1.Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibodies against cat allergen Fel d 1.
Linying CAI ; Zichen ZHANG ; Zhuangli BI ; Shiqiang ZHU ; Miao ZHANG ; Yiming FAN ; Jingjie TANG ; Aoxing TANG ; Huiwen LIU ; Yingying DING ; Chen LI ; Yingqi ZHU ; Guijun WANG ; Guangqing LIU
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(4):348-354
Objective Currently, there is no commercially available quantitative detection kit for the main Felis domestic allergen (Fel d 1) in China. To establish a rapid detection method for Fel d 1, this study aims to prepare monoclonal antibodies against Fel d 1 protein. Methods The codon preference of Escherichia coli was utilized to optimize and synthesize the Fel d 1 gene. The prokaryotic expression plasmid pET-28a-Fel d 1 was constructed and used to express and purify the recombinant Fel d 1 protein. Subsequently, the recombinant protein was immunized into BALB/c mice and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared by the hybridoma technique. An indirect ELISA was established using the recombinant Fel d 1 as the coating antigen, and hybridoma cell lines were screened for positive clones. The specificity and antigenic epitopes of the mAbs were confirmed by Western blot analysis. Finally, the selected hybridoma cells were injected into the peritoneal cavities of BALB/c mice for large-scale monoclonal antibody production. Results The recombinant plasmid pET-28a-Fel d 1 was successfully constructed, and soluble Fel d 1 protein was obtained after optimizing the expression conditions. Western blot and antibody titer assays confirmed the successful isolation of two hybridoma cell lines, 7D11 and 5H4, which stably secreted mAbs specific to Fel d 1. Antibody characterization revealed that the 5H4 mAb was of the IgG2a subtype and could recognize the amino acid region 105-163 of Fel d 1, while the 7D11 mAb was the IgG1 subtype and could recognize the amino acid region 1-59. Conclusion The high-purity recombinant Fel d 1 protein produced in this study provides a promising alternative for clinical immunotherapy of cat allergies. Furthermore, the monoclonal antibody prepared in this experiment lays a material foundation for the in-depth study of the biological function of Fel d 1 and the development of ELISA detection.
Animals
;
Antibodies, Monoclonal/biosynthesis*
;
Mice, Inbred BALB C
;
Cats
;
Mice
;
Allergens/genetics*
;
Glycoproteins/genetics*
;
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
;
Hybridomas/immunology*
;
Recombinant Proteins/genetics*
;
Female
;
Antibody Specificity
2.Efficient expression and biological activity characterization of human potassium channel KV3.1 in an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system.
Zitong ZHAO ; Tianqi ZHOU ; Yunyang SONG ; Fanghui WU ; Yifeng YIN ; Yanli LIU
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(11):1000-1006
Objective This study aims to achieve high-yield functional expression of the human voltage-gated potassium channel KV3.1 using an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system, thereby providing a novel synthetic approach for drug screening, structural analysis and functional characterization of KV3.1. Methods KV3.1 was expressed in an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system for 10 hours in the presence of peptide surfactant A6K. The secondary structure of KV3.1 was analyzed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The potassium channel activity of the recombinant protein liposome KV3.1-A6K was investigated using fluorescent dyes Oxonol VI as indicators, which are capable of reflecting alterations in membrane potential. Results Soluble KV3.1 protein was successfully synthesized, achieving a purified yield of up to 1.2 mg/mL via an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system. Circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that KV3.1 exhibited characteristic α-helical secondary structures. Membrane potential fluorescence assays demonstrated that the KV3.1-A6K proteoliposomes, which were reconstructed with surfactant peptide A6K, exhibited remarkable potassium ion permeability. Conclusion This study successfully achieved high-yield expression of human KV3.1 with activity using an Escherichia coli-based cell-free protein synthesis system. This innovative method not only significantly enhances the expression yield of KV3.1, but also maintains its functional activity, thereby establishing a novel and efficient synthetic platform for drug screening and advancing our understanding of structure-function relationships in KV3.1 research.
