Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.64 (proteinase K)
 4,071 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

This article describes a procedure which permits for the first time the isolation of the prion protein PrPc from the Syrian golden hamster in heterologous systems. Using a glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion approach, milligram amounts of stable, soluble, and homogeneous GST::PrPc protein were obtained in Escherichia coli and with baculovirus-infected insect cells. Authentic PrPc was released from the immobilized fusion protein by direct cleavage with thrombin. GST::PrPc expressed in these two expression systems and also authentic PrPc released by thrombin cleavage were recognized by a polyclonal antibody directed against amino acid 95 to 110 of the golden hamster PrPc protein. GST::PrPc was not detected by a monoclonal antibody recognizing the region encompassing amino acids 138 to 152 of the human prion protein. The fusion protein was sensitive to proteinase K digestion, demonstrating that the cellular rather than the proteinase K-resistant scrapie isoform was produced.
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PMID:Overexpression of active Syrian golden hamster prion protein PrPc as a glutathione S-transferase fusion in heterologous systems. 760 44

We previously demonstrated that Treponema pallidum cells incubated in vitro in the presence of heat-inactivated normal rabbit serum (HINRS) synthesize, in very small quantities, several pathogen-specific, low-molecular-mass proteins that appear to be localized extracellularly. In this study, we have taken advantage of our ability to metabolically radiolabel T. pallidum cells to high specific activity to further characterize these antigens. We found that the low-molecular-mass proteins are not related to the 15- and 17-kDa detergent-phase proteins (J. D. Radolf, N. R. Chamberlain, A. Clausell, and M. V. Norgard, Infect. Immun. 56:490-498, 1988). The low-molecular-mass proteins did not incorporate 3H-labeled fatty acids and were not precipitated by rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies directed against glutathione S-transferase fusions to the nonlipidated 15- and 17-kDa proteins. We prepared polyclonal antisera to the low-molecular-mass proteins by immunizing two rabbits with the concentrated supernatant of T. pallidum cells. IgG antibodies present in the sera of both rabbits precipitated a 21.5-kDa protein from solubilized extracts of T. pallidum supernatant and cells. IgG antibodies in the serum of the second rabbit precipitated an additional 15.5-kDa low-molecular-mass protein only from solubilized extracts of supernatant. While investigating the effect of eliminating HINRS from the extraction medium, we observed that the low-molecular-mass proteins remained associated with treponemal cells that were incubated in the absence of HINRS. These proteins could be eluted from the cells by the addition of HINRS or rabbit serum albumin, suggesting that they are located on or near the treponemal cell surface. The 15.5- and 21.5-kDa low-molecular-mass proteins were not washed off treponemal cells with buffer containing 1 M KCl. Experiments employing selective solubilization of the T. pallidum outer membrane with 0.1% Triton X-114 and proteinase K accessibility indicated that the 15.5-kDa protein, but not the 21.5-kDa protein, is cell surface exposed.
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PMID:Characterization of the low-molecular-mass proteins of virulent Treponema pallidum. 826 39

Until quite recently, high-level expression of full-length cellular prion protein (Prp(c)) in bacterial cells was not possible. We describe here the effective purification of mature Syrian golden hamster PrPc (residues 23-231) as a C-terminal fusion to glutathione S-transferase (GST) from inclusion bodies expressed in Escherichia coli. Purification of the denatured fusion protein was simplified greatly by the introduction of a C-terminal histidine anchor, leading to 255 mg pure GST-PrPc-His6/l bacterial broth, which could be refolded easily by dilution in 20 mM Tris, 5 mM dithiothreitol, 1 mM EDTA, pH 9.0. Refolding was monitored by following GST activity. Mature Syrian hamster PrPc (residues 23-231) was released from the refolded fusion protein by thrombin digestion, yielding 73 mg homogeneous protein/l bacterial culture after purification. The recombinant protein was identified by monoclonal antibodies, Edman sequencing and matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization MS. Correct folding was confirmed by near-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectroscopy. Samples resulting from different purification steps were sensitive to proteinase K digestion and showed no signs of infectivity in animal experiments, demonstrating that the PrPc produced is identical with the cellular isoform. The presented purification procedure should prove useful for the production of other GST-fusion proteins.
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PMID:Large-scale production, purification and refolding of the full-length cellular prion protein from Syrian golden hamster in Escherichia coli using the glutathione S-transferase-fusion system. 949 19

