An Efficient System for the Expression and Purification of Yeast Geranylgeranyl Protein Transferase Type I

To purify the geranylgeranyl protein transferase type I (GGPT-I) efficiently, a gene expression system using the pGEX-4T-1 vector was constructed. The cal1 gene, encoding the ${\beta}$ subunit of GGPT-I, was subcloned into the pGEX-4T-1 vector and co-transformed into E. coli cells harboring the ram2 gene, the ${\alpha}$ subunit gene of GGPT-I. GGPT-I was highly expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST) in E. coli, purified to homogeneity by glutathione-agarose affinity chromatography, and the GST moiety was excised by thrombin treatment. The purified yeast GGPT-I showed a dose-dependent increase in the transferase activity, and its apparent $K_m$ value for an undecapeptide fused with GST (GST-PEP) was $0.66\;{\mu}M$ and the apparent value for geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) was $0.071\;{\mu}M$.