17 research outputs found

    One-Tube-Only Standardized Site-Directed Mutagenesis: An Alternative Approach to Generate Amino Acid Substitution Collections

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    Contains fulltext : 171086.PDF (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Site-directed mutagenesis (SDM) is a powerful tool to create defined collections of protein variants for experimental and clinical purposes, but effectiveness is compromised when a large number of mutations is required. We present here a one-tube-only standardized SDM approach that generates comprehensive collections of amino acid substitution variants, including scanning- and single site-multiple mutations. The approach combines unified mutagenic primer design with the mixing of multiple distinct primer pairs and/or plasmid templates to increase the yield of a single inverse-PCR mutagenesis reaction. Also, a user-friendly program for automatic design of standardized primers for Ala-scanning mutagenesis is made available. Experimental results were compared with a modeling approach together with stochastic simulation data. For single site-multiple mutagenesis purposes and for simultaneous mutagenesis in different plasmid backgrounds, combination of primer sets and/or plasmid templates in a single reaction tube yielded the distinct mutations in a stochastic fashion. For scanning mutagenesis, we found that a combination of overlapping primer sets in a single PCR reaction allowed the yield of different individual mutations, although this yield did not necessarily follow a stochastic trend. Double mutants were generated when the overlap of primer pairs was below 60%. Our results illustrate that one-tube-only SDM effectively reduces the number of reactions required in large-scale mutagenesis strategies, facilitating the generation of comprehensive collections of protein variants suitable for functional analysis

    A FERM domain governs apical confinement of PTP-BL in epithelial cells

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    PTP-BL is a cytosolic multidomain protein tyrosine phosphatase that shares homologies with several submembranous and tumor suppressor proteins. Here we show, by transient expression of modular protein domains of PTP-BL in epithelial MDCK cells, that the presence of a FERM domain in the protein is both necessary and sufficient for its targeting to the apical side of epithelial cells. Furthermore, immuno-electron microscopy on stable expressing MDCK pools, that were obtained using an EGFP-based cell sorting protocol, revealed that FERM domain containing fusion proteins are enriched in microvilli and have a typical submembranous location at about 10-15 nm from the plasma membrane. Immunofluorescence microscopy suggested colocalization of the FERM domain moiety with the membrane-cytoskeleton linker ezrin. However, at the electron microscopy level this colocalization cannot be confirmed nor can we detect a direct interaction by immunoprecipitation assays. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments show that PTP-BL confinement is based on a dynamic steady state and that complete redistribution of the protein may occur within 20 minutes. Our observations suggest that relocation is mediated via a cytosolic pool, rather than by lateral movement. Finally, we show that PTP-BL phosphatase domains are involved in homotypic interactions, as demonstrated by yeast two-hybrid assays. Both the highly restricted subcellular compartmentalization and its specific associative properties may provide the appropriate conditions for regulating substrate specificity and catalytic activity of this member of the PTP family

    Structure, dynamics and binding characteristics of the second PDZ domain of PTP-BL.

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    Contains fulltext : 187660.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)The PDZ domains of the protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP-BL mediate interactions by binding to specific amino acid sequences in target proteins. The solution structure of the second PDZ domain of PTP-BL, PDZ2, displays a compact fold with six beta strands and two alpha-helices. A unique feature of this domain compared to the canonical PDZ fold is an extended flexible loop at the base of the binding pocket, termed L1, that folds back onto the protein backbone, a feature that is shared by both the murine and human orthologues. The structure of PDZ2 differs significantly from the orthologous human structure. A comparison of structural quality indicators clearly demonstrates that the PDZ2 ensemble is statistically more reasonable than that of the human orthologue. The analysis of (15)N relaxation data for PDZ2 shows a normal pattern, with more rigid secondary structures and more flexible loop structures. Close to the binding pocket, Leu85 and Thr88 display greater mobility when compared to surrounding residues. Peptide binding studies demonstrated a lack of interaction between murine PDZ2 and the C terminus of the murine Fas/CD95 receptor, suggesting that the Fas/CD95 receptor is not an in vivo target for PDZ2. In addition, PDZ2 specifically binds the C termini of both human Fas/CD95 receptor and the RIL protein, despite RIL containing a non-canonical PDZ-interacting sequence of E-x-V. A model of PDZ2 with the RIL peptide reveals that the PDZ2 binding pocket is able to accommodate the bulkier side-chain of glutamic acid while maintaining crucial protein to peptide hydrogen bond interactions
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