The transcription factor NF-kappaB regulates a wide set of genes involved in the establishment of many cellular processes that control cell activation, proliferation, and apoptosis. IkappaB inhibitory subunits integrate NF-kappaB activation signals through phosphorylation and ubiquitination of its N-terminal domain. Using the two-hybrid system in yeast, we searched for IkappaB-alpha N-terminal domain interactors and therefore potential NF-kappaB regulators. An interaction of IkappaB-alpha with the mitochondrial ATP/ADP translocator ANT was detected in yeast and confirmed in glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays and co-precipitation experiments in transfected cells. Subcellular cell fractionation, resistance to proteinase K treatment, and electron microscopy experiments demonstrated the presence of IkappaB-alpha and associated p65 NF-kappaB in the mitochondrial intermembrane space. IkappaB-alpha.NF-kappaB appeared to be released from mitochondria upon the induction of apoptosis by engagement of the Fas receptor. These data suggest that the mitochondrial IkappaB-alpha.NF-kappaB pool participates in the regulation of apoptosis.
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PMID:Ikappa b-alpha, the NF-kappa B inhibitory subunit, interacts with ANT, the mitochondrial ATP/ADP translocator. 1128 11

The glutathione S-transferase (GST) family of enzymes has a vital role in phase II of biotransformation of environmental carcinogens, pollutants, drugs and other xenobiotics. GSTs are polymorphic, with the type and frequency of polymorphism being ethnic dependent. Polymorphisms in GST genes have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to disease and disease outcome. We determined the frequencies of GSTM1, GSTT1 and GSTP1 polymorphisms in 591 volunteers who had been residents of Rio de Janeiro for at least six months. Blood was collected and DNA extracted by proteinase K/SDS digestion. Information about social habits and health problems was also recorded. GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms were analyzed by a PCR-Multiplex procedure, whereas GSTP1 polymorphism was analyzed by PCR-RFLP. We found that 42.1% (48.9% of whites and 34.2% of non-whites) of the individuals had the GSTM1 null genotype, whereas 25.4% (25.1% of whites and 25.7% of non-whites) had the GSTT1 null genotype. The genotypic distribution of GSTP1 was 49.7% I/I, 38.1% I/V, and 12.2% V/V, whereas the allelic frequencies were 0.69 for the Ile allele, and 0.31 for the Val allele. The frequencies of GST polymorphisms in this Brazilian population were found to be different from those observed in other populations, particularly of other South American countries.
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PMID:Frequencies of GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1 polymorphisms in a Brazilian population. 1496 30

The trace mineral vanadium inhibits cancer development in a variety of experimental animal models. The present study was to gain insight into a putative anticancer effect of vanadium in a rat model of colon carcinogenesis. The in vivo study was intended to clarify the effect of vanadium on DNA-protein cross-links (DPC), surface level changes of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and biotransformation status during 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (1,2-DMH) induced preneoplastic rat colon carcinogenesis. The comet assay showed statistically higher mean base values of DNA-protein mass (p<0.01) and mean frequencies of tailed cells (p<0.001) in the carcinogen-induced group after treatment with proteinase K. Treatment with vanadium in the form of ammonium monovanadate supplemented ad libitum in drinking water for the entire experimental period caused a significant (p<0.02) reduction (40%) in DNA-protein cross-links in colon cells. Further, the biotransformation status of vanadium was ascertained measuring the drug metabolising enzymes, glutathione S-transferase (GST) and cytochrome P-450 (Cyt P-450). Significantly, there was an increase in glutathione S-transferase and cytochrome P-450 levels (p<0.01 and p<0.02, respectively) in rats supplemented with vanadium as compared to their carcinogen controls. As an endpoint marker, we also evaluated the effect of vanadium on surface level changes of aberrant crypt foci induced by 1,2-DMH by scanning electron microscopy. Animals induced with 1,2-DMH and supplemented with vanadium showed a marked improvement in colonic architecture with less number of aberrant crypt foci in contrast to the animals induced with 1,2-DMH alone, thereby exhibiting its anti-carcinogenicity by modulating the markers studied herein.
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PMID:Vanadium inhibits DNA-protein cross-links and ameliorates surface level changes of aberrant crypt foci during 1,2-dimethylhydrazine induced rat colon carcinogenesis. 1586 87

