PTD-hEGF Fusion Protein-Gene Expression and Function Analysis

To produce membrane-permeable human epidermal growth factor (hEGF), a pPTD-hEGF prokaryocyte expression vector was constructed and transformed into E. coli BL 21(DE3). The PTD-hEGF fusion protein was induced by 0.3 mmol/L of IPTG expressed in the form of inclusion body with an yield of 40% of the total protein in the cells, and then purified by Ni2+-NTA affinity chromatography. The SDS-PAGE analysis showed a single fusion protein band with a molecular weight of 16 kD. The amino acid sequence was checked by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. The genetic engineering PTD-hEGF fusion protein obviously promoted the proliferation and growth of the HEK-293 cells in vitro.