Antigenicity and immunogenicity of the HIV-1 gp41 epitope ELDKWA inserted into permissive sites of the MalE protein.

The highly conserved amino acid sequence ELDKWA of HIV-1 gp41 has been inserted into Escherichia coli MalE protein which had been shown to be an adequate carrier to present foreign epitopes to the immune system. We first investigated whether eight different permissive sites of MalE are able to tolerate an insertion of 7-50 residues encoding this epitope. Secondly, antigenicity of the epitope inserted in MalE protein was estimated from monoclonal antibody 2F5 binding analysis using the BIAcore(R) technology and its immunogenicity in mice was measured as the ability of hybrid proteins to elicit antibodies against a synthetic peptide containing this epitope. This study revealed a good correlation between the antigenicity of the inserted epitope and its immunogenicity. Increasing the length of the inserted epitope, as well as inserting multicopies of this epitope increased both its antigenicity and immunogenicity. However, none of the MalE hybrid proteins tested induced anti-HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies. This study strongly suggests that the capacity of the 2F5 epitope to induce neutralizing antibodies depends on the molecular context in which it is presented.

Extending the CD4(+) T-cell epitope specificity of the Th1 immune response to an antigen using a Salmonella enterica serovar typhimurium delivery vehicle.

We analyzed the CD4 T-cell immunodominance of the response to a model antigen (Ag), MalE, when delivered by an attenuated strain of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (SL3261*pMalE). Compared to purified MalE Ag administered with adjuvant, the mapping of the peptide-specific proliferative responses showed qualitative differences when we used the Salmonella vehicle. We observed the disappearance of one out of eight MalE peptides' T-cell reactivity upon SL3261*pMalE immunization, but this phenomenon was probably due to a low level of T-cell priming, since it could be overcome by further immunization. The most striking effect of SL3261*pMalE administration was the activation and stimulation of new MalE peptide-specific T-cell responses that were silent after administration of purified Ag with adjuvant. Ag presentation assays performed with MalE-specific T-cell hybridomas showed that infection of Ag-presenting cells by this intracellular attenuated bacterium did not affect the processing and presentation of the different MalE peptides by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and therefore did not account for immunodominance modulation. Thus, immunodominance of the T-cell response to microorganisms is governed not only by the frequency of the available T-cell repertoire or the processing steps in Ag-presenting cells that lead to MHC presentation but also by other parameters probably related to the infectious process and to the bacterial products. Our results indicate that, upon infection by a microorganism, the specificity of the T-cell response induced against its Ags can be much more effective than with purified Ags and that it cannot completely be mimicked by purified Ags administered with adjuvant.

ATP modulates subunit-subunit interactions in an ATP-binding cassette transporter (MalFGK2) determined by site-directed chemical cross-linking.

The binding protein-dependent maltose transport system of enterobacteria (MalFGK(2)), a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily, is composed of two integral membrane proteins, MalF and MalG, and of two copies of an ATPase subunit, MalK, which hydrolyze ATP, thus energizing the translocation process. In addition, an extracellular (periplasmic) substrate-binding protein (MalE) is required for activity. Ligand translocation and ATP hydrolysis are dependent on a signaling mechanism originating from the binding protein and traveling through MalF/MalG. Thus, subunit-subunit interactions in the complex are crucial to the transport process but the chemical nature of residues involved is poorly understood. We have investigated the proximity of residues in a conserved sequence ("EAA" loop) of MalF and MalG to residues in a helical segment of the MalK subunits by means of site-directed chemical cross-linking. To this end, single cysteine residues were introduced into each subunit at several positions and the respective malF and malG alleles were individually co-expressed with each of the malK alleles. Membrane vesicles were prepared from those double mutants that contained a functional transporter in vivo and treated with Cu(1,10-phenanthroline)(2)SO(4) or bifunctional cross-linkers. The results suggest that residues Ala-85, Lys-106, Val-114, and Val-117 in the helical segment of MalK, to different extents, participate in constitution of asymmetric interaction sites with the EAA loops of MalF and MalG. Furthermore, both MalK monomers in the complex are in close contact to each other through Ala-85 and Lys-106. These interactions are strongly modulated by MgATP, indicating a structural rearrangement of the subunits during the transport cycle. These data are discussed with respect to current transport models.

In vitro interaction between components of the inner membrane complex of the maltose ABC transporter of Escherichia coli: modulation by ATP.

Interactions between domains of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are of great functional importance and yet are poorly understood. To gain further knowledge of these protein-protein interactions, we studied the inner membrane complex of the maltose transporter of Escherichia coli. We focused on interactions between the nucleotide-binding protein, MalK, and the transmembrane proteins, MalF and MalG. We incubated purified MalK with inverted membrane vesicles containing MalF and MalG. MalK bound specifically to MalF and MalG and reconstituted a functional complex. We used this approach and limited proteolysis with trypsin to show that binding and hydrolysis of ATP, inducing conformational changes in MalK, modulate its interaction with MalF and MalG. MalK in the reconstituted complex was less sensitive to protease added from the cytoplasmic side of the membrane, and one proteolytic cleavage site located in the middle of a putative helical domain of MalK was protected. These results suggest that the putative helical domain of the nucleotide-binding domains is involved, through its conformational changes, in the coupling between the transmembrane domains and ATP binding/hydrolysis at the nucleotide-binding domains.

