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Recombinant expression and functional characterization of plant Kunitz inhibitors
Rybáriková, Renata ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Hlouchová, Klára (referee)
PDI ("potato cathepsin D inhibitor ") and NID ("novel inhibitor of cathepsin D ") from potato (Solanum tuberosum) belong to the protein family of Kunitz inhibitors (I3 family, Merops database). These 20 kDa isoinhibitors with the typical β-trefoil architecture inhibit aspartic and serine peptidases. In this thesis, the constructs for recombinant expression of PDI and NID in the yeast Pichia pastoris system were prepared and high-producing colonies were selected. Both proteins were identified in the cultivation media by mass spectrometry and N-terminal sequencing. A purification protocol for PDI with three chromatographic steps was designed. Analogous functional properties were demonstrated for the purified recombinant PDI and the native PDI isolated from a natural source. Analysis of the inhibitory specificity showed that PDI is a potent inhibitor of selected aspartic peptidases from the A1 family and serine peptidases from the S1 family, including a relevant enzyme of insect origin. This finding supports the hypothesis that Kunitz inhibitors are involved in plant defense against herbivorous insects. The inhibitors prepared within the project will be used for analysis of the reactive centers against target peptidases by protein crystallography. (In Czech) Key words: proteolytic enzymes, activity...
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Specific prion protein antibodies characterisation and use in diagnostic
Šafaříková, Eva ; Holada, Karel (advisor) ; Mareš, Michael (referee) ; Živný, Jan (referee)
Transmissive spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are neurodegenerative diseases characterized by depositions of abnormally folded prion protein (PrPTSE ) in brain. PrPTSE is at present the only specific biochemical marker of human and animal TSEs. Diagnostic tests are based on the detection of PrPres after proteinase K digestion of brain homogenate using Western blot or on the immunohistochemistry of fixed brain tissue, which are both difficult and time consuming. In this work we focused on development of a new type of tests based on PrP detection without need of proteinase K digestion. As deposits of PrPTSE remain in the body for a long time, there is a substantial chance of them being nonenzymatically modified by glycation. The detection of glycated PrPTSE may have a potential to serve as a diagnostic marker. We prepared monoclonal antibodies specific for carboxymethyl lysine/arginine modified prion protein. Bacterially expressed and purified recombinant human prion protein (rhPrP) was modified by glyoxylic acid that introduces carboxymethyl groups on lysine and arginine residues present within the molecule of the protein. Modified rhPrP (rhPrP-CML) was used for immunization of laboratory mice and hybridoma cells were prepared. Screening of cell supernatants resulted in the selection of 4...
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New inhibition mechanisms of regulation of cathepsin D activity
Hánová, Iva ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Heidingsfeld, Olga (referee) ; Mikeš, Libor (referee)
The aspartic protease cathepsin D (CatD) is associated with numerous pathologies, and therefore the molecular mechanisms of its activation are studied for their potential uses in biomedicine. This dissertation thesis is focused on new, natural endogenous inhibitors of CatD, the analysis of their interaction, and the development of synthetic inhibitory biomimetics. Two groups of inhibitors of CatD, which are the first specific endogenous regulators of this enzyme, have been identified. (1) Sphingolipids are complex modulators of human CatD, depending on their structure. While sphingosines and ceramides are inhibitors of CatD, their phosphorylated derivates act as activators of CatD. A correlation was found between the action of these sphingolipids on CatD and their modulatory effect on cancer cells. (2) Using the analysis of a CatD of parasitic origin, a new mechanism of inhibition was identified, which is conserved in aspartic proteases of the pepsin family. A peptide fragment is released autocatalytically from the zymogen of CatD, which then acts as an allosteric inhibitor, binding to an exosite on the surface of the catalytically active enzyme. Furthermore, synthetic macrocyclic inhibitors of CatD were prepared, which mimic the binding conformation of the bacterial inhibitor pepstatin in the...
