Expression and Molecular Characterization of Spherical Particles Derived from the Genome of the Hyperthermophilic Euryarchaeote Pyrococcus furiosus

Abstract

Spherical particles (SPs) of approximately 30 nm in diameter were found in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus. The SPs contained no nucleic acid and were composed of a single 39-kDa protein. The amino acid sequences of the amino-terminal and internal fragments were identical to portions of the deduced amino acid sequence of the putative 38.7-kDa protein encoded by the genome of P. furiosus, suggesting that the protein was expressed from the genome of P. furiosus. This possibility was confirmed by the observation that the 38.7-kDa protein expressed in Escherichia coli reacted specifically with the antibody against purified SPs, and it also formed SPs similar to those found in P. furiosus. Of the 345 amino acid residues in the 38.7-kDa protein, the amino-terminal 100 amino acids exhibited strong homology to putative proteins from other species of Pyrococcus, while the remaining 245 carboxy-terminal residues were not significantly homologous to putative proteins from other members of archaea. Thus, the carboxy-terminal region might be the product of a foreign gene that was incorporated relatively recently into the genome of P. furiosus.

Genome Sequencing of a Genetically Tractable Pyrococcus furiosus Strain Reveals a Highly Dynamic Genome

“…In fact, PCR confirmed the same length product for the PF1935* gene in all three strains (DSMZ, Parent, and COM1 [data not shown]). The COM1 genome sequence also contained the gene fusion between PF1191 and PF1192 previously demonstrated by the native purification of spherical virus-like particles from P. furiosus (44). Phenotypic properties.…”

The Crystal Structure of a Virus-like Particle from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus Provides Insight into the Evolution of Viruses

“…21,22 Recently, a 38.8-kDa protein was isolated from P. furiosus DSM 3638. 23 This protein was aggregated as spheres of approximately 30 nm in diameter, as visualized by electron microscopy. 23 These spherical particles have been designated PfV, for P. furiosus virus.…”

“…23 This protein was aggregated as spheres of approximately 30 nm in diameter, as visualized by electron microscopy. 23 These spherical particles have been designated PfV, for P. furiosus virus. The amino acid sequence of the component protein is identical with the deduced amino acid sequence of a putative 38.8-kDa protein encoded in the genome of P. furiosus.…”

“…The amino acid sequence of the component protein is identical with the deduced amino acid sequence of a putative 38.8-kDa protein encoded in the genome of P. furiosus. 23 Because purified PfV does not include any nucleic acid and is unable to infect P. furiosus, 23 the particle appears to be a virus-like particle but not a virus. Information about archaeal viruses and virus-like particles is still very limited.…”

Building Spatial Synthetic Biology with Compartments, Scaffolds, and Communities

“…This compartment is made out of only one protein that functions both as its shell and enzymatic cargo (Namba et al 2005). Related compartments were later found in other organisms, including Thermatoga maritima; this encapsulin is composed of 60 monomers of a single subunit that form a cage 24 nm in diameter (Sutter et al 2008).…”