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Takeshi Tenno

Publications and source records attributed to Takeshi Tenno.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

LBT/PTD dual tagged vector for purification, cellular protein delivery and visualization in living cells.

Cellular protein delivery is an emerging technique, by which exogenous recombinant proteins are delivered into mammalian cells across the membrane. We have developed an E. coli expression vector suited for protein cellular delivery experiments. The plasmid is designed to generate a C-terminal fusion with the 12 amino acid HIV-Tat peptide as a protein transduction domain (PTD), whereas the protein N-terminus is fused to an 17-residue peptide lanthanide-binding tag (LBT). LBT is used for both purification by affinity chromatography and fluorescent detection with Tb(3+) as a coordinating metal. We have employed the TA-cloning site between the two tags, LBT and PTD, according to the PRESAT-vector methodology [N. Goda, T. Tenno, H. Takasu, H. Hiroaki, M. Shirakawa, The PRESAT-vector: asymmetric T-vector for high-throughput screening of soluble protein domains for structural proteomics, Protein Sci. 13 (2004) 652-658], which facilitates unidirectional cloning of any PCR-amplified DNA fragments corresponding to the protein of interest. A simple three-step protocol consisting of affinity purification of LBT/PTD dual-tagged proteins has also been developed, in which the proteins are purified by heparin-, then immobilized Ni(2+)-, and then heparin-affinity chromatography, in this order. The purified protein is ready for protein delivery experiment, and the delivered protein is visible by fluorescent microscopy. Our LBT/PTD dual-tagged PRESAT-vector provides a powerful research tool for exploring cellular functions of proteins in the post-genomic era.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

In-cell NMR spectroscopy of proteins inside Xenopus laevis oocytes.

In-cell NMR is an application of solution NMR that enables the investigation of protein conformations inside living cells. We have measured in-cell NMR spectra in oocytes from the African clawed frog Xenopus laevis. (15)N-labeled ubiquitin, its derivatives and calmodulin were injected into Xenopus oocytes and two-dimensional (1)H-(15)N correlation spectra of the proteins were obtained. While the spectrum of wild-type ubiquitin in oocytes had rather fewer cross-peaks compared to its in vitro spectrum, ubiquitin derivatives that are presumably unable to bind to ubiquitin-interacting proteins gave a markedly larger number of cross-peaks. This observation suggests that protein-protein interactions between ubiquitin and ubiquitin-interacting proteins may cause NMR signal broadening, and hence spoil the quality of the in-cell HSQC spectra. In addition, we observed the maturation of ubiquitin precursor derivative in living oocytes using the in-cell NMR technique. This process was partly inhibited by pre-addition of ubiquitin aldehyde, a specific inhibitor for ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (UCH). Our work demonstrates the potential usefulness of in-cell NMR with Xenopus oocytes for the investigation of protein conformations and functions under intracellular environmental conditions.

Animals↗

Structure of the UBA domain of Dsk2p in complex with ubiquitin molecular determinants for ubiquitin recognition.

The ubiquitin-associated (UBA) domain is one of the most frequently occurring motifs that recognize ubiquitin tags. Dsk2p, a UBA-containing protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic pathway and has been implicated in spindle pole duplication. Here we present the solution structure of the UBA domain of Dsk2p (Dsk2(UBA)) in complex with ubiquitin. The structure reveals that the UBA domain uses a mode of ubiquitin recognition that is similar to that of the CUE domain, another ubiquitin binding motif that shares low sequence homology but high structural similarity with UBA domains. These two domains, as well as the structurally unrelated ubiquitin binding motif UIM, provide a common, crucial recognition site for ubiquitin, comprising a hydrogen-bonding acceptor for the amide group of Gly-47, and a methyl group that packs against the hydrophobic pocket of ubiquitin formed by Leu-8, Ile-44, His-68, and Val-70.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

High-throughput construction method for expression vector of peptides for NMR study suited for isotopic labeling.

