Production of recombinant forms of the propeptide COOH -terminal and the saposin B -type domain of the propeptide NH 2 -terminal of the precursor of pulmonary surfactant protein B

The human surfactant protein B (SP-B) is a small protein produced by the proteolytic processing of the precursor proSP-B through elimination of two propeptides flanking the mature protein at its NH2- and COOH-termini respectively. The sequences of the human propeptide COOH-terminal (SP-B-C) and the saposin B-type module (SP-BSAP-N) of the propeptide NH2-terminal have been cloned into the expression vector pMAL-c2x and sequenced. Expression of the fusion proteins MRP-SP-B-C and MBP-SP-BSAP-N has been achieved in E. coli UT5600 cells after IPTG induction.