In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells.
Regulation of protein activity is central to the complexity of life. The ability to regulate protein activity through exogenously added molecules has biotechnological/biomedical applications and offers tools for basic science. Such regulation can be achieved by establishing a means to modulate the s...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2011-01-01
|
Series: | PLoS ONE |
Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3214044?pdf=render |
_version_ | 1811214215956922368 |
---|---|
author | Richard A Heins Jay H Choi Takayuki Sohka Marc Ostermeier |
author_facet | Richard A Heins Jay H Choi Takayuki Sohka Marc Ostermeier |
author_sort | Richard A Heins |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Regulation of protein activity is central to the complexity of life. The ability to regulate protein activity through exogenously added molecules has biotechnological/biomedical applications and offers tools for basic science. Such regulation can be achieved by establishing a means to modulate the specific activity of the protein (i.e. allostery). An alternative strategy for intracellular regulation of protein activity is to control the amount of protein through effects on its production, accumulation, and degradation. We have previously demonstrated that the non-homologous recombination of the genes encoding maltose binding protein (MBP) and TEM1 β-lactamase (BLA) can result in fusion proteins in which β-lactamase enzyme activity is allosterically regulated by maltose. Here, through use of a two-tiered genetic selection scheme, we demonstrate that such recombination can result in genes that confer maltose-dependent resistance to β-lactam even though they do not encode allosteric enzymes. These 'phenotypic switch' genes encode fusion proteins whose accumulation is a result of a specific interaction with maltose. Phenotypic switches represent an important class of proteins for basic science and biotechnological applications in vivo. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:59:31Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-9ae6c1bd20cb41458274303959148592 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1932-6203 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-12T05:59:31Z |
publishDate | 2011-01-01 |
publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
record_format | Article |
series | PLoS ONE |
spelling | doaj.art-9ae6c1bd20cb414582743039591485922022-12-22T03:45:05ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032011-01-01611e2730210.1371/journal.pone.0027302In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells.Richard A HeinsJay H ChoiTakayuki SohkaMarc OstermeierRegulation of protein activity is central to the complexity of life. The ability to regulate protein activity through exogenously added molecules has biotechnological/biomedical applications and offers tools for basic science. Such regulation can be achieved by establishing a means to modulate the specific activity of the protein (i.e. allostery). An alternative strategy for intracellular regulation of protein activity is to control the amount of protein through effects on its production, accumulation, and degradation. We have previously demonstrated that the non-homologous recombination of the genes encoding maltose binding protein (MBP) and TEM1 β-lactamase (BLA) can result in fusion proteins in which β-lactamase enzyme activity is allosterically regulated by maltose. Here, through use of a two-tiered genetic selection scheme, we demonstrate that such recombination can result in genes that confer maltose-dependent resistance to β-lactam even though they do not encode allosteric enzymes. These 'phenotypic switch' genes encode fusion proteins whose accumulation is a result of a specific interaction with maltose. Phenotypic switches represent an important class of proteins for basic science and biotechnological applications in vivo.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3214044?pdf=render |
spellingShingle | Richard A Heins Jay H Choi Takayuki Sohka Marc Ostermeier In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells. PLoS ONE |
title | In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells. |
title_full | In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells. |
title_fullStr | In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells. |
title_full_unstemmed | In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells. |
title_short | In vitro recombination of non-homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells. |
title_sort | in vitro recombination of non homologous genes can result in gene fusions that confer a switching phenotype to cells |
url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3214044?pdf=render |
work_keys_str_mv | AT richardaheins invitrorecombinationofnonhomologousgenescanresultingenefusionsthatconferaswitchingphenotypetocells AT jayhchoi invitrorecombinationofnonhomologousgenescanresultingenefusionsthatconferaswitchingphenotypetocells AT takayukisohka invitrorecombinationofnonhomologousgenescanresultingenefusionsthatconferaswitchingphenotypetocells AT marcostermeier invitrorecombinationofnonhomologousgenescanresultingenefusionsthatconferaswitchingphenotypetocells |