Revista global de tecnología y optimización

Human Papillomavirus 16 L1 Protein Expression and Self-Assembly in Recombinant Pichia pastoris

Abstract

Jing Zhao, Zejian Wang, Hai-feng Hang, Mei-jin Guo, Ying-ping Zhuang, Ju Chu, Si-liang Zhang and Jue-ren Lou

Human papillomavirus virus-like particles (HPV VLPs) have been shown to be effective in preventing cervical cancer when used as a prophylactic vaccine. However, little attention has been paid to the process of L1 expression and self-assembly of VLPs in vivo. In this study, the methanol concentration is optimized during fermentation to optimize L1 expression and self-assembly into VLPs. HPV 16 L1 was expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115, and successfully self-assembled into HPV 16 VLPs. The results demonstrate that there is a strong correlation between methanol concentration and the expression of HPV L1 as well as VLP formation. During the methanol induction phase, low concentrations of residual methanol (0.1-0.3%) promoted the expression of free L1 and increased the total content of L1, whereas a higher residual methanol concentration (0.32-0.6%) was conducive for the self-assembly of LI into VLPs. To conclude, if the residual methanol concentration is too low or too high, the levels of L1 can easily decrease during the fermentation process.