Rutinosides are very common glycosidic aroma precursors. The glycosidic moiety influences wine aroma, flavour and taste of juices, so its cleavage has many consequences. These interesting insights led us to a diglycosidase - the extracellular β-rutinosidase from Aspergillus niger. The purified β- rutinosidase was partly analyzed by MALDI-TOF/TOF. The insert encoding for β-rutinosidase was ligated into the expression vector pPICZα A. Pichia pastoris KM71H was used as an expression system. It was find out, that β rutinosidase gene consists of a 1137 bp, encoding protein with 379 amino acids. The enzyme was determined to have relative molecule mass 60 kDa by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were found to be 3,0 and 50 řC, respectively. p-Nitrophenyl-β-rutinoside was used as a substrate Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

In dieser Arbeit konnten grundlegende Erkenntnisse über die Wirkung elektrischer Felder auf Membranen von eukaryotischen Zellen gewonnen werden. Dieses Wissen ermöglichte eine detaillierte Aufklärung der Mechanismen der Elektropermealisierung und der Elektrofusion. Maßgeblich hierfür war die dielektrische Analyse von Pflanzen- bzw. Hefeprotoplasten durch umfassende Messungen auf Basis der Elektrorotationsmethode. Mithilfe dieser Methode wurden die elektrischen Eigenschaften wie die flächenspezifische Membrankapazität und die innere Leitfähigkeit von Pichia pastoris Protoplasten ermittelt. Die Kenntnis dieser Zelleigenschaften verhalf dazu, einerseits das Sammelfeld im Hinblick auf seine Feldstärke und Frequenz einzustellen. Damit wurde ein optimaler Kontakt der Zellmembranen während der Fusion ermöglicht und störende Einflüsse, wie beispielsweise die Multizellrotation, minimiert. Anderseits wurde der Durchbruchpuls bezüglich der Pulslänge und der Feldstärke den Anforderungen für die Elektrofusion der relativ kleinen Protoplasten angepasst. In Folge dessen war es möglich, ein Protokoll zur Herstellung von Riesenzellen aus Pichia pastoris Protoplasten zu erstellen. Diese Erkenntnisse sind besonders interessant, da der Einsatz von Riesenzellen die Erforschung der aktiven elektrischen Eigenschaften von Zellmembranen durch kombinierte Anwendung intrazellulärer Mikroelektroden mit etablierten elektrophysiologischen Techniken ermöglicht. Als Beispiele seien hier „current-„ und „voltage-clamp“, „patch clamp“ sowie die Ladungspulsmethode genannt. Die erhebliche Vergrößerung der Membranoberfläche bei Riesenzellen führt zu einer Erhöhung der Gesamtzahl von Membranproteinen wie beispielsweise Transmembrankanäle. Daher kann erwartet werden, dass kanalvermittelte Signale deutlich stärker ausfallen und ihre Untersuchungen erleichtert werden. Die komplexen Ergebnisse der Elektrorotation von vakuolisierten BY-2 Protoplasten konnten sehr genau mit Hilfe des Dreischalenmodells erklärt werden, welches die Struktur der pflanzlichen Zellen, insbesondere die zwei seriell geschalteten Kapazitäten des Plasmalemmas und des Tonoplasten, berücksichtigt. Die Anwendung dieses Modells erlaubte eine getrennte Berechnung der Potentialprofile über das Plasmalemma (Up) und den Tonoplasten (Ut), welche durch einen kurzen Gleichstrompuls induziert wurden. Anhand dieser Potentialprofile war es möglich, die Abhängigkeit des Ca2+-Einstromes in das Cytoplasma aus der Vakuole oder dem extrazellulären Raum vom applizierten elektrischen Feld und der externen Leitfähigkeit zu erklären. Es konnte außerdem gezeigt werden, dass die Aufladung des Plasmalemmas und des Tonoplasten und daraus folgend der elektrischen Membrandurchbruch der jeweiligen Membran stark von der externen Leitfähigkeit abhängen. Die Tatsache, dass elektrische Pulssequenzen von niedriger Intensität einen erhebliche Anstieg der cytosolischen Ca2+-Konzentration bewirken können und sich durch Modulation ihrer Amplitude reizspezifische Ca2+-Signaturen simulieren lassen, eröffnet eine schonende Möglichkeit zur Untersuchung von Veränderungen des cytosolischen Ca2+-Spiegels unabhängig von persistierenden exogenen Stimuli. Da Ca2+ in