Humans
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Shaw Potassium Channels/biosynthesis*
;
Cell-Free System
;
Circular Dichroism
;
Protein Biosynthesis
;
Recombinant Proteins/metabolism*
;
Membrane Potentials
;
Shab Potassium Channels
3.A novel carbonyl reductase for the synthesis of (R)-tolvaptan.
Yahui LIU ; Xuming WANG ; Shuo MA ; Keyu LIU ; Wei LI ; Lulu ZHANG ; Jie DU ; Honglei ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(1):321-332
Screening carbonyl reductases with the ability to catalyze the reduction of complex carbonyl compounds is of great significance for the biosynthesis of R-tolvaptan(R-TVP). In this study, the target carbonyl reductase in the crude enzyme extract of rabbit liver was separated, purified, and identified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel-filtration chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography, and protein mass spectrometry. With the rabbit liver genome as the template, the gene encoding the carbonyl reductase rlsr5 was amplified by PCR and the recombinant strain was successfully constructed. After RLSR5 was purified by affinity chromatography, its enzymatic properties were characterized. The results indicated that the gene sequence of rlsr5 was 972 bp, encoding a protein with a molecular weight of 40 kDa. RLSR5 was a dimeric protein, and each monomer was composed of a (α/β)8-barrel structure. RLSR5 could asymmetrically reduce 7-chloro-1-[2-methyl-4-[(2- methylbenzoyl)amino]benzoyl]-5-oxo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1-benzazepine (prochiral ketone, PK) to synthesize R-TVP. The specific activity of the enzyme was 36.64 U/mg, and the optical purity of the product was 99%. This enzyme showcased the optimal performance at pH 6.0 and 30 °C. It was independent of metal ions, with the activity enhanced by Mn2+. This study lays a foundation for the biosynthesis of tolvaptan of optical grade.
Animals
;
Rabbits
;
Alcohol Oxidoreductases/biosynthesis*
;
Recombinant Proteins/metabolism*
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Liver/enzymology*
4.Mining, characterization, and expression of a fructan sucrase for efficient conversion of soybean oligosaccharides.
Bin WANG ; Jingru YING ; Yuanyuan CHEN ; Zemin FANG ; Yazhong XIAO ; Wei FANG ; Dongbang YAO
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(1):333-351
The high content of sucrose and raffinose reduces the prebiotic value of soybean oligosaccharides. Fructan sucrases can catalyze the conversion of sucrose and raffinose to high-value products such as fructooligosaccharides and melibiose. To obtain a fructan sucrase that can efficiently convert soybean oligosaccharides, we first mined the fructan sucrase gene from microorganisms in the coastal areas of Xisha Islands and Bohai Bay and then characterized the enzymatic and catalytic properties of the enzyme. Finally, recombinant extracellular expression of this gene was carried out in Bacillus subtilis. The results showed that a novel fructan sucrase, BhLS 39, was mined from Bacillus halotolerans. With sucrose and raffinose as substrates, BhLS 39 showed the optimal temperatures of 50 ℃ and 55 ℃, optimal pH 5.5 for both, and Kcat/Km ratio of 3.4 and 6.6 L/(mmol·s), respectively. When 400 g/L raffinose was used as the substrate, the melibiose conversion rate was 84.6% after 30 min treatment with 5 U BhLS 39. Furthermore, BhLS 39 catalyzed the conversion of sucrose to produce levan-type-fructooligosaccharide and levan. Then, the recombinant extracellular expression of BhLS 39 in B. subtilis was achieved. The co-expression of the intracellular chaperone DnaK and the extracellular chaperone PrsA increased the extracellular activity of the recombinant BhLS 39 by 5.2 folds to 17 U/mL compared with that of the control strain. BhLS 39 obtained in this study is conducive to improving the quality and economic benefits of soybean oligosaccharides. At the same time, the strategy used here to enhance the extracellular expression of BhLS 39 will also promote the efficient recombinant expression of other proteins in B. subtilis.
