scholarly journals Marker Fusion Tagging, a New Method for Production of Chromosomally Encoded Fusion Proteins

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 827-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Lai ◽  
Seng Kah Ng ◽  
Fang Fang Liu ◽  
Rajesh Narhari Patkar ◽  
Yanfen Lu ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A new gene-tagging method (marker fusion tagging [MFT]) is demonstrated for Neurospora crassa and Magnaporthe oryzae. Translational fusions between the hygromycin B resistance gene and various markers are inserted into genes of interest by homologous recombination to produce chromosomally encoded fusion proteins. This method can produce tags at any position and create deletion alleles that maintain N- and C-terminal sequences. We show the utility of MFT by producing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) tags in proteins localized to nuclei, spindle pole bodies, septal pore plugs, Woronin bodies, developing septa, and the endoplasmic reticulum.

2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 459-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xavier Charest-Morin ◽  
Robert Lodge ◽  
François Marceau

To support bradykinin (BK) B2 receptor (B2R) detection and therapeutic stimulation, we developed and characterized fusion proteins consisting of the BK homolog maximakinin (MK), or variants, positioned at the C-terminus of functional proteins (enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), the peroxidase APEX2, or human serum albumin (HSA)). EGFP-MK loses its reactivity with anti-BK antibodies and molecular mass as it progresses in the endosomal tract of cells expressing rat B2Rs (immunoblots, epifluorescence microscopy). APEX2-(NG)15-MK is a bona fide agonist of the rat, but not of the human B2R (calcium and c-Fos signaling) and is compatible with the cytochemistry reagent TrueBlue (microscopy), a luminol-based reagent, or 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine (luminescence or colourimetric B2R detection, cell well plate format). APEX2-(NG)15-MK is a non-isotopic ligand suitable for drug discovery via binding competition. Affinity-purified secreted forms of HSA fused with peptides possessing the C-terminal MK or BK sequence failed to stimulate the rat B2R in the concentration range of 50–600 nmol/L. However, the non-secreted construction myc-HSA-MK is a B2R agonist, indicating that protein denaturation made the C-terminal sequence available for receptor binding. Fusion protein ligands of the B2R are stable but subjected to slow intracellular inactivation, strong species specificity, and possible steric hindrance between the receptor and large proteins.


2008 ◽  
Vol 295 (1) ◽  
pp. C279-C287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunlei Huan ◽  
Kai Su Greene ◽  
Bo Shui ◽  
Gwendolyn Spizz ◽  
Haitao Sun ◽  
...  

Ca+-activated Cl− channel (CLCA) proteins are encoded by a family of highly related and clustered genes in mammals that are markedly upregulated in inflammation and have been shown to affect chloride transport. Here we describe the cellular processing and regulatory sequences underlying murine (m) CLCA4 proteins. The 125-kDa mCLCA4 gene product is cleaved to 90- and 40-kDa fragments, and the NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments are secreted, where they are found in cell media and associated with the plasma membrane. The 125-kDa full-length protein is only found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and specific luminal diarginine retention and dileucine forward trafficking signals contained within the CLCA4 sequence regulate export from the ER and proteolytic processing. Mutation of the dileucine luminal sequences resulted in ER trapping of the immaturely glycosylated 125-kDa peptide, indicating that proteolytic cleavage occurs following recognition of the trafficking motifs. Moreover, the mutated dileucine and diarginine signal sequences directed processing of a secreted form of enhanced green fluorescent protein in a manner consistent with the effects on mCLCA4.


2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (10) ◽  
pp. 1305-1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Perez-Vilar ◽  
Carla M. Pedrosa Ribeiro ◽  
Wendy C. Salmon ◽  
Raean Mabolo ◽  
Richard C. Boucher

Live cell imaging methods were used to characterize goblet cells expressing a MUC5AC domain fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein that labels the granule lumen. Golgi complex and endosome/lysosome elements largely resided in the periphery of the granular mass. On the contrary, a tubular meshwork of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was in close contact with the mucin granules. This meshwork could be identified in fixed native human bronchial goblet cells labeled with an anti-calreticulin antibody. The potential biological significance of this ER network for mucin secretion is discussed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cathrin Enke ◽  
Nadine Zekert ◽  
Daniel Veith ◽  
Carolin Schaaf ◽  
Sven Konzack ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe dynamics of cytoplasmic microtubules (MTs) is largely controlled by a protein complex at the MT plus end. InSchizosaccharomyces pombeand in filamentous fungi, MT plus end-associated proteins also determine growth directionality. We have characterized the Dis1/XMAP215 family protein AlpA fromAspergillus nidulansand show that it determines MT dynamics as well as hyphal morphology. Green fluorescent protein-tagged AlpA localized to MT-organizing centers (centrosomes) and to MT plus ends. The latter accumulation occurred independently of conventional kinesin or the Kip2-familiy kinesin KipA.alpAdeletion strains were viable and only slightly temperature sensitive. Mitosis, nuclear migration, and nuclear positioning were not affected, but hyphae grew in curves rather than straight, which appeared to be an effect of reduced MT growth and dynamics.


