Expression, purification, crystallization, and preliminary X-ray analysis of recombinant human saposin B

Protein Expr Purif. 2003 Jan;27(1):186-93. doi: 10.1016/s1046-5928(02)00597-1.

Abstract

Saposin B (also known as cerebroside sulfate activator or CSAct) is a small non-enzymatic glycoprotein required for the breakdown of cerebroside sulfates (sulfatides) in lysosomes. Saposin B contains three intramolecular disulfide bridges, exists as a dimer and is remarkably heat, protease, and pH stable. We have expressed the protein in a thioredoxin reductase deficient strain of Escherichia coli and purified the protein by heat treatment, followed by ion-exchange, gel filtration, and hydrophobic interaction chromatographies. The protein is properly folded as judged by the observed disulfide bond topology, the hydrogen-deuterium exchange rate, and the level of stimulation of sulfatide hydrolysis by arylsulfatase A. Crystals of human saposin B were grown by vapor diffusion and diffract to a resolution of 2.2A. Despite obtaining only merohedrally twinned P3(1) native crystals, an untwined seleomethionine-substituted crystal belonging to space group P3(1)21 was also grown. The three-dimensional structure of saposin B protein will provide insights into how this 79 amino acid protein is able to solubilize relatively large membrane-bound lipid ligands.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Crystallization
  • Disulfides
  • Escherichia coli
  • Gene Expression
  • Glycoproteins / biosynthesis
  • Glycoproteins / chemistry*
  • Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Glycoproteins / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / chemistry*
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Saposins
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
  • Sphingolipid Activator Proteins
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Disulfides
  • Glycoproteins
  • PSAP protein, human
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Saposins
  • Sphingolipid Activator Proteins