Pflanzen ein wichtiger „second messenger“ ist, bieten sich elektrische Felder als neues wirksames Werkzeug zur Kontrolle zellinterne Signalwege für die Grundlagenforschung sowie für Anwendungen in der Biotechnologie, wie beispielsweise Elektrotransfektion und -fusion, an. Als wichtige Konsequenz kann aus den hier gewonnen Erkenntnissen gezogen werden, dass Behandlungen pflanzlicher Zellen mit elektrischen Feldern in niedrig leitende Medien durchgeführt werden, um eine minimale Freisetzung von Ca2+ und anderen Inhaltstoffen aus der Vakuole zu gewährleisten. / In this study fundamental findings could be obtained about the effects of electrical fields on membranes of eukaryotic cells. This knowledge enabled a detailed clarification of the mechanisms of Electropermeabilization and Electrofusion. This was achieved by the dielectric analysis of protoplasts obtained from plants and yeast based on the Electrorotation method. With this method the electrical characteristics of Pichia pastoris protoplasts like the area-specific membrane capacity and the internal conductivity were determined. The knowledge of these cell characteristics on the one hand helped to adjust the collecting field with regard to its field strength and frequency. Thus an optimal contact of the cell membranes was enabled during the fusion and disturbing influences, as for example the multi-cell rotation, were minimized. On the other hand the breakdown pulse was adapted to the requirements for the Electrofusion of the relatively small protoplasts concerning the pulse length and the field strength. In consequence it was possible to elaborate a protocol for the production of giant cells from protoplasts of Pichia pastoris. These findings are particularly interesting, since the use of giant cells allows the study of the active electrical characteristics of cell membranes by combination of intracellular microelectrodes with established electrophysiological techniques like current and voltage clamp, patch clamp as well as the charge-pulse method. The substantial enlargement of the membrane surface of giant cells leads to an increase of the total number of membrane proteins as for example transmembrane channels. So it can be expected that channel-mediated signals occur more strongly and their investigations are facilitated. The complex results of the Electrorotation of vacuolated BY-2 protoplasts could be explained very accurately with the help of the three-shell model. This model regards the structure of the plant cells, in particular the two serially connected capacities of the plasmalemma and the tonoplast. The application of this model permitted a separate calculation of the potential profiles induced by a short direct current pulse over the plasmalemma (Up) and the tonoplast (Ut). Based on these potential profiles it was possible to explain the dependency of the Ca2+ fluxes into the cytoplasma out of the vacuole or the extracellular media on the applied electrical field and the external conductivity. In addition it could be shown that the charging of the plasmalemma and the tonoplast and thereby the electrical breakdown of the respective membranes strongly depend on the external conductivity. Electrical pulse sequences of low intensity resulted in a substantial rise of the cytosolic Ca2+-concentration and the modulation of the pulse amplitude enabled the simulation of stimulus-specific Ca2+-signatures. These observations disclose an effective and gentle method for the investigation of changes of cytosolic Ca2+ which is independent of persisting exogenous stimuli. Since Ca2+ is an important second messenger in plants, electrical fields present themselves as new effective tools to study cellular signal pathways for the basic research as well as for applications in the biotechnology, as for example to Electrotransfection and Electrofusion. In consequence these findings show that treatment of plant cells with electric fields have to be performed in low conductive media in order to ensure a minimum release of Ca2+ and other contents from the vacuole.

