Synthetic multifunctional proteins: isolation of covalently linked tryptophan synthetase alpha-subunit-lac-repressor-beta-galactosidase chimeras.

Several E. coli mutants were isolated which produce triple chimeras between one of the trp enzymes lac, repressor and beta-galactosidase. The mutants were isolated as TonB- Lac+ derivatives of a phenotypically Lac- TrpR- strain carrying a lac I+ -Z+ fusion on a phi80dlac phage. The phage is integrated into the chromosome in such a way that the lac and the trp genes are transcribed in the same direction. Of a total of 58 candidates 2 TrpA- and 3 Trp- strains produce triple chimeras. The chimeras from the two TrpA- strians were further examined. They consist of tryptophan synthetase alpha-subunit, lac repressor and beta-galactosidase. In crude extracts of these strains the tryptophan synthetase alpha-subunit part can be identified by its ability to aggregate with the beta-subunit since some of the beta-subunit activity can be precipitated with antiserum against beta-galactosidase. Furthermore beta-galactosidase precipitates with antiserum against tryptophan synthetase alpha-subunit. The lac repressor part is able to bind IPTG, but not lac operator DNA in vitro. The beta-galactosidase part is as unaffected as in the original lac repressor-beta-galactosidase chimera. The molecular weights of both chimeras are 175,000 when determined by SDS gel electrophoresis. The chimeras are partially degraded giving rise to fragments of distinct molecular weights.