High-Level Expression and Mutagenesis of Recombinant Human Phosphatidylcholine Transfer Protein Using a Synthetic Gene: Evidence for a C-Terminal Membrane Binding Domain †

Phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PC-TP) is a 214-amino acid cytosolic protein that promotes intermembrane transfer of phosphatidylcholines, but no other phospholipid class. To probe mechanisms for membrane interactions and phosphatidylcholine binding, we expressed recombinant human PC-TP in Escherichia coli using a synthetic gene. Optimization of codon usage for bacterial protein translation increased expression of PC-TP from trace levels …