1. Academic Validation
  2. Expression of bioactive soluble human stem cell factor (SCF) from recombinant Escherichia coli by coproduction of thioredoxin and efficient purification using arginine in affinity chromatography

Expression of bioactive soluble human stem cell factor (SCF) from recombinant Escherichia coli by coproduction of thioredoxin and efficient purification using arginine in affinity chromatography

  • Protein Expr Purif. 2015 Jan;105:1-7. doi: 10.1016/j.pep.2014.09.015.
Teruo Akuta 1 Takane Kikuchi-Ueda 2 Keitaro Imaizumi 3 Hiroyuki Oshikane 4 Toshio Nakaki 4 Yoko Okada 5 Sara Sultana 5 Kenichiro Kobayashi 5 Nobutaka Kiyokawa 5 Yasuo Ono 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan; Kyokuto Pharmaceutical Industrial Co. Ltd., 7-8, Nihonbashi Kobunacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0024, Japan. Electronic address: t.akuta@kyokutoseiyaku.co.jp.
  • 2 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan. Electronic address: takane@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp.
  • 3 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan; Kyokuto Pharmaceutical Industrial Co. Ltd., 7-8, Nihonbashi Kobunacho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-0024, Japan.
  • 4 Department of Pharmacology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
  • 5 Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Research, National Research Institute for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1, Okura, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan.
  • 6 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Teikyo University School of Medicine, 2-11-1 Kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8605, Japan.
Abstract

Stem cell factor (SCF) known as the c-Kit ligand is a two disulfide bridge-containing cytokine in the regulation of the development and function of hematopoietic cell lineages and other cells such as mast cells, germ cells, and melanocytes. The secreted soluble form of SCF exists as noncovalently associated homodimer and exerts its activity by signaling through the c-Kit receptor. In this report, we present the high level expression of a soluble recombinant human SCF (rhSCF) in Escherichia coli. A codon-optimized Profinity eXact™-tagged hSCF cDNA was cloned into pET3b vector, and transformed into E. coli BL21(DE3) harboring a Bacterial thioredoxin coexpression vector. The recombinant protein was purified via an affinity chromatography processed by cleavage with sodium fluoride, resulting in the complete proteolytic removal the N-terminal tag. Although almost none of the soluble fusion protein bound to the resin in standard protocol using 0.1M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.2), the use of binding buffer containing 0.5M l-arginine for protein stabilization dramatically enhanced binding to resin and recovery of the protein beyond expectation. Also pretreatment by Triton X-114 for removing endotoxin was effective for affinity chromatography. In chromatography performance, l-arginine was more effective than Triton X-114 treatment. Following Mono Q anion exchange chromatography, the target protein was isolated in high purity. The rhSCF protein specifically enhanced the viability of human myeloid leukemia cell line TF-1 and the proliferation and maturation of human mast cell line LAD2 cell. This novel protocol for the production of rhSCF is a simple, suitable, and efficient method.

Keywords

Affinity tag-based protein purification; Escherichia coli; Human stem cell factor; Soluble protein expression; l-Arginine.

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