title: Production and functional analysis of normal and variant recombinant human transthyretin proteins.
abstract: The most common form of hereditary systemic amyloidosis is familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy associated with single amino acid changes in the plasma protein, transthyretin. In addition, there are two variants of transthyretin (Ser6 and Thr109) not associated with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy but with familial euthyroid hyperthyroxinemia, also an autosomal dominant disorder. In these autosomal dominant diseases, most affected individuals are heterozygous and therefore have hybrid forms of the tetrameric plasma transthyretin. In order to study the structure/function relationships of homozygous variant transthyretins, normal human transthyretin and five variant transthyretins (Gly6----Ser, Leu58----His, Thr60----Ala, Ile84----Ser, and Ala109----Thr) were produced in Escherichia coli using the expression vector, pCZ11, and site-directed mutagenesis. These recombinant transthyretin (r-TTR) proteins showed the correct size (14 kilodaltons) on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Western analysis and self-associated into tetramers as determined by size exclusion chromatography. Recombinant normal, Ser6, and Ala60 r-TTRs had an affinity for thyroxine indistinguishable from normal human TTR purified from plasma, whereas His58 and Ser84 r-TTRs had significantly reduced affinity. On the other hand, Thr109 r-TTR had a much higher affinity, probably due to its position within the thyroxine-binding pocket. Expression of mutant transthyretins in E. coli provides the opportunity to study structure/function relationships and amyloid-forming capabilities induced by single amino acid substitutions in the transthyretin molecule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202-5103.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Murrell
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Schoner
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Liepnieks
authors.forename: H N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Rosen
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D015183:Restriction Mapping; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011228:Prealbumin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013974:Thyroxine