Site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into urate oxidase in Escherichia coli

Protein Sci. 2008 Oct;17(10):1827-33. doi: 10.1110/ps.034587.108. Epub 2008 Jul 2.

Abstract

Urate oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of uric acid with poor solubility to produce 5-hydroxyisourate and allantoin. Since allantoin is excreted in vivo, urate oxidase has the potential to be a therapeutic target for the treatment of gout. However, its severe immunogenicity limits its clinical application. Furthermore, studies on the structure-function relationships of urate oxidase have proven difficult. We developed a method for genetically incorporating p-azido-L-phenylalanine into target protein in Escherichia coli in a site-specific manner utilizing a tyrosyl suppressor tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase system. We substituted p-azido-L-phenylalanine for Phe(170) or Phe(281) in urate oxidase. The products were purified and their enzyme activities were analyzed. In addition, we optimized the system by adding a "Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence" and tandem suppressor tRNA. This method has the benefit of site-specifically modifying urate oxidase with homogeneous glycosyl and PEG derivates, which can provide new insights into structure-function relationships and improve pharmacological properties of urate oxidase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution / genetics*
  • Amino Acids / chemistry
  • Amino Acids / genetics
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases / metabolism
  • Azides / chemistry
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed / methods*
  • Phenylalanine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Phenylalanine / chemistry
  • Phenylalanine / genetics
  • Protein Engineering / methods*
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / genetics
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl / metabolism
  • Urate Oxidase / chemistry*
  • Urate Oxidase / genetics

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Azides
  • RNA, Transfer, Amino Acyl
  • 4-azidophenylalanine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Urate Oxidase
  • Amino Acyl-tRNA Synthetases