• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.90-96
• /
• 1999

The core protein of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a multifunctional protein. The HCV core protein was reported to regulate cellular gene expression and transform primary rat embryo fibroblast cells. However, the role of the core protein in the pathogenesis of HCV-associated liver diseases is not well understood. To investigate the functional role of the core protein in cytophathogenicity, we have constructed stable expression systems of full length or truncated HCV core protein lacking the C-terminal hyderophobic domains and established HepG2 cell clones constitutively expressing the core protein. The full length core protein was localized in the cytoplasm and the C-terminal truncated core protein was localized in the nucleus. HepG2 cells expressing nuclear, truncated core protein showed elevated cell death during cultivation compared to untransfected cells and full length core-expressing cells. In the treatment with bleomycin, both cell clones expressing full length or truncated core protein appeared to be more sensitive to blemoycin than the parental HepG2 cells. These results suggest that the core protein may play a role in HCV pathogenesis promoting apoptotic cell death of infected cells.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.21 no.4
• /
• pp.302-305
• /
• 2006

In this work, we attempted the application of cell-free protein synthesis technology for the rapid generation of truncated enzymes. Truncated DNAs of a transaminase were PCR-amplified and directly expressed in cell-free protein synthesis reactions. Variants of the transaminase were rapidly prepared and analyzed for their enzymatic activity. Described method that combines the PCR and cell-free protein synthesis technologies will offer a versatile platform for the rapid generation of optimally modified protein species.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.12
• /
• pp.1810-1818
• /
• 2020

Inhibitor K562 (IK) protein was first isolated from the culture medium of K562 cells, a leukemia cell line, and is an inhibitory regulator of interferon-γ-induced major histocompatibility complex class II expression. Recently, exogenous truncated IK (tIK) protein showed potential as a therapeutic agent for inflammation-related diseases. In this study, we designed a novel putative anti-inflammatory peptide derived from tIK protein based on homology modeling of the human interleukin-10 (hIL-10) structure, and investigated whether the peptide exerted inhibitory effects against pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-17 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The peptide contains key residues involved in binding hIL-10 to the IL-10 receptor, and exerted strong inhibitory effects on IL-17 (43.8%) and TNF-α (50.7%). In addition, we used circular dichroism spectroscopy to confirm that the peptide is usually present in a random coil configuration in aqueous solution. In terms of toxicity, the peptide was found to be biologically safe. The mechanisms by which the short peptide derived from human tIK protein exerts inhibitory effects against IL-17 and TNF-α should be explored further. We also evaluated the feasibility of using this novel peptide in skincare products.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.478-482
• /
• 2018

Human rotavirus is a causative agent of acute diarrhea among children. The artificial gene encoding the truncated $VP8^*$ protein of human rotavirus A (serotype 1 strain WA) was synthesized according to the Escherichia coli codon preference. The synthetic $VP8^*$ gene also possessed the NdeI and HindIII restriction sites for the convenient in-frame cloning for translation and a 6-histidine tag at C-terminus for Ni+ affinity purification. Molecular weight of the truncated $VP8^*$ protein deduced from the nucleotide sequences of the artificial gene was a 19.7-kDa. This synthetic $VP8^*$ DNA fragment was inserted into the pT7-7 expression vector and transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3). Transformants harboring the synthetic gene encoding the $VP8^*$ protein was induced by supplement of a final concentration of 0.05 mM ITPG at $20^{\circ}C$. Protein crude extract from the E. coli transformants was subjected to Western blotting with the mouse anti-rotavirus capsid antibody, showing ~20-kDa $VP8^*$ protein band. The truncated $VP8^*$ protein band was also observed by Western blotting using the rabbit polyclonal antibody serum made against the truncated $VP8^*$ protein. This study suggested that the synthetic gene could be used as an easy way to produce the antigenic vaccine candidate for control of virus-associated diseases or to develop antibodies for diagnostic purpose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.12 no.5
• /
• pp.807-812
• /
• 2002

In order to analyze the cellular proteins which interact with core protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV), a yeast two-hybrid screening technique was employed. A carboxyl terminus truncated core protein, which contained amino acid residues from the 1st to 120th, was used as a bait to screen cellular proteins. The expression library prepared from HeLa cell was screened and 400 positive clones were selected. The 75 clones from the positive clones were sequenced and analyzed by undergoing the Blast search. Interestingly, 7 out of the 75 clones encoded E7 antigen of human papilloma virus (HPV). We studied in detail the Interaction between the truncated version of HCV core and E7 antigen in vitro. The core$_{120}$ protein expressed in chimeric form with G57 was able to bring down the E7 protein of HPV type 18 expressed in bacteria. It is therefore suggested that the core of HCV might affect the interaction between E7 and a normal cellular tumor suppressor, known as Rb protein.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.52 no.5
• /
• pp.330-335
• /
• 2019

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) encoding the HBV x protein (HBx) is a known causative agent of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Its pathogenic activities in HCC include interference with several signaling pathways associated with cell proliferation and apoptosis. Mutant C-terminal-truncated HBx isoforms are frequently found in human HCC and have been shown to enhance proliferation and invasiveness leading to HCC malignancy. We investigated the molecular mechanism of the reduced doxorubicin cytotoxicity by C-terminal truncated HBx. Cells transfected with C-terminal truncated HBx exhibited reduced cytotoxicity to doxorubicin compared to those transfected with full-length HBx. The doxorubicin resistance of cells expressing C-terminal truncated HBx correlated with upregulation of the ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1(ABCB1) transporter, resulting in the enhanced efflux of doxorubicin. Inhibiting the activity of ABCB1 and silencing ABCB1 expression by small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) increased the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin. These results indicate that elevated ABCB1 expression induced by C-terminal truncation of HBx was responsible for doxorubicin resistance in HCC. Hence, co-treatment with an ABCB1 inhibitor and an anticancer agent may be effective for the treatment of patients with liver cancer containing the C-terminal truncated HBx.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.599-602
• /
• 2005

Truncated form of UBP1, an ubiquitin-specific protease of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The hexahistidine residue $(His_6)$ was fused to the N-terminus of truncated UBP1 and the corresponding recombinant protein was purified with high yield by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. The truncated form of UBP1 protein was functional to cleave ubiquitinated human growth hormone as substrate. Effects of pH and temperature were investigated in order to optimize deubiquitinating reactions for the truncated UBP1. Optimum temperature and pH for the cleavage reaction were $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 8.0, respectively.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.105-113
• /
• 1997

The truncated $E1_{192-283}$ and $E2_{384-649}$ genes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) linked to the gene for glutathione S-transferase (GST) were constructed and their expressions were analyzed. The $GST-E1_{192-283}$ fusion gene overexpressed the fusion protein in E. coli as a soluble form, while the $GST-E1_{192-383}$ plasmid did not express expected fusion protein. The purified $GST-E1_{192-283}$ fusion protein was efficiently cleaved by thrombin. More than 90% pure, HCV $E1_{192-283}$ protein was obtained by GST-agarose chromatography. The truncated $GST-E2_{384-649}$ fusion gene expressed the fusion protein mainly as an insoluble form, whereas the $GST-E2_{384-740}$ did not express the fusion protein. The truncated $GST-E1_{182-283}$ and $GST-E2_{384-649}$ fusion proteins reacted specifically with an HCV patient serum. In addition, mice immunized with either the purified $E1_{192-283}$ or $GST-E2_{384-649}$ proteins generated specific antibodies to each antigen. The results suggested that hydrophobic carboxyl portions of the E1 and E2 proteins might affect expression levels as well as the solubility of each fusion protein in bacteria. Also, the truncated E1 protein with Tyr-192 to Ser-283 contained antigenic epitope(s) which could be specifically recognized by an HCV patient serum.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.273-282
• /
• 2000

dTDP-rhamnose provides L-rhamnose to the bridge-like structure between mycolyl arabinogalactan and peptidoglycan of the mycobacterial cell wall. dTDP-rhamnose is composed of glucose-l-phosphate and dTTP by four enzymes encoded by rmlA-D. To determine the region(s) of RmlC protein essential for its dTDP-4-keto-6-deoxyglucose epimerase activity, we overexpressed both whole (202 amino acids) and three different truncated (N-terminal 106 or 150 or C-terminal 97 amino acids) RmlC proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The RmlC enzyme activity in the soluble lysates of ${\Delta}rmlC$ E. coli strain $S{\Phi}874$ (DE3 PlysS) expressing the wild type or truncated rmlC genes was initially analyzed by three sequential reactions from dTDP-glucose to dTDP-rhamnose in the presence of purified RmlB and RmlD. All three soluble lysates containing the truncated RmlC proteins showed no enzyme activity, while that containing the wild type RmlC was active. This wild type RmlC was then overexpressed and purified. The incubation of the purified RmlC enzyme so obtained with dTDP-4-keto-6-deoxyglucose resulted in the conversion of dTDP-4-keto-rhamnose. The results show that the truncated regions of the RmlC protein are important for the RmlC enzyme activity in M. tuberculosis.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.165-170
• /
• 1995

The 356 amino acid long lambda integrase protein of bacteriophage .lambda. constains two autonomous DNA binding domains with distinct sequence specificities. The amino terminal domain of integrase is implicated to bind to the arm-type sequences and the carboxyl domain interacts with the coretype sequencess. As a first step to understand the molecular mechanism of the integrase-DNA interaction at the arm-type site, the int(am)94 gene carrying an amber mutation at the 94th codon of the int was cloned under the control of the P$\_$tac/ promoter and the lacI$\_$q/ gene. The Int(am)94 mutant protein of amino terminal 93 amino acid residues can be produced at high level from a suppressor free strain harboring the plasmid pInt(am)94. The arm-type binding activity of Int(am)94 were measured in vivo and in vitro. A comparison of the arm-type binding properties of the wild-type integrase and the truncated Int(am)94 mutant indicated that the truncated fragment containing 93 amino acid residues carry all the determinants for DNA binding at the arm-type sites.