Repertório de serina proteases como componentes do degradoma de Leishmania spp / Serine protease repertoire as components of Leishmania spp degradation

Esta tese faz uma abordagem in silico e experimental sobre as serina proteases de Leishmania spp. Na primeira etapa do estudo são descritas as serina proteases como parte do degradoma destes parasitos. Os genes de serina protease (n = 26 a 28) em Leishmania spp que codificam proteínas com uma ampla faixa de massa molecular, são descritos juntamente com seus graus de sintenia cromossômica e alélica. Em meio a 17 serina proteases putativas de Leishmania spp apenas 18 % possuem duas funções descritas experimentalmente como propriedades para remover o peptídeo sinal de pro-proteínas secretoras (clã SF), como maturases de outras proteínas (clã SB) e com atividades similares as metacaspase (clã SC). Análises in silico indicaram que o conjunto de serina proteases de Leishmania spp pode estabelecer interrelações funcionais com outras proteínas de Leishmania spp significando atuações essenciais na fisiologia do parasito. Padrões de redes distintos podem ocorrer e a complexidade destas redes difere entre as espécies relacionadas ao subgênero Viannia e Leishmania: Leishmania (V.) braziliensis (n = 215); Leishmania (L.) mexicana (n = 130); L. (L.) donovani (n=56) Leishmania (L.) major (n = 45); Leishmania (L.) infantum (n = 23). O fato das serina proteases de L. (V.) braziliensis indicarem mais possibilidades de interações com outras proteínas do parasito foi a motivação para segunda etapa deste estudo

Esta etapa consistiu em uma abordagem experimental e in silico investigando as serina proteases deste parasito, incluindo atividade enzimática de serina proteases de frações subcelulares obtidas por cromatografia de afinidade com benzamidina, reações em cadeia da polimerase com transcrição reversa e ensaios in silico de localização subcelular de subtilisinas. Promastigotas apresentaram serina proteases com atividade gelatinolítica na fração citosólica (43 kDa a 170 kDa) e na fração membrana (67 kDa a 170 kDa). Ambas as frações também demostraram propriedades de catálise sobre os substratos peptídicos N-benziloxicarbonil-L-fenilalanil-L-arginina 7-amino-4-metilcumarina (fração citosólica = 392 ± 30 mol.min-1 mg of protein-1; fração de membrana = 53 ± 5 mol.min-1 mg of protein-1) e N-succinil-L-alanina-L-fenilalanina-L-lisina 7-amino-4-metilcumarina (fração citosólica = 252 ± 20 mol.min-1 mg of protein-1; fração de membrana = 63.6 ± 6.5 mol.min-1 mg of protein-1) com diferentes perfis de especificidade demonstrada pela inibição com aprotinina (19 % a 80 %) e fluoreto de fenilmetilsulfonil (3 % a 69 %), dependendo da fração subcelular e do substrato. A expressão dos genes das subtilisinas (LbrM.13.0860 e LbrM28.270) e da triparedoxina peroxidase (LbrM.15.1080) também foram observadas, com a detecção dos transcritos de 200 pb, 162 pb e 166 pb, respectivamente. Ensaios subsequentes indicaram que a enzima codificada pelo gene LbrM.13.0860 tem localização no citosol e a codificada pelo gene LbrM.28.2570 na membrana do parasito. Coletivamente, os dados aqui obtidos indicam relevantes contribuições das serina proteases na fisiologia da Leishmania spp, incluindo as subtilisinas das promastigotas de L. (V.) braziliensis. (AU)

Associations for BCO2, PCSK9, and TR1B1 Polymorphism and Lifestyle Factors with Ischemic Stroke: A Nested Case-Control Study

