外分泌型的乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原核酸疫苗的构建与体外表达

目的:构建含有组织型纤溶酶原激活剂(tPA)信号肽的乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原(HBcAg)核酸疫苗。方法将HBcAg基因用PCR方法扩增并分别引入相应的限制性内切酶酶切位点,然后克隆入pJW4303载体中获得相应的核酸疫苗,经筛选鉴定后,用上述核酸疫苗与野生型HBcAg核酸疫苗及空载体质粒pJW4303分别用脂质体瞬时转染293T细胞,应用蛋白印迹法检测核心抗原的表达。结果成功构建以pJW4303为载体的含tPA信号肽的HBcAg核酸疫苗,体外表达证实含tPA信号肽的HBcAg在293T细胞胞内和胞外均能表达,含tPA信号肽的HBcAg核酸疫苗的核心抗原表达水平较高。结论以pJW4303为载体的含tPA信号肽的HBcAg核酸疫苗能够将细胞内的HBcAg分泌到细胞外,为进一步研究其免疫原性打下了基础。     

突变型乙肝病毒核心抗原DNA疫苗的体外表达

目的:构建突变型核心抗原核酸疫苗,观察该核酸疫苗在体外蛋白的表达.方法:采用基因工程定点突变技术,构建5种突变型核酸疫苗,分别去除乙肝病毒核心抗原N端的第1、2位氨基酸,命名为M12,去除3、4位氨基酸命名为M34以及去除5、6位的氨基酸命名为M56,用上述构建的核酸疫苗与野生型HBc核酸疫苗(pJW4303/Hc)及空载体质粒pJW4303分别用脂质体转染293T细胞,应用蛋白印迹法检测核心蛋白的表达.结果:经过pstl和BgI双酶切和测序鉴定结果突变型核心抗原核酸疫苗构建成功.在去除2个氨基酸的核酸疫苗结果中显示:野生型pJW4303/HBe、M12、及M56体外转染293T细胞后,在细胞上清和裂解中能很好的表达,而M34上清未见表达,仅裂解中可见极少量疑似表达条带;在原有基础上分别去除第3位和第4住氨基酸,命名为M3和M4,结果显示M3上清未见表达,裂解液中可见少量表达,而M4在上清和裂解中均可见明显的表达.结论:去除核心抗原N端第3位的氨基酸(M3)可以明显影响核心抗原的表达,HBcAg氨基端第3位氨基酸对蛋白的表达可能起到重要的作用.     

用人MHC转基因小鼠模型鉴定高致病禽流感病毒核蛋白CTL表位

目的:筛选高致病禽流感病毒核蛋白(NP)中可用于高致病禽流感病毒感染检测或疫苗设计的CTL表位,为评价疫苗接种效果和开发新型疫苗奠定基础。方法:根据NCBI公布的NP的核苷酸序列设计特异性引物,以2006年深圳株高致病禽流感H5N1病人分离的病毒cDNA为模板扩增NP全长基因(1500 bp)并测序。通过生物信息学方法,预测NP氨基酸序列中潜在的HLA-A觹0201限制性表位。构建重组pJW4303-NP核酸疫苗并肌肉免疫HLA-A2/DP4转基因小鼠,利用ELISPOT法筛选特异性CTL表位。结果:克隆了2006年深圳株高致病禽流感NP基因,构建的重组pJW4303-NP核酸疫苗能在体外COS-7细胞中表达,免疫小鼠后能引起小鼠产生特异性的体液免疫和细胞免疫。结论:生物信息学和转基因小鼠模型筛选相结合的方法,能用于高致病性禽流感核蛋白CTL表位的筛选。     

西方马脑炎核酸疫苗表达载体构建及免疫原性研究

为构建西方马脑炎病毒(western equine encephalomyelitis virus,WEEV)结构基因C-E3-E2-6k-E1重组真核表达载体,并研究其作为核酸疫苗的免疫原性.采用PCR方法扩增目的基因,酶切之后连接到pcDNA3.1上构建真核表达载体pcDNA3.1-C-E,用酶切和测序分析方法鉴定正确后,重组质粒被转染到293T细胞,经电镜检测和间接免疫荧光方法证明基因可以表达后,用该重组质粒免疫小鼠,免疫后检测实验组小鼠外周血中CD4+T细胞/CD8+T细胞比例和血清中细胞因子IL-2、IL-4及IFN-γ浓度,以上实验组各项免疫指标与对照组相比差异均显著(P＜ 0.05);ELISA方法检测实验组小鼠血清中WEEV的IgG抗体效价是1∶16.研究结果表明重组质粒pcDNA3.1-C-E可在细胞中获得瞬时表达,并且重组质粒作为核酸疫苗能够刺激小鼠产生免疫反应,具有较强免疫原性,为今后WEEV核酸疫苗研制奠定了良好基础.     

基因枪接种乙型肝炎表面抗原促进DNA疫苗诱生的免疫应答转换

目的 为了克服基因枪接种乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)DNA疫苗诱生的免疫应答以Th2为主的缺点,在基因枪接种质粒HBsAg DNA疫苗的同时共导入或共表达乙型肝炎病毒壳(HBV core)基因作为佐剂,以促进其所诱生的HBsAg特异性的Th2型免疫应答向Tn1型转换。方法 构建可单独或共同表达HBsAg或核心抗原(HBcAg)的DNA免疫用载体pIRKS／core、pIRES／C149、pIRES／S、pIRES／S／Core和pIRES／S／C149,并在真核细胞进行表达验证。对BALB／c雌鼠进行免疫并检测小鼠免疫后的特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫指标。结果 共导入或共表达HBV core基因能增强基因枪接种HBsAg DNA疫苗诱生的Th1型免疫应答水平,包括HBsAg特异的IgG2a应答、CTL活性、IFN-γ产生能力等。结论 以HBV core基因为佐剂能促进基因枪接种HBsAg DNA疫苗诱生的Th2型免疫应答向Th1型免疫应答转换。     

登革病毒共有序列候选DNA疫苗的免疫原性和保护性研究

目的研究登革病毒(Dengue virus, DENV)共有序列候选DNA疫苗pVAX1-cE80在小鼠体内的免疫原性及其保护作用。方法首先利用pVAX1-cE80 DNA免疫BALB/c小鼠,通过ELISA和噬斑减少中和试验(plaque reduction neutralization test, PRNT)分别检测免疫后小鼠血清中抗登革病毒的4种血清型(dengue virus serotype 1-4, DENV1-4)IgG抗体和中和抗体(neutralizing antibody, nAb)效价;利用酶联免疫斑点试验(enzyme-linked immunospot assay, ELISPOT)检测小鼠脾细胞分泌DENV1-4特异性Th1/Th2型细胞因子的能力;通过攻毒试验评价疫苗对DENV1-4感染的保护作用。结果接种疫苗的小鼠可产生针对DENV1-4的四价抗体,其中抗DENV2抗体水平最高,IgG抗体和nAb效价分别为1∶1 086和1∶120;免疫后小鼠脾细胞在DENV1-4抗原刺激下均可分泌较高水平的IFN-γ和IL-4;疫苗免疫可为小鼠提供针对DENV1-4的部分保护作用。结论单一共有序列登革病毒候选DNA疫苗可诱导小鼠产生四价体液免疫反应和细胞免疫反应,并为小鼠提供部分保护作用,为登革病毒共有序列疫苗的研发奠定了基础。     

