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Valleriani F, Di Pancrazio C, Spedicato M, Di Teodoro G, Malatesta D, Petrova T, Profeta F, Colaianni ML, Berjaoui S, Puglia I, Caporale M, Rossi E, Marcacci M, Luciani M, Sacchini F, Portanti O, Bencivenga F, Decaro N, Bonfante F, Lorusso A. A cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 mutant, showing a deletion in the spike protein spanning the furin cleavage site, has reduced virulence at the lung level in K18-hACE2 mice. Virology 2024; 592:109997. [PMID: 38324940 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2024.109997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Here we investigated the virulence properties of a unique cell-adapted SARS-CoV-2 mutant showing a ten-amino acid deletion encompassing the furin cleavage site of the spike protein (Δ680SPRAARSVAS689; Δ680-689-B.1) in comparison to its parental strain (wt-B.1) and two Delta variants (AY.122 and AY.21) of concern. After intranasal inoculation, transgenic K18-hACE2 mice were monitored for 14 days for weight change, lethality, and clinical score; oral swabs were daily collected and tested for the presence of N protein subgenomic RNA. At 3 and 7 dpi mice were also sacrificed and organs collected for molecular, histopathological, and immune response profile investigations. The Δ680-689-B.1-infected mice exhibited reduced shedding, lower virulence at the lung level, and milder pulmonary lesions. In the lung, infection with Δ680-689-B.1 was associated with a significant lower expression of some cytokines at 3 dpi (IL-4, IL-27, and IL-28) and 7 dpi (IL-4, IL-27, IL-28, IFN-γ and IL-1α).
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia Valleriani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Chiara Di Pancrazio
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Massimo Spedicato
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Giovanni Di Teodoro
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Daniela Malatesta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Tetyana Petrova
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Francesca Profeta
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | | | - Shadia Berjaoui
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Ilaria Puglia
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Marialuigia Caporale
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Emanuela Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Maurilia Marcacci
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Mirella Luciani
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Flavio Sacchini
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | - Ottavio Portanti
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy
| | | | - Nicola Decaro
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari, Valenzano-Italy
| | - Francesco Bonfante
- IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy; Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie (IZSVe), Legnaro-Italy
| | - Alessio Lorusso
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell'Abruzzo e Molise (IZSAM), Teramo-Italy; IZSVe-IZSAM Joint FAO Reference Centre for Zoonotic Coronaviruses, Italy.
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Wijayanti N, Gazali FM, Supriyati E, Hakim MS, Arguni E, Daniwijaya MEW, Nuryastuti T, Nuhamunada M, Nabilla R, Haryana SM, Wibawa T. Evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Yogyakarta and Central Java, Indonesia: sequence analysis covering furin cleavage site (FCS) region of the spike protein. Int Microbiol 2022; 25:531-540. [PMID: 35165816 PMCID: PMC8853438 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-022-00239-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 has been attributed to the possibility of evolutionary dynamics in the furin cleavage site (FCS) region. This study aimed to analyze the sequence of the FCS region in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 isolates that circulated in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces in Indonesia. The RNA solution extracted from nasopharyngeal swab samples of confirmed COVID-19 patients were used and subjected to cDNA synthesis, PCR amplification, sequencing, and analysis of the FCS region. The sequence data from GISAID were also retrieved for further genome analysis. This study included 52 FCS region sequences. Several mutations were identified in the FCS region, i.e., D614G, Q675H, Q677H, S680P, and silent mutation in 235.57 C > T. The most important mutation in the FCS region is D614G. This finding indicated the G614 variant was circulating from May 2020 in those two provinces. Eventually, the G614 variant totally replaced the D614 variant from September 2020. All Indonesian SARS-CoV-2 isolates during this study and those deposited in GISAID showed the formation of five clade clusters from the FCS region, in which the D614 variant is in one specific cluster, and the G614 variant is dispersed into four clusters. The data indicated there is evolutionary advantage of the D614G mutation in the FCS region of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces in Indonesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nastiti Wijayanti
- Animal Physiology Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Faris Muhammad Gazali
- Master Program in Biotechnology, Postgraduate School, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Endah Supriyati
- World Mosquito Program Yogyakarta, Centre for Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Mohamad Saifudin Hakim
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Farmako, Sekip Utara, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Eggi Arguni
- Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Marselinus Edwin Widyanto Daniwijaya
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Farmako, Sekip Utara, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Titik Nuryastuti
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Farmako, Sekip Utara, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia
| | - Matin Nuhamunada
- Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Rahma Nabilla
- Graduate Program in Biology, Faculty of Biology, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Sofia Mubarika Haryana
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
| | - Tri Wibawa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Jl. Farmako, Sekip Utara, Yogyakarta, 55281, Indonesia.
