Recovery of functionally active recombinant human phospholipid scramblase 1 from inclusion bodies using N-lauroyl sarcosine

J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol. 2012 Jul;39(7):1041-8. doi: 10.1007/s10295-012-1105-1. Epub 2012 Mar 3.

Abstract

Human phospholipid scramblase (hPLSCR1) is a transmembrane protein involved in rapid bidirectional scrambling of phospholipids across the plasma membrane in response to elevated intracellular calcium (Ca(2+)) levels. Overexpression of recombinant hPLSCR1 in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) leads to its deposition in inclusion bodies (IBs). N-lauroyl sarcosine was used to solubilize IBs and to recover functionally active hPLSCR1 from them. Protein was purified to homogeneity by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni(2+)-NTA) affinity chromatography and was >98% pure. Functional activity of the purified protein was validated by in vitro reconstitution studies, ~18% of 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1, 3-diazol-4-yl-phosphatidylcholine (NBD-PC) phospholipids was translocated across the lipid bilayer in the presence of Ca(2+) ions. Far ultraviolet circular dichroism (UV-CD) studies reveal that the secondary structure of protein is predominantly an α-helix, and under nondenaturing conditions, the protein exists as a monomer. Here we describe a method to purify recombinant membrane protein with higher yield than previously described methods involving renaturation techniques.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, Affinity
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Escherichia coli / cytology*
  • Escherichia coli / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Fluorescence
  • Humans
  • Inclusion Bodies / chemistry
  • Inclusion Bodies / enzymology*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / chemistry
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / genetics
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sarcosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Sarcosine / chemistry
  • Tryptophan / analysis

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • PLSCR1 protein, human
  • Phospholipid Transfer Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • sarkosyl
  • Tryptophan
  • Sarcosine