金黄色葡萄球菌SarA、IcaA及其融合基因的DNA疫苗构建及在小鼠免疫应答中的初步研究

目的:探究SarA-AG、IcaA-AG及IcaA-SarA-AG(Azami Green用AG表示)融合基因的DNA疫苗及对小鼠免疫应答的影响。方法:以金黄色葡萄球菌基因组为模板,通过PCR等反应进行SarA-AG、Ica A-AG及IcaA-SarA-AG融合基因DNA疫苗的构建,将DNA疫苗转染至HeLa细胞,荧光显微镜下观察DNA疫苗的瞬时表达情况,将转染成功2周后的细胞进行基因组提取,PCR检测质粒在染色体上的整合情况。使用AG、SarA-AG(A组)、Ica A-AG(B组)及Ica A-SarA-AG(C组) 4组免疫BALB/c小鼠,应用ELISA试剂盒检测小鼠血清中IgG抗体、IL-2、IL-4、IL-13、IFN-γ及TNF-α的分泌情况。结果:成功构建SarA-AG、IcaA-AG及Ica A-SarA-AG融合基因DNA疫苗,荧光显微镜下观察DNA疫苗转染情况,结果显示有绿色荧光。提取细胞基因组PCR检测结果显示未出现目的基因条带。免疫小鼠后,A、B、C组均能够诱导小鼠产生较高水平的IgG抗体。与空白组及空载体AG组相比,A、B组均能分泌较高水平的IL-2(P 0.001)、IFN-γ(P 0.001)、TNF-α(P 0.001)、IL-4(P 0.01)及IL-13(P 0.01),而C组TNF-α(P 0.05)、IL-4(P 0.05)及IL-13(P 0.05)分泌较少,但差异有统计学意义,细胞因子的分泌随着免疫次数的增加,差异显著增加。空白组及空载体AG组细胞因子无显著差异。结论:成功构建SarA-AG、IcaA-AG及IcaASarA-AG融合基因的DNA疫苗,且成功在真核细胞中表达。PCR验证结果证实了DNA疫苗的安全性。DNA疫苗免疫小鼠后可诱导体液免疫应答和以Th1细胞为主的细胞免疫应答,具有较好的应用前景。     

抗乙型肝炎病毒e抗原和核心抗原双特异性单克隆抗体的建立与应用

用基因工程技术在大肠杆菌中高效表达的乙型肝炎病毒核心抗原(内含高滴度的e抗原)免疫Balb/C小鼠,取免疫小鼠脾细胞与小鼠骨髓瘤细胞(Sp2/0)融合,获得两株分泌高滴度既抗-HBe又抗-HBc的双特异性杂交瘤细胞系。细胞培养上清液中抗体滴度为100～1000以上;免疫腹水中的抗体滴度为8万至10万以上,均属IgG2a亚类。细胞在实验室连续传代二年多,仍保持高效分泌抗体能力。此单克隆抗体与HBeAg或HBcAg的结合可被抗-HBc或抗-HBc阳性血清所抑制,竞争抑制率在85.9％～96.8％之间。用此单克隆抗体与HBe的β型单克隆抗体和抗HBc的α型单克隆抗体配对,可组装成检测HBeAg/抗-HBe和抗-HBc的诊断试剂,具有重要的应用价值。     

融合表达小鼠IgG2b-Fc可增强人类免疫缺陷病毒1型Gag DNA疫苗的免疫原性

为阐明小鼠IgG2b-Fc对DNA疫苗免疫原性的增强作用,首先构建表达人类免疫缺陷病毒1型(human immunodeficiency virus type 1,HIV-1)CN54Gag基因的DNA疫苗及表达Gag与小鼠IgG2b-Fc融合基因的DNA疫苗,限制性酶切和DNA测序结果表明这两个疫苗均构建成功,蛋白免疫印迹结果也显示其正确表达。然后,利用上述DNA疫苗接种C57BL/6小鼠,比较两个DNA疫苗所诱导的特异性体液免疫反应和特异性细胞免疫反应。结果显示,融合表达小鼠IgG2b-Fc对特异性细胞免疫和体液免疫反应均有增强作用,但只有对特异性体液免疫反应的增强作用有统计学意义。     

扎伊尔型埃博拉重组糖蛋白GP-Fc基因疫苗构建及免疫原性研究

本实验将基于埃博拉病毒表面糖蛋白抗原GP基因序列,按照哺乳动物密码子使用频率优化,并与人IgG恒定区构建融合蛋白GP-Fc基因序列,重组蛋白序列插入基因疫苗载体pVR中,构建重组蛋白基因疫苗pVRmodGP-Fc。通过基因疫苗导入系统免疫小鼠,用间接ELISA和间接免疫荧光对抗体效价进行评估。实验结果显示,重组蛋白GP-Fc的基因疫苗可以很好的刺激小鼠产生特异性抗体,免疫周期结束后,小鼠血清中结合效价终点达到高剂量组1∶300 000及低剂量组1∶180 000,同时血清中的抗体可以很好地结合表达GP抗原的细胞表面,表现出很强的荧光信号。通过该研究我们验证重组蛋白基因疫苗pVR-modGP-Fc可以很好地诱导BALB/c小鼠产生较高滴度的抗原特异性IgG,具有较好的免疫原性。     

