A dual-intein autoprocessing domain that directs synchronized protein co-expression in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Sci Rep. 2015 Feb 25:5:8541. doi: 10.1038/srep08541.

Abstract

Being able to coordinate co-expression of multiple proteins is necessary for a variety of important applications such as assembly of protein complexes, trait stacking, and metabolic engineering. Currently only few options are available for multiple recombinant protein co-expression, and most of them are not applicable to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic hosts. Here, we report a new polyprotein vector system that is based on a pair of self-excising mini-inteins fused in tandem, termed the dual-intein (DI) domain, to achieve synchronized co-expression of multiple proteins. The DI domain comprises an Ssp DnaE mini-intein N159A mutant and an Ssp DnaB mini-intein C1A mutant connected in tandem by a peptide linker to mediate efficient release of the flanking proteins via autocatalytic cleavage. Essentially complete release of constituent proteins, GFP and RFP (mCherry), from a polyprotein precursor, in bacterial, mammalian, and plant hosts was demonstrated. In addition, successful co-expression of GFP with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, and thioredoxin with RFP, respectively, further substantiates the general applicability of the DI polyprotein system. Collectively, our results demonstrate the DI-based polyprotein technology as a highly valuable addition to the molecular toolbox for multi-protein co-expression which finds vast applications in biotechnology, biosciences, and biomedicine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Eukaryota / metabolism*
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / metabolism
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Inteins / genetics*
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Plant Cells / metabolism
  • Polyproteins / genetics
  • Polyproteins / metabolism*
  • Prokaryotic Cells / metabolism*
  • Protein Splicing
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Red Fluorescent Protein
  • Temperature

Substances

  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Polyproteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins