Purification and characterization of a protein phosphatase (PP1-Arch) from the archaebacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus, isolation and expression of its gene

PP1-Arch was verified as a protein phosphatase by both acid molybdate extraction and thin layer electrophoresis. Soluble fraction was prepared from <i>Sulfolobus solfataricus</i>, from which PP1-Arch was purified over 1OOO-fold by DE-52 ion-exchange, hydroxyapatite, gel filtration (G- 100), and Mono Q FPLC chromatography. PP1-Arch was identified from the final purified sample by renaturation on an SDS-polyacrylamide gel. The molecular size of PP1-Arch was determined by both gel filtration chromatography and SDS-PAGE as 28 kDa and 33 kDa, respectively, which suggests that PP1-Arch is a monomer. PP1-Arch was found stable at temperatures as high as 90°C. Activation constants for the divalent metal ions Mn²⁺ and Ni²⁺, and the K_m for phosphocasein were determined. Myosin light chain was found to be a substrate for PP1-Arch <i>in vitro</i>. EDTA, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, P_i' and PP_i were shown to be inhibitors of PP1-Arch, while many compounds known to affect eukaryotic protein phosphatase activities were found to be without noticeable effect. N-terminal and an internal peptide sequence of the enzyme were obtained. The gene for PP1-Arch was cloned by a combination of "touchdown" PCR and conventional cloning techniques. The PP1-Arch gene was sequenced on both strands, and the sequence was compared with ones from eukaryotes and bacteriophage λ. The sequence homology between PP1-Arch and PP1/PP2A/PP2B suggests that they belongs to the same genetic family. A recombinant plasmid which was derived from pT7-7 was constructed for expression of PP1-Arch. The PP1-Arch gene was expressed in <i>E. coli</i> and the activity of the expressed enzyme was tested and shown to be divalent metal ion-dependent. Formation of inclusion bodies of expressed PP1-Arch was demonstrated.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Biochemistry and Anaerobic Microbiology

Department dc:contributor.department

Biochemistry and Anaerobic Microbiology

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1994

Author dc:creator

• Leng, Jie

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Kennelly, Peter J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Bender, Patrick K.
• Bunce, George E.
• Sitz, Thomas O.
• Lee, John C.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-08142006-110059

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39141