High yield expression and purification of HIV-1 Tat1-72 for structural studies

The HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) is a protein essential for virus replication. Tat is an intrinsically disordered RNA-binding protein that, in cooperation with host cell factors cyclin T1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 9, regulates transcription at the level of elongation. Tat also interacts with numerous other intracellular and extracellular proteins, and is implicated in a number of pathogenic processes. The physico-chemical properties of Tat make it a particularly challenging target for structural studies: Tat contains seven Cys residues, six of which are essential for transactivation, and is highly susceptible to oxidative cross-linking and aggregation. In addition, a basic segment (residues 48-57) gives the protein a high net positive charge of +12 at pH 7, endowing it with a high affinity for anionic polymers and surfaces. In order to study the structure of Tat, both alone and in complex with partner molecules, we have developed a system for the bacterial expression and purification of 6xHistidine-tagged and isotopically enriched (in N15 and C13) recombinant HIV-1 Tat(1-72) (BH10 isolate) that yields large amounts of protein. These preparations have facilitated the assignment of 95% of the backbone NMR resonances. Analysis by mass spectrometry and NMR demonstrate that the cysteine-rich Tat protein is unambiguously reduced, monomeric, and unfolded in aqueous solution at pH 4.