FHL2 (Four and a half LIM domain protein 2) is an adapter protein that consist of only four and a half LIM domains. The domain is named after the three genes, where it was initially described (LIN-11, Isl-1 and MEC-3). It consists of two consecutive zinc fingers, each coordinating the binding of one Zn2+ ion. LIM domains do not have catalytic activity, but they associate with many proteins, such as structural proteins, receptors, signalling proteins and transcription partners. Due to such a wide range of binding partners, it is not surprising that proteins containing the LIM domain are associated with many disease states. FHL2 participates in many signalling pathways, among others it is a coactivator of the Wnt pathway, which regulates many cellular processes. The main mediator of this signalling pathway is a protein called β-catenin, which in this case interacts with FHL2, but the binding mechanism is poorly understood.
As part of the thesis, we wanted to better understand the role of individual FHL2 domains in interactions with proteins, so we constructed a library of 14 truncated forms, which contain one (LIM0, LIM1, LIM2, LIM3, LIM4), two (LIM0-1, LIM1-2, LIM2-3, LIM3-4), three (LIM0-2, LIM1-3, LIM2-4) or four domains (LIM0-3, LIM1-4). Transcripts for the proteins were assembled by the PCR technique, with hexa histidine-tag (His6) and green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) added to the N-terminus of transcripts, but both can be cleaved by TEV protease. The transcripts were inserted into the targeting vector pET-32b(+) and expressed in E. coli cells. Next, we expressed and purified five proteins containing only one FHL2 domain each, furthermore the expression and purification procedure was the same as the previously optimized protocol for obtaining the whole FHL2. The possible interaction between the individual domains and β-catenin was analysed by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with a detector for the analysis of static laser light scattering at low and right angles (LALS/RALS).
The assembled library of constructs will provide insight into the role of the domains in the interaction with other binding partners, which will contribute to the understanding of FHL2 in biological processes. The purification process of the entire protein proved to be optimal in obtaining individual domains of the protein, but even so, the domains responded differently to certain purification steps. Through the binding analysis, we confirmed that none of the five domains of FHL2 is sufficient for a stable reaction with β-catenin, but for better insight the interaction with other proteins that contain more domains should be analysed.
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