Identification and biochemical characterization of macrophage migration inhibitory factor-2 (MIF-2) homologue of human lymphatic filarial parasite, Wuchereria bancrofti

•We characterized cDNA and full gene Wba-MIF-2 structurally and biochemically.•Wba-MIF-2 gene comprises two exons of 183 bp and 180 bp with one intron of 3.912 kb.•Derived amino acid sequence of Wba-MIF-2 showed absence of CXXC catalytic motif.•Yet recombinant Wba-MIF-2 protein showed oxidoreductase activity.•The ISO-1, 4-IPP, Curcumin inhibited Wba-MIF-2 tautomerase activity.

Homologues of human macrophage migration inhibitory factor (hMIF) have been reported from vertebrates, invertebrates and prokaryotes, as well as plants. Filarial parasites produce two homologues of hMIF viz., MIF-1 and MIF-2, which play important role in the host immune modulation. Earlier, we have characterized MIF-1 (Wba-mif-1) from Wuchereria bancrofti, the major causal organism of human lymphatic filariasis. Here, we are reporting the molecular and biochemical characterization of MIF-2 from this parasite (Wba-mif-2). The complete Wba-mif-2 gene and its cDNA were amplified, cloned and sequenced. The size of Wba-mif-2 gene and cDNA were found to be 4.275 kb and 363 bp, respectively. The gene annotation revealed the presence of a large intron of 3.912 kb interspersed with two exons of 183 bp and 180 bp. The alignment of derived amino acid sequences of Wba-MIF-2 with Wba-MIF-1 showed 44% homology. The conserved CXXC oxido-reductase catalytic site present in Wba-mif-1 was found absent in Wba-mif-2 coding sequence. The amplified Wba-mif-2 cDNA was cloned into an expression vector pRSET-B and transformed into salt inducible Escherichia coli strain GJ1158. The expressed recombinant Wba-MIF-2 protein showed tautomerase activity against l-dopachrome methyl ester and the specific activity was determined to be 18.57 ± 0.77 μmol/mg/min. Three known inhibitors of hMIF tautomerase activity significantly inhibited the tautomerase activity of recombinant Wba-MIF-2. Although the conserved CXXC oxido-reductase motif is absent in Wba-mif-2, the recombinant protein showed significant oxido-reductase activity in the insulin reduction assay, possibly because of the presence of vicinal cysteine residues.

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