Publicación a texto completo no autorizada por el autor / Determina las características clínicas y epidemiológicas asociadas a la fungemia por Hansenula anomala en el Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins y específicamente reconoce factores predisponentes asociados al desarrollo de la fungemia por Hansenula anomala, su comorbilidad no infecciosa, determina la presencia de posibles infecciones coexistentes, establece la evolución y tratamiento y determina la mortalidad de los pacientes que desarrollaron esta infección. Estudio descriptivo observacional cuyo diseño es analítico, longitudinal y retrospectivo. La muestra del estudio se realiza en base a la revisión de 52 historias clínicas de los pacientes hospitalizados. Se define como caso a un paciente en quien se realiza el aislamiento de Hansenula anomala en muestras de hemocultivo durante su hospitalización en el Hospital Nacional Edgardo Rebagliati Martins en el período descrito. Se estudian características demográficas como: edad, sexo, tiempo de hospitalización, si existen factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de una fungemia como: desnutrición crónica, corticoterapia crónica, uso de inmunosupresores, diabetes mellitus y neutropenia severa y si es sometido a procedimientos invasivos, tratamiento quirúrgico y/o terapia intensiva. Además de presentar infecciones asociadas o mortalidad. Se revisan manualmente historias clínicas de pacientes que durante su hospitalización presentan la definición de caso. Se utiliza como instrumento una hoja de recolección de datos. La información recogida se tabula y procesa en el programa Excel 2007. La edad promedio de los casos es 44.3 años, la relación M/F es 1.6; el tiempo de hospitalización promedio es de 66 días. 76.9% de los pacientes son sometidos a cirugía en una razón de 2.1 cirugías/paciente; 61.5% requieren soporte intensivo y 34.6% fallecen. El factor de inmunosupresión más relevante es la desnutrición (57.1%), la enfermedad de base prevalente es cáncer (36.5%), son en su mayoría paciente quirúrgicos (76.9%), con patología intraabdominal (77%) que son atendidos en la UCI (61.5%) por complicaciones sépticas (68.7%) y son invadidos con diversos dispositivos el más común de ellos el CVC (98.7%) y requieren nutrición parenteral (94.1%). En la mitad de los casos se encuentra infecciones bacterianas asociadas predominando gérmenes gram negativos y en 32.4% de los casos se aislan además otros hongos en el hemocultivo, predominando Candida albicans. Todos los pacientes reciben antibioticos y hasta 65.3% de los mismos reciben por lo menos 5 antibioticos; 92.3% reciben tratamiento antifúngico en esquemas simples o dobles que incluyen anfotericina B y/o fluconazol sin diferencias apreciables en la mortalidad. Los resultados obtenidos muestran similares factores de riesgo a los encontrados por otros autores. En este estudio se observa que los factores de riesgo asociados a infección por Hansenula anomala son inmunosupresión, procedimientos quirúrgicos, ingreso a la UCI, procedimientos invasivos (especialmente uso de catéteres venosos centrales), nutrición parenteral, uso de antibioticos de amplio espectro. En el estudio la mortalidad asociada a la infección por Hansenula anomala es alta (38.2%). / Trabajo académico

Malaria is one of the biggest current global health problems, and with the increasing occurance of drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial drugs. Given the important role of carbonic anhydrase in Plasmodium falciparum (PfCA), it is a potential novel drug target. Heterologous expression of malaria proteins is problematic due to the unusual codon usage of the Plasmodium genome, so to overcome this problem a synthetic PfCA gene was designed, optimized for expression in Pichia pastoris. This gene was also modified to avoid glycosylation, and cloned into the vector pPICZαA under the control of the methanol inducible promoter AOX1. To facilitate export of the protein into the growth medium, the gene was fused in-frame with the α-factor secretion signal from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The construct was successfully integrated in the genome of P. pastoris GS115, and attempts were made to express the protein and purify it using immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography.In this work, no expression of the PfCA protein could be detected, so further research should focus on optimization of expression conditions, or redesign of the expression vector.

