Over-Production, Crystallization, and Preliminary X-Ray Crystallographic Analysis of a Coiled-Coil Region in Human Pericentrin
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crystals Communication Over-Production, Crystallization, and Preliminary X-ray Crystallographic Analysis of a Coiled-Coil Region in Human Pericentrin Min Ye Kim, Jeong Kuk Park, Yeowon Sim, Doheum Kim, Jeong Yeon Sim and SangYoun Park * School of Systems Biomedical Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Korea; [email protected] (M.Y.K.); [email protected] (J.K.P.); [email protected] (Y.S.); [email protected] (D.K.); [email protected] (J.Y.S.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +82-2-820-0456 Academic Editor: Jolanta Prywer Received: 12 September 2017; Accepted: 28 September 2017; Published: 2 October 2017 Abstract: The genes encoding three coiled-coil regions in human pericentrin were gene synthesized with Escherichia coli codon-optimization, and the proteins were successfully over-produced in large quantities using E. coli expression. After verifying that the purified proteins were mostly composed of α-helices, one of the proteins was crystallized using polyethylene glycol 8000 as crystallizing agent. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 3.8 Å resolution under cryo-condition using synchrotron X-ray. The crystal belonged to space group C2 with unit cell parameters a = 324.9 Å, b = 35.7 Å, c = 79.5 Å, and β = 101.6◦. According to Matthews’ coefficient, the asymmetric unit may contain up to 3 −1 12 subunits of the monomeric protein, with a crystal volume per protein mass (VM) of 1.96 Å Da and a 37.3% solvent content. Keywords: pericentrin; coiled-coil; centrosome; pericentriolar material (PCM) 1. Introduction The centrosome is the main microtubule organizing center (MTOC) in animal cells. In non-mitotic interphase cells, the centrosome is located near the nucleus to produce an assembly of microtubules that radiates towards the cell periphery, serving as tracks for motor protein-mediated transport of cellular compartments. During mitosis, microtubules reorganize from the centrosomes to form spindle poles that accurately segregate the duplicated chromosomes in two. The centrosome consists of a pair of orthogonally arranged centrioles surrounded by pericentriolar material (PCM). The PCM includes factors such as the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) that directly function to nucleate the microtubule arrays [1–4]. Pericentrin (PCNT) is a large ∼360 kDa protein that also exists within PCM [5] to act as a scaffold for anchoring multiple proteins of the PCM [6]. PCNT contains a series of predicted coiled-coil regions over most of their length [5], but a highly conserved PCM targeting motif called the PACT domain is found near the C-terminus [7] (Figure1). PCNT has been linked to many human disorders [6], and one of them is the loss-of-function mutations that cause microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type II (MOPD II) [8]. In this study, three regions in the human PCNT which are predicted as coiled-coils were successfully over-produced in Escherichia coli using plasmids containing E. coli codon-optimized PCNT gene. The high α-helical contents for the three PCNT proteins were further confirmed by circular dichroism analysis, and one of them was crystallized for preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis. Crystals 2017, 7, 296; doi:10.3390/cryst7100296 www.mdpi.com/journal/crystals Crystals 2017 7 Crystals 2017,, 7,, 296296 2 of 7 Figure 1. Regions of human pericentrin (PCNT) showing predicted coiled-coil (CC) and the PACTFigure domain. 1. Regions of human pericentrin (PCNT) showing predicted coiled-coil (CC) and the PACT domain. 2. Materials and Methods 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Macromolecule Production 2.1. Macromolecule Production The DNA encoding three regions in human pericentrin (PCNT, full length of residues 1–3336) whichThe are DNA predicted encoding to encode three coiled-coilregions in (CC)human motifs pericentrin (CC1, 260–553; (PCNT, CC2,full length 676–831; of residues CC3, 1354–1684) 1–3336) werewhich synthesized are predicted with to encode an addition coiled-coil of nucleotides (CC) motifs encoding (CC1, 260–553; N-terminal CC2, His-tag 676–831; (Bioneer, CC3, 1354–1684) Daejeon, Korea)were synthesized for affinity with purification. an addition All genes of nucleotide were codon-optimizeds encoding N-terminal for expression His-tag in (Bioneer,E. coli and Daejeon, cloned intoKorea) pET28a for affinity vector purification. (Merck, Kenilworth, All genes NJ,were USA) codon-optimized using NdeI and for BamHexpressionI restriction in E. coli enzyme and cloned sites. Theinto generatedpET28a vector plasmids (Merck, were Kenilworth, all sequence NJ, verifiedUSA) using of the Nde insertI and region,BamHI restriction and were usedenzyme to transform sites. The thegeneratedE. coli plasmidsBL21 (DE3) were (Merck, all sequence Kenilworth, verified NJ, of the USA) insert cells region, using and heat were shock used at to 42 transform◦C (45 s). the The E. coli BL21 (DE3) (Merck, Kenilworth, NJ,◦ USA) cells using heat shock at 42 °C (45 s). The transformed transformed cells were