Fusion protein constructs for labeled peptides were generated with the 114 amino acid thioredoxin (TRX), coupled with the incorporation of a histidine tag for affinity purification. Two tandem AhdI sites were designed in the multiple cloning site of the fusion vector according to our novel unidirectional TA cloning methodology named PRESAT-vector, allowing one-step background-free cloning of DNA fragments. Constructs were designed to incorporate the four residue sequence Ile-Asp-Gly-Arg to generate pure peptides following Factor Xa cleavage of the fusion protein. The system is efficient and cost-effective for isotopic labeling of peptides for heteronuclear NMR studies. Seven peptides of varying length, including pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and ubiquitin interacting motif (UIM), were expressed using this TRX fusion system to give soluble fusion protein constructs in all cases. Three alternative methods for the preparation of DNA fragments were applied depending on the length of the peptides, such as polymerase chain reaction, chemical synthesis or a 'semi-synthetic method', which is a combination of chemical synthesis and enzymatic extension. The ability easily to construct, express and purify recombinant peptides in a high-throughput manner will be of enormous benefit in areas of biomedical research and drug discovery.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Paramagnetic NMR study of Cu(2+)-IDA complex localization on a protein surface and its application to elucidate long distance information.

The paramagnetic metal chelate complex Cu(2+)-iminodiacetic acid (Cu(2+)-IDA) was mixed with ubiquitin, a small globular protein. Quantitative analyses of (1)H and (15)N chemical shift changes and line broadenings induced by the paramagnetic effects indicated that Cu(2+)-IDA was localized to a histidine residue (His68) on the ubiquitin surface. The distances between the backbone amide proton and the Cu(2+) relaxation center were evaluated from the proton transverse relaxation rates enhanced by the paramagnetic effect. These correlated well with the distances calculated from the crystal structure up to 20 A. Here, we show that a Cu(2+)-IDA is the first paramagnetic reagent that specifically localizes to a histidine residue on the protein surface and gives the long-range distance information.

Amides↗

The PRESAT-vector: asymmetric T-vector for high-throughput screening of soluble protein domains for structural proteomics.

A rapid unidirectional method for cloning PCR-amplified cDNA fragments into virtually any fusion protein expression vector is described. The method, termed PRESAT-vector cloning, is based on a T-vector technique that does not require restriction endonuclease digestion of the PCR product. Subsequently, we applied a novel ORF selection method of the ligated plasmid products. This second step involves restriction endonuclease treatment that eliminates the plasmids containing an ORF in the wrong orientation prior to transformation into the bacterial host for further protein expression studies. To achieve this selection, we customized the 5'-sequence of the "rear" PCR primer corresponding to the C terminus of the protein to be expressed. The colonies harbored only the ligated products of the desired orientation at >90% efficiency. This method is applied to a GST fusion expression system, and an HTS system for soluble proteins from an expression library was tested.

ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activitie↗

Structural basis for distinct roles of Lys63- and Lys48-linked polyubiquitin chains.

Ubiquitination, a modification in which single or multiple ubiquitin molecules are attached to a protein, serves as a signalling function that controls a wide variety of cellular processes. To date, two major forms of polyubiquitin chain have been functionally characterized, in which the isopeptide bond linkages involve Lys48 or Lys63. Lys48-linked polyubiquitin tagging is mostly used to target proteins for degradation by the proteasome, whereas Lys63-linked polyubiquitination has been linked to numerous cellular events that do not rely on degradative signalling via the proteasome. Apparently linkage-specific conformations of polyubiquitin chains are important for these cellular functions, but the structural bases distinguishing Lys48- and Lys63-linked chains remain elusive. Here, we report NMR and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies on the intersubunit interfaces and conformations of Lys63- and Lys48-linked di- and tetraubiquitin chains. Our results indicate that, in marked contrast to Lys48-linked chains, Lys63-linked chains are elongated molecules with no stable non-covalent intersubunit interfaces and thus adopt a radically different conformation from that of Lys48-linked chains.

Lysine↗

Structure of the ubiquitin-interacting motif of S5a bound to the ubiquitin-like domain of HR23B.

Ubiquitination, a modification in which single or multiple ubiquitin molecules are attached to a protein, serves signaling functions that control several cellular processes. The ubiquitination signal is recognized by downstream effectors, many of which carry a ubiquitin-interacting motif (UIM). Such interactions can be modulated by regulators carrying a ubiquitin-like (UbL) domain, which binds UIM by mimicking ubiquitination. Of them, HR23B regulates the proteasomal targeting of ubiquitinated substrates, DNA repair factors, and other proteins. Here we report the structure of the UIM of the proteasome subunit S5a bound to the UbL domain of HR23B. The UbL domain presents one hydrophobic and two polar contact sites for interaction with UIM. The residues in these contact sites are well conserved in ubiquitin, but ubiquitin also presents a histidine at the interface. The pH-dependent protonation of this residue interferes with the access of ubiquitin to the UIM and the ubiquitin-associated domain (UBA), and its mutation to a smaller residue increases the affinity of ubiquitin for UIM.

Amino Acid Motifs↗