High-yield expression, purification, characterization, and structure determination of tag-free Candida utilis uricase

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2011 Nov;92(3):529-37. doi: 10.1007/s00253-011-3244-0. Epub 2011 May 15.

Abstract

We report the successful high-yield expression of Candida utilis uricase in Escherichia coli and the establishment of an efficient three-step protein purification protocol. The purity of the recombinant protein, which was confirmed to be C. utilis uricase by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer analysis, was >98% and the specific activity was 38.4 IU/mg. Crystals of C. utilis uricase were grown at 18°C using 25% polyethylene glycol 3350 as precipitant. Diffraction by the crystals extends to 1.93 Å resolution, and the crystals belong to the space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell parameters a = 69.16 Å, b = 139.31 Å, c = 256.33 Å, and α = β = γ = 90°. The crystal structure of C. utilis uricase shares a high similarity with other reported structures of the homologous uricases from other species in protein database, demonstrating that the three-dimensional structure of the protein defines critically to the catalytic activities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Candida / enzymology*
  • Crystallization
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / chemistry*
  • Fungal Proteins / genetics
  • Fungal Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Fungal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Urate Oxidase / chemistry*
  • Urate Oxidase / genetics
  • Urate Oxidase / isolation & purification
  • Urate Oxidase / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fungal Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Urate Oxidase