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Blunck BN, Aideyan L, Ye X, Avadhanula V, Ferlic-Stark L, Zechiedrich L, Gilbert BE, Piedra PA. Antibody responses of healthy adults to the p27 peptide of respiratory syncytial virus fusion protein. Vaccine 2022; 40:536-543. [PMID: 34903371 PMCID: PMC8755595 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.11.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion (F) protein undergoes two furin-cleavage events to become fusion competent, resulting in the release of a twenty-seven amino acid peptide (p27). Recent studies indicate that the p27 region of the F protein was an immunodominant antigen in young children. In this study, we evaluated the kinetics of the serum antibody response to the p27 peptide following natural RSV reinfection in adults. Nineteen healthy adults under sixty-five years of age were enrolled during the 2018-2019 RSV season in Houston, TX. Blood was collected at three study visits and RSV infection status was defined by changes in neutralizing antibody resulting in three groups: uninfected (n = 12), acutely infected (n = 4), and recently infected (n = 3). Serum IgG and IgA antibodies against RSV/A and RSV/B p27 peptides were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and serum p27-like antibodies were detected by a p27 competitive antibody assay. Anti-p27 antibodies were detected in all subjects at each study visit. The measured IgG and IgA anti-p27 antibody levels followed the same pattern as other RSV site-specific and neutralizing antibody responses described for this cohort previously: the uninfected group had stable responses for the duration of the study period, the acutely infected group had a significant increase following RSV infection, and the recently infected group had a decrease in anti-p27 antibody during the study period. These results indicate that antibodies to the p27 region of the F protein are generated following natural RSV reinfection and suggest that some of the F protein is potentially in a partially cleaved state on the surface of virions, expanding on the previous assumption that all of p27 is post-translationally released and not present on mature F. Additionally, antibody responses were significantly lower (1.4-1.5-fold) toward RSV/B than to RSV/A p27 at each study visit, despite being an RSV/B dominant outbreak. Understanding the mechanism for the differences in the magnitude of the RSV/A and RSV/B p27 antibody response may enhance our understanding of the intracellular processing of the F protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittani N. Blunck
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Letisha Aideyan
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Xunyan Ye
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Vasanthi Avadhanula
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Laura Ferlic-Stark
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Lynn Zechiedrich
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA,Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA,Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Brian E. Gilbert
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA
| | - Pedro A. Piedra
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA,Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX USA,Corresponding Author: Pedro A. Piedra,
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Dawood RM, El-Meguid MA, Salum GM, El-Wakeel K, Shemis M, El Awady MK. Bioinformatics prediction of B and T cell epitopes within the spike and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV2. J Infect Public Health 2020; 14:169-178. [PMID: 33486372 PMCID: PMC7737509 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The striking difference in severity of SARS CoV2 infection among global population is partly attributed to viral factors. With the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) are the most immunogenic subunits, genetic diversity and antigenicity of S and N are key players in virulence and in vaccine development. Aim This paper aims at identifying immunogenic targets for better vaccine development and/or immunotherapy of COVID 19 pandemic. Methods 18 complete genomes of SARS CoV2 (n = 14), SARS CoV (n = 2) and MERS CoV (n = 2) were examined. Bioinformatics of viral genetics and protein folding allowed functional tuning of NH2 Terminal Domain (NTD) of S protein and development of epitope maps for B and T cell responses. Conclusion A deletion of amino acid residues Y144 and G107 were discovered in NTD of S protein derived from Indian and French isolates resulting in altered pocket structure exclusively located in NTD and reduced affinity of NTD binding to endogenous nAbs and disrupted NTD mediated cell entry. We therefore, proposed a set of B and T cell epitopes based on Immune Epitope Database, homologous epitopes for nAbs in convalescent plasma post SARS CoV infection and functional domains of S (NTD, Receptor Binding domain and the unique polybasic Furin cleavage site at S1/S2 junction). Nevertheless, laboratory data are required to develop vaccine and immunotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reham M Dawood
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering Division, National Research Centre, 33 EL Bohouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Mai A El-Meguid
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering Division, National Research Centre, 33 EL Bohouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Ghada M Salum
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering Division, National Research Centre, 33 EL Bohouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Khaled El-Wakeel
- Biological Anthropology Department, Medical Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Shemis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular biology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Egypt
| | - Mostafa K El Awady
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering Division, National Research Centre, 33 EL Bohouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt.
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Lemmin T, Kalbermatter D, Harder D, Plattet P, Fotiadis D. Structures and dynamics of the novel S1/S2 protease cleavage site loop of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. J Struct Biol X 2020; 4:100038. [PMID: 33043289 PMCID: PMC7534663 DOI: 10.1016/j.yjsbx.2020.100038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
At the end of 2019, a new highly virulent coronavirus known under the name SARS-CoV-2 emerged as a human pathogen. One key feature of SARS-CoV-2 is the presence of an enigmatic insertion in the spike glycoprotein gene representing a novel multibasic S1/S2 protease cleavage site. The proteolytic cleavage of the spike at this site is essential for viral entry into host cells. However, it has been systematically abrogated in structural studies in order to stabilize the spike in the prefusion state. In this study, multi-microsecond molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio modeling were leveraged to gain insights into the structures and dynamics of the loop containing the S1/S2 protease cleavage site. They unveiled distinct conformations, formations of short helices and interactions of the loop with neighboring glycans that could potentially regulate the accessibility of the cleavage site to proteases and its processing. In most conformations, this loop protrudes from the spike, thus representing an attractive SARS-CoV-2 specific therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Lemmin
- DS3Lab, System Group, Department of Computer Sciences, ETH Zurich, CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland.,Trkola Group, Institute for Virology, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - David Kalbermatter
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, and Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Harder
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, and Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Plattet
- Division of Experimental and Clinical Research, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios Fotiadis
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, and Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
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Mizote Y, Masumi-Koizumi K, Katsuda T, Yamaji H. Production of an antibody Fab fragment using 2A peptide in insect cells. J Biosci Bioeng 2020; 130:205-211. [PMID: 32284303 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2020.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Antibody Fab fragments consist of heavy chain (Hc) and light chain (Lc) polypeptides assembled with a disulphide bond. The production of a recombinant Fab fragment requires the simultaneous expression of two genes encoding both an Hc and an Lc in the same host cell. In the present study, we investigated the production of Fab fragments in lepidopteran insect cells using a bicistronic plasmid vector carrying the Hc and Lc genes linked with a 2A self-cleaving peptide sequence from the porcine teschovirus-1. We also examined the arrangement of a GSG spacer sequence and a furin cleavage site sequence with the 2A sequence. Western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of culture supernatants showed that Trichoplusia ni BTI-TN-5B1-4 (High Five) cells transfected with a plasmid in which the Hc and Lc genes were joined by the 2A sequence successfully secreted Fab fragments with antigen-binding activity after self-cleavage of the 2A peptide. The GSG linker enhanced 2A cleavage efficiency, and the furin recognition site was useful for removal of 2A residues from the Hc. Transfection with a single plasmid that contained sequences for GSG, the furin cleavage site, GSG, and the 2A peptide between the Hc and Lc genes exhibited a higher productivity than co-transfection with a set of plasmids separately carrying the Hc or Lc gene. These results demonstrate that bicistronic expression with the appropriate combination of a furin recognition site, GSG linkers, and a 2A peptide may be an effective way to efficiently produce recombinant antibody molecules in insect cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Mizote
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kyoko Masumi-Koizumi
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan; Manufacturing Technology Association of Biologics, c/o Integrated Research Center of Kobe University, 7-1-49 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Katsuda
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan; Manufacturing Technology Association of Biologics, c/o Integrated Research Center of Kobe University, 7-1-49 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Hideki Yamaji
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan; Manufacturing Technology Association of Biologics, c/o Integrated Research Center of Kobe University, 7-1-49 Minatojima-Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.
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Huang Y, Long Y, Li S, Lin T, Wu J, Zhang Y, Lin Y. Investigation on the processing and improving the cleavage efficiency of furin cleavage sites in Pichia pastoris. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:172. [PMID: 30409181 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-018-1020-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Proprotein convertase furin is responsible for the processing of a wide variety of precursors consisted of signal peptide, propeptide and mature peptide in mammal. Many precursors processed by furin have important physiological functions and can be recombinantly expressed in Pichia pastoris expression system for research, pharmaceutical and vaccine applications. However, it is not clear whether the furin cleavage sites between the propeptide and mature peptide can be properly processed in P. pastoris, bringing uncertainty for proper expression of the coding DNA sequences of furin precursors containing the propeptides and mature peptides. Results In this study, we evaluated the ability of P. pastoris to process furin cleavage sites and how to improve the cleavage efficiencies of furin cleavage sites in P. pastoris. The results showed that P. pastoris can process furin cleavage sites but the cleavage efficiencies are not high. Arg residue at position P1 or P4 in furin cleavage sites significantly affect cleavage efficiency in P. pastoris. Kex2 protease, but not YPS1, in P. pastoris is responsible for processing furin cleavage sites. Heterologous expression of furin or overexpression of Kex2 in P. pastoris effectively increased cleavage efficiencies of furin cleavage sites. Conclusions Our investigation on the processing of furin cleavage sites provides important information for recombinant expression of furin precursors in P. pastoris. Furin or Kex2 overexpressing strains may be good choices for expressing precursors processed by furin in P. pastoris.
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