Production of a site specifically cleavable P-glycoprotein-beta-galactosidase fusion protein

We have fused full length and the carboxyl-half of human MDR1 cDNA with the E. coli lacZ gene via a collagen linker and allowed their expression in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using antibodies against beta-galactosidase we partially purified the fusion proteins by immunoprecipitation and show here that the full length fusion protein has ATPase activity. By contrast, the fusion protein containing the carboxyl-half of P-glycoprotein did not show ATPase activity, indicating that both domains of P-glycoprotein are necessary. By treatment of the immunoprecipitated fusion protein with collagenase, P-glycoprotein was released from the beta-galactosidase moiety. The results shown here open the possibility for a large scale purification of P-glycoprotein using this site specifically cleavable fusion protein.