Characterization and application of a putative transcription factor SUT2 in Pichia pastoris
Authors
Yang, Yankun
Zheng, Yating
Wang, Pengcheng
Li, Xiang
Zhan, Chunjun
Linhardt, Robert J.
Zhang, Fuming
Liu, Xiuxia
Zhan, Jinling
Bai, Zhonghu
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2219-5833
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Other Contributors
Issue Date
2020-09-01
Keywords
Biology , Chemistry and chemical biology , Chemical and biological engineering , Biomedical engineering
Degree
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Full Citation
Characterization and application of a putative transcription factor SUT2 in Pichia pastoris, Y. Yang, Y. Zheng, P. Wang, X. Li, C. Zhan, X. Liu, C. Liu, Y. Li, Z. Bai, F. Zhang, R. J. Linhardt, Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 295, 1295–1304, 2020.
Abstract
Pichia pastoris is able to metabolize methanol via a specific MUT (methanol utilization) pathway. Based on the powerful AOX1 (Alcohol Oxidase 1) promoter, the P. pastoris expression system has become one of the most widely used eukaryotic expression systems. The molecular mechanisms of methanol metabolic regulation remain unclearly understood, so it is important to identify and develop new transcriptional regulators. Our previous studies suggested that the expression of SUT2 could be induced by methanol but is repressed by glycerol, which indicates that SUT2 may be involved in methanol metabolism through an unknown mechanism. SUT2 encodes a putative transcription factor-like protein harboring a Gal4-like Zn2Cys6 DNA-binding domain in Pichia pastoris, and its homolog in Saccharomyces cerevisiae regulates sterol uptake and synthesis. This study shows that the overexpression of SUT2 promoted the expression of AOX1 and increases ergosterol content in cells. Furthermore, via truncation of the putative SUT2 promoter at diverse loci, the − 973 base pair (bp) to − 547 bp region to the ATG was shown to be the core element of the inducible promoter PSUT2, which strongly responds to the methanol signal. The transcriptional start site of SUT2, “A” at the 22nd bp upstream of ATG, was determined with 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends. A forward-loop cassette was constructed with MXR1 (Methanol Expression Regulator 1, a positive transcription factor of PAOX1) promoted by PSUT2, enabling moderate elevation in the expression level of Mxr1 and high activity of PAOX1 without damaging cellular robustness further boosting the production of heterologous proteins. The PAOX1-driven expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein in this novel system was improved by 18%, representing a promising method for extrinsic protein production. SUT2 may play roles in methanol metabolism by participating in sterol biosynthesis. PSUT2 was characterized as a novel inducible promoter in P. pastoris and a PSUT2-driven MXR1 forward-loop cassette was constructed to enhance the PAOX1 activity, laying a foundation for further development and application of P. pastoris expression system.
Description
Molecular Genetics and Genomics, 295, 1295–1304
Note : if this item contains full text it may be a preprint, author manuscript, or a Gold OA copy that permits redistribution with a license such as CC BY. The final version is available through the publisher’s platform.
Note : if this item contains full text it may be a preprint, author manuscript, or a Gold OA copy that permits redistribution with a license such as CC BY. The final version is available through the publisher’s platform.
Department
The Linhardt Research Labs.
The Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS)
The Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D. Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies (CBIS)
Publisher
Relationships
The Linhardt Research Labs Online Collection
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
https://harc.rpi.edu/
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Molecular Genetics and Genomics
https://harc.rpi.edu/
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