Purification and Aggregation of the Amyloid Precursor Protein Intracellular Domain
Summary
A method for large-scale purification of the APP intracellular domain (AICD) is described. We also describe methodology to induce in vitro AICD aggregation and visualization by atomic force microscopy. The methods described are useful for biochemical/structural characterization of the AICD and the effects of molecular chaperones on its aggregation.
Abstract
Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is a type I transmembrane protein associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). APP is characterized by a large extracellular domain and a short cytosolic domain termed the APP intracellular domain (AICD). During maturation through the secretory pathway, APP can be cleaved by proteases termed α, β, and γ-secretases1. Sequential proteolytic cleavage of APP with β and γ-secretases leads to the production of a small proteolytic peptide, termed Aβ, which is amyloidogenic and the core constituent of senile plaques. The AICD is also liberated from the membrane after secretase processing, and through interactions with Fe65 and Tip60, can translocate to the nucleus to participate in transcription regulation of multiple target genes2,3. Protein-protein interactions involving the AICD may affect trafficking, processing, and cellular functions of holo-APP and its C-terminal fragments. We have recently shown that AICD can aggregate in vitro, and this process is inhibited by the AD-implicated molecular chaperone ubiquilin-14. Consistent with these findings, the AICD has exposed hydrophobic domains and is intrinsically disordered in vitro5,6, however it obtains stable secondary structure when bound to Fe657. We have proposed that ubiquilin-1 prevents inappropriate inter- and intramolecular interactions of AICD, preventing aggregation in vitro and in intact cells4. While most studies focus on the role of APP in the pathogenesis of AD, the role of AICD in this process is not clear. Expression of AICD has been shown to induce apoptosis8, to modulate signaling pathways9, and to regulate calcium signaling10. Over-expression of AICD and Fe65 in a transgenic mouse model induces Alzheimer’s like pathology11, and recently AICD has been detected in brain lysates by western blotting when using appropriate antigen retrieval techniques12. To facilitate structural, biochemical, and biophysical studies of the AICD, we have developed a procedure to produce recombinantly large amounts of highly pure AICD protein. We further describe a method for inducing the in vitro thermal aggregation of AICD and analysis by atomic force microscopy. The methods described are useful for biochemical, biophysical, and structural characterization of the AICD and the effects of molecular chaperones on AICD aggregation.
Protocol
Discussion
In this protocol we have outlined a procedure for obtaining highly pure AICD for structural, biophysical, and biochemical analyses. This procedure does not require sophisticated chromatography equipment and is therefore accessible to most laboratories. Other groups have purified AICD5-7,16, including GST-AICD17-19, for biochemical/structural analyses. Disadvantages to previous protocols include poor solubility of AICD16, less than ideal purity17, and the requirement for size ex…
Offenlegungen
The authors have nothing to disclose.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Dr. Hui Zheng (Baylor College of Medicine) for the APP cDNA. This work was funded by NIH grants R21AG031948 (D.B., J.M.B.), F30AG030878 (E.S.S.), R01DK073394 (AFO), the John Sealy Memorial Endowment Fund for Biomedical Research (AFO), and the Jean C. and William D. Willis Neuroscience Research Endowment (E.S.S.). J.M.B. is a scholar in the Translational Research Scholar Program and a member of the University Of Texas Medical Branch Claude E. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center (supported by NIH Grants UL1RR029876 and P30-AG-024832, respectively).
Materials
| Name of the reagent | Company | Catalogue number | Comments |
| pGEX-4T-1 | GE Healthcare | 28-9545-49 | |
| Thrombin | GE Healthcare | 27-0846-01 | |
| Ampicillin | Fisher Scientific | BP1760 | |
| Bradford protein assay reagent | Bio-Rad | 500-0002 | |
| Coomassie blue | Bio-Rad | 161-0786 | |
| IPTG ( isopropyl-beta-D thiogalactopyranoside) | Sigma-Aldrich | I6758 | |
| Glutathione-agarose | Sigma-Aldrich | G4510 | |
| p-aminobenzamidine-agarose | Sigma-Aldrich | A7155 | |
| Complete protease inhibitor cocktail | Roche | 11836170001 | |
| Slide-A-Lyzer dialysis cassettes | Thermo Scientific | 66380 | |
| Chromatography columns | Evergreen Scientific | 208-3367-050 | |
| Emulsifier | Avestin, Inc | EmulsiFlex-C3 | Highly recommended |
| Eppendorf Thermomixer | Eppendorf | 022670107 | |
| Mica Disks | Ted Pella | 50-12 | |
| AFM cantilevers | Bruker | MSNL-10 | |
| WSxM software | Nanotec | N/A | Free download |
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