Substrate specificity of microbial transglutaminase as revealed by three-dimensional docking simulation and mutagenesis

Transglutaminases (TGases) are used in fields such as food and pharmaceuticals. Unlike other TGases, microbial transglutaminase (MTG) activity is Ca2+-independent, broadening its application. Here, a three-dimensional docking model of MTG binding to a peptide substrate, CBZ-Gln-Gly, was simulated. The data reveal CBZ-Gln-Gly to be stretched along the MTG active site cleft with hydrophobic and/or aromatic residues interacting directly with the substrate. Moreover, an oxyanion binding site for TGase activity may be constructed from the amide groups of Cys64 and/or Val65. Alanine mutagenesis verified the simulated binding region and indicated that large molecules can be widely recognized on the MTG cleft

Dimerization of Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein Is Essential For Its Cytokine-Like Activity

BACKGROUND:Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein (TCTP) found in nasal lavage fluids of allergic patients was named IgE-dependent histamine-releasing factor (HRF). Human recombinant HRF (HrHRF) has been recently reported to be much less effective than HRF produced from activated mononuclear cells (HRFmn). METHODS AND FINDINGS:We found that only NH(2)-terminal truncated, but not C-terminal truncated, TCTP shows cytokine releasing activity compared to full-length TCTP. Interestingly, only NH(2)-terminal truncated TCTP, unlike full-length TCTP, forms dimers through intermolecular disulfide bonds. We tested the activity of dimerized full-length TCTP generated by fusing it to rabbit Fc region. The untruncated-full length protein (Fc-HrTCTP) was more active than HrTCTP in BEAS-2B cells, suggesting that dimerization of TCTP, rather than truncation, is essential for the activation of TCTP in allergic responses. We used confocal microscopy to evaluate the affinity of TCTPs to its putative receptor. We detected stronger fluorescence in the plasma membrane of BEAS-2B cells incubated with Del-N11TCTP than those incubated with rat recombinant TCTP (RrTCTP). Allergenic activity of Del-N11TCTP prompted us to see whether the NH(2)-terminal truncated TCTP can induce allergic airway inflammation in vivo. While RrTCTP had no influence on airway inflammation, Del-N11TCTP increased goblet cell hyperplasia in both lung and rhinal cavity. The dimerized protein was found in sera from allergic patients, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids from airway inflamed mice. CONCLUSIONS:Dimerization of TCTP seems to be essential for its cytokine-like activity. Our study has potential to enhance the understanding of pathogenesis of allergic disease and provide a target for allergic drug development

Identification of a plasmid-coded protein required for initiation of ColE2 DNA replication.

The product of the rep gene of ColE2 is required for initiation of ColE2 DNA replication. The rep gene was placed under the control of the promoters, PL and PR, and the heat-labile cl857 repressor of bacteriophage lambda. The Rep protein was identified as a 35 Kd protein by the maxicell method in combination with heat-induced expression. The protein was efficiently expressed from these promoters in unirradiated cells and accumulated up to a few per cent of the total cellular proteins. It was partially purified (about 80% pure) and its properties examined. The amino acid sequence of the amino terminal portion of the partially purified protein agreed well with that predicted from the nucleotide sequence of the rep gene. One of the characteristic features of the rep gene is frequent usage of rare codons, especially those for arginine. The protein specifically stimulated replication of ColE2 DNA but not that of ColE3 DNA in crude cell extracts of Escherichia coli. Specific binding of the protein to plasmid DNA containing the origin region of ColE2 was demonstrated by the filter binding method. Neither endonuclease activity nor topoisomerase activity was detected by using ColE2 DNA