Schistosoma mansoni cathepsin D1: Biochemical and biophysical characterization of the recombinant enzyme expressed in HEK293T cells.

Schistosomes express a variety of aspartyl proteases (APs) with distinct roles in the helminth pathophysiology, among which degradation of host haemoglobin is key, since it is the main amino acid source for these parasites. A cathepsin D-like AP from Schistosoma mansoni (SmCD1) has been used as a model enzyme for vaccine and drug development studies in schistosomes and yet a reliable expression system for readily producing the recombinant enzyme in high yield has not been reported. To contribute to further advancing the knowledge about this valuable antischistosomal target, we developed a transient expression system in HEK 293T mammalian cells and performed a biochemical and biophysical characterization of the recombinant enzyme (rSmCD1). It was possible to express a recombinant C-terminal truncated form of SmCD1 (rSmCD1ΔCT) and purify it with high yield (16 mg/L) from the culture supernatant. When analysed by Size-Exclusion Chromatography and multi-angle laser light scattering, rSmCD1ΔCT behaved as a dimer at neutral pH, which is unusual for cathepsins D, turning into a monomer after acidification of the medium. Through analytical ultrancentrifugation, the dimer was confirmed for free rSmCD1ΔCT in solution as well as stabilization of the monomer during interaction with pepstatin. The mammalian cell expression system used here was able to produce rSmCD1ΔCT with high yields allowing for the first time the characterization of important kinetic parameters as well as initial description of its biophysical properties.

In situ analysis of copper electrodeposition reaction using unilateral NMR sensor.

The uses of high-resolution NMR spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) to study electrochemical reactions in situ have greatly increased in the last decade. However, most of these applications are limited to specialized NMR laboratories and not feasible for routine analysis. Recently we have shown that a bench top, time domain NMR spectrometer can be used to monitor in situ copper electrodeposition reaction and the effect of Lorentz force in the reaction rate. However these spectrometers limit the cell size to the magnet gap and cannot be used with standard electrochemical cells. In this paper we are demonstrating that unilateral NMR sensor (UNMR), which does not limit sample size/volume, can be used to monitor electrodeposition of paramagnetic ions in situ. The copper electrodeposition reaction was monitored remotely and in situ, placing the electrochemical cell on top of the UNMR sensor. The Cu(2+) concentration was measured during three hours of the electrodeposition reactions, by using the transverse relaxation rate (R2) determined with the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill pulse sequence. The reaction rate increased fourfold when the reaction was performed in the presence of a magnetic field (in situ), in comparison to the reactions in the absence of the magnetic field (ex situ). The increase of reaction rate, in the presence of the UNMR magnet, was related to the magneto hydrodynamic force (FB) and magnetic field gradient force (F∇B). F∇B was calculated to be one order of magnitude stronger than FB. The UNMR sensor has several advantages for in situ measurements when compared to standard NMR spectrometers. It is a low cost, portable, open system, which does not limit sample size/volume and can be easily be adapted to standard electrochemical cells or large industrial reactors.