Oligosaccharides/metabolism*
;
Glycine max/metabolism*
;
Bacillus subtilis/metabolism*
;
Sucrase/biosynthesis*
;
Raffinose/metabolism*
;
Fructans/metabolism*
;
Sucrose/metabolism*
;
Bacillus/genetics*
;
Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis*
;
Bacterial Proteins/biosynthesis*
5.Expression and enzymatic characterization of a chitosanase with tolerance to a wide range of pH from Bacillus atrophaeus.
Wenjuan DU ; Awagul TURSUN ; Zhiqin DONG ; Huijuan MA ; Zhenghai MA
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(1):352-362
To screen and identify a chitosanase with high stability, we cloned the chitosanase gene from Bacillus atrophaeus with a high protease yield from the barren saline-alkali soil and expressed this gene in Escherichia coli. The expressed chitosanase of B. atrophaeus (BA-CSN) was purified by nickel-affinity column chromatography. The properties including optimal temperature, optimal pH, substrate specificity, and kinetic parameters of BA-CSN were characterized. The results showed that BA-CSN had the molecular weight of 31.13 kDa, the optimal temperature of 55 ℃, the optimal pH 5.5, and good stability at temperatures below 45 ℃ and pH 4.0-9.0. BA-CSN also had good stability within 4 h of pH 3.0 and 10.0, be activated by K+, Na+, Mn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Co2+, (especially by Mn2+), and be inhibited by Fe3+, Cu2+, and Ag+. BA-CSN showcased the highest relative activity in the hydrolysis of colloidal chitosan, and it had good hydrolysis ability for colloidal chitin. Under the optimal catalytic conditions, BA-CSN demonstrated the Michaelis constant Km and maximum reaction rate Vmax of 9.94 mg/mL and 26.624 μmoL/(mL·min), respectively, for colloidal chitosan. In short, BA-CSN has strong tolerance to acids and alkali, possessing broad industrial application prospects.
Bacillus/genetics*
;
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Glycoside Hydrolases/biosynthesis*
;
Substrate Specificity
;
Enzyme Stability
;
Chitosan/metabolism*
;
Temperature
;
Kinetics
;
Cloning, Molecular
;
Bacterial Proteins/biosynthesis*
;
Recombinant Proteins/genetics*
6.A flavin-containing monooxygenase from Schizosaccharomyces pombe: characterization and application in the synthesis of S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide.
Mengka LIAN ; Zhaolin SONG ; Wenjing GAO ; Gang ZHU ; Mengjun DONG ; Yu LI ; Yihan LIU ; Fenghua WANG ; Fuping LU
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(1):474-485
S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide (SMCO) is a non-protein sulfur-containing amino acid with a variety of functions. There are few reports on the enzymes catalyzing the biosynthesis of SMCO from S-methyl-L-cysteine (SMC). In this study, the flavin-containing monooxygenase gene derived from Schizosaccharomyces pombe (spfmo) was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and the enzymatic properties of the expressed protein were analyzed. The optimum catalytic conditions of the recombinant SpFMO were 30 ℃ and pH 8.0, under which the enzyme activity reached 72.77 U/g. An appropriate amount of Mg2+ improved the enzyme activity. The enzyme kinetic analysis showed that the Km and kcat/Km of SpFMO on the substrate SMC were 23.89 μmol/L and 61.71 L/(min·mmol), respectively. Under the optimal reaction conditions, the yield of SMCO synthesized from SMC catalyzed by SpFMO was 12.31% within 9 h. This study provides reference for the enzymatic synthesis of SMCO.
Schizosaccharomyces/genetics*
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Recombinant Proteins/metabolism*
;
Cysteine/biosynthesis*
;
Mixed Function Oxygenases/metabolism*
;
Schizosaccharomyces pombe Proteins/metabolism*
;
Oxygenases/metabolism*
;
Kinetics
7.Cloning, prokaryotic expression, and functional validation of flavonoid 3-O-glycosyltransferase gene (Rh3GT) from Rhododendron hybridum Hort.
Yicheng YAN ; Zehang WU ; Yuhang JIANG ; Gaoyuan HU ; Yujie YANG ; Xiaohong XIE ; Yueyan WU ; Yonghong JIA
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(2):881-895
Flavonoid 3-O-glucosyltransferase (3GT) is a key enzyme in the glucosidation of anthocyanins. To investigate the 3GT gene in rhododendron, we cloned an open reading frame (ORF) of 3GT gene (named Rh3GT) from Rhododendron hybridum Hort (Red cultivar) and then characterized this gene and the deduced protein in terms of the biochemical characteristics, expression level, and enzymatic function. The results showed that Rh3GT had a full length of 993 bp and encoded 330 amino acid residues. The deduced protein was hydrophilic, stable, weak acid, belonging to the glycosyltransferase family (GT-B type), with glutamine (Q) at position 44 in the PSPG box. The phylogenetic analysis showed that Rh3GT was most closely related to Vc3GT from Vaccinium corymbosum and Vm3GT from Vaccinium myrtillus. Rh3GT was expressed in the stems, leaves, and flowers and almost not expressed in the roots, with the highest expression level in petals during full blooming stage. Introduction of pCAMBIAL1302-Rh3GT into petals significantly up-regulated the expression level of Rh3GT and increased the total anthocyanin accumulation. Rh3GT was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 in the form of inclusion bodies with a size of about 36 kDa. The results of HPLC showed that the recombinant Rh3GT after denaturation, purification, and dilution could catalyze the synthesis of cyanidin and UDP-glucose to synthesize cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, indicating that the expressed protein had 3GT activity. This study provides basic data for further studying the molecular regulation mechanism of anthocyanin biosynthesis and theoretical support for molecular breeding of rhododendron.
Rhododendron/classification*
;
Glucosyltransferases/metabolism*
;
Cloning, Molecular
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Recombinant Proteins/biosynthesis*
;
Anthocyanins/biosynthesis*
;
Phylogeny
;
Plant Proteins/metabolism*
;
Amino Acid Sequence
8.Baculovirus expression system-based expression of horseshoe crab factor C and its activity.
Lan LAN ; Huanlei LIU ; Hao NAN ; Sijun HE ; Wangcheng SONG ; Yunlong WANG ; Xinjuan FAN ; Xiangbo WAN ; Xiaodong XU
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(4):1428-1439
Endotoxins are common exogenous pyrogens. Excessive endotoxins in medical devices and injections can lead to serious consequences such as sepsis, septic shock, and even death. Therefore, endotoxin detection plays a crucial role in medical, pharmaceutical, and food sectors. The wide application of Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) has led to a sharp decline in the number of horseshoe crabs. Moreover, the LAL assay has limitations such as interbatch variations and difficulty in quantification. The recombinant factor C (rFC) assay is stable between batches, highly sensitive, and capable of quantitation, and thus it can be used as an alternative for the LAL assay. However, the high cost and complex procedures involved in producing recombinant factor C have limited the widespread application of this method. In order to simplify the preparation and reduce the production cost of recombinant factor C, this study focuses on the production of recombinant factor C based on the baculovirus expression system. Multiple measures such as a high-yield and anti-apoptotic vector qBac-IIIG, the optimal signal peptide, and the optimized codon were used to reach the goal of endotoxin detection with cell supernatant. This method simplifies the steps of protein purification. The sensitivity of the supernatant reached 0.05 EU/mL in a 1-L fermentation system, and 500 000 detecting reactions can be supported per liter of fermentation broth. This study increases the yield and activity of recombinant factor C, simplifies the procedures of protein purification, and reduces the cost, laying a foundation for the promotion and application of recombinant factor C in endotoxin detection.
Animals
;
Recombinant Proteins/genetics*
;
Horseshoe Crabs/chemistry*
;
Baculoviridae/metabolism*
;
Endotoxins/analysis*
;
Protein C/biosynthesis*
;
Genetic Vectors/genetics*
;
Arthropod Proteins/genetics*
;
Enzyme Precursors
;
Serine Endopeptidases
9.Prokaryotic expression of human Alg1 protein and analysis of the transmembrane domain properties.
Dongzhi WEI ; Zhenghui CHEN ; Chundi WANG ; Xiaodong GAO ; Ning WANG
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(4):1535-1546
As the most common type of protein glycosylation, N-glycosylation begins with the synthesis of the dolichol-linked oligosaccharide (DLO) precursor in the endoplasmic reticulum. The mannosyltransferase Alg1 catalyzes the addition of the first mannose molecule to DLO, serving as a key enzyme in this biochemical pathway. The defect of human ALG1 gene can lead to the congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG), i.e., ALG1-CDG. Therefore, it is of great significance to establish the expression and activity assay system of Homo sapiens Alg1 (HsAlg1) in vitro. In this study, full-length plasmid pET28a-His6-HsAlg1 and transmembrane domain-lacking plasmid pET28a-His6-HsAlg123-464 were constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the activity of recombinant HsAlg1 and HsAlg123-464 was measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with dolichyl-pyrophosphate GlcNAc2 (DPGn2) as the substrate. The results showed that HsAlg1 had transglycosylation activity, while the activity decreased after protein purification, which was partially restored upon re-addition of membrane components. However, HsAlg123-464 was unable to catalyze glycosylation. The results indicate that the N-terminal transmembrane domain (TMD) of HsAlg1 plays an important role in the catalytic reaction. This study lays a foundation for further expression and activity analysis of ALG1-CDG-related mutants.
Humans
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Mannosyltransferases/biosynthesis*
;
Glycosylation
;
Recombinant Proteins/metabolism*
;
Protein Domains
10.Construction of novel transmembrane fusion antioxidant enzymes and their protective effect against hydrogen peroxide-mediated cellular oxidative damage.
Jianru PAN ; Ziyi ZHANG ; Jinnan CHU ; Yanan HAN ; Xueying ZHENG ; Shirong CAI ; Huocong HE
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(4):1547-1558
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are major contributors to radiation therapy-induced side effects in cancer patients. A fusion antioxidant enzyme comprising glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), and a transmembrane peptide has been shown to effectively mitigate ROS-induced damage. To enhance its targeting capability, the fusion protein was further modified by incorporating a matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 substrate peptide (X) and the transmembrane peptide R9, yielding the antioxidant enzyme GST-SOD1-X-R9 (GS1XR). This modification reduced its transmembrane ability in tumor cells, thereby selectively protecting normal cells from oxidative stress. However, the use of non-human GST poses potential immunogenicity risks. In this study, we employed seamless cloning technology to construct an expression vector containing the human GST gene to replace the non-human GST gene, and then expressed and purified novel fusion antioxidant enzymes GS1R and GS1XR. The protective effects of newly constructed GS1R and GS1XR against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative damage in L-02 cells were then evaluated using GS1 as a control. Enzymatic activity assays revealed that the specific activity of GST in GS1XR remained unchanged compared to the unmodified protein, while SOD activity was enhanced. Exposure to 200 μmol/L H₂O₂ transiently activated the nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway; however, this activation diminished after 24 h, reducing cell viability to 48.4%. Both GS1R and GS1XR effectively scavenged intracellular ROS, directly counteracting oxidative stress and promoting Nrf2 nuclear translocation, thereby activating antioxidant pathways and restoring cell viability to normal levels. The two enzymes showed comparable efficacy. In contrast, GS1, lacking transmembrane capability, was restricted to scavenging extracellular ROS and provided only limited protection. In conclusion, both novel fusion antioxidant enzymes demonstrated significant potential in safeguarding normal cells from ROS-mediated oxidative damage. The findings provide a foundation for further investigation in related field.
Humans
;
Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
;
Hydrogen Peroxide
;
Antioxidants/metabolism*
;
Glutathione Transferase/metabolism*
;
Recombinant Fusion Proteins/pharmacology*
;
Superoxide Dismutase-1
;
Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*
;
Superoxide Dismutase/biosynthesis*

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