Transformed Lepidopteran insect cells: new sources of recombinant human tissue plasminogen activator.

Stable transformation was used to generate a cloned insect cell line (Bm5 silkmoth cells) over-expressing human tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). This cell line expressed 135 microg/mL single chain tPA in serum-free medium in static culture with a maximum specific activity of 120 IU/microg. In serum-containing medium, this line expressed 160 microg/mL of combined single-chain tPA, two-chain tPA, and a higher molecular weight SDS-stable tPA complex in suspension cultures with a maximum specific activity of 255 IU/microg. Approximately 100 copies of the tPA cDNA were randomly integrated into each Bm5 cell. For secretion of recombinant tPA from Bm5 cells, the native human tPA signal peptide is as effectively recognized as an insect specific signal peptide derived from a silkmoth chorion gene. Finally, stably transformed polyclonal populations of Bm5, High Five, and Sf21 cells expressing tPA were generated and compared for relative tPA expression.     

A two-stage bioreactor system for the production of recombinant proteins using a genetically engineered baculovirus/insect cell system

A two-stage bioreactor scheme was developed for the large-scale production of recombinant proteins using a genetically engineered baculovirus/insect cell system. The first bioreactor was employed for cell growth and the second for cell infection. Silkworm Bm5 cells were infected with a recombinant baculovirus, BmNPV/P5.cat, containing a bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene under the control of the polyhedrin gene promoter of Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV). This recombinant baculovirus has been used as an expression vector for the production of recombinant CAT enzyme. A specific productivity of 82 to 90 mug CAT/(10(6) cells) was obtained using the BmNPV/Bm5 expression system, a yield similar to that achieved using the AcNPV/Sf expression system. Repeated infection of high-density cell cultures did not reduce the specific productivity of the CAT enzyme. Most importantly, the problems associated with the infection of high-density cell cultures were resolved by means of controlled infection conditions and appropriate replenishment of spent culture medium following infection. The glucose uptake rate by the cells following infection was 50% higher than that by the cells before infection. Not only did the infection of high-density cell cultures result in consistent yields of 250 mg/L of CAT enzyme, but also the two-stage bioreactor system was proven to be reliable for a long-term operation beyond 600 h. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Strong and regulated expression of Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase in insect cells with a baculovirus vector.

The N-terminal region of the gene encoding polyhedrin, the major occlusion protein of the insect baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV), has been fused to DNA encoding Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase. The fused gene was inserted into the AcNPV DNA genome by cotransfection of insect cells with recombinant plasmid DNA and wild-type AcNPV genomic DNA. Recombinant viruses were selected as blue plaques in the presence of a beta-galactosidase indicator, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside. Studies of one such virus, L1GP-gal3, indicated that the synthesis of beta-galactosidase is temporally controlled beginning late (20 h) in infection after the release of infectious virus particles from the cell. By 48 h postinfection, a remarkably high level of expression is achieved. On the basis of these results, AcNPV should be a useful vector for the stable propagation and expression of passenger genes in a lepidopteran cell background. A generalized transplacement vector that facilitates the construction and selection of recombinant viruses carrying passenger genes under their own promoter control has also been developed.     

Construction of Stably Transformed Bm5 and Sf9 Cells Displaying Green Fluorescence by Using Autographa californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus IE1 Gene

Transformed Bm5 or Sf9 cells displaying green fluorescence were constructed by using Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) immediate early gene (ie 1). Green fluorescent protein (gfp) gene was introduced under the control of the AcNPV ie 1 promoter to yield expression plasmid pAcIE1-GFP. It was transfected into Sf9 or Bm5 cells and cell clones expressing GFP were selected by fluorescence microscopy. Genomic DNA from transformed cells was isolated and integration of AcNPV ie 1 gene harboring gfp gene was confirmed by PCR using AcNPV ie 1 gene-specific primers. The GFP was successfully expressed in the cytoplasm of insect cells transformed with pAcIEI-GFP and the expressed GFP was maintained during cell division. Furthermore, GFP expression by AcNPV ie 1 promoter in transformed cells was not interfered with viral replication. This suggests that transformed cells displaying foreign gene product by using AcNPV ie 1 promoter will be useful for the diverse applications of the insect cells.     

Baculovirus-mediated expression of bacterial genes in dipteran and mammalian cells.

