• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.187-191
• /
• 2012

Two-component system (TCS)-based bacterial zinc and copper biosensors, in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed under the control of zraP and cusC promoter in ZraS/R and CusS/R TCS, were evaluated in artificial wastewater. Bacterial biosensors developed in this study efficiently expressed GFP by the recognition of $Zn^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ in artificial wastewater. Secondly, TCS-based zinc and copper removing bacteria with the peptide displayed on cell surface were examined in artificial wastewater. Zinc and copper removing bacteria expressed the peptide as a fusion protein such as OmpC-ZBP (zinc binding peptide) and OmpC-CBP (copper binding peptide) on the cell surface when sensing exogenous $Zn^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ through ZraS/R and CusS/R TCS. The recombinant cell expressing metal-adsorbing peptide could efficiently remove copper and zinc (15 and 18 mg/g dry cell weight, respectively) in artificial wastewater. Therefore, it was demonstrated that the TCS-based recombinant cell for the recognition or removal of heavy metal functions well in artificial wastewater environment.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.295-301
• /
• 2003

Background: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is well-known soluble tumor marker frequently detectable in peripheral blood of carcinoma patients and considered as good target for antigen-specific immunotherapy. In this study, we used a replication-deficient adenovirus containing CEA to study CTL induction in vitro after adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into DC. Methods: DC were obtained from mouse bone marrow and cultured with IL-4 and GM-CSF. For measuring CTL activity, splenocytes were harvested from the mice, which were immunized with DC that had been infected AdV-CEA or pulsed with CEA peptide. Untreated DC was used as a control. Splenocytes were re-stimulated in vitro with DC pulsed with CEA peptide for 7 days and CTL activity with CEA peptide-pulsed EL-4 cells were assessed in a standard $^{51}Cr$-release assay. The frequencies of antigen-specific cytokine-secreting T cell were determined with $mIFN-{\gamma}$ELISPOT. Results: DC infected with recombinant adenovirus expressing CEA induced CEA-specific CTL responses in vivo. Splenocyte induced from mice immunized with AdV-CEA-infected DC increase in the number of $IFN-{\gamma}$ secreting T cells compared with those from mice immunized with CEA peptide-pulsed DC. Conclusion: These results suggested that DC infected with recombinant adenovirus has advantages over other forms of vaccination and could provide an alternative approach vaccination therapies.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.14 no.3
• /
• pp.563-569
• /
• 2004

The DNA sequence of the chitosanase gene (choK) from $\beta$-Proteobacterium KNU3 showed an 1,158-bp open reading frame that encodes a protein of 386 amino acids with a novel 74 signal peptide. The degenerated primers based on the partial deduced amino acid sequences from MALDI- TOF MS analyses yielded the 820 bp of the PCR product. Based on this information, double inverse PCR cloning experiments, which use the two specific sets of PCR primers rather than single set primers, identified the unknown 1.2 kb of the choK gene. Subsequently, a 1.8 kb of full choK gene was cloned from another PCR cloning experiment and it was then subcloned into pGEM T-easy and pUC18 vectors. The recombinant E. coli clone harboring recombinant pUC18 vector produced a clear halo around the colony in the glycol chitosan plates. The recombinant ChoK protein was secreted into medium in a mature form while the intracellular ChoK was produced without signal peptide cleavage. The activity staining of PAGE showed that the recombinant ChoK protein was identical to the chitosanase of wild-type. The comparison of deduced amino acid sequences of choK revealed that there is 92% identity with that of Sphingobacterium multivorum chitosanase. Judging from the conserved module in other bacterial chitosanases, chitosanase of KNU3 strain (ChoK) belongs to the family 80 of glycoside hydrolases.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 2001

In the course of immunoscreening of Clonorchis sinensis cDNA library, a cDNA CsRP12 containing a tandem repeat was isolated. The cDNA CsRP 12 encodes two putative peptides of open reading frames (ORFs) 1 and 2 (CsRP12-1 and -2). The repetitive region is composed of 15 repeats of 10 amino acids. Of the two putative peptides, CsRP12-1 was proline-rich and found to have homologues in several organisms. Recombinant proteins of the putative peptides were bacterially produced and purified by an affinity chromatography Recombinant CsRP12-1 protein was recognized by sera of clonorchiasis patients and experimental rabbits, but recombinant CsRP 12-2 was not. One of the putative peptide, CsRP12-1, is designated CsPRA, proline-rich antigen of C. sinensis. Both the C-termini of CsRP12-1 and -2 were bacterially produced and analysed to show no antigenicity. Recombinant CsPRA protein showed high sensitivity and specificity. In experimental rabbits, IgG antibodies to CsPRA was produced between 4 and 8 weeks after the infection and decreased thereafter over one you. These results indicate that CsPRA is equivalent to a natural protein and a useful antigenic protein for serodiagnosis of human clonorchiasis.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.65 no.4
• /
• pp.383-386
• /
• 2022

