Engineering of the hydrophobic segment of the signal sequence for efficient secretion of human lysozyme by Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

To elucidate the structure-function relationship of the signal sequence for the secretion of human lysozyme by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we have systematically engineered the hydrophobic segment using the signal sequence of chicken lysozyme. Replacement of Cys 10 with leucine caused a 1.6 times increase in the secretion of human lysozyme. An idealized signal sequence L10 in which 10 consecutive leucines were distributed from the 3rd to the 12th position was 1.8 times as effective as the native sequence. L10 can be generalized as Ln = Met-Arg-(Leu)n-Pro-Leu-Ala-Ala-Leu-Gly, where n = 10. We have also studied the secretory capability of Ln, where n = 6,8,12, and 14, and found that the length, as well as hydrophobicity, of the hydrophobic segment is an important factor in the secretion of human lysozyme by yeast.