title: [Prokaryotic expression of Balb/C mouse MBL-A carbohydrate recognition domain].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To express the carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) of Balb/C mouse mannan binding lectin A (MBL-A) in E.coli.
  
  
  METHODS
  The target gene fragment was obtained by PCR from the plasmid pmMBL-A harboring mouse MBL-A gene. The PCR product was recombined with the prokaryotic expression vector pET-41a(+) and the resulting recombinant plasmid was identified by PCR, restriction analysis and sequencing before transformation into E.coli BL21(DE3) cell for expression of the target protein. After washing and renaturation, the protein was purified on GST-Tag purification resins and analyzed by SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A DNA fragment of about 450 bp was amplified by PCR and the recombinant plasmid pET41a-mMBL-A-CRD was constructed by linking the fragment with pET41a(+) vector. The result of restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing of the selected clones were consistent with those by computer analysis. The recombinant vector was expressed in E.coli BL21(DE3), and the expressed protein existed mainly as inclusion bodies, whose relative molecular mass was about 47,000 by SDS-PAGE analysis. After washing, renaturation and purification, the purity of recombinant protein was about 90%. Western blotting suggested immunoreactivity of the purified protein with anti-GST antibody, and its sugar binding activity was verified by ELISA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have successfully obtained mouse MBL-A CRD protein, which provides the base for further functional study of the MBL-A molecule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. zdaming@fimmu.com
authors.forename: Da-ming
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Li-yun
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Zheng-liang
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000378:metabolism; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D037601:Mannose-Binding Lectin; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C069858:mannose binding protein A