2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (9) ◽  
pp. 3133-3136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Brzoska ◽  
Neville Firth

ABSTRACTWe have constructed a system for the regulated coexpression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red fluorescent protein (RFP) fusions inStaphylococcus aureus. It was validated by simultaneous localization of cell division proteins FtsZ and Noc and used to detect filament formation by an actin-like ParM plasmid partitioning protein in its native coccoid host.


1998 ◽  
Vol 143 (4) ◽  
pp. 1029-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Hofmann ◽  
Iain M. Cheeseman ◽  
Bruce L. Goode ◽  
Kent L. McDonald ◽  
Georjana Barnes ◽  
...  

In this paper, we describe the identification and characterization of two novel and essential mitotic spindle proteins, Duo1p and Dam1p. Duo1p was isolated because its overexpression caused defects in mitosis and a mitotic arrest. Duo1p was localized by immunofluorescence, by immunoelectron microscopy, and by tagging with green fluorescent protein (GFP), to intranuclear spindle microtubules and spindle pole bodies. Temperature-sensitive duo1 mutants arrest with short spindles. This arrest is dependent on the mitotic checkpoint. Dam1p was identified by two-hybrid analysis as a protein that binds to Duo1p. By expressing a GFP–Dam1p fusion protein in yeast, Dam1p was also shown to be associated with intranuclear spindle microtubules and spindle pole bodies in vivo. As with Duo1p, overproduction of Dam1p caused mitotic defects. Biochemical experiments demonstrated that Dam1p binds directly to microtubules with micromolar affinity. We suggest that Dam1p might localize Duo1p to intranuclear microtubules and spindle pole bodies to provide a previously unrecognized function (or functions) required for mitosis.


2008 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1041-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kerstin Helmstaedt ◽  
Karen Laubinger ◽  
Katja Voßkuhl ◽  
Özgür Bayram ◽  
Silke Busch ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTNuclear migration depends on microtubules, the dynein motor complex, and regulatory components like LIS1 and NUDC. We sought to identify new binding partners of the fungal LIS1 homolog NUDF to clarify its function in dynein regulation. We therefore analyzed the association between NUDF and NUDC inAspergillus nidulans. NUDF and NUDC directly interacted in yeast two-hybrid experiments via NUDF's WD40 domain. NUDC-green fluorescent protein (NUDC-GFP) was localized to immobile dots in the cytoplasm and at the hyphal cortex, some of which were spindle pole bodies (SPBs). We showed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation microscopy that NUDC directly interacted with NUDF at SPBs at different stages of the cell cycle. Applying tandem affinity purification, we isolated the NUDF-associated protein BNFA (forbinding toNUDF). BNFA was dispensable for growth and for nuclear migration. GFP-BNFA fusions localized to SPBs at different stages of the cell cycle. This localization depended on NUDF, since the loss of NUDF resulted in the cytoplasmic accumulation of BNFA. BNFA did not bind to NUDC in a yeast two-hybrid assay. These results show that the conserved NUDF and NUDC proteins play a concerted role at SPBs at different stages of the cell cycle and that NUDF recruits additional proteins specifically to the dynein complex at SPBs.


2013 ◽  
Vol 24 (24) ◽  
pp. 3842-3856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo-Fang Shen ◽  
Stephen A. Osmani

The NIMA kinase is required for mitotic nuclear pore complex disassembly and potentially controls other mitotic-specific events. To investigate this possibility, we imaged NIMA–green fluorescent protein (GFP) using four-dimensional spinning disk confocal microscopy. At mitosis NIMA-GFP locates to spindle pole bodies (SPBs), which contain Cdk1/cyclin B, followed by Aurora, TINA, and the BimC kinesin. NIMA promotes NPC disassembly in a spatially regulated manner starting near SPBs. NIMA is also required for TINA, a NIMA-interacting protein, to locate to SPBs during initiation of mitosis, and TINA is then necessary for locating NIMA back to SPBs during mitotic progression. To help expand the NIMA-TINA pathway, we affinity purified TINA and found it to uniquely copurify with An-WDR8, a WD40-domain protein conserved from humans to plants. Like TINA, An-WDR8 accumulates within nuclei during G2 but disperses from nuclei before locating to mitotic SPBs. Without An-WDR8, TINA levels are greatly reduced, whereas TINA is necessary for mitotic targeting of An-WDR8. Finally, we show that TINA is required to anchor mitotic microtubules to SPBs and, in combination with An-WDR8, for successful mitosis. The findings provide new insights into SPB targeting and indicate that the mitotic microtubule-anchoring system at SPBs involves WDR8 in complex with TINA.


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