MPT63核酸疫苗的制备及其免疫原性

扩增结核分枝杆菌分泌蛋白MPT63编码序列 ,克隆于真核表达载体pJW 4 30 3中 .转染COS 7细胞 ,用Western印迹检测表明该基因在细胞内得到正确表达 .用该质粒连续免疫C5 7BL 6小鼠 3次后 ,用纯化的重组蛋白MPT63检测小鼠血清中的抗体 ,发现抗体滴度达到 10 5,免疫动物中γ干扰素的含量达到 2 5 8± 0 2U ml ,为空载体DNA免疫对照组的 2 0倍以上 ,说明MPT63核酸疫苗在实验动物体内引起了较强的免疫应答     

Composition and arrangement of genes define the strength of IRES-driven translation in bicistronic mRNAs

In addition to the cap-dependent mechanism, eukaryotic initiation of translation can occur by a cap-independent mechanism which directs ribosomes to defined start codons enabled by internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements. IRES elements from poliovirus and encephalomyocarditis virus are often used to construct bi- or oligocistronic expression vectors to co-express various genes from one mRNA. We found that while cap-dependent translation initiation from bicistronic mRNAs remains comparable to monocistronic expression, internal initiation mediated by these viral IRESs is often very inefficient. Expression of bicistronic expression vectors containing the hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) together with various cytokines in the second cistron of bicistronic mRNAs gave rise to very low levels of the tested cytokines. On the other hand, the HBcAg was well expressed when positioned in the second cistron. This suggests that the arrangement of cistrons in a bicistronic setting is crucial for IRES-dependent translation of the second cistron. A systematic examination of expression of reporter cistrons from bicistronic mRNAs with respect to position was carried out. Using the dual luciferase assay system we show that the composition of reading frames on a bicistronic mRNA and the order in which they are arranged define the strength of IRES-dependent translation. Although the cellular environment and the nature of the IRES element influence translation strength the dominant determinant is the nature and the arrangement of cistrons on the mRNA.     

A combination of two Brugia malayi filarial vaccine candidate antigens (BmALT-2 and BmVAH) enhances immune responses and protection in jirds

In this study filarial recombinant protein or DNA vaccine constructs encoding BmALT-2 and BmVAH as single or as cocktail antigens were evaluated. Male jirds were immunized intramuscularly with DNA vaccine constructs or were immunized intraperitoneally with protein vaccine. The single and bicistronic DNA constructs induced substantial interferon-γ responses in spleen cells; antigen-specific responses were higher following immunization with the bicistronic cocktail construct and evoked a significant protective response of 57% in jirds challenged with Brugia malayi that was similar in the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay and micropore chamber experiment. The cocktail protein vaccines induced a mixture of IgG2a (Th1) and IgG1 (Th2) responses with 80% protective response when challenged with B. malayi infective larvae. However, the single protein vaccine rALT-2 induced Th2 (IgG1/IgG3) with a 70% protective response and rVAH induced Th1 (IgG2a) with a lower proliferative response with 60% protection following challenge with B. malayi infective larvae. These results suggest that filarial cocktail protein vaccines are able to elicit substantial immune and protective responses when compared with single antigen vaccination in suitably vaccinated jirds.     

