title: Expression and characterization of a des-methionine mutant interleukin-2 receptor (Tac protein) with interleukin-2 binding affinity.
abstract: A gene coding for the Tac protein (interleukin-2 receptor alpha-subunit, IL-2R alpha) of the interleukin-2 receptor was constructed by chemoenzymatic gene synthesis. The gene designed for mutagenesis codes for a receptor protein where all 10 methionines are substituted by alanine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine. In addition, aspartate at position 6 is substituted by glutamate. This desmethionine IL-2R alpha and the wild-type IL-2R alpha genes were integrated into a eukaryotic expression vector and transferred into different cell lines. The recipient cell lines express both wild-type and mutant receptor proteins on their cell surfaces which are recognized equally by different monoclonal antibodies. It was possible to establish cell lines with high level IL-2R alpha chain expression by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The wild-type IL-2R alpha expressed in LTK- cells is a glycoprotein with an apparent molecular size of about 60 kDa and a typical low interleukin-2 binding affinity of KD = 12 nM. Despite the fact that 11 amino acids are altered, no significant difference in the mutant IL-2R alpha is observed, exhibiting the same molecular size and a low interleukin-2 binding affinity of KD = 26 nM.
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008715:Methionine; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D008715:Methionine