Solid-phase Refolding of Immobilized Enterokinase for Fusion Protein Cleavage

Solid-phase refolding of immobilized proteins can be an effective way to reuse an immobilized enzyme column. Oriented immobilization methods are known to provide higher activity of the immobilized enzymes. In this study, using recombinant EK (enterokinase) as a model enzyme and a fusion protein, that consisted of recombinant human growth hormone and six His tag that was linked by the peptide of EK-specific recognition sequence, as a model substrate, we evaluated two oriented immobilization methods, i. e., reductive alkylation of N-terminus ${\alpha}$-amine and affinity interaction between poly-histidine tag and Ni-NTA (nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid). The immobilization yield, activity and cleavage of the immobilized enzymes, and the yield of solid-phase refolding were compared. The Ni affinity immobilization and the covalent immobilization yields were about 100％ and 65％, respectively. But the specific activities were the same, about 50％ of that of the soluble enzyme. The cleavage rate by the covalently immobilized EK was higher than the soluble enzyme and the side reaction of cryptic cleavage was significantly decreased. Covalently immobilized EK showed almost 100％ refolding yield but the affinity immobilized EK showed only 70％ yield, which suggested the covalent conjugation provided more rigid ‘reference structure’ for the solid-phase refolding. The monomeric hGH could be easily obtained by capturing the cleaved poly Histidine tag by the Ni affinity column.

융합단백질 절단반응을 위한 고정화된 enterokinase의 고체상 재접힘

융합단백질의 절단을 위해 EK를 고정화하여 액상 절단반응과 같은 80％의 절단수율을 얻을 수 있었다. 그리고 니켈 친화칼럼을 이용하여 간단한 정제공정을 구축하였다. 공유결합한 EK의 경우 니켈친화 결합한 EK보다 높은 재접힘 수율을 나타내었고 풀림과 재접힘을 이용하여 효소의 초기 활성을 회복함에 따라서 반복사용을 통한 경제적인 절단공정을 구축할 수 있게 되었다. 그러나 고정화 과정에서 효소의 활성이 감소하는 문제점과 고정화 수율을 높이기 위한 연구가 필요하다.