Expression and characterization of transforming protein E7 from cervical cancer-associated human papillomavirus type 31

摘要

E7 protein is a major oncogenic factor of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) that plays a key role in virus-associated human cervical carcinogenesis. To determine the biochemical properties of the E7 protein of high-risk HPV type 31, the gene encoding the protein was cloned into a bacterial vector, pET-32a (+), to allow expression of HPV-31E7 as a thioredoxin (Trx) fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The resulting expression level of the fusion protein reached 15 ∼ 20% of the total cell protein and more than 60% of the target proteins were in soluble form upon cultivation for 6 h at 30°C in the presence of 0.5 mM IPTG. The fusion protein Trx-HPV-31E7 was effectively purified by Ni2+-chelating chromatography and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. After release from the fusion protein by enterokinase cleavage and purification to homogeneity, the recombinant HPV-31E7 (rHPV-31E7) was investigated for in vitro interaction with the pocket protein p107, which is known to interact with the amino-terminal portion of the protein. The immunoprecipitation studies revealed strong interactions of rHPV-31E7 protein with p107, suggesting it had binding activities and retained its conformational properties.