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Regulation of the activity of aspartic and serine proteases by selective natural inhibitors
Srp, Jaroslav ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Novák, Petr (referee) ; Bařinka, Cyril (referee)
Proteases are involved in many physiological processes and their dysregulation is associated with various pathologies. Protease activity is effectively controlled by natural inhibitors. This PhD thesis is focused on the inhibitors of aspartic and serine proteases of animal and plant origin and provides the identification, biochemical characterization and structural description of their inhibition mechanisms. Plant Kunitz inhibitors are produced as defensive proteins, and they are able to block activities of a broad spectrum of proteases. In this thesis, the digestive proteolytic system of the Colorado potato beetle, a herbivore pest of potato plants, was described with the help of functional proteomics. It was shown that aspartic and serine proteases from this herbivore are effectively blocked by two potato Kunitz inhibitors (namely PCDI, PSPI). Using structural analysis, novel types of reactive centers were identified on PCDI and PSPI molecules for the inhibition of aspartic protease cathepsin D and the serine proteases trypsin and chymotrypsin. The analysis of the reactive center on a PCDI with the crystal structure of digestive cathepsin D from the Colorado potato beetle explained the mechanism of their interaction. Sphingolipids were identified as the first endogenous inhibitors of human...
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Parasitic protease SmCB2 as a target for the treatment of schistosomiasis
Bakardjieva, Marina ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Mikeš, Libor (referee)
Blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma are parasitic trematodes that cause schistosomiasis, a serious disease afflicting more than 240 million people. The proteolytic system of schistosomes is essential for their viability: it participates in important processes during host-parasite interactions such as food digestion, invasion and tissue migration. Thus, schistosomal proteases are promising molecular targets for therapeutic intervention in schistosomiasis treatment. The thesis focuses on the protease cathepsin B2 from S. mansoni (SmCB2) which has not been studied in detail so far in terms of biochemical properties and biological function. Recombinant SmCB2 was prepared using yeast and bacterial expression systems and was chromatographically purified. Using an in vitro activity assay, the first effective inhibitors of SmCB2 were identified which inhibited its proteolytic activity in submicromolar concentrations. Specific polyclonal antibodies against SmCB2 were prepared and used for immunomicroscopic localization of this protease on the surface of the parasite. ELISA analysis demonstrated that SmCB2 is a parasite antigen recognized by the host immune system in the mouse model of schistosomiasis. The thesis provides valuable information about SmCB2 as a potential target molecule for synthetic...
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Preparation and biochemical characterization of protease inhibitor equistatin
Polatová, Daniela ; Mareš, Michael (advisor) ; Bořek Dohalská, Lucie (referee)
Equistatin from the sea anemone Actinia equina contains a protein domain Eqd2 which inhibits aspartic peptidases and has not been characterized in detail. Recombinant Eqd2 was produced in the yeast expression system, and a protocol for its chromatographic purification was designed. The inhibitory specificity of Eqd2 was determined using a fluorescence inhibition assay, showing that Eqd2 is a highly selective inhibitor of cathepsin D-like and pepsin-like aspartic peptidases of family A1. Furthermore, size exclusion chromatography was used to analyze the Eqd2-peptidase complex and Eqd2 oligomerization in solution. Initial screening of crystallization conditions for Eqd2 was performed towards its structural analysis. This work provides important new information about Eqd2 as a unique type of natural inhibitors of aspartic peptidases. Its interaction mechanism can be exploited in the development of synthetic mimetics for regulation of medically important peptidases. (In Czech) Key words: peptidase inhibitors, proteolytic enzymes, activity and inhibition of enzymes, recombinant expression, protein purification, protein crystallization, equistatin
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The expression profile of cathepsin L in developmental stages of Fascioloides magna
Šašková, Romana ; Kašný, Martin (advisor) ; Mareš, Michael (referee)
Our experimental organism Fascioloides magna is a digenetic liver fluke from Fasciolidae family which parasitizes in domestic and free-living ruminants of North America and Central Europe including Czech Republic. In Czech Republic this highly pathogenic worm causes a severe liver damage to cervids and bovids and the prevalence locally reaches up to 95%. The biology of F. magna including e.g. the characteristics of host-parasite molecular interaction and the functions of particular molecules produced by the parasite are not fully understood. According to results of our previous research the excretory-secretory products of F. magna adults contain number of molecules which play the crucial role in host tissue invasion, digestion and evasion of the host immune response. One of the most abundant is cysteine peptidase cathepsin L (FmCL). FmCL is supposed to play various key roles in biological processes of all stages during a life cycle and therefore we can suppose its different expression level in particular life stages. In order to define the expression level of FmCL we performed the pilot study with miracidia and adults where the qPCR method was applied. The results of this experiment revealed much higher expression level of FmCL1 in adults than in miracidia. The attempt to in situ localize the mRNA...
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