Cloning, expression and purification of Bacillus cereus endochitinase in the Escherichia coli AD494(DE3)pLysS expression system.

A chitinase gene from Bacillus cereus was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant chitinase had much higher (128 fold) specificity to pNP-beta-(GlcNAc)(3) than to pNP-beta-(GlcNAc), suggesting endochitinase. Thirty-three amino acids in the N-terminal were recognized and cut off during expression, which consequently made the M(r) not correspond to that predicted.

Structure-based protein engineering for alpha-amylase inhibitory activity of plant defensin.

The structure of a novel plant defensin isolated from the seeds of the mung bean, Vigna radiate, has been determined by (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The three-dimensional structure of VrD2, the V. radiate plant defensin 2 protein, comprises an alpha-helix and one triple-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet stabilized by four disulfide bonds. This protein exhibits neither insecticidal activity nor alpha-amylase inhibitory activity in spite of showing a similar global fold to that of VrD1, an insecticidal plant defensin that has been suggested to function by inhibiting insect alpha-amylase. Our previous study proposed that loop L3 of plant defensins is important for this inhibition. Structural analyses and surface charge comparisons of VrD1 and VrD2 revealed that the charged residues of L3 correlate with the observed difference in inhibitory activities of these proteins. A VrD2 chimera that was produced by transferring the proposed functional loop of VrD1 onto the structurally equivalent loop of VrD2 supported this hypothesis. The VrD2 chimera, which differs by only five residues compared with VrD2, showed obvious activity against Tenebrio molitor alpha-amylase. These results clarify the mode of alpha-amylase inhibition of plant defensins and also represent a possible approach for engineering novel alpha-amylase inhibitors. Plant defensins are important constituents of the innate immune system of plants, and thus the application of protein engineering to this protein family may provide an efficient method for protecting against crop losses.

Structural analysis of the unique insecticidal activity of novel mungbean defensin VrD1 reveals possibility of homoplasy evolution between plant defensins and scorpion neurotoxins.

A variety of evolutionarily related defensin molecules is found in plants and animals. Plant gamma-thionins and scorpion neurotoxins, for instance, may be categorized in this functional group, although each class recognizes a distinct receptor binding site. Such molecules are also categorized into the superfamily of cysteine-rich proteins. Plant defensins were generally believed to be involved in antimicrobial or antifungal mechanisms and, unlike scorpion toxins, little is known about whether these molecules are also endowed with the function of insect resistance. We have previously reported the isolation of a cDNA encoding a small cysteine-rich protein designated VrD1 (VrCRP) from a bruchid-resistant mungbean, which is apparently the first discovered plant defensin exhibiting in vitro and in vivo both insecticidal and antifungal activities. Our previous data also successfully demonstrated that VrD1 is toxic to E. coli and able to completely arrest the growth of Sf-21 insect cells at low concentration. However, the molecular and structural basis of this unique insecticidal activity of VrD1 is not clear. Therefore, in the present study, we use structural approach and phylogenic analysis to investigate the evolutionary and functional relations for such unique insecticidal activity. From our results, it is suggested that VrD1, in addition to gamma-thionins and several amylase inhibitors, is highly homologous to scorpion toxins, especially the short toxins. Moreover, based on the observation from our homology structures, VrD1 may utilize a newly found cluster of basic residues to achieve its insecticidal function, whereas all the other plant gamma-thionins were known to use a previously identified basic cluster conserved for gamma-thionins. Considering the general feature of short scorpion toxins to act on insect cell membranes with K(+)- or Cl(-)-channels as molecular targets, our analysis of interaction and recognition modes provides reasonable correlations between this newly found basic cluster and the insecticidal activity of VrD1, which is also comprehended as a possible link for "homoplasy evolution" between plant and animal defensin molecules.

Solution structure of the plant defensin VrD1 from mung bean and its possible role in insecticidal activity against bruchids.

Vigna radiata plant defensin 1 (VrD1) is the first reported plant defensin exhibiting insecticidal activity. We report herein the nuclear magnetic resonance solution structure of VrD1 and the implication on its insecticidal activity. The root-mean-square deviation values are 0.51 +/- 0.35 and 1.23 +/- 0.29 A for backbone and all heavy atoms, respectively. The VrD1 structure comprises a triple-stranded antiparallel beta-sheet, an alpha-helix, and a 3(10) helix stabilized by four disulfide bonds, forming a typical cysteine-stabilized alphabeta motif. Among plant defensins of known structure, VrD1 is the first to contain a 3(10) helix. Glu26 is highly conserved among defensins; VrD1 contains an arginine at this position, which may induce a shift in the orientation of Trp10, thereby promoting the formation of this 3(10) helix. Moreover, VrD1 inhibits Tenebrio molitor alpha-amylase. Alpha-amylase has an essential role in the digestion of plant starch in the insect gut, and expression of the common bean alpha-amylase inhibitor 1 in transgenic pea imparts complete resistance against bruchids. These results imply that VrD1 insecticidal activity has its basis in the inhibition of a polysaccharide hydrolase. Sequence and structural comparisons between two groups of plant defensins having different specificity toward insect alpha-amylase reveal that the loop between beta2 and beta3 is the probable binding site for the alpha-amylase. Computational docking experiments were used to study VrD1-alpha-amylase interactions, and these results provide information that may be used to improve the insecticidal activity of VrD1.

A fine physical map of the rice chromosome 5.

