哺乳动物克隆的研究进展与应用前景

显微注射技术本身固有的缺点在很大程度上限制了转基因动物的研究及应用。近年来,体细胞基因打靶和体细胞克隆的最新研究进展表明,这两种技术相结合将成为制备大型转基因动物的有效途径。     

制备动物乳腺生物反应器的问题和对策

动物乳腺是理想的用于生产复杂的生物活性蛋白的生物反应器。目前,显微注射仍然是制备大型转基因动物的主要方法,但外源基因整合效率低下和位置效应还需要解决。要解决这两个问题,人们探索了几种策略。尽管使用转染的体细胞和基因打靶的体细胞作为核移植的供体的动物克隆技术还在改善中,但是这一技术是有应用前景的转基因牲畜的方法。在转基因载体中使用LCR和MAR序列可显著提高表达水平和转基因效率。YAC、BAC作为理想的转基因载体可能因为它们能容纳基因座的所有元件。虽然这些技术和方法还存在不完善之处,但其发展将极大地提高动物乳腺生物反应器的整合率和表达水平。     

家畜转基因育种研究进展

转基因技术可以将外源基因导入家畜基因组,使其获得新的可遗传性状,为培育优良家畜品种提供了革命性途径。DNA显微注射法和体细胞克隆法是制备转基因家畜最常用的方法。应用转基因技术可以进行家畜抗病育种(抗病毒、抗菌和抗寄生虫),改良家畜的生产性状(胴体组成、奶品质、产毛、繁殖力和生长速度),培育环保型家畜新品种。文章从动物转基因技术入手,阐明其在家畜品种改良方面的研究现状和策略,并探讨家畜转基因育种面临的问题和应用前景。     

哺乳动物体细胞克隆及在动物转基因中的应用

哺乳动物体细胞克隆及转基因技术,近些年发展迅速。尤其1997年‘多利’羊的诞生,对推动哺乳动物克隆及转基因技术的发展具有里程碑式的意义。本文介绍了哺乳动物体细胞克隆的方法,存在的问题和体细胞克隆的机理研究。对这些方法和研究理论进行了讨论,并探讨如何利用克隆技术进行转基因动物的制备。     

动物基因敲除研究的现状与展望

基因打靶技术是建立在胚胎干细胞和同源重组技术之上,可对基因组进行定位修饰的实验方法,尤其可以在转基因动物的遗传性状修饰中起到巨大的作用。本文简述了转基因、体细胞克隆和基因打靶的研究历史,以及这些技术对转基因动物制备的影响和展望。     

体细胞基因打靶-核移植技术研究进展

转基因效率与外源基因表达水平低的现状一直是制约动物生物反应器研究与产业化的主要技术瓶颈。体细胞克隆动物的成功和胚胎干细胞基因打靶技术的逐步完善使得体细胞基因打靶与核移植技术的结合使用成为可能,这就为生产遗传修饰家畜提供了一种新的手段,为动物生物反应器的成功研制提供了新的技术途径。从体细胞基因打靶的载体设计、转染系统的建立、中靶细胞的筛选和鉴定以及培养体细胞寿命等方面阐述了体细胞基因打靶—核移植技术体系的最新研究进展,并对其在异种器官移植、建立动物疾病模型、提高家畜生长性能以及生产药用蛋白等各个领域中的应用前景作了展望 。     

转基因动物的发展前景

随着新技术的发展和对基因功能的了解,转基因技术获得了更加广泛的应用。基因治疗载体慢病毒载体、精子介导基因转移(SMGT)和睾丸介导基因转移(TMGT)等方法的发展和完善,可能会取代传统的显微注射技术。用于细胞基因调控研究的RNA干涉技术和基因诱导表达方法,现在移植到了转基因动物中,并获得了理想结果。本展望了转基因技术在基因调控、制备生物反应器和改良畜牧动物等方面的应用和发展前景。     

转基因技术在制备动物乳腺生物反应器中的应用和发展

利用乳腺生物反应器可以高效获得安全、足量的药用蛋白,在制药工业中具有广阔的应用前景。但是,目前采用的转基因技术由于其各自固有的局限性,未能使乳腺生物反应器的研究取得长足的进步。基因打靶技术和核移植技术的发展为乳腺生物反应器的开发注入了新的活力。本文综合近年来国内外文献,阐述了各种转基因技术的优点与缺陷,同时说明了构建“体细胞打靶-克隆技术体系”在制备大动物的乳腺生物反应器中的必要性。     

体细胞基因打靶制备动物乳腺生物反应器的策略与应用

在转基因动物研究中,由于基因表达调控元件的人工拼接和外源基因在动物基因组中随机整合所带来的“位置效应”,致使转基因动物外源基因的表达水平不高并且差异较大。为此,利用定位整合优势,对以基因同源重组为基础的基因打靶技术进行了大量研究。介绍了就利用体细胞基因打靶和核移植技术制备动物乳腺生物反应器的策略和应用情况做一综述,并对提高基因打靶效率的各种策略,打靶细胞的选择,转基因细胞核移植的低融合事件以及基因打靶制备乳腺生物反应器的优越性进行分析。     

