 DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.272564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant epithelial cell adhesion molecule extracellular domain (EpEX) has a high potential as a candidate for passive and active immunotherapy as well as cancer vaccination. In the present study, EpEX was expressed as a thioredoxin fusion protein in Escherichia coli (E. coli). The effect of different hosts and expression conditions on the expression level of the fusion protein was also evaluated. Moreover, the effect of temperature and isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) concentration on protein solubility was assessed. The codon optimized-synthetic gene was cloned into pET32a (+) expression vector and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3), Rosetta™ (DE3), and Origami™ (DE3). The protein expression was confirmed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and western blotting. Lowering the expression temperature to 16 °C and IPTG concentration to 0.5 mM also dramatically increased the volumetric productivity of the fusion protein. In optimum culture condition, high-level expression of the target fusion protein was detected in Rosetta™ (DE3) and Origami™ (DE3) (207 and 334 μg/mL, respectively), though they were expressed as inclusion bodies. No improvement was observed in the solubility of the fusion protein by reducing the temperature or IPTG concentration even when expressed in a TrxB/gor mutant strain. Results showed that Trx tag combined with other strategies utilized here could be effective to achieve high level of protein production but not effective in solubility improvement. However, new approaches might be necessary to enhance the solubility of EpEX in the E. coli system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farideh Rasooli
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran
| | - Atieh Hashemi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran.,Protein Technology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, I.R. Iran
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