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Method Article

SUMOylation Assay: An In Vitro Technique to Detect the SUMOylation Status of Substrate Proteins by Immunoblotting

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July 8th, 2025

In This Article

Abstract

Source: Yang, W. S. et al., In Vitro SUMOylation Assay to Study SUMO E3 Ligase Activity. J. Vis. Exp. (2018)

This video demonstrates the in vitro method for SUMOylation of substrate proteins using a sequential enzyme cascade. Further, the SUMOylated status of the protein is identified using the electrophoresis and immunoblotting technique.

Protocol

1. Preparation of Baculovirus Expression Constructs

  1. Purify SUMO E3 ligase K-bZIP by cloning the cDNA of K-bZIP into a dual expression baculovirus vector (see Table of Materials) with an N-terminal epitope tag. We have had success using an octapeptide tag (indicated throughout the protocol as vector-tag-K-bZIP).
    NOTE: The DNA template for K-bZIP polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cloning is cDNA reverse transcribed from RNA isolated from TREx F3H3-K-Rta BCBL-1 cells following doxycycline treatment.
    1. Transfer the full-length K-bZIP cDNA into the dual expression vector with CpoI cloning sites. CpoI digests the....

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Disclosures

No conflicts of interest declared.

Materials

List of materials used in this article
NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
pFastBacInvitrogen10359-016dual expression baculovirus vector
pCR2.1-TOPO vectorInvitrogenPCR product vector
competent cell E. coli DH5αYeastern BiotechFYE678-80VLcompetent E. coli cells A
E. coli DH10BacInvitrogen10359-016competent E. coli cells B
FugeneHDRoche4709705001transfection reagent
Opti-MEMGibco31985062reduced serum media
T4 LigaseNEW England BioLabsM0202S
CpoI (RsrII)Thermo ScientificER0741
Bluo-galThermo ScientificB1690galactosidase substrate
IPTGSigma-AldrichI6758-1G
Grace’s Insect MediumGibco11605094
Fetal Bovine SerumGibco10082147
GentamicinThermo Fisher15750060
AmpicillinSigma-AldrichA9393-25G
KanamycinSigma-AldrichK0254-20ML
gentamicinGibco15710-064
tetracyclinSigma-Aldrich87128-25G
LB BrothMerk1.10285.0500
HEPESSigma-AldrichH4034-100G
NaClSigma-AldrichS9888-5KG
KClMerk1.04936.1000
Na2HPO4Sigma-AldrichS5136-500G
KH2PO4J.T.Baker3246-01
sodium dodecyl sulfateMerk1.13760.1000
β-mercaptoethanolBio-Rad161-0710
TRIS (Base)J.T.Baker4109-06
Non-fat milkFonterra
glycerolJ.T.Baker2136-01
Triton X-100Amresco0694-1Ldetergent A
Tween 20Amresco0777-500MLdetergent B
Poloxamer 188 solutionSigma-AldrichP5556-100MLdetergent C
Protease Inhibitor Cocktail TabletRoche04 693 132 001
3x Flag peptideSigmaF4799
anti-FLAG m2 Magnetic beadsSigma-AldrichM8823antibody-tagged magnetic beads
SUMOlink SUMO-1 KitActive Motif40120standard SUMOylation protocol
SUMOlink SUMO-2/3 KitActive Motif40220standard SUMOylation protocol
QIAquick Gel Extraction KitQIAGEN28704
QIAGEN Plasmid Mini KitQIAGEN12123plasmid extraction kit
Polypropylene tubesFalcon352059
Petri DishFalcon351029
Cell lifterCorningCNG3008
Loading tipSorenson BioScience28480
PVDFPerkinElmerNEF1002
Blotting filter paperBio-Rad1703932
Mini slab gel apparatus (Bio-Rad Mini Protean II Cell)Bio-Rad1658001 EDU
Trans-Blot SD Semi-Dry Electrophoretic Transfer CellBio-Rad1703940
Pierce ECL Western BlottingThermo32106ECL reagent
suspension mixerDigisystem laboratory instruments Inc.SM-3000
orbital shakerKansin instruments Co.OS701
ImageQuant LAS 4000GE Healthcare28955810
biomolecular imagerGE Healthcare28955810
Sf9Thermo ScientificB82501
anti-p53 antibodyCell Signaling#9282
anti-rabbit antibodyGE HealthcareNA934-1ML

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