title: Production of a polymer-forming fusion protein in Escerichia coli strain BL21.
abstract: In the course of studying [PSI(+)], a yeast prion, we found inadvertently that Escherichia coli strain BL21 overproducing a fusion protein, in which the prion-domain of Sup35 was connected to the C terminus of glutathione S-transferase, grew normally to the stationary phase and rapidly decreased in colony-forming ability thereafter. Evidence indicated that protein polymers consisting mainly of the fusion protein GST-Sup35NM (about 70% of the mass) and its N-terminal fragments were formed in extract prepared from the cells producing GST-Sup35NM. It was further found that cells of strain BL21 accumulated the protein polymers during prolonged cultivation. Based on these results, we contend that the initially observed defect in colony forming ability is the direct or indirect consequence of intracellular formation and accumulation of the protein polymers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University. ono@se.ritsumei.ac.jp
authors.forename: Bun-Ichiro
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kimiduka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawaminami
authors.forename: Takamitsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueto
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokosawa
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iseda
authors.forename: Yumiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Sadaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yokota
mesh_terms: D001704:Biopolymers / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins