MUT-PETase destined for secretion gets stuck inside the cell. (a) Level 2 MoClo construct harboring the aadA selection marker, and the coding sequences for MUT-PETase and MHETase genes. MUT-PETase and MHETase are equipped with the secretion signal from carbonic anhydrase (cCA). See Figure 1 for the description of other parts. (b) Seven days old cultures of transformants generated with the construct shown in (a) were centrifuged and proteins in the culture medium were precipitated by TCA and analysed by immunoblotting using an anti-HA antibody. The black arrow represents MHETase. (c) Whole-cell proteins of UVM4 cells transformed with construct L2C shown in (a) were analyzed by immuno-blotting using an anti-HA antibody. Transformant A27 generated with construct L2A (Figure 4a) and UVM4 were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The white arrow indicates MUT-PETase. (d) Immunfluorescence analysis of transformants 17 and 27 using an anti-HA antibody. DAPI staining was also performed. UVM4 cells served as control.

Analysis of secreted enzymes of transformant N6 transformed with construct AI. (b) Clones generated with transformant N6 (Figure 8) and construct L2AI (a) were grown in TAP medium for four days. Cells were centrifuged and the supernatant lyophilized, resuspended in 2xSDS buffer and analyzed by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting with an anti-HA antibody. Transformant C12 introduced in Figure 5, served as positive controls. The black arrow points to MHETase, the white arrow to MUT-PETase.