PURPOSE: To investigate associations for polymorphisms in β-carotene 9′,10′-oxygenase (BCO2, rs10431036 and rs11214109), proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin type 9 (PCSK9, rs11583680), and tribbles pseudokinase 1 (TRIB1, rs17321515 and rs2954029), as well as lifestyle factors, with ischemic stroke (IS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This nested case-control study included 161 patients with IS and 483 matched control individuals. We collected medical reports, lifestyle details, and blood samples from individuals and used the PCR-ligase detection reaction method to genotype single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). RESULTS: The GA+AA genotype of rs10431036 (p<0.001) and rs17321515 (p=0.003), the CT+TT genotype of rs11214109 (p=0.005), and the TA+AA genotype of rs2954029 (p=0.006) in dominant models increased the risk of IS. In additive models, the GG genotype of rs17321515 (p=0.005) and the TT genotype of rs2954029 (p=0.008) increased the risk of IS. Adequate intake of fruits/vegetables reduced the risk of IS (p=0.005). Although there was no interaction between genes and fruits/vegetables, people with inadequate intake of fruits/vegetables who carried a risk genotype had a higher risk of IS than those only having inadequate fruits/vegetables intake or those only carrying a risk genotype. Also, the haplotypes AC, AT, and GT (comprising rs10431036 and rs11214109) and GT (comprising rs2954029 and rs17321515) were found to be associated with an increased risk of IS (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Polymorphisms in BCO2 and TRIB1 and fruits/vegetables intake were associated with IS. These results provide the theoretical basis for gene screening to prevent chronic cerebrovascular diseases.

Expression of subtilisin-like protease gene from Hirsutella sinensis before and after infecting Hepialus gonggaensis / 药学学报

To address the role of Pr1 gene in the process of Hirsutella sinensis infecting Hepialus gonggaensis, differential expression of subtilisin-like protease gene was detected. In the present study, Pr1 gene analogues from H. sinensis were obtained by PCR strategy using specific primers designed from conserved regions of Pr1 gene reported in the GenBank. Then we detected the changes in the expression of Pr1 gene before and after infecting H. gonggaensis using real-time quantitative PCR. We obtained the partial sequence of Pr1 gene with the length of 535 bp (GenBank accession: KC009680). Real-time PCR results showed that the expression level of Pr1 gene was significantly different among 8 samples (P < 0.01). Pr1 gene showed the obvious higher expression level (2-3 folds) after infecting the H. gonggaensis, suggesting that the Pr1 gene may play an important role in the process of H. sinensis infecting H. gonggaensis. The present study paves a way for further identification on infectivity assessment of H. sinensis.

Emprego da hidrólise enzimática utilizando subtilisina para elevar o valor nutricional do soro de leite / Use of enzymatic hydrolysis using subtilisin for increasing the nutritional value of whey

With the aim of increasing the nutritional value of whey, a subtilisin was used for hydrolysing its proteins and obtaining high di-tripeptide and free amino acid contents, besides small amounts of large peptides. The whey protein concentrate was used as raw material and different hydrolytic conditions were tested such as reaction time (5, 10 and 15h), enzyme:substrate ratio (1:100, 2:100 and 4:100) and raw material concentration (10% and 15%). The peptide profi les were initially characterized using a fractionation method by a size-exclusion-HPLC followed by a rapid Corrected Fraction Area method for quantifying the peptides. The action of subtilisin showed varied effects depending on the hydrolysis parameters used. The best peptide profi le was obtained using a raw material concentration of 10%, an enzyme:substrate ratio of 4:100, after 5h reaction, reaching 13.34% ofdi-tripeptides, 45.56% of free amino acids and just 12.28% of large peptides.

Con el propósito de mejorar el valor nutricional del suero lácteo, fue empleada una subtilisina para hidrolizar sus proteínas y obtener un alto contenido de di-tri péptidos, aminoácidos libres con reducción del tenor de grandes péptidos.La materia prima fue el concentrado proteico del suero lácteo y diferentes condiciones de hidrólisis fueron probadas: tiempo de hidrólisis(5, 10 y 15h), la relación enzima: substrato (1:100, 2:100 y 4:100) y la concentración de la materia prima (10% y 15%). Se caracterizó elperfi l peptídico por medio de fraccionamiento de los hidrolizados utilizando cromatografía líquida de alta efi ciencia de exclusión moleculary la cuantifi cación de los componentes de las fracciones cromatográfi cas fue realizada por el método rápido del área corregida de la fracción. Para los parámetros estudiados, se observaronefectos variados de la subtilisina en la obtención de los hidrolizados, y el mejor perfi l peptídico fue encontrado cuando se utilizó la concentración de materia prima de 10%, relación enzima: substrato de 4:100 y 5 horas de reacción. Estas condiciones dieron origen a un hidrolizado compuesto de 13,34% de di-tripeptídeos, 45,56%de aminoácidos libres y sólo 12,28% de grandes péptidos.