Control by H-2 genes of the Th1 response induced against a foreign antigen expressed by attenuated Salmonella typhimurium.

Attenuated salmonellae represent an attractive vehicle for the delivery of heterologous protective antigens to the immune system. Here, we have investigated the influence of the genetic background of the host which regulates the growth and elimination of Salmonella cells on the cellular response induced against a foreign antigen delivered by an aroA Salmonella strain. We have tested CD4+ T-cell responses (cell proliferation and cytokine production) in various mouse strains following immunization with Salmonella typhimurium SL3261 expressing a high level of the recombinant Escherichia coli MalE protein. We were able to detect a CD4+ T-cell response against the recombinant MalE protein only in a restricted number of mouse strains, whereas all mice produced good levels of anti-MalE immunoglobulin G antibodies. The Ity gene did not play a major role in these differences in T-cell responses, since both Ity-resistant and -susceptible strains of mice were found to be unresponsive to MalE delivered by recombinant salmonellae. In contrast, when B10 congenic mice were used, a correlation was established between MalE-specific T-cell unresponsiveness and H-2 genes. The discrepancies described in this paper in the ability of various strains of mice to develop an efficient Th1 response against a recombinant antigen displayed by a live Salmonella vaccine underscore the difficulties that can be encountered in the vaccination of human populations by such a strategy.

Expression and biological activity of genetic fusions between MalE, the maltose binding protein from Escherichia coli and portions of CD4, the T-cell receptor of the AIDS virus.

Hybrid molecules between MalE, the periplasmic maltose binding protein of Escherichia coli, and CD4, the human T-lymphocyte receptor for the AIDS virus HIV, have been constructed and purified. We show that CD4 can be fused as multiple repeats to both ends of a single MalE molecule. Hybrid proteins are exported into the periplasm of bacteria, bind monoclonal antibodies directed against CD4, bind HIV gp160, and inhibit HIV binding to CD4+ cells. MalE has been used as a scaffold to graft portions of CD4. Deletion analysis allowed to define a minimal structural domain which folds in a way which is compatible with its biological activity. This minimal part was used to design compact hybrid molecules in which CD4 was inserted internally into MalE.

Secretion of a bacterial protein by mammalian cells.

The MalE protein is a periplasmic maltooligosaccharide binding protein from Escherichia coli. This protein is widely used as a model for protein export in bacteria and as a vector for the export and one-step affinity purification of foreign polypeptides. Expression of MalE was studied in various animal cell lines. The protein was exported into the culture medium, following the classical pathway of eukaryotic protein secretion. This was shown by a combination of approaches including the use of inhibitors of the Golgi complex and immunocytological methods. The signal sequence of MalE is required for secretion and a specific signal can be added to MalE that targets it to the endoplasmic reticulum. This work opens the way to the study of the secretion of a bacterial protein and to its use as a vector for protein secretion and purification from mammalian cells.

Export and one-step purification from Escherichia coli of a MalE-CD4 hybrid protein that neutralizes HIV in vitro.

The 177 N-terminal amino acids of CD4, the receptor of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), have been expressed in Escherichia coli as genetic fusions to the periplasmic maltose-binding protein (MalE) from this organism. A large fraction of the hybrid proteins can be released from the periplasm by osmotic shock and purified in one step on a cross-linked amylose column eluted with maltose under mild conditions. One hybrid protein binds HIV envelope protein gp160 and neutralizes the virus in vitro. This provides the first example of the production and one-step purification of an active form of an eukaryotic protein by fusion to MalE. The use of this system for mass screening of CD4 mutants, high-scale production of the hybrid protein for structural studies on CD4, testing antiviral compounds, and therapeutic assays is discussed.

Beta-galactosidase overexpression in SV40-transformed Chinese hamster fibroblasts exposed to mutagens as a result of amplification of transfected bacterial lacZ DNA sequences.

Genetic constructions in which the bacterial lacZ gene, encoding the enzyme beta-galactosidase, is fused to a viral (SV40) origin of replication have been introduced in an SV40-transformed hamster cell line (C1102). We have studied in detail 3 clones in which beta-galactosidase-specific activity increases after treatment with genotoxic agents. We show that this increase is dependent on the activity of the viral T protein and correlates with an amplification of lac sequences. This system provides a basis for the study of the induction of gene amplification by genotoxic agents in mammalian cells.

[Neutralising properties for HIV virus of hybrid protein MalE-CD4 expressed in E. coli and purified in 1 step]. / Propriétés neutralisantes pour le virus HIV d'une protéine hybride Ma1E-CD4 exprimée chez E. coli et purifiable en une étape.

Genetic fusions allowing the expression in E. coli of hybrid proteins between a bacterial periplasmic maltose binding protein (MalE) and the CD4 molecule (the receptor of the HIV virus) have been constructed. One of them has kept most of the properties of each constituent: it is exported, can be purified in one step on an affinity column, interacts with anti-MalE and anti-CD4 antibodies, binds HIV gp 120 protein and inactivates HIV virus in an in vitro test.