A recombinant baculovirus containing the Escherichia coli chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene under the control of the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat promoter and the E. coli beta-galactosidase gene under the control of the very late baculoviral polyhedrin promoter was used to determine if Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus, a baculovirus of Lepidoptera, can enter and express viral DNA in dipteran (Drosophila sp.) and mammalian (Mus sp.) cells that are considered refractory to baculovirus replication. Following infection, CAT gene expression was observed in both dipteran and mammalian cells, but expression in the mammalian cell line was less than 0.05% of that observed in either dipteran or lepidopteran cells. Although the level of CAT gene expression was similar in permissive lepidopteran and nonpermissive dipteran cells, expression of beta-galactosidase activity from the late polyhedrin promoter in dipteran or mammalian cells was less than 0.3% of the levels observed in lepidopteran cells. These results indicate that foreign gene expression in nonpermissive cells is promoter dependent and that late viral gene expression is restricted in these cells. The Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat allows substantial CAT gene expression in both a D. melanogaster cell line and Aedes aegypti midgut cells. Baculovirus DNA undergoes a limited number of replications in Drosophila cells. The results are relevant to baculovirus host range, the safety of baculoviruses as pesticides, and the development of baculovirus pesticides with expanded host ranges.     

Transformed lepidopteran cells expressing a protein of the silkmoth fat body display enhanced susceptibility to baculovirus infection and produce high titers of budded virus in serum-free media

Baculovirus vectors constitute important tools for therapeutic protein production and mammalian cell transduction for gene therapy applications. A prerequisite for such applications is that the cell lines in which baculoviruses are propagated be maintained in serum-free media that are devoid of potential human pathogens. However, in serum-free media, the performance of baculovirus-based systems can be significantly reduced. In this report, we show that silkmoth-derived host cell lines for the Bombyx mori-nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) that are transformed with the gene for the promoting protein (PP), a silkmoth-derived secreted factor containing a lipid-binding domain, display enhanced susceptibility to BmNPV infection and enhanced budded virus productivity in serum-free media. For transformed silkmoth cells maintained in serum-free media, the rate of BmNPV entry is enhanced by two orders of magnitude relative to the untransformed cells, while the rate of budded virus production is increased five-fold. The infectivity-enhancing effect can be also conferred to normal cells grown in serum-free media by addition of conditioned media from the transformed cells, which contain the secreted recombinant PP. Thus, PP substitutes for serum factors whose presence facilitates baculovirus entry into the cells. However, the effects of silkmoth-derived PP may be specific to the BmNPV-silkmoth system since little or no changes in viral infectivity are obtained by PP expression in Trichoplusia ni-derived High-Fivetrade mark cells grown in serum-free media and infected with a different baculovirus (AcNPV).     

Expression and secretion in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger of a cell surface glycoprotein from the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus, by using the fungal amdS promoter system.

A cell surface glycoprotein (Bm86) from cells of the digestive tract of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus, which has been shown to elicit a protective immunological response in vaccinated cattle, was expressed and secreted in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger by using the fungal amdS promoter system. The cloned gene coded for the Bm86 secretory signal and all of the Bm86 mature polypeptide except for the hydrophobic carboxy-terminal segment. High levels of Bm86 mRNA were detected in the transformed cells. Bm86 polypeptide was secreted from the cells in a soluble form and it was glycosylated, probably to a similar extent to the native glycoprotein. The recombinant product had an apparent molecular mass of 83 to 87 kilodaltons, whereas that predicted from the amino acid sequence was 69 kilodaltons. The Bm86 was expressed at levels of up to 1.8 mg/liter, or approximately 6% of secreted protein under the growth conditions used. No intracellular Bm86 was detected. A general relationship was observed between transformants containing a high number of copies of the expression plasmid and high expression levels.     

Expression and secretion in Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger of a cell surface glycoprotein from the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus, by using the fungal amdS promoter system

A cell surface glycoprotein (Bm86) from cells of the digestive tract of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus, which has been shown to elicit a protective immunological response in vaccinated cattle, was expressed and secreted in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus nidulans and Aspergillus niger by using the fungal amdS promoter system. The cloned gene coded for the Bm86 secretory signal and all of the Bm86 mature polypeptide except for the hydrophobic carboxy-terminal segment. High levels of Bm86 mRNA were detected in the transformed cells. Bm86 polypeptide was secreted from the cells in a soluble form and it was glycosylated, probably to a similar extent to the native glycoprotein. The recombinant product had an apparent molecular mass of 83 to 87 kilodaltons, whereas that predicted from the amino acid sequence was 69 kilodaltons. The Bm86 was expressed at levels of up to 1.8 mg/liter, or approximately 6% of secreted protein under the growth conditions used. No intracellular Bm86 was detected. A general relationship was observed between transformants containing a high number of copies of the expression plasmid and high expression levels.     