grown at 37 C in 1 L of Luria-Bertani (LB) medium to an OD600 of ∼0.8 incells the were presence grown of at 25 37µ °g/mLC in 1 kanamycin.L of Luria-Bertani Expression (LB) medium of the recombinant to an OD600 of protein ∼0.8 in was the inducedpresence byof the25 μ additiong/mL kanamycin. of 0.5 mM Expressi isopropyl-D-thiogalactopyranosideon of the recombinant protein (IPTG) was induced at 22 ◦ C,by andthe addition cells were of allowed0.5 mM toisopropyl-D-thiogalactopyranoside grow for an extra 16 h. Cells were (IPTG) harvested at 22 °C, using and centrifugationcells were allowed at 4500 to grow× g for for 10 an min extra (4 16◦C). h. Cells were harvested using centrifugation at 4500× g for 10 min (4 °C). All three N-terminal His6- All three N-terminal His6-tagged proteins of PCNT were over-produced with soluble expression of the proteins.tagged proteins For protein of PCNT purification, were over-produced the bacterial cellwith pellets soluble were expression re-suspended of the in proteins. 50 mL ice-cold For protein lysis bufferpurification, (20 mM the Tris bacterial pH 7.5, cell 500 pellets mM NaCl, were andre-suspended 5 mM imidazole) in 50 mL and ice-cold lysed onlysis ice buffer by sonication. (20 mM TheTris homogenatespH 7.5, 500 mM were NaCl, centrifuged and 5 mM at 70,000imidazole)× g for and 30 lysed min (4on◦ C),ice by and sonication. supernatants The poured homogenates over a 5were mL Ni-nitrilotriaceticcentrifuged at 70,000 acid× agaroseg for 30 (Ni-NTA)min (4 °C), (Qiagen, and supernatants Hilden, Germany) poured over gravity a 5 column.mL Ni-nitrilotriacetic The columns wereacid agarose washed (Ni-NTA) with five (Qiagen, column volumes Hilden, Germany) of wash buffer gravity (20 column. mM Tris The pH columns 7.5, 20 mM were imidazole, washed with and 500five mMcolumn NaCl), volumes and the of proteins wash buffer were eluted(20 mM with Tris elution pH 7.5, buffer 20 mM (20 imidazole, mM Tris pH and 7.5, 500 200 mM mM NaCl), imidazole, and andthe proteins 500 mM NaCl).were eluted The elution with elution fractions buffer containing (20 mM the Tris PCNT pH proteins7.5, 200 weremM imidazole, checked using and Bradford500 mM assayNaCl). (BioRad, The elution Berkeley, fractions CA, USA),containing combined, the PCNT and added proteins with were 50 µL checked of 0.25U/ usingµL bovine Bradford thrombin assay (BioRad, Berkeley, CA, USA), combined, and added with 50 μL of 0.25 U/μL bovine thrombin◦ (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA, USA). After proteolysis of the His6-tag for 16 h incubation at 4 C, the protein(Invitrogen, samples Carlsbad, were further CA, USA). purified After using proteolysis a HiLoad of® the26/60 His Superdex6-tag for ®16200 h incubation size-exclusion at 4 column°C, the (SEC)protein pre-equilibrated samples were further with SEC purified buffer using (50 mMa HiLoad Tris pH® 26/60 7.5, 150Superdex mM NaCl,® 200 size-exclusion and 2 mM DTT). column The proteolysis(SEC) pre-equilibrated mixes were loadedwith SEC into buffer the column (50 mM connected Tris pH to7.5, an 150 ÄKTA mM FPLCNaCl, system and 2 (GEmM Healthcare,DTT). The Littleproteolysis Chalfont, mixes UK). were The loaded elution into profiles the column of all connected three proteins to an ÄKTA showed FPLC one system major peak(GE Healthcare, (Figure2), andLittle the Chalfont, fractions UK). were The concentrated elution profiles by Amiconof all three®ultracentrifugation proteins showed one filters major (Merck). peak (Figure Final protein2), and the fractions were concentrated by Amicon® ultracentrifugation filters (Merck). Final− 1protein−1 concentrations were estimated by A280 with a molar extinction coefficient (CC1, 15220 M cm ; −1 −1 CC2,concentrations 6970 M−1 werecm−1 estimated; CC3, 11380 by MA280−1 withcm− 1a) molar calculated extinction based coefficient upon the numbers (CC1, 15220 of tryptophan M cm ; CC2, and −1 −1 −1 −1 tyrosine6970 M residuescm ; CC3, [9 ].11380 Purity M and cm homogeneity) calculated based were assessedupon the usingnumb SDS-PAGEers of tryptophan analysis and (Figure tyrosine2). Theresidues concentrated [9]. Purity proteins and homogeneity in SEC buffer werewere flash-cooledassessed using and storedSDS-PAGE in liquid analysis nitrogen. (Figure 2). The concentrated proteins in SEC buffer were flash-cooled and stored in liquid nitrogen. CrystalsCrystals2017 2017, 7,, 296 7, 296 3 of3 7 of 7 FigureFigure 2. Size-exclusion2. Size-exclusion chromatograms chromatograms of ofthree three PCNTPCNT coiled-coil proteins proteins (CC1, (CC1, CC2, CC2, and and CC3) CC3) and and SDS-PAGESDS-PAGE analysis analysis of of the the concentrated concentrated fractions fractions under under thethe elutionelution peaks (inset). (inset). 2.2.2.2. Circular Circular Dichroism Dichroism (CD) (CD) Studies Studies for for Secondary Secondary StructureStructure Estimation TheThe contents contents of theof secondarythe secondary structure structure elements elem inents the in expressed the expressed PCNT proteinsPCNT proteins were estimated were byestimated scanning ellipticityby scanning over ellipticity wavelength over (200–240wavelength nm) (200 using–240 a nm) JASCO using spectropolarimeter a JASCO spectropolarimeter (Model J-810, Tokyo,(Model Japan).