动物转基因新技术研究进展

动物转基因技术是21世纪发展最为迅速的生物高新技术之一, 它是指通过基因工程技术将外源基因整合到受体动物基因组中, 从而使其得以表达和遗传的生物技术。动物转基因的关键限制因素是转基因效率和基因表达的精确调控。目前有多种转基因技术, 每一种技术各有其优缺点, 仍然需要进一步研究。随着研究的深入, 转基因技术必将在探讨基因功能、动物遗传改良、生物反应器、动物疾病模型、器官移植等领域有广阔的应用前景。文章综述了近年发展的提高转基因效率的生殖干细胞法、提高转基因精确性的基因打靶法、RNA干扰(RNAi)介导的基因沉默技术和诱导多能干细胞(iPS)转基因技术。新的转基因技术为转基因动物的研究提供了更好的平台, 可以加快促进人类医药卫生、畜牧生产等领域的发展。     

Site-specific modification of the bovine genome using Cre recombinase-mediated gene targeting.

Cre recombinase (Cre)-mediated targeted insertion of a transgene is a powerful technique that can be used to tailor genomes. When combined with somatic cell nuclear transfer it could offer an efficient way to generate transgenic livestock with site-specific genetic modifications that are free of antibiotic selection markers. We have engineered primary bovine fibroblasts to contain a chromosomal acceptor site with incompatible loxP/lox2272 sites for Cre-mediated cassette exchange and show for the first time that Cre-mediated targeting can be applied in these acceptor cells. Molecular characterization of the resulting cell clones revealed Cre-mediated transgene insertion efficiencies of up to 98% when antibiotic selection was used to identify transgene containing cell clones. Most clonal lines also contained random insertions of the targeting and Cre expression plasmids with only about 10% of the clones being exclusively modified by the intended targeted insertion. This targeting efficiency was sufficient to enable the isolation of correctly targeted clones without the help of antibiotic selection. Therefore, this recombinase-mediated insertion strategy has the potential to produce transgenic cattle from antibiotic selection marker-free somatic cells with transgenes inserted into proven genomic loci ensuring reliable expression levels.     

Transgene Expression Is Associated with Copy Number and Cytomegalovirus Promoter Methylation in Transgenic Pigs

Transgenic animals have been used for years to study gene function, produce important proteins, and generate models for the study of human diseases. However, inheritance and expression instability of the transgene in transgenic animals is a major limitation. Copy number and promoter methylation are known to regulate gene expression, but no report has systematically examined their effect on transgene expression. In the study, we generated two transgenic pigs by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) that express green fluorescent protein (GFP) driven by cytomegalovirus (CMV). Absolute quantitative real-time PCR and bisulfite sequencing were performed to determine transgene copy number and promoter methylation level. The correlation of transgene expression with copy number and promoter methylation was analyzed in individual development, fibroblast cells, various tissues, and offspring of the transgenic pigs. Our results demonstrate that transgene expression is associated with copy number and CMV promoter methylation in transgenic pigs.     

动物体细胞核移植技术的研究现状

动物体细胞核移植的成功表明动物体细胞的分化是可逆的,这是近年来人类在细胞生物学及发育生物学领域取得的最伟大的成就之一。１９９７年首例体细胞核移植绵羊在世界上诞生,之后不久出现了体细胞核移植小鼠及牛,并通过体细胞核移植技术制作了转基因动物。成就是不言而喻的,但其中也暴露出一些需克服和解决的问题。本文围绕世界上首例体细胞克隆羊诞生的背景、体细胞核移植技术目前的研究状况、体细胞核移植过程中的核质互作、体细胞核移植技术目前存在的问题、体细胞核移植技术在制作转基因动物上的应用等方面,扼要介绍了体细胞核移植技术在最近两年内取得的进展。     

The symbiotically essential cbb(3)-type oxidase of Bradyrhizobium japonicum is a proton pump

The male germ line stem cell is the only cell type in the adult that can contribute genes to the next generation and is characterized by postnatal proliferation. It has not been determined whether this cell population can be used to deliberately introduce genetic modification into the germ line to generate transgenic animals or whether human somatic cell gene therapy has the potential to accidentally introduce permanent genetic changes into a patient's germ line. Here we report that several techniques can be used to achieve both in vitro and in vivo gene transfer into mouse male germ line stem cells using a retroviral vector. Expression of a retrovirally delivered reporter lacZ transgene in male germ line stem cells and differentiated germ cells persisted in the testis for more than 6 months. At least one in 300 stem cells could be infected. The experiments demonstrate a system to introduce genes directly into the male germ line and also provide a method to address the potential of human somatic cell gene therapy DNA constructs to enter a patient's germ line.     

Pig transgenesis by piggyBac transposition in combination with somatic cell nuclear transfer

The production of animals by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is inefficient, with approximately 2 % of micromanipulated oocytes going to term and resulting in live births. However, it is the most commonly used method for the generation of cloned transgenic livestock as it facilitates the attainment of transgenic animals once the nuclear donor cells are stably transfected and more importantly as alternatives methods of transgenesis in farm animals have proven even less efficient. Here we describe piggyBac-mediated transposition of a transgene into porcine primary cells and use of these genetically modified cells as nuclear donors for the generation of transgenic pigs by SCNT. Gene transfer by piggyBac transposition serves to provide an alternative approach for the transfection of nuclear donor cells used in SCNT.     

Establishment of a pig fibroblast-derived cell line for locus-directed transgene expression in cell cultures and blastocysts

We report the establishment of a spontaneously immortalized pig cell line designated Pig Flip-in Visualize (PFV) for locus-directed transgene expression in pig cells and blastocysts. The PFV cell line was isolated from pig ear fibroblasts transfected with a Sleeping Beauty DNA transposon-based docking vector harbouring a selection gene, an eGFP reporter gene, and an Flp recombinase site for locus-directed gene insertion. PFV cells have insertion of a single docking vector with stable eGFP expression and generated phenotypic normal blastocysts with transgene expression after somatic cell nuclear transfer. PFV cells supported Flp mediated cassette exchange for transgene substitution of eGFP with dsRED, and the dsRED transgenic PFV cells generated blastocysts with transgene expression. Hence, the PFV cell line constitutes a valuable pig equivalent to transformed cell lines from other mammalian species suitable for locus-directed transgene expression in cell cultures and, in addition, for transgene analyses in the very early embryonic stages.     

Health and reproductive profiles of malaria antigen-producing transgenic goats derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer

Nuclear transfer (NT) using transfected primary cells is an efficient approach for the generation of transgenic goats. However, reprogramming abnormalities associated with this process might result in compromised animals. We examined the health, reproductive performance, and milk production of four transgenic does derived from somatic cell NT. Goats were derived from two fetal cell lines, each transfected with a transgene expressing a different version of the MSP-1(42) malaria antigen, either glycosylated or non-glycosylated. Two female kids were produced per cell line. Health and growth of these NT animals were monitored and compared with four age-matched control does. There were no differences in birth and weaning weights between NT and control animals. The NT does were bred and produced a total of nine kids. The control does delivered five kids. The NT does expressing the glycosylated antigen lactated only briefly, probably as a result of over-expression of the MSP-1(42) protein. However, NT does expressing the non-glycosylated antigen had normal milk yields and produced the recombinant protein. These data demonstrated that the production of healthy transgenic founder goats by somatic cell NT is readily achievable and that these animals can be used successfully for the production of a candidate Malaria vaccine.     

Migration and differentiation potential of stem cells in the cnidarian Hydractinia analysed in eGFP-transgenic animals and chimeras

To analyse cell migration and the differentiation potential of migratory stem cells in Hydractinia, we generated animals with an eGFP reporter gene stably expressed and transmitted via the germline. The transgene was placed under the control of two different actin promoters and the promoter of elongation factor-1α. One actin promoter (Act-II) and the EF-1α promoter enabled expression of the transgene in all cells, the other actin promoter (Act-I) in epithelial and gametogenic cells, but not in the pluripotent migratory stem cells. We produced chimeric animals consisting of histocompatible wild type and transgenic parts. When the transgene was under the control of the epithelial cell specific actin-I promoter, non-fluorescent transgenic stem cells immigrated into wild type tissue, stopped migration and differentiated into epithelial cells which then commenced eGFP-expression. Migratory stem cells are therefore pluripotent and can give rise not only to germ cells, nematocytes and nerve cells, but also to epithelial cells. While in somatic cells expression of the act-I promoter was restricted to epithelial cells it became also active in gametogenesis. The act-I gene is expressed in spermatogonia, oogonia and oocytes. In males the expression pattern showed that migratory stem cells are the precursors of both the spermatogonia and their somatic envelopes. Comparative expression studies using the promoters of the actin-II gene and the elongation factor-1α gene revealed the potential of transgenic techniques to trace the development of the nervous system.     

Mutation pattern of immunoglobulin transgenes is compatible with a model of somatic hypermutation in which targeting of the mutator is linked to the direction of DNA replication.

We have previously demonstrated that B lymphocyte specific somatic mutations are introduced into the variable regions of immunoglobulin kappa transgenes in two independent transgenic mouse lines. The frequency, distribution and nature of these mutations strongly suggest that they arose as a result of the process of somatic hypermutation, which is responsible, in part, for affinity maturation during an immune response. Unexpectedly, in these multiple copy transgenic lines, many of the transgene copies showed no evidence of somatic mutation. This paradox was addressed by determining the sequence of each transgene copy in several B cell hybridomas derived from a mouse line carrying three copies of the kappa transgene. It was found that the somatic hypermutation process in different B cells from the same mouse preferentially targets one, but not the same, transgene copy. We present a model, based on the pattern of this targeting, which links somatic hypermutation to the orientation of the Ig gene relative to the direction of DNA replication.