电脉冲和布吡卡因增强A型肉毒毒素DNA核酸疫苗的免疫效果

目的：考查DNA疫苗注射免疫后电脉冲和布吡卡因佐剂化DNA疫苗递送方式对A型肉毒毒素DNA核酸疫苗免疫效果的影响。方法：A型肉毒毒素DNA复制子疫苗和传统DNA疫苗肌肉注射免疫小鼠后电脉冲和布吡卡因佐剂化DNA后再肌肉注射免疫小鼠;检测免疫小鼠的抗体和细胞水平,并分析抗体亚类。结果：电脉冲和布吡卡因这二种递送方式均增强DNA复制子疫苗和传统DNA疫苗的体液免疫和细胞免疫效果;电脉冲提高DNA疫苗免疫效果更为明显,并且电脉冲和布吡卡因组合这种递送方式增强DNA疫苗体液免疫和细胞免疫水平最高;与传统DNA疫苗相比,A型肉毒毒素DNA复制子疫苗在这些递送方式下均诱导产生了更好的特异性体液免疫和细胞免疫应答,并且这些递送方式没有改变DNA疫苗的Th1/Th2免疫应答特性,即DNA复制子疫苗诱导产生Th1/Th2混合免疫应答但偏向于Th2途经,而传统DNA疫苗则完全偏向于Th2途经。结论：电脉冲和布吡卡因增强DNA复制子疫苗和传统DNA疫苗的免疫效果,是提高DNA疫苗免疫原性的良好策略。     

Effect of sperm DNA vaccine on fertility of female mice

Our laboratory has identified a sperm-specific dodecamer peptide sequence, designated as YLP(12), vaccination with which causes a long-term reversible immunocontraceptive effect in female mice. In the present study, the effects of YLP(12) DNA vaccine were examined. YLP(12) 36 bp cDNA was cloned into pVAX1 vector to prepare the DNA vaccine. Two additional vaccine constructs were made by in frame cloning of one and two CpG repeats in the YLP(12)-cDNA vaccine. Five groups of female mice were immunized intradermally by using gene gun with YLP(12)-cDNA, YLP(12)-cDNA-CpG, YLP(12)-cDNA-CpG-CpG, YLP(12)-cDNA mixed with exogenous synthetic CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN), or vector DNA alone, respectively. Vaccination with all three constructs and the YLP(12) vaccine mixed with exogenous ODN raised antibody response both in the sera as well as locally in the vaginal tract. There was no antibody response in the mice injected with the vector alone. In sera, the highest titers were obtained for the IgG class for all constructs and formulation followed by IgA class. In vaginal washings the highest titers were obtained for the IgA class followed by IgG class. Within the IgG class, the titers for the IgG2a subclass were significantly greater than the IgG1 subclass. Immunization with all constructs and formulation caused a significant (P < 0.05 to <0.001) reduction (20-43%) in fertility of female mice. The highest reductions were seen in mice immunized with YLP(12)-cDNA-CpG-CpG (two repeats) (43% reduction) and with the YLP(12) vaccine administered with exogenous CpG ODN (42% reduction). T lymphocytes obtained from DNA-vaccinated mice showed clearly distinguished comparative RT-PCR analysis of cytokine mRNA expression for Th1 and Th2 immune responses compared to T lymphocytes obtained from control animals injected with vector DNA. Expression of both Th1 cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-gamma) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) was enhanced after DNA vaccination as compared to controls, with a bias towards Th1 response. The immunocontraceptive effects were long-lasting observed up to 1.3 years of the observation period and increased with time. These novel findings indicate that the intradermal immunization with a sperm-specific DNA vaccine causes a long-term circulating and local immune response resulting in immunocontraceptive effects in female mice.     

DNA immunization with fusion of CTLA-4 to hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein enhanced Th2 type responses and cleared HBV with an accelerated kinetic

Background

Typically, DNA immunization via the intramuscular route induces specific, Th1-dominant immune responses. However, plasmids expressing viral proteins fused to cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) primed Th2-biased responses and were able to induced effective protection against viral challenge in the woodchuck model. Thus, we addressed the question in the mouse model how the Th1/Th2 bias of primed immune responses by a DNA vaccine influences hepatitis B virus (HBV) clearance.

Principal Findings

Plasmids expressing HBV core protein (HBcAg) or HBV e antigen and HBcAg fused to the extracellular domain of CTLA-4 (pCTLA-4-HBc), CD27, and full length CD40L were constructed. Immunizations of these DNA plasmids induced HBcAg-specific antibody and cytotoxic T-cell responses in mice, but with different characteristics regarding the titers and subtypes of specific antibodies and intensity of T-cell responses. The plasmid pHBc expressing HBcAg induced an IgG2a-dominant response while immunizations of pCTLA-4-HBc induced a balanced IgG1/IgG2a response. To assess the protective values of the immune responses of different characteristics, mice were pre-immunized with pCTLA-4-HBc and pHBc, and challenged by hydrodynamic injection (HI) of pAAV/HBV1.2. HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) and DNA in peripheral blood and HBcAg in liver tissue were cleared with significantly accelerated kinetics in both groups. The clearance of HBsAg was completed within 16 days in immunized mice while more than 50% of the control mice are still positive for HBsAg on day 22. Stronger HBcAg-specific T-cell responses were primed by pHBc correlating with a more rapid decline of HBcAg expression in liver tissue, while anti-HBs antibody response developed rapidly in the mice immunized with pCTLA-4-HBc, indicating that the Th1/Th2 bias of vaccine-primed immune responses influences the mode of viral clearance.

Conclusion

Viral clearance could be efficiently achieved by Th1/Th2-balanced immune response, with a small but significant shift in T-cell and B-cell immune responses.     

Priming Th1 immunity to viral core particles is facilitated by trace amounts of RNA bound to its arginine-rich domain

Particulate hepatitis B core Ag (C protein) (HBcAg) and soluble hepatitis B precore Ag (E protein) (HBeAg) of the hepatitis B virus share >70% of their amino acid sequence and most T and B cell-defined epitopes. When injected at low doses into mice, HBcAg particles prime Th1 immunity while HBeAg protein primes Th2 immunity. HBcAg contains 5-20 ng RNA/microg protein while nucleotide binding to HBeAg is not detectable. Deletion of the C-terminal arginine-rich domain of HBcAg generates HBcAg-144 or HBcAg-149 particles (in which >98% of RNA binding is lost) that prime Th2-biased immunity. HBcAg particles, but not truncated HBcAg-144 or -149 particles stimulate IL-12 p70 release by dendritic cells and IFN-gamma release by nonimmune spleen cells. The injection of HBeAg protein or HBcAg-149 particles into mice primes Th1 immunity only when high doses of RNA (i.e., 20-100 microg/mouse) are codelivered with the Ag. Particle-incorporated RNA has thus a 1000-fold higher potency as a Th1-inducing adjuvant than free RNA mixed to a protein Ag. Disrupting the particulate structure of HBcAg releases RNA and abolishes its Th1 immunity inducing potency. Using DNA vaccines delivered intradermally with the gene gun, inoculation of 1 microg HBcAg-encoding pCI/C plasmid DNA primes Th1 immunity while inoculation of 1 microg HBeAg-encoding pCI/E plasmid DNA or HBcAg-149-encoding pCI/C-149 plasmid DNA primes Th2 immunity. Expression data show eukaryotic RNA associated with HBcAg, but not HBeAg, expressed by the DNA vaccine. Hence, codelivery of an efficient, intrinsic adjuvant (i.e., nanogram amounts of prokaryotic or eukaryotic RNA bound to arginine-rich sequences) by HBcAg nucleocapsids facilitates priming of anti-viral Th1 immunity.     

Characterization of immune responses induced by intramuscular vaccination with DNA vaccines encoding measles virus hemagglutinin and/or fusion proteins

Measles virus (MV) hemagglutinin (MV-H) and fusion (MV-F) proteins induce plaque reduction neutralizing (PRN) antibodies and cell-mediated immune responses that protect against clinical measles. DNA vaccines that encode MV-H and MV-F are being investigated as a new generation of measles vaccine to protect infants too young to receive currently licensed attenuated measles vaccines. However, it is unclear whether DNA vaccines encoding both MV-H and MV-F act synergistically to induce stronger immunity than immunization with plasmids encoding MV-H or MV-F alone. To address this question, we generated Sindbis virus-based pSINCP DNA vaccines that encode either MV-H or MV-F alone or bicistronic or fusion system vectors that encode both MV-H and MV-F (to mimic MV infection where both MV-H and MV-F proteins are expressed by the same mammalian cell). Mice immunized with DNA vaccine encoding MV-H alone developed significantly greater PRN titers than mice immunