title: A highly efficient, cell-free translation/translocation system prepared from Xenopus eggs.
abstract: We describe the use of a Xenopus laevis egg extract for the in vitro translation and post translational modification of membrane and secretory proteins. This extract is capable of the translation and segregation into membranes of microgram per millilitre levels of protein from added mRNAs. Signal sequences of segregated proteins are efficiently cleaved and appropriate N-linked glycosylation patterns are produced. The extract also supports the quantitative assembly of murine immunoglobulin heavy and light chains into tetramers, and two events which take place beyond the endoplasmic reticulum, mannose 6 phosphorylation of murine cathepsin D and O-linked glycosylation of coronavirus E1 protein, also occur, but at reduced efficiency. The stability of the membranes allows protease protection studies and quantitative centrifugal fractionation of segregated and unsegregated proteins to be performed. Conditions for the use of stored extract have also been determined.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, University of Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colman
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002402:Cathepsin D / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002474:Cell-Free System; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005260:Female; D005615:Freezing; D006031:Glycosylation; D007700:Kinetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011487:Protein Conformation; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002402:Cathepsin D