Summary
The accumulation of interferon (IFN) α-2 in transformed strains of Escherichia coli and Methylophilus methylotrophus was greater at 25° C than at 37° C. Interferon α-2 catabolism was followed by measuring the change in IFN titre (measured immunoreactively) with time at temperatures between 25° C and 37° C in chloramphenicol-treated cells. The IFN α-2 titre remained constant at 29° C and below, while at higher temperatures the titres declined. The t 1/2 values for IFN α-2 decreased with increasing incubation temperature. Pulse-chase studies using [35S]methionine, sodium dodecyl sulphate-gel electrophoresis and autoradiography demonstrated that IFN α-2 was subjected to degradation at 37° C while at 25° C it was stable. It is proposed that the susceptibility of IFN α-2 to degradation in both E. coli and M. methylotrophus is affected by incubation temperature and 30° C may be a transition temperature above which the conformation of the molecule is recognised by the bacterial proteases.
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Chesshyre, J.A., Hipkiss, A.R. Low temperatures stabilize interferon α-2 against proteolysis in Methylophilus methylotrophus and Escherichia coli . Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 31, 158–162 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00262455
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00262455