Inhibition of HIV-1 replication by vesicular stomatitis virus envelope glycoprotein pseudotyped baculovirus vector-transduced ribozyme in mammalian cells

The baculovirus has recently emerged as a promising vector for in vivo gene therapy. To investigate its potential as a delivery vector for an anti-virus ribozyme targeting HIV-1, we constructed recombinant baculovirus vectors bearing a ribozyme-synthesizing cassette driven by the tRNA(i)(Met) promoter with enhanced transduction efficiency by displaying vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G) on the viral envelope. Transduction of HeLa CD4(+) cells with a recombinant baculovirus delivering the HIV-1 U5 gene-specific ribozyme dramatically suppressed HIV-1 expression in this cell line. The VSV-G pseudotyped baculovirus vector-transduced ribozyme potently inhibited HIV-1 replication compared to a recombinant baculovirus vector-transduced ribozyme lacking VSV-G. The use of a baculovirus vector might be beneficial for application in gene therapy.     

A NEW CELL CLONE DERIVED FROM TRICHOPLUSIA NI TN5B1–4 CELLS

Abstract  The characteristics of a cultured cell line do not always remain stable and may change upon continuous passage. Most continuous cell lines, even after cloning, possess several genotypes that are constantly changing. There are numerous selective and adaptive culture processes, in addition to genetic instability, that may improve phenotypic change in cell growth, virus susceptibility, gene expression, and production of virus. Similar detrimental effects of long term passaging of insect cells have also been reported for continuous cell lines, for example, Tn5B1–4 cells, which are the most widely used for the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS), provide superior production of recombinant proteins, however, this high productivity may be more evident in low passage cells. In this paper, we describe the isolation of a cell clone, Tn5B-40, from low passage Tn5B1–4 cells. The growth characteristics, productions of virus, and high level of recombinant protein productions were determined. The results showed the susceptibility of both clone and Tn5B1–4 cells to wild-type AcNPV was approximately the same rate with over 95% of infection; when the cloned cells were infected with recombinant baculoviruses expressing ß -galactosidase and secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP), expression of the recombinant proteins from the cloned cells exceeded that from the parental Tn5B1–4 cells.     

Stable expression of mammalian beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase extends the N-glycosylation pathway in insect cells

An established lepidopteran insect cell line (Sf9) was cotransfected with expression plasmids encoding neomycin phosphotransferase and bovine beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase. Neomycin-resistant transformants were selected, assayed for beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase activity, and the transformant with the highest level of enzymatic activity was characterized. Southern blots indicated that this transformed Sf9 cell derivative contained multiple copies of the galactosyltransferase- encoding expression plasmid integrated at a single site in its genome. One-step growth curves showed that these cells supported normal levels of baculovirus replication. Baculovirus infection of the transformed cells stimulated beta 1,4-galactosyltransferase activity almost 5-fold by 12 h postinfection. This was followed by a gradual decline in activity, but the infected cells still had about as much activity as uninfected controls as late as 48 h after infection and they were able to produce a beta 1,4-galactosylated virion glycoprotein during infection. Infection of the transformed cells with a conventional recombinant baculovirus expression vector encoding human tissue plasminogen activator also resulted in the production of a galactosylated end-product. These results demonstrate that stable transformation can be used to add a functional mammalian glycosyltransferase to lepidopteran insect cells and extend their N- glycosylation pathway. Furthermore, stably-transformed insect cells can be used as modified hosts for conventional baculovirus expression vectors to produce foreign glycoproteins with "mammalianized" glycans which more closely resemble those produced by higher eucaryotes.      

