title: Expression of sunflower homeodomain containing proteins in Escherichia coli: purification and functional studies.
abstract: Complementary DNA sequences encoding different portions of two sunflower homeodomain proteins were cloned in-frame in the expression vectors pRSET and pGEX-3X. When introduced into competent Escherichia coli cells and induced, the resulting plasmids directed the expression of large amounts (5-10% of total cellular protein) of the encoded polypeptides. As a rule, fusions in pRSET rendered insoluble proteins, while fusions in pGEX were soluble and could be purified in a single step by selective absorption onto glutathione-agarose beads, followed by elution with free glutathione. The purified proteins showed both glutathione S-transferase and DNA-binding activity, indicating that they retain their native conformation. The expression-purification protocol that was employed allowed the isolation of up to 0.7 mg of protein per gram of transformed cells. One of the fusion proteins, RH11 (which is a fusion of the homeodomain protein HAHR1 in pRSET), though insoluble, was able to bind DNA when spotted onto a nitrocellulose filter. This protein could also be simply purified in large amounts by electroelution from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels and used to elicit antibodies which recognized both the transgenic fusion and the native protein from sunflower nuclei. Our results clearly show that vector choice is a critical parameter for obtaining large amounts of a desired protein for particular purposes.
authors.affiliation: Area Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas (UNR), Suipacha, Rosario, Argentina.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Palena
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Guelman
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002846:Chromatography, Affinity; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017931:DNA Primers; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D006368:Helianthus / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins