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PloS One 2015Translocation of a nascent protein from the cytosol into the ER mediated by its signal peptide is a critical step in protein secretion. The aim of this work was to...
Translocation of a nascent protein from the cytosol into the ER mediated by its signal peptide is a critical step in protein secretion. The aim of this work was to develop a platform technology to optimize the signal peptides for high level production of therapeutic antibodies in CHO cells. A database of signal peptides from a large number of human immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain (HC) and kappa light chain (LC) was generated. Most of the HC signal peptides contain 19 amino acids which can be divided into three domains and the LC signal peptides contain 22 amino acids. The signal peptides were then clustered according to sequence similarity. Based on the clustering, 8 HC and 2 LC signal peptides were analyzed for their impacts on the production of 5-top selling antibody therapeutics, namely, Herceptin, Avastin, Remicade, Rituxan, and Humira. The best HC and LC signal peptides for producing these 5 antibodies were identified. The optimized signal peptides for Rituxan is 2-fold better compared to its native signal peptides which are available in the public database. Substitution of a single amino acid in the optimized HC signal peptide for Avastin reduced its production significantly. Mass spectrometry analyses revealed that all optimized signal peptides are accurately removed in the mature antibodies. The results presented in this report are particularly important for the production of these 5 antibodies as biosimilar drugs. They also have the potential to be the best signal peptides for the production of new antibodies in CHO cells.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; CHO Cells; Cricetulus; Immunoglobulin G; Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains; Immunoglobulin Light Chains; Mass Spectrometry; Protein Sorting Signals
PubMed: 25706993
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116878 -
Protein Science : a Publication of the... Dec 2022Signal peptide (SP) plays an important role in membrane targeting for insertion of secretory and membrane proteins during translocation processes in prokaryotes and...
Signal peptide (SP) plays an important role in membrane targeting for insertion of secretory and membrane proteins during translocation processes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Beside the targeting functions, SP has also been found to affect the stability and folding of several proteins. Serum amyloid A (SAA) proteins are apolipoproteins responding to acute-phase inflammation. The fibrillization of SAA results in a protein misfolding disease named amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis. The main disease-associated isoform of human SAA, SAA1.1, is expressed as a precursor protein with an N-terminal signal peptide composed of 18 residues. The cleavage of the SP generates mature SAA1.1. To investigate whether the SP affects properties of SAA1.1, we systematically examined the structure, protein stability, and fibrillization propensity of pre-SAA1.1, which possesses the SP, and Ser-SAA1.1 without the SP but containing with an additional N-terminal serine residue. We found that the presence of the SP did not significantly affect the predominant helical structure but changed the tertiary conformation as evidenced by intrinsic fluorescence and exposed hydrophobic surfaces. Pre-SAA1.1 and Ser-SAA1.1 formed distinct oligomeric assemblies in which pre-SAA1.1 populated as tetramer and octamer, whereas Ser-SAA1.1 existed as a predominant hexamer. Pre-SAA1.1 was found significantly more stable than Ser-SAA1.1 upon thermal and chemical unfolding. Ser-SAA1.1, but not pre-SAA1.1, is capable of forming amyloid fibrils in protein misfolding study, indicating a protective role of the SP. Altogether, our results demonstrated a novel role of the SP in SAA folding and misfolding and provided a novel direction for therapeutic development of AA amyloidosis.
Topics: Humans; Serum Amyloid A Protein; Protein Sorting Signals; Amyloidosis; Amyloid
PubMed: 36309973
DOI: 10.1002/pro.4485 -
ACS Synthetic Biology Feb 2023The passage of proteins across biological membranes via the general secretory (Sec) pathway is a universally conserved process with critical functions in cell physiology...
The passage of proteins across biological membranes via the general secretory (Sec) pathway is a universally conserved process with critical functions in cell physiology and important industrial applications. Proteins are directed into the Sec pathway by a signal peptide at their N-terminus. Estimating the impact of physicochemical signal peptide features on protein secretion levels has not been achieved so far, partially due to the extreme sequence variability of signal peptides. To elucidate relevant features of the signal peptide sequence that influence secretion efficiency, an evaluation of ∼12,000 different designed signal peptides was performed using a novel miniaturized high-throughput assay. The results were used to train a machine learning model, and a post-hoc explanation of the model is provided. By describing each signal peptide with a selection of 156 physicochemical features, it is now possible to both quantify feature importance and predict the protein secretion levels directed by each signal peptide. Our analyses allow the detection and explanation of the relevant signal peptide features influencing the efficiency of protein secretion, generating a versatile tool for the de novo design and in silico evaluation of signal peptides.
Topics: Protein Sorting Signals; Bacillus subtilis; Protein Transport; Cell Membrane; Bacterial Proteins
PubMed: 36649479
DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00328 -
Open Biology Aug 2022Understanding bacterial communication mechanisms is imperative to improve our current understanding of bacterial infectivity and find alternatives to current modes of... (Review)
Review
Understanding bacterial communication mechanisms is imperative to improve our current understanding of bacterial infectivity and find alternatives to current modes of antibacterial therapeutics. Both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria use quorum sensing (QS) to regulate group behaviours and associated phenotypes in a cell-density-dependent manner. Group behaviours, phenotypic expression and resultant infection and disease can largely be attributed to efficient bacterial communication. Of particular interest are the communication mechanisms of Gram-positive bacteria known as streptococci. This group has demonstrated marked resistance to traditional antibiotic treatment, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality of infected hosts and an ever-increasing burden on the healthcare system. Modulating circuits and mechanisms involved in streptococcal communication has proven to be a promising anti-virulence therapeutic approach that allows managing bacterial phenotypic response but does not affect bacterial viability. Targeting the chemical signals bacteria use for communication is a promising starting point, as manipulation of these signals can dramatically affect resultant bacterial phenotypes, minimizing associated morbidity and mortality. This review will focus on the use of modified peptide signals in modulating the development of proliferative phenotypes in different streptococcal species, specifically regarding how such modification can attenuate bacterial infectivity and aid in developing future alternative therapeutic agents.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bacteria; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Phenotype; Protein Sorting Signals
PubMed: 35920042
DOI: 10.1098/rsob.220143 -
PloS One 2020Unlike closely related GPCRs, protease-activated receptors (PAR1, PAR2, PAR3, and PAR4) have a predicted signal peptide at their N-terminus, which is encoded by a...
Unlike closely related GPCRs, protease-activated receptors (PAR1, PAR2, PAR3, and PAR4) have a predicted signal peptide at their N-terminus, which is encoded by a separate exon, suggesting that the signal peptides of PARs may serve an important and unique function, specific for PARs. In this report, we show that the PAR2 signal peptide, when fused to the N-terminus of IgG-Fc, effectively induced IgG-Fc secretion into culture medium, thus behaving like a classical signal peptide. The presence of PAR2 signal peptide has a strong effect on PAR2 cell surface expression, as deletion of the signal peptide (PAR2ΔSP) led to dramatic reduction of the cell surface expression and decreased responses to trypsin or the synthetic peptide ligand (SLIGKV). However, further deletion of the tethered ligand region (SLIGKV) at the N-terminus rescued the cell surface receptor expression and the response to the synthetic peptide ligand, suggesting that the signal peptide of PAR2 may be involved in preventing PAR2 from intracellular protease activation before reaching the cell surface. Supporting this hypothesis, an Arg36Ala mutation on PAR2ΔSP, which disabled the trypsin activation site, increased the receptor cell surface expression and the response to ligand stimulation. Similar effects were observed when PAR2ΔSP expressing cells were treated with protease inhibitors. Our findings indicated that there is a role of the PAR2 signal peptide in preventing the premature activation of PAR2 from intracellular protease cleavage before reaching the cells surface. The same mechanism may also apply to PAR1, PAR3, and PAR4.
Topics: Animals; COS Cells; Chlorocebus aethiops; Endopeptidases; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Mutation, Missense; Protease Inhibitors; Protein Sorting Signals; Receptor, PAR-1; Receptor, PAR-2; Receptors, Cell Surface; Trypsin
PubMed: 32078628
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222685 -
Current Biology : CB May 2011Cell-to-cell communication is integral to the evolution of multicellularity. In plant development, peptide signals relay information coordinating cell proliferation and... (Review)
Review
Cell-to-cell communication is integral to the evolution of multicellularity. In plant development, peptide signals relay information coordinating cell proliferation and differentiation. These peptides are often encoded by gene families and bind to corresponding families of receptors. The precise spatiotemporal expression of signals and their cognate receptors underlies developmental patterning, and expressional and biochemical changes over evolutionary time have likely contributed to the refinement and complexity of developmental programs. Here, we discuss two major plant peptide families which have central roles in plant development: the CLAVATA3/ENDOSPERM SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) peptide family and the EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR (EPF) family. We discuss how specialization has enabled the CLE peptides to modulate stem cell differentiation in various tissue types, and how differing activities of EPF peptides precisely regulate the stomatal developmental program, and we examine the contributions of these peptide families to plant development from an evolutionary perspective.
Topics: Arabidopsis Proteins; Biological Evolution; Cell Communication; Cell Differentiation; DNA-Binding Proteins; Meristem; Models, Biological; Multigene Family; Plant Development; Plant Roots; Plant Stomata; Protein Sorting Signals; Signal Transduction; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 21549958
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2011.03.012 -
Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta.... Oct 2022Secreted proteins contain an N-terminal signal peptide to guide them through the secretion pathway. Once the protein is translocated, the signal peptide is removed by a... (Review)
Review
Secreted proteins contain an N-terminal signal peptide to guide them through the secretion pathway. Once the protein is translocated, the signal peptide is removed by a signal peptidase, such as signal peptidase I. The signal peptide has been extensively studied and reviewed; however, the mature region has not been the focus of review. Here we cover the experimental evidence that highlights the important role of the mature region amino acid residues in both the efficiency and the ability of secreted proteins to be successfully exported via secretion pathways and cleaved by signal peptidase I.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Bacterial Proteins; Biological Transport; Escherichia coli; Protein Sorting Signals
PubMed: 35798072
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184000 -
The EMBO Journal Dec 2022Secretory preproteins of the Sec pathway are targeted post-translationally and cross cellular membranes through translocases. During cytoplasmic transit, mature domains...