重组人干细胞因子在昆虫细胞中的高效表达

含信号肽的可溶性人干细胞因子（ｈＳＣＦ）ｃＤＮＡ 基因重组于杆状病毒转移载体ｐＶＬ９４１ 中,重组转移载体ｐＶＬ９４１ＳＣＦ与野生型苜蓿夜蛾核型多角体病毒（ＡｃＮＰＶ）ＤＮＡ 共转染草地夜蛾细胞Ｓｆ９ 后,通过体内同源重组构建了重组病毒ＡｃＮＰＶＳＣＦ。Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ 杂交表明重组病毒基因组中含有ｈＳＣＦ基因片段。重组病毒感染单层Ｓｆ９ 细胞后,表达产物分泌到胞外培养液中。用ＭＴＴ 比色法和ＴＦ１ 细胞株测定表达产物与ＩＬ３ 的协同效应,测得感染重组病毒的培养细胞第三天表达量为１９７０ ｕｎｉｔｓ／ｍ Ｌ培养液。Ｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｂｌｏｔｔｉｎｇ 分析可见分子量为１８ ×１０３ 、２０ ×１０３ 和２２ ×１０３ 三条带。     

以杆状病毒为载体表达可溶性55kD人肿瘤坏死因子受体

从培养的HeLa细胞中提取总RNA,通过反转录PCR技术, 从该总RNA中扩增了约530 bp的shTNFR55基因的cDNA,将cDNA克隆至转移载体pAcGp67B的多角 体蛋白基因启动子的下游与转移载体构建成重组转移质粒pAcTNFR。pAcTNFR与杆状病毒AcNP V的DNA共转染昆虫细胞sf9,通过同源重组形成含有shTNFR55基因的重组病毒。经空斑分析 和DNA斑点杂交获得了纯化的重组病毒AcNPVTNFR。采用肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)敏感的L929细 胞检测表达产物的生物学活性。结果表明表达产物可以中和TNF对L929的细胞毒性。蛋白配 基印迹(Ligand blot)分析表明表达产物分子量约在20～25kD之间,有三条带。     

以neo作选择标记富集和筛选阳性重组杆状病毒

将苜蓿银纹夜蛾(AcNPV)极早期基因IEI启动子控制的neo基因表达盒插入p10型转载体pAcEP106中得到pAcPIneo,将它和野生型AcNPV DNA共转染Sf细胞得到neo^+重组病毒.因为neo基因的表达使得neo^+基因的重组病毒可以在G418的存在下复制,而野生型则不能.将共转染得到的上清液以很低的感染复数连续传代,通过G418的选择作用,使重组病毒得到富集,三代以后重组病毒比例可达90%以上,如此之高的重组比例使得重组病毒的筛选不须经空斑纯化只须有限稀释即可得到.利用杆状病毒早期基因启动子表达neo基因为用早期基因表达外源毒素基因作重组病毒杀虫剂打下了基础,同时也建立了一种简便有效的筛选、富集阳性重组病毒的方法.     

杆状病毒表达系统的改进及IL-6在昆虫细胞内的表达和纯化

使用同源重组方法,在昆虫细胞内将多角体启动子驱动的EGFP表达盒插入杆状病毒穿梭载体Bacmid的p74位相,经5轮空斑纯化获得重组穿梭载体Bacmid-egfp。然后将Bacmid-egfp转化含转座助手质粒的E.coliDH10B,获得受体菌E.coliDH10Bac-egfp,由于Bacmid-egfp保留了完整的转座结构和α互补功能,因此该菌株和原始E.coliDH10Bac一样能有效的利用各种pFastBac系列的载体进行转座并构建出能指示病毒繁殖和目的基因表达的重组病毒。使用红色荧光蛋白DsRed对系统进行了验证,结果表明重组病毒Bac-egfp-DsRed感染的细胞中绿色荧光蛋白和红色荧光蛋白均得到了高效表达。进一步使用该系统在昆虫细胞中高效表达并纯化了IL-6蛋白,为研究和应用该细胞因子提供物质基础,同时也进一步证明所改造的杆状病毒表达系统的可靠性和实用性。     

Expression of human immunodeficiency virus genes using baculovirus expression system

The structural protein genes of HIV-1 and HIV-2 have been expressed inSpodoptera frugiperda (SF) cells using baculovirus expression system. The noncoding flanking sequences of HIV structural genes were removed and a putative ribosome binding site was placed in front of the open reading frame of each gene by using crossover linker mutagenesis. The coding sequences of thegag, pol, env, andvif proteins were inserted intoAutographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) so that HIV genes were under the control of the AcNPV polyhedrin promoter. All recombinant AcNPV-infected SF cells express high levels of HIV structural proteins. Detailed strategies of recombinant AcNPV construction for high level protein expression are presented.