A fine physical map of the rice (Oryza sativa spp. Japonica var. Nipponbare) chromosome 5 with bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) and PI-derived artificial chromosome (PAC) clones was constructed through integration of 280 sequenced BAC/PAC clones and 232 sequence tagged site/expressed sequence tag markers with the use of fingerprinted contig data of the Nipponbare genome. This map consists of five contigs covering 99% of the estimated chromosome size (30.08 Mb). The four physical gaps were estimated at 30 and 20 kb for gaps 1-3 and gap 4, respectively. We have submitted 42.2-Mb sequences with 29.8 Mb of nonoverlapping sequences to public databases. BAC clones corresponding to telomere and centromere regions were confirmed by BAC-fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) on a pachytene chromosome. The genetically centromeric region at 54.6 cM was covered by a minimum tiling path spanning 2.1 Mb with no physical gaps. The precise position of the centromere was revealed by using three overlapping BAC/PACs for approximately 150 kb. In addition, FISH results revealed uneven chromatin condensation around the centromeric region at the pachytene stage. This map is of use for positional cloning and further characterization of the rice functional genomics.

Characterization of resistance to Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae) in mungbean variety VC6089A and its resistance-associated protein VrD1.

Characteristics of resistance of VC6089A, a mungbean, Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek, bred by using a wild Vigna species, V. sublobata (Roxburgh) Verdcourt (accession no. TC1966), and containing a novel protein, VrD1, were investigated against the cowpea weevil, Callosobruchus maculatus (F.). The seeds of VC6089A showed high level of resistance; > 96% of the bruchid eggs failed to develop into adults, whereas 85% of eggs laid on susceptible cultivar VC1973A became adults. Mortality of surviving bruchids raised for five generations on VC6089A remained higher than 96%; however, female adults maintained high fecundity and thus showed a positive population growth through these generations. We therefore cannot exclude the possibility that the beetles could develop resistance to the resistant mungbean VC6089A. The protein VrD1 purified from seeds of VC6089A showed marked toxicity to C. maculatus when beetles were reared on artificial seeds containing varying levels of VrD1. Thorough inhibition of development was observed when artificial seeds containing 0.2% (wt:wt) VrD1 was provided for insect feeding. Our findings demonstrated the insecticidal activity of VC6089A mungbean seeds and VrD1 protein against C. maculatus. These results may facilitate safer control against bruchid infestation.

Cloning and characterization of a plant defensin VaD1 from azuki bean.

A recombinant mungbean defensin VrD1 was previously shown to exhibit antifungal and bruchid-resistant activity. To study the function and regulation of VrD1, genomic DNAs of plant defensins were isolated from Vigna radiata VC6089A and azuki bean Vigna angularis Kao Hsiung No. 6. The azuki bean defensin genomic DNA VaD1 was sequenced and converted to VaD1 cDNA. VaD1 defensin was purified from Vigna angularis Kao Hsiung No. 6 to apparent homogeneity. The complete amino acid sequence of the purified VaD1 was determined and was found to be exactly the same as the sequence deduced from VaD1 cDNA. VaD1 is a basic protein containing 46 amino acids with four conserved disulfide bonds and shares high sequence homology (78.3%) with VrD1. VaD1 inhibited the growth of Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. pisi, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Salmonella typhimurium. VaD1 also inhibited in vitro protein synthesis and bruchid larval development, but was less active than the recombinant VrD1.

Cloning and functional expression of a mungbean defensin VrD1 in Pichia pastoris.

It was shown previously that a bacterially expressed mungbean defensin VrCRP exhibited both antifungal and insecticidal activities. To isolate this protein in a large quantity for its characterization, the defensin cDNA was expressed in Pichia pastoris and the recombinant defensin (rVrD1) was purified. The recombinant VrD1 was shown to inhibit the growth of fungi such as Fusarium oxysporum, Pyricularia oryza, Rhizoctonia solani, and Trichophyton rubrum and development of bruchid larva. The protein also inhibits in vitro protein synthesis. These biological activities are similar to that of the bacterially expressed defensin. Functional expression of VrD1 in Pichia pastoris provides a highly feasible system to study the structure-function relationship of VrD1 using the mutagenesis approach.

A novel defensin encoded by a mungbean cDNA exhibits insecticidal activity against bruchid.

A cDNA encoding a small cysteine-rich protein designated VrCRP was isolated from a bruchid-resistant mungbean. VrCRP encodes a protein of 73 amino acids containing a 27 amino acid signal peptide and 8 cysteines. On the basis of the amino acid sequence similarity and conserved residues, it is suggested that VrCRP is a member of the plant defensin family. VrCRP protein was obtained by overexpression of VrCRP with a truncated signal peptide in an IMPACT system. Artificial seeds containing 0.2% (w/w) of the purified VrCRP-TSP were lethal to larvae of the bruchid Callosobruchus chinensis. VrCRP is apparently the first reported plant defensin exhibiting in vitro insecticidal activity against C. chinensis.

Effect of glycosylation modification (N-Q-(108)I --> N-Q-(108)T) on the freezing stability of recombinant chicken Cystatin overexpressed in Pichia pastoris X-33.

The cDNAs encoding chicken cystatin and its N-glycosylation-modified mutant (Asn(106)-Ile(108)-->Asn(106)-Thr(108)) were cloned into the pGAPZ alpha C expression vector, using the GAP as promoter and Zeocin as resistant agent, and transformed into Pichia pastoris X-33 expression host. The effect of N-glycosylation on the stability of recombinant chicken cystatin was investigated. A large quantity of recombinant chicken cystatin and the Asn(106)-glycosylated cystatins were expressed and secreted into broth using alpha-factor preprosequence. The K(i) of the recombinant chicken cystatin (0.08 nM) was similar to that of wild-type chicken cystatin (0.05 nM). They acted as a competitive inhibition reaction against papain. According to the K(i), the inhibition ability of Asn(106)-glycosylated mutant cystatin (K(i) = 9.5 nM) was weaker than that of the wild-type one. However, N-glycosylation at Asn(106) substantially enhanced the freezing stability of recombinant chicken cystatin overexpressed in P. pastoris.