The main aim of this study was to evaluate genotoxic effects of pesticides in association with glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphism. To achieve this aim, DNA damage and the genotypes of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were studied from blood lymphocytes of pesticide-exposed and unexposed (control) agricultural workers of the Punjab region of northwestern India. The blood samples were collected from 40 exposed and 27 unexposed subjects from the Kakrala and Sanour villages of Patiala district. DNA damage was evaluated by using an alkaline comet assay. The analysis of the comets was done through visual scoring and image analysis software (Tritek's CometScore). Damage Index (DI), Damage Frequency (DF) (calculated by visual scoring method), and % DNA in tail (measured by image analysis software) were considered for assessing DNA damage. The DNA extraction from blood cells was done using proteinase K and the phenol-chloroform method, and genotyping of GSTM1 and GSTT1 was done using multiplex PCR. It was found that all the pesticide-exposed subjects showed higher DI, DF, and % DNA in tail in comparison to the controls. The statistical comparison of DNA damage between the exposed group and unexposed group revealed highly significant differences (p < 0.05; Mann-Whitney U-test). In addition, the GSTT1 gene deletion and simultaneous deletions of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes in increasing DNA damage were observed in the exposed group.
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PMID:Association of GSTM1 and GSTT1 gene deletions with susceptibility to DNA damage in the pesticide-exposed workers of Punjab. 2037 Apr 84

Two cDNA sequences of Kazal-type serine protease inhibitors (KSPIs) in Nasonia vitripennis, NvKSPI-1 and NvKSPI-2, were characterized and their open reading frames (ORFs) were 198 and 264 bp, respectively. Both NvKSPI-1 and NvKSPI-2 contained a typical Kazal-type domain. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) results revealed that NvKSPI-1 and NvKSPI-2 mRNAs were mostly detected specifically in the venom apparatus, while they were expressed at lower levels in the ovary and much lower levels in other tissues tested. In the venom apparatus, both NvKSPI-1 and NvKSPI-2 transcripts were highly expressed on the fourth day post eclosion and then declined gradually. The NvKSPI-1 and NvKSPI-2 genes were recombinantly expressed utilizing a pGEX-4T-2 vector, and the recombinant products fused with glutathione S-transferase were purified. Inhibition of recombinant GST-NvKSPI-1 and GST-NvKSPI-2 to three serine protease inhibitors (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and proteinase K) were tested and results showed that only NvKSPI-1 could inhibit the activity of trypsin. Meanwhile, we evaluated the influence of the recombinant GST-NvKSPI-1 and GST-NvKSPI-2 on the phenoloxidase (PO) activity and prophenoloxidase (PPO) activation of hemolymph from a host pupa, Musca domestica. Results showed PPO activation in host hemolymph was inhibited by both recombinant proteins; however, there was no significant inhibition on the PO activity. Our results suggested that NvKSPI-1 and NvKSPI-2 could inhibit PPO activation in host hemolymph and trypsin activity in vitro.
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PMID:Molecular Cloning and Functional Studies of Two Kazal-Type Serine Protease Inhibitors Specifically Expressed by Nasonia vitripennis Venom Apparatus. 2624 77