A gene encoding thermostable cellulase B (TmCelB) was isolated from Thermotoga maritima. The open reading frame (ORF) of TmCelB gene was 825bp long which predicted to encode 274 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 31,732 Da. The 17 amino acid residues from N-terminal of the TmCelB was known as signal peptides. To analyze the enzymatic activity and biochemical properties, the ORF of TmCelB gene excluding a putative signal sequence encoding 17 amino acids were introduced into the E. coli expression vector, pRSET-B, and overexpressed in E. coli BL21. The optimum temperature of recombinant TmCelB was around 95 ℃, and the optimum pH of recombinant TmCelB was around pH 4.5. The recombinant TmCelB was stable at temperature below 100 ℃.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.5.1-5.9
• /
• 2012

Small peptide tags such as c-myc, HA, or FLAG tag have facilitated efficient Western-blotting of proteins of interest especially when specific antibodies for the proteins are not available. However, the conventional Western-blotting requires the multi-steps process taking at least several hours up to two days. With examples of various applications, here we show a convenient and time-saving method for protein detection which employs a fluorescent chemical BDED and its binding peptide RC-tag. And we propose "Estern staining", as a standard term for protein detection method using fluorescent chemicals and their binding small peptide tags. Eastern staining may substitutes for the time-consuming "immuno-staining" in many versatile applications.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.41 no.8
• /
• pp.572-577
• /
• 1998

The solution conformation of the human insulin precursor, preproinsulin, is described in terms of NMR spectral data. NMR experiments were performed on preproinsulin, whose structure was compared with the NMR structure of native human insulin. Despite the presence of the C-peptide and/or the signal peptide, secondary structure analyses indicate that the native structures of the A and B chains are well conserved even in preproinsulin. The observed relative robustness of the native structure in precursor forms permits further protein engineering experiments where the C-peptide or N-terminal signal sequence can be altered for the purpose of increasing expression or purification yields when producing recombinant human insulin.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.53 no.2
• /
• pp.105-107
• /
• 2010

To overcome the limitation of E. coli expression system such as inclusion body formation and disulfide bond failure, we tried to express the heterologous protein as a secreted form. We adopted agarase signal peptide (ASP; 23 amino acid residues) from Agarivorans albus YKW-34 which is one of marine bacteia. When we used ASP to express $\beta$-agarase, about 42% activity was detected in media.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.278-283
• /
• 2006

Defensins are small cysteine rich peptides with a molecular mass of 5-10 kDa and some of them exhibit potent antifungal activity. We have cloned the coding region of a cDNA of 225 bp cysteine rich defensin, named as Tfgd1, from the legume Trigonella foenum-graecum. The amino acid sequence deduced from the coding region comprised 74 amino acids, of which the N-terminal 27 amino acids constituted the signal peptide and the mature peptide comprised 47 amino acids. The protein is characterized by the presence of eight cysteine resisdues, conserved in the various plant defensins forming four disulphide bridges, which stabilize the mature peptide. The recombinant protein expressed in E coli exhibited antifungal activity against the broad host range fungus, Rhizoctonia solani and the peanut leaf spot fungus, Phaeoisariopsis personata.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.278-283
• /
• 2014

Cecropins (Cec) are antibacterial peptides and their expression is induced in a pig intestinal parasite Ascaris suum by bacterial infection. To explore the usefulness of its activity as an antibiotic, CecP4 cDNA was prepared and cloned into the pPICZ B expression vector and followed by the integration into AOX1 locus in Pichia pastoris. The supernatants from cell culture were collected after methanol induction and concentrated for the test of antimicrobial activity. The recombinant P. patoris having CecP4 showed antimicrobial activity when tested against Staphyllococcus aureus in disc diffusion assay. We selected one of the CecP4 clones (CecP4-2) and performed further studies with it. The growth of recombinant P. pastoris was optimized using various concentration of methanol, and it was found that 2% methanol in the culture induced more antibacterial activity, compared to 1% methanol. We extended the test of antimicrobial activity by applying the concentrated supernatant of CecP4 culture to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli respectively. Recombinant CecP4 also showed antimicrobial activity against both Pseudomona and E. coli, suggesting the broad spectrum of its antimicrobial activity. After improvements for the scale-up, it will be feasible to use recombinant CecP4 for supplementation to the feed to control microbial infections in young animals, such as piglets.