Efficient and Flexible Preparation of Biosynthetic Microperoxidases

Biochemistry. 2017 Jan 10;56(1):143-148. doi: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b00915. Epub 2016 Dec 22.

Abstract

Heme peptides and their derivatives, also called microperoxidases (MPs), are employed as heme protein active site models, catalysts, and charge-transfer chromophores. In this work, two approaches to the biosynthesis of novel MPs are described. In one method, heme peptides are expressed as C-terminal tags to the protein azurin and the MP is liberated by proteolytic cleavage by an endopeptidase. In an alternative approach, heme peptides are expressed as N-terminal tags to the cysteine protease domain (CPD) of the Vibrio cholerae MARTX toxin. Once activated by inositol hexakisphosphate, CPD undergoes autocleavage at an N-terminal leucine residue to liberate the MP. Purification is aided by use of a histidine-immobilized Sepharose column that binds exposed heme [Asher, W. A., and Bren, K. L. (2010) Protein Sci. 19, 1830-1839]. These methods provide efficient and adaptable routes to the preparation of a wide range of biosynthetic heme peptides.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Azurin / chemistry
  • Azurin / genetics
  • Azurin / metabolism
  • Bacterial Toxins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Bacterial Toxins / metabolism
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Heme / chemistry
  • Heme / genetics
  • Heme / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / metabolism*
  • Peroxidases / biosynthesis*
  • Peroxidases / chemistry
  • Peroxidases / genetics
  • Protein Conformation
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Peptides
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • RtxA protein, Vibrio cholerae
  • Azurin
  • Heme
  • Peroxidases
  • microperoxidase