Author/Editor     Seliškar, M; Košir, R; Rozman, D
Title     Expression of microsomal lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51) in an engineered soluble monomeric form
Type     članek
Source     Biochem Biophys Res Commun
Vol. and No.     , št. May 5
Publication year     2008
Language     eng
Abstract     We prepared a soluble monomeric form of bovine cytochrome P450 lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51), which in mammals is a ubiquitously expressed membrane protein of the endoplasmic reticulum. We constructed two variants of bovine CYP51 (bCYP51) with different truncations and modifications in their N-terminal membrane-spanning domains. Both of these were expressed in Escherichia coli at levels of 500nmol/l. The protein variants were purified and tested for the solubility in the absence of detergent. Variant bCYP51-d1 exhibited approximately 10-fold better solubility over variant bCYT51-d2. The bCYP51-d1 eluted as a single peak in size-exclusion chromatography, corresponding to its monomeric form. The activity of bCYP51-d1 is similar to that of recombinant human CYP51 with a non-truncated membrane-spanning region. High solubility and low tendency to non-specific oligomer formation make bCYP51-d1 a promising candidate for successful crystallization, which will finally allow the structural determination of this important mammalian enzyme.