Computational-Driven Epitope Verification and Affinity Maturation of TLR4-Targeting Antibodies

Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling plays a critical role in the induction and progression of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematous, experimental autoimmune encephalitis, type 1 diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative diseases. Deciphering antigen recognition by antibodies provides insights and defines the mechanism of action into the progression of immune responses. Multiple strategies, including phage display and hybridoma technologies, have been used to enhance the affinity of antibodies for their respective epitopes. Here, we investigate the TLR4 antibody-binding epitope by computational-driven approach. We demonstrate that three important residues, i.e., Y328, N329, and K349 of TLR4 antibody binding epitope identified upon in silico mutagenesis, affect not only the interaction and binding affinity of antibody but also influence the structural integrity of TLR4. Furthermore, we predict a novel epitope at the TLR4-MD2 interface which can be targeted and explored for therapeutic antibodies and small molecules. This technique provides an in-depth insight into antibody–antigen interactions at the resolution and will be beneficial for the development of new monoclonal antibodies. Computational techniques, if coupled with experimental methods, will shorten the duration of rational design and development of antibody therapeutics.     

β-乳球蛋白IgG抗原决定簇的识别

以β-乳球蛋白氨基酸序列为模板,错位合成β-乳球蛋白多肽,以收集到的牛乳过敏患者血清为抗体,鉴定β-乳球蛋白IgG抗原决定簇,探讨牛乳过敏机理．结果表明,β-乳球蛋白IgG抗原决定簇有2条,它们在β-乳球蛋白中的氨基酸序列定位分别为aa22—36和aa127—141．结果表明通过特异性水解抗原决定簇实现牛奶脱敏的方法是可行的．     

Engineering of protein epitopes: a single deletion in a snake toxin generates full binding capacity to a previously unrecognized antibody

Structural features associated with the ability of a monoclonalantibody (mAb) to discriminate between protein variants areidentified and engineered. The variants are the curaremimetictoxin from Naja nigricollis and erabutoxin a or b from Laticaudasemifasciata which differ from each other by 16 substitutionsand one insertion. The neutralizing mAb M1 recognizes with highaffinity a topographical epitope on the surface of toxin , butfails to recognize the erabutoxins although they possess mostof the residues forming the presumed epitope. Examinations ofthe toxin and erabutoxin 3-D structures and molecular dynamicssimulations reveal several differences between the variants.In particular, the region involving the ß-turn 17–24is organized differently. Analysis of the differences foundin this region suggests that the insertion (or deletion) atposition 18 of the variant amino add sequences is particularlyimportant in determining the differential cross-reactivity.To test this proposal, residue 18 was deleted in one erabutoxinusing sitedirected mutagenesis, and the biological propertiesof the resulting mutant were examined. We found that full antigenicitywas restored in the previously unrecognized variant. The implicationsof this finding are discussed.     

拟穴青蟹原肌球蛋白抗原表位适配体小肽的筛选与鉴定

目的筛选对拟穴青蟹过敏原原肌球蛋白(tropomyosin,TM)抗原表位具有特异性结合能力的适配体小肽,并鉴定适配体小肽对TM的免疫结合活性的抑制作用。方法采用ExPASy peptide cutter软件预测TM分子中胰蛋白酶酶切位点,结合TM线性表位设计反义小肽,经AutoDock 4.0软件模拟分子对接,筛选得到适配体小肽。采用抑制性ELISA的方法,检测筛选的适配体小肽对TM与特异性IgG抗体结合活性的抑制作用。结果 TM氨基酸序列中有25个胰蛋白酶酶切位点,设计TM的31条反义小肽,利用分子对接筛选得到12个适配体小肽。抑制性ELISA结果显示,12条适配体小肽均能明显抑制TM与IgG抗体的特异性结合,其中适配体小肽5抑制能力最强,其抑制率为36.2%。结论通过分子对接筛选得到能明显抑制TM免疫结合活性的适配体小肽,为降低TM致敏性的研究提供理论参考。     

Constitutive promoter modules for PCR-based gene modification in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Initial steps in investigating gene function often include deleting and overexpressing the gene of interest and identifying the subcellular location of the gene product. To facilitate these procedures, a number of new PCR modules, which contain selectable markers and in some cases other genetic elements (e.g promoter elements, epitope tags, and reporter genes) have been developed. These modules are used as PCR substrates to create products that can be targeted to specified locations in the yeast genome, thus modifying that genomic locus. We describe here a series of plasmids that contain a truncated version of the strong ADH1 promoter with and without amino-terminal 3HA and GST tags. Because these plasmids contain the same vector sequences as the GAL1 promoter plasmids, a constitutive and an inducible promoter can now be integrated with a minimal number of primers.     