Com o intuito de elevar o valor nutricional do soro de leite, foi empregada uma subtilisinapara hidrolisar suas proteínas e obter alto teor de di-tripeptídios, e de aminoácidos livres, alémde pequena quantidade de grandes peptídios. A matéria-prima utilizada foi o concentrado proteico do soro de leite e diferentes condições hidrolíticas foram testadas, tais como o tempo dereação (5, 10 e 15h), a relação enzima:substrato (1:100, 2:100 e 4:100) e a concentração damatéria-prima (10% e 15%). Caracterizou-se o perfil peptídico pelo fracionamento dos hidrolisados por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência de exclusão molecular e, para a quantificação dos componentes das frações cromatográficas, empregou-se o método rápido da Área Corrigida da Fração. Para os parâmetros estudados, observaram-se efeitos variados da subtilisina na obtenção dos hidrolisados, sendo que o melhor perfil peptídico foi encontrado ao se empregar a concentração da matéria-primade 10%, relação enzima:substrato de 4:100, após 5 h de reação, tendo obtido 13,34% de ditripeptídeos, 45,56% de aminoácidos livres e, apenas, 12,28% de grandes peptídios.

Purification and Characterization of a Keratinase from a Feather-Degrading Fungus, Aspergillus flavus Strain K-03

A keratinolytic enzyme secreted by Aspergillus flavus K-03 cultured in feather meal basal medium (FMBM) containing 2% (w/v) chicken feather was purified and characterized. Keratinolytic enzyme secretion was the maximal at day 16 of the incubation period at pH 8 and 28degrees C. No relationship was detected between enzyme yield and increase of fungal biomass. The fraction obtained at 80% ammonium sulfate saturation showed 2.39-fold purification and was further purified by gel filtration in Sephadex G-100 followed by ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, yielding an active protein peak showing 11.53-fold purification. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and zymograms indicated that the purified keratinase is a monomeric enzyme with 31 kDa molecular weight. The extracellular keratinase of A. flavus was active in a board range of pH (7~10) and temperature (30degrees C~70degrees C) profiles with the optimal for keratinase activity at pH 8 and 45degrees C. The keratinase activity was totally inhibited by protease inhibitors such as phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), iodoacetic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) while no reduction of activity by the addition of dithiothreitol (DTT) was observed. N-terminal amino acid sequences were up to 80% homologous with the fungal subtilisins produced by Fusarium culmorum. Therefore, on the basis of these characteristics, the keratinase of A. flavus K-03 is determined to be subtilisins-like.

Cloning and expression of Protease 2 from Coxsakievirus B3

Protease 2A [2Apro] of coxsackievirus B3 [CVB3] plays a major role in viral replication. In case of infection, viral proteins are being synthesized from viral mRNA using host biosynthesis machinery. 2Apro of virus, after being synthesized, exhibits two critical functions, cleavage of viral proteins and breaking eukaryotic initiation factor 4G. The enzyme plays an essential role in viral replication and cellular damage. To understand pathogenicity of infection and also developing potent and selective inhibitors against picornavirus infection, it is necessary to prepare pure 2Apro enzyme. cDNA of 2Apro was synthesized using in vitro infection of permissive host through reverse transcription process and was cloned in pET22b[+]. Since 2Apro is a toxic product, its expression will act on host before induction and damages the cells. For this reason, different hosts were checked and finally BLR[DE3]pLysS, which carries an extra-plasmid for lysozyme expression, that minimizes unwanted target protein products [leakage] was selected. By employing such expression system we could minimize the unwanted expression of 2Apro. Though it is not possible to avoide it, but seems negligible. Hence, this system is useful for expression of toxic proteins in sensitive hosts in order to prevent bacterial damage. The product was confirmed by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis