Efficient uniform isotope labeling of Abl kinase expressed in Baculovirus-infected insect cells

Abstract

This report shows for the first time the efficient uniform isotope labeling of a recombinant protein expressed using Baculovirus-infected insect cells. The recent availability of suitable media for ¹⁵N- and ¹³C/¹⁵N-labeling in insect cells, the high expression of Abl kinase in these labeling media and a suitable labeling protocol made it possible to obtain a ¹H–¹⁵N-HSQC spectrum for the catalytic domain of Abl kinase of good quality and with label incorporation rates > 90%. The presented isotope labeling method should be applicable also to further proteins where successful expression is restricted to the Baculovirus expression system.