Part:BBa_K1809023

BrAFP

Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are molecules with the unique property of binding and shaping ice crystals, preventing their growth into relatively large cell-lysing structures (Davies and Sykes 1997). They exhibit a property known as thermal hysteresis, whereby their activity decreases the freezing point of water without changing the melting point. This property allows organisms which produce AFPs to survive colder conditions. Additionally, an AFP from the deer tick Ixodes scapularis has been shown to have biofilm inhibiting properties, potentially giving these AFPs uses in both commercial and medical applications (Heisig et al. 2014).

We tested 16 different AFPs for both freeze survival and biofilm activity in two different constructs. The first construct simply expressed the antifreeze protein strongly, while the second construct included a BclA tag that caused the antifreeze protein to bind to the cell surface. This AFP, taken from the longsnout poacher Brachyopsis rostratus (BrAFP), was incorporated into only the untagged construct and only tested for freeze survival effects due to time constraints.

To test freeze survival, a liquid culture of E. coli was grown up overnight and three samples were taken. An MTS assay was performed for the first sample to determine the amount of live E. coli present, while the other two samples were placed in a slow-freeze box at -20C and -80C respectively. After 24 hours MTS assays were then performed on these two samples to determine what percentage of cells survived the freezing.

Figure 1: Freeze survival for an empty vector control and BrAFP at -20C and -80C.

Our BrAFP construct showed no increased freeze survival at either -20C or -80C.

References

Davies, P. L., and B. D. Sykes. 1997. Antifreeze proteins. (0959-440X (Print)).

Heisig, M., N. M. Abraham, L. Liu, G. Neelakanta, S. Mattessich, H. Sultana, Z. Shang, J. M. Ansari, C. Killiam, W. Walker, L. Cooley, R. A. Flavell, H. Agaisse, and E. Fikrig. 2014. Antivirulence properties of an antifreeze protein. (2211-1247 (Electronic)).

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

• 10
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
• 12
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]
• 21
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]
• 23
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
• 25
  INCOMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]

  Illegal NgoMIV site found at 328
  Illegal AgeI site found at 102
  Illegal AgeI site found at 357
  
• 1000
  COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]