Open AccessRecombinant pheromone binding protein 1 from Mamestra brassicae (MbraPBP1)
Author(s) -
Campanacci Valérie,
Longhi Sonia,
NagnanLe Meillour Patricia,
Cambillau Christian,
Tegoni Mariella
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
european journal of biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1432-1033
pISSN - 0014-2956
DOI - 10.1046/j.1432-1327.1999.00666.x
Subject(s) - recombinant dna , circular dichroism , biochemistry , escherichia coli , biology , protein quaternary structure , molecular mass , gel electrophoresis , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , protein subunit , enzyme , gene
Pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) are small proteins (17 kDa on average) present at high concentrations (≈ 10 m m ) in the sensillum lymph of Lepidoptera antennae, where they play a key role in the perception of pheromones. By expression in Escherichia coli , we have obtained large quantities (2–3 mg·L −1 ) of pure, soluble, Mamestra brassicae PBP1 (MbraPBP1). These quantities are compatible with the requirements of X‐ray and NMR studies. The recombinant protein has been characterized by native‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, Western blotting, N‐terminal sequencing, mass spectrometry, gel filtration, circular dichroism, and NMR. Moreover, the recombinant MbraPBP1 has been shown to be able to bind the specific pheromone and a structural analogue, Z11‐16:TFMK ( cis ‐11‐hexadecenyl trifluoromethyl ketone), in displacement experiments. Our results on MbraPBP1 confirm and extend previous findings on PBPs. MbraPBP1 and two PBPs from different species have been found to exist as dimers under nondenaturing conditions. The CD and structural prediction data confirm a markedly helical structure for insect PBPs rather than the β‐barrel fold found in vertebrates odorant binding proteins. We have tentatively identified the location of the helices and the short β‐strands with respect to the binding site. Currently we have obtained small diffracting crystals of the recombinant MbraPBP1 and determined their space group and molecular content.