Secretory preproteins of the Sec pathway are targeted post-translationally and cross cellular membranes through translocases. During cytoplasmic transit, mature domains remain non-folded for translocase recognition/translocation. After translocation and signal peptide cleavage, mature domains fold to native states in the bacterial periplasm or traffic further. We sought the structural basis for delayed mature domain folding and how signal peptides regulate it. We compared how evolution diversified a periplasmic peptidyl-prolyl isomerase PpiA mature domain from its structural cytoplasmic PpiB twin. Global and local hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry showed that PpiA is a slower folder. We defined at near-residue resolution hierarchical folding initiated by similar foldons in the twins, at different order and rates. PpiA folding is delayed by less hydrophobic native contacts, frustrated residues and a β-turn in the earliest foldon and by signal peptide-mediated disruption of foldon hierarchy. When selected PpiA residues and/or its signal peptide were grafted onto PpiB, they converted it into a slow folder with enhanced in vivo secretion. These structural adaptations in a secretory protein facilitate trafficking.
Topics: Protein Folding; Protein Sorting Signals; Proteins; Cell Membrane; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
PubMed: 36031863
DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111344 -
JAMA Ophthalmology Jul 2022Sorsby fundus dystrophy is a typically adult-onset maculopathy with high risk for choroidal neovascularization. Sorsby fundus dystrophy, inherited as an autosomal...
IMPORTANCE
Sorsby fundus dystrophy is a typically adult-onset maculopathy with high risk for choroidal neovascularization. Sorsby fundus dystrophy, inherited as an autosomal dominant fully penetrant trait, is associated with TIMP3 variants that cause protein aggregation in the extracellular matrix.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the phenotype and underlying biochemical mechanism of disease-causing TIMP3 variants altering the N-terminal signal peptide in 2 families who have early-onset diffuse maculopathy without choroidal neovascularization with cosegregation of TIMP3 variants in the signal peptide sequence.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This case series of 2 families with early-onset diffuse maculopathy was conducted at the National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. Data were collected and analyzed from October 2009 to December 2021.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Clinical imaging and molecular genetic testing were performed in 2 families with macular dystrophy. Cosegregation analysis of TIMP3 variants was performed in affected and unaffected family members. Candidate TIMP3 signal peptide variants were assessed for cleavage defects after transfection.
RESULTS
Eleven individuals from 2 families with early-onset diffuse maculopathy without choroidal neovascularization harbor TIMP3 variants (L10H or G12R) in the N-terminal signaling peptide were analyzed. Cosegregation with phenotype was confirmed in additional family members. Biochemical analysis confirmed defects in both protein maturation and extracellular deposition.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This study found that TIMP3 variants altering signal peptide function deviated from classic Sorsby fundus dystrophy both in phenotypic features and underlying mechanism. These results suggest atypical patient presentations are caused by TIMP3 signal peptide defects, associated with impaired cleavage and deposition into the extracellular matrix, implicating a novel macular dystrophy disease.
Topics: Choroidal Neovascularization; Humans; Macular Degeneration; Pedigree; Protein Sorting Signals; Retinal Dystrophies; Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-3
PubMed: 35679059
DOI: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.1822 -
PloS One 2021The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway transports folded proteins across energetic membranes. Numerous Tat substrates contain co-factors that are inserted before...
The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway transports folded proteins across energetic membranes. Numerous Tat substrates contain co-factors that are inserted before transport with the assistance of redox enzyme maturation proteins (REMPs), which bind to the signal peptide of precursor proteins. How signal peptides are transferred from a REMP to a binding site on the Tat receptor complex remains unknown. Since the signal peptide mediates both interactions, possibilities include: i) a coordinated hand-off mechanism; or ii) a diffusional search after REMP dissociation. We investigated the binding interaction between substrates containing the TorA signal peptide (spTorA) and its cognate REMP, TorD, and the effect of TorD on the in vitro transport of such substrates. We found that Escherichia coli TorD is predominantly a monomer at low micromolar concentrations (dimerization KD > 50 μM), and this monomer binds reversibly to spTorA (KD ≈ 1 μM). While TorD binds to membranes (KD ≈ 100 nM), it has no apparent affinity for Tat translocons and it inhibits binding of a precursor substrate to the membrane. TorD has a minimal effect on substrate transport by the Tat system, being mildly inhibitory at high concentrations. These data are consistent with a model in which the REMP-bound signal peptide is shielded from recognition by the Tat translocon, and spontaneous dissociation of the REMP allows the substrate to engage the Tat machinery. Thus, the REMP does not assist with targeting to the Tat translocon, but rather temporarily shields the signal peptide.
Topics: Binding Sites; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Proteins; Gene Products, tat; Molecular Chaperones; Oxidoreductases, N-Demethylating; Protein Binding; Protein Sorting Signals; Protein Transport; Substrate Specificity; Twin-Arginine-Translocation System
PubMed: 34499687
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256715