Open AccessDynamics of in vivo protein aggregation: building inclusion bodies in recombinant bacteria
Author(s) -
Carrió M.M,
Corchero J.L,
Villaverde A
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1998.tb13292.x
Subject(s) - inclusion bodies , groel , protein aggregation , escherichia coli , fusion protein , population , recombinant dna , biology , cytoplasm , in vivo , chemistry , biochemistry , biophysics , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , genetics , demography , sociology
Time‐dependent aggregation of a plasmid‐encoded β‐galactosidase fusion protein, VP1LAC, has been carefully monitored during its high‐rate synthesis in Escherichia coli . Immediately after recombinant gene induction, the full‐length form of the protein steadily accumulates into rapidly growing cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. Their volume increases during at least 5 h at a rate of 0.4 μm 3 h −1 , while the average density remains constant. Protein VP1LAC accounts for about 90% of the aggregated protein throughout the building process. Minor components, such as DnaK and GroEL chaperones, have been identified in variable, but low concentrations. The homogeneous distribution of inclusion bodies among the cell population and the coexistence of large, still growing bodies with newly appearing aggregates indicate that the aggregation cores are mutually exclusive, this fact being a main determinant of the in vivo dynamics of protein aggregation.