Abstract
Pyridoxal kinase (PK) catalyses the phosphorylation of vitamin B 6 to pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP). A human brain PK gene was fused with a gene fragment encoding the HIV-1 Tat protein transduction domain (RKKRRQRRR) in a bacterial expression vector to produce a genetic in-frame Tat-PK fusion protein. The expressed and purified Tat-PK fusion proteins transduced efficiently into PC12 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner when added exogenously in culture media. Once inside the cells, the transduced Tat-PK proteins showed catalytic activity and are stable for 48:h. The intracellular concentration of PLP, which is known as a biologically active form of vitamin B6, was increased by pre-treatment of Tat-PK to the PC12 cells. Those results suggest that the transduction of Tat-PK fusion protein can be one of the ways to regulate the PLP level and to replenish this enzyme in the various neurological disorders related to vitamin B6.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 481-487 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Biochimie |
Volume | 87 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - May 2005 |
Keywords
- Brain pyridoxal kinase
- HIV-1 Tat
- Protein therapy
- Pyridoxal-5′-phosphate
- Transduction