Production and Characterization of Peptide Antibodies to the C-Terminal of Frameshifted Calreticulin Associated with Myeloproliferative Diseases

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPNs) constitute a group of rare blood cancers that are characterized by mutations in bone marrow stem cells leading to the overproduction of erythrocytes, leukocytes, and thrombocytes. Mutations in calreticulin (CRT) genes may initiate MPNs, causing a novel variable polybasic stretch terminating in a common C-terminal sequence in the frameshifted CRT (CRTfs) proteins. Peptide antibodies to the mutated C-terminal are important reagents for research in the molecular mechanisms of MPNs and for the development of new diagnostic assays and therapies. In this study, eight peptide antibodies targeting the C-terminal of CRTfs were produced and characterised by modified enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays using resin-bound peptides. The antibodies reacted to two epitopes: CREACLQGWTE for SSI-HYB 385-01, 385-02, 385-03, 385-04, 385-07, 385-08, and 385-09 and CLQGWT for SSI-HYB 385-06. For the majority of antibodies, the residues Cys¹, Trp⁹, and Glu¹¹ were essential for reactivity. SSI-HYB 385-06, with the highest affinity, recognised recombinant CRTfs produced in yeast and the MARIMO cell line expressing CRTfs when examined in Western immunoblotting. Moreover, SSI-HYB 385-06 occasionally reacted to CRTfs from MPN patients when analysed by flow cytometry. The characterized antibodies may be used to understand the role of CRTfs in the pathogenesis of MPNs and to design and develop new diagnostic assays and therapeutic targets.     

牛乳乳清中主要过敏原的B细胞表位定位

采用噬菌体展示技术结合生物信息学定位牛乳α-乳白蛋白和β-乳球蛋白的B细胞表位,分析不同类型表位之间的氨基酸组成和空间分布规律。结果表明,某些线性表位是构象性表位的组成部分,IgE与IgG表位存在共同区域。本研究得到的表位是牛乳过敏诊断和预后的候选生物标志物,也可用于指导于低致敏性乳制品的开发。     

Cassettes for PCR-mediated construction of green, yellow, and cyan fluorescent protein fusions in Candida albicans.

We have developed a set of plasmids containing fluorescent protein cassettes for use in PCR-mediated gene tagging in Candida albicans. We engineered YFP and CFP variants of the GFP sequence optimized for C. albicans codon usage. The fluorescent protein sequences, linked to C. albicans auxotrophic marker sequences, were amplified by PCR and transformed directly into yeast. Gene-specific sequence was incorporated into the PCR primers, such that the tag-cassette integrates by homologous recombination at the 3'-end of the gene of interest. This technique was used to tag Cdc3 and Tub1 with GFP, YFP and CFP, which were readily visualized by fluorescence microscopy and localized as expected. In addition, Tub1-YFP and Cdc3-CFP were visualized in the same cells. Thus, this technique directs one-step construction of multiple fluorescent protein fusions, facilitating the study of protein co-expression and co-localization in C. albicans cells in vivo.     

Additional vectors for PCR-based gene tagging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe using nourseothricin resistance

The one-step PCR-mediated technique used for modification of chromosomal loci is a powerful tool for functional analysis in yeast. Both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe are amenable to this technique. However, the scarce availability of selectable markers for Sz. pombe hampers the easy use of this technique in this species. Here, we describe the construction of new vectors deriving from the pFA6a family, which are suitable for tagging in both yeasts owing to the presence of a nourseothricin-resistance cassette. These plasmids allow various gene manipulations at chromosomal loci, viz. N- and C-terminal tagging with 3HA (haemagglutinin) or 13Myc epitopes, GST (glutathione S-transferase), 4TAP (tandem affinity purification) and several GFP (green fluorescent protein) isoforms. For N-terminal modifications, the use of different promoters allows constitutive (PADH1) or regulatable (PGAL1) promoters for S. cerevisiae and derivatives of Pnmt1 for Sz. pombe expression.