El presente trabajo está centrado en el análisis y modelización del metabolismo central de la levadura Pichia pastoris. Concretamente, el objetivo de este trabajo consistió en analizar la distribución de flujos en las principales vías metabólicas del metabolismo central de esta levadura mediante distintas aproximaciones experimentales y matemáticas basadas en un modelo metabólico estequiométrico y compartimentalizado. Los datos experimentales fueron obtenidos en su mayor parte del trabajo de tesis de A. Solà (Solà, 2004, tesis doctoral, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), centrado en experimentos de marcaje isotópico con 13C de cultivos de P. pastoris operados en quimiostato a μ=0,05 y 0,16 h-1 con diferentes fuentes de carbono (glucosa, glicerol, metanol y mezclas de glicerol/metanol). Los datos fisiológicos experimentalmente obtenidos en dicho estudio se han reconciliado a través de ecuaciones de balances elementales y por grado de reductancia; además, se ha propuesto una ecuación estequiométrica para la formación de biomasa para cada condición de cultivo estudiada. Los datos reconciliados a través de ecuaciones de balances elementales se han usado para el análisis de flujos metabólicos; en primer lugar, se ha utilizado la metodología clásica; los resultados obtenidos en esta primera aproximación se compararon con datos experimentales previamente obtenidos mediante técnicas de marcaje isotópico de 13C por A. Solà. El segundo estudio ha consistido en el cálculo de flujos metabólicos introduciendo restricciones derivadas de cocientes de flujos metabólicos estimados experimentalmente mediante técnicas de 13C-RMN. Dado el reducido número de restricciones derivadas de experimentos de 13C-RMN que se pueden aplicar en este modelo metabólico (3 o 4), en un tercer estudio se ha realizado una primera aproximación a metodologías de simulación y optimización del diseño de experimentos de marcaje isotópico con el objetivo de implementar un procedimiento experimental que permitiera obtener datos suficientes para determinar con más precisión los flujos a través de determinadas rutas de la red, particularmente los relacionados a la vía de las pentosas fosfato (PP). Concretamente, para explorar esta estrategia se han realizado estudios para la optimización de un experimento de marcaje para un cultivo operado en quimiostato utilizando glicerol como fuente de carbono a μ=0,05h-1; la estrategia de marcaje optimizada se llevó posteriormente a cabo en el laboratorio y se analizó los patrones de marcaje de los principales metabolitos (incluyendo algunos aminoácidos) y aminoácidos proteinogénicos mediante LC-MS/MS y 2D-RMN, respectivamente. Ello ha permitido comparar y combinar datos experimentales obtenidos mediante dos estrategias de análisis para la estimación de flujos metabólicos. Así, globalmente, este trabajo permite concluir que el análisis clásico de flujos metabólicos (MFA) es una herramienta de cálculo que está limitada a redes poco complejas; sin embargo cuando se aplican restricciones derivadas del análisis por 13C-RMN al MFA, se observa que esta metodología de análisis presenta alta sensibilidad para la determinación de distribución de flujos metabólicos en el ciclo de los ácidos tricarboxílicos (TCA) y reacciones de transporte entre el citoplasma y la mitocondria. Por el contrario, utilizando una metodología de 13C-MFA basada en datos derivados de 13C-LC-MS, se observa que este método presenta poca sensibilidad en redes metabólicas compartimentalizadas, pues no permite distinguir los pools de metabolitos de un compartimiento dado (mitocondria/citoplasma). Sin embargo, este método presenta alta sensibilidad para la determinación de flujos a través de la vía de las PP. Así pues, la combinación de distintas metodologías basadas en datos de experimentos de marcaje isotópico ha permitido mejorar la información sobre el comportamiento del sistema. Finalmente, se ha llevado a cabo un análisis estructural de la red metabólica a través de la metodología del análisis de módulos elementales, así como una primera aproximación para su combinación con el análisis de flujos metabólicos basados en datos de marcaje isotópico con el objetivo de facilitar la interpretación fisiológica de los resultados, es decir, determinar cuales son las principales vías metabólicas activas bajo un estado fisiológico dado y cual es el flujo a través de dichas rutas. / This study is focused on the analysis and modelling of the central carbon metabolism of the yeast Pichia pastoris. In particular, the major aim of this study was to analyze de flux distribution through the main metabolic pathways of the central metabolism of this yeast by jeans of different experimental and mathematical approaches, based on a stoichiometric and compartmentalized metabolic model. Experimental data was mostly obtained from previous studies from A. Solà (Solà, 2004, PhD thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), describing isotopic labelling experiments with 13C of P. pastoris cells growing on chemostat cultures at a growth rate of μ=0.05 and 0.16 h-1, on different carbon sources (glucose, glycerol, methanol and mixtures of glycerol/methanol). The experimental physiological data obtained in A. Solà's study have been reconciliated by means of elementary and grade of reductance balance equations; moreover, a stoichiometric equation for the formation of biomass has been proposed for each of the studied growth condition. The data reconciliated by elementary balance equations have been used for metabolic flux analysis. First, the classic metabolic flux analysis methodology has been applied; the obtained results in this first approximation were compared with the experimental data previously generated from 13C-labeling experiments by A. Solà. Second, metabolic fluxes have been calculated introducing a number of restrictions derived from metabolic flux ratios experimentally estimated by 13C-NMR. Third, given the reduced number of restrictions derived from these experiments that are actually aplicable to the defined metabolic model (3 or 4), we performed a first approximation to methodologies for simulation and optimisation of isotopic labeling experiments; the aim of such approach was to implement an experimental procedure to allow for the generation of labelling data needed for the precise determination of fluxes through some pathways of the network, particularly those related to the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). In order to explore this strategy, studies for the optimisation of a labelling experiment of cells growing on glycerol in chemostat cultures at a growth rate of 0.05 h-1 were performed. The optimised labelling strategy was subsequently implemented in the laboratory; the labelling patterns of the major metabolites (including some amino acids) of the central carbon metabolism and, of the proteinogenic amino acids, were analysed by LC-MS/MS and 2D-NMR, respectively. This allowed us comparing and combining experimental labelling data derived from two analytical strategies for the calculation of metabolic fluxes. Overall, this study illustrates that classic metabolic flux análisis (MFA) is a mathematical tool limited to networks of low complexity. Nevertheless, when restrictions derived from 13C-NMR analyses are introduced MFA, this methodology shows a high sensitivity for the calculation of the metabolic flux distribution in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and transport reactions of TCA intermediates between cytoplasm and mitochondria. In contrast, by using a 13C-MFA methodology using data derived from 13C-LC-MS, we observe that this method shows low sensitivity for compartimentalized metabolic networks, as it did not allow distinguishing pools of a given metabolite found in different compartments (e.g. mitochondria/cytoplasm). Nevertheless, this method shows high sensitivity for determining fluxes through the PPP. In summary, the combination of different methodologies based on the use of data obtained from isotopic labelling experiments has allowed us to improve the information on the system's behaviour. In addition, a structural analysis of the metabolic network has been performed using the methodology of elementary modes analysis; moreover, a first approximation to its combination with metabolic flux analysis based on 13C-derived data has been proposed, with the objective to facilitate the physiological interpretation of the results, i.e. to assess which are the major active pathways under a given physiological state and to calculate the carbon fluxes through these pathways.

The aim of this study is to develop a metabolically engineered P. pastoris strain for production of an active extracellular thermostable glucose isomerase (GI) enzyme by using genetic engineering techniques. For this purpose, research program was performed in two sub-programs. In the first sub-program, xylA gene from Thermus thermophilus was amplified and inserted into pPICZ&alpha / -A expression vector. Thereafter, this pPICZ&alpha / -A::xylA vector was cloned into AOX1 locus in P. pastoris genome and expressed under alcohol oxidase promoter which is induced by methanol. After constructing the recombinant P. pastoris strains, the best producing strain was selected according to the specific enzyme activity assay and SDS-PAGE analyses in batch shaker-bioreactor experiments. The selected recombinant P. pastoris clone carrying xylA gene in its genome was named as eP20. Using recombinant P. pastoris eP20 clone, effects of salt and sorbitol concentration on the cell growth and recombinant GI activity were investigated. The data obtained from the experiments showed that the maximum cell and GI activity values were obtained in production medium that contained 30 g L-1 sorbitol, 4.35 g L-1 ammonium sulphate, 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer (pH 6.0), 14.9 g L-1 MgSO4&bull / 7H2O, 1.17 g L-1 CaSO4 &bull / 2H2O, 1 ml L-1 chloramphenicol and 4.35 ml L-1 PTM1 / where, the maximum biomass and recombinant GI activity were calculated , respectively, as 6.3 g L-1 and 3.21 U L-1. Moreover, the research program related with the effect of initial sorbitol concentration shows that optimum initial sorbitol concentration, CS0 is 50 g L-1 that resulted a cell concentration and recombinant GI activity which are 7.32 g L-1 and 3.6 U L-1, respectively. In the second part of the M.Sc. of the study, a pilot scale bioreactor experiment in a working volume of 1 L was performed in controlled bioreactor system. The variations in the cell growth, recombinant GI activity, AOX activity, total protease activity and organic acid concentrations throughout the fermentation were analyzed whereas the specific growth rates, yield coefficients and specific consumption rates were also calculated. The results showed that a pH and oxygen controlled operation enabled an important increase in recombinant GI activity. In this context, recombinant GI activity was increased as 56.1-fold and resulted in 202.8 U L-1 at t=12 whereas the maximum biomass concentration was obtained as 85.2 g L-1 at t=36. In this study, an active thermostable recombinant GI enzyme was produced extracellularly by a yeast cell, i.e. recombinant P. pastoris, for the first time.

<p>Malaria is one of the biggest current global health problems, and with the increasing occurance of drug resistant <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> strains, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial drugs. Given the important role of carbonic anhydrase in <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> (PfCA), it is a potential novel drug target. Heterologous expression of malaria proteins is problematic due to the unusual codon usage of the <em>Plasmodium </em>genome, so to overcome this problem a synthetic PfCA gene was designed, optimized for expression in <em>Pichia pastoris</em>. This gene was also modified to avoid glycosylation, and cloned into the vector pPICZαA under the control of the methanol inducible promoter AOX1. To facilitate export of the protein into the growth medium, the gene was fused in-frame with the α-factor secretion signal from <em>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</em>. The construct was successfully integrated in the genome of <em>P. pastoris</em> GS115, and attempts were made to express the protein and purify it using immobilized metal ion affinity chromatography.In this work, no expression of the PfCA protein could be detected, so further research should focus on optimization of expression conditions, or redesign of the expression vector.</p>

Thesis (doctoral)--Helsinki University of Technology, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

The yeast expression system Pichia pastoris was investigated as an encapsulation technology capable of serving as a rumen escape vehicle. Cellularly encapsulated protein is protected from the ruminal environment so long as the cell membrane, which surrounds and isolates the intracellular protein is physically intact. Intracellular expression of Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) allows for the monitoring of cellular integrity as necessary for the protection of encapsulated protein from ruminal proteases. Upon cellular lysis GFP is exposed to extracellular proteases which result in both the proteolytic degradation of the protein-based GFP chromophore and its associated fluorescence. Visualization of rumen fluid under epifluorescent microscopy revealed a high level of background autofluorescence owing to the fluorescent plant particles, microbes, and fluorescent compounds therein. Visualization of GFP in rumen fluid can be optimized through GFP variant selection, filter set design, and light source selection based on bulb emission spectra. Incubation of intracellular GFP expressing P. pastoris in batch culture ruminal in vitro simulations demonstrated that 93%, 97%, and 25% of the P. pastoris inoculum maintained cellular integrity in clarified rumen fluid, bacterial fraction of rumen fluid, and whole rumen fluid, respectively, when incubated over 36 to 48 h. Continuous fermentation in vitro rumen simulations (Rusitec) demonstrated a P. pastoris escape rate of 19% when added daily to fully adapted Rusitec vessels having a dilution rate of 0.75d-1. Abomasal in vitro simulations demonstrated that 84% of the P. pastoris inoculum was lysed within 12 h, as necessary for the release of encapsulated protein. P.pastoris may be an effective post-fuminal delivery vehicle, provided that similar results are obtained in vivo. / xiv, 120 leaves : ill. ; 28 cm.

Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIB (MPS IIIB) is an autosomal recessive disorder of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) metabolism. Disruption of the gene encoding a-N-acetylglucosaminidase (Naglu) results in the inability to degrade the GAG heparan sulfate (HS). Consequently. undegraded HS builds up and results in the secondary accumulation of gangliosides and substantial changes in the expression of genes related to neural cell growth and function. Clinically, affected individuals display hyperactivity. insomnia and severe and progressive mental retardation. Currently. no treatment or cure is available for this devastating disorder which is ultimately fatal. Enzyme replacement therapy is one method being examined as an avenue for treatment of MPS IIIB. but it has yet to overcome difficult obstacles, such as production and targeted delivery. This thesis examines the use of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris as a host for the production of recombinant Naglu. A protein transduction domain (PTD) derived from the HIV-l Tat protein was fused to Naglu to circumvent the current problems faced in delivering this therapeutic enzyme. Expression of this fusion protein was tested in four different strains of Pichia. each with unique attributes. Though the Naglu produced was in an active recombinant form. it was not abundant and this has precluded further characterization. It is likely that inefficiency at the transcriptional/post-transcriptional level hindered higher expression levels. Optimization of these factors may well facilitate Naglu expression in Pichia pastoris. and ultimately allow for substantial enzyme production for use in replacement therapy.