Quantitative N‐ or C‐Terminal Labelling of Proteins with Unactivated Peptides by Use of Sortases and a d‐Aminopeptidase

Quantitative and selective labelling of proteins is widely used in both academic and industrial laboratories, and catalytic labelling of proteins using transpeptidases such as sortases has proved to be a popular strategy for selective modification. A major challenge for this class of enzymes is that the majority of procedures require an excess of the labelling reagent or, alternatively, activated substrates rather than simple commercially-sourced peptides. We report the use of a coupled enzyme strategy which enables quantitative N- and C-terminal labelling of proteins using un-activated labelling peptides. The use of an aminopeptidase in conjunction with a transpeptidase allows sequence-specific degradation of the peptide by-product, shifting the equilibriums to favor product formation which greatly enhances the reaction efficiency. Subsequent optimization of the reaction allows N‑terminal labelling of proteins using essentially equimolar ratios of peptide label to protein and C-terminal labelling with only a small excess. Minimizing the amount of substrate required for quantitative labelling has the potential to improve industrial processes and facilitate the use of transpeptidation as a method for protein labelling

Genotype-Phenotype Correlations Emerging from the Identification of Missense Mutations in MBTPS2

Item does not contain fulltextMissense mutations affecting membrane-bound transcription factor protease site 2 (MBTPS2) have been associated with Ichthyosis Follicularis with Atrichia and Photophobia (IFAP) syndrome with or without BRESHECK syndrome, with keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans, and Olmsted syndrome. This metalloprotease activates, by intramembranous trimming in conjunction with the protease MBTPS1, regulatory factors involved in sterol control of transcription and in cellular stress response. In this study, 11 different MBTPS2 missense mutations detected in patients from 13 unrelated families were correlated with the clinical phenotype, with their effect on cellular growth in media without lipids, and their potential role for sterol control of transcription. Seven variants were novel [c.774C>G (p.I258M); c.758G>C (p.G253A); c.686T>C (p.F229S); c.1427T>C (p.L476S); c.1430A>T (p.D477V); c.1499G>A (p.G500D); c.1538T>C (p.L513P)], four had previously been reported in unrelated sibships [c.261G>A (p.M87I); c.1286G>A (p.R429H); c.1424T>C (p.F475S); c.1523A>G (p.N508S)]. In the enzyme, the mutations cluster in transmembrane domains. Amino-acid exchanges near the active site are more detrimental to functionality of the enzyme and, clinically, associated with more severe phenotypes. In male patients, a genotype-phenotype correlation begins to emerge, linking the site of the mutation in MBTPS2 with the clinical outcome described as IFAP syndrome with or without BRESHECK syndrome, keratosis follicularis spinulosa decalvans, X-linked, Olmsted syndrome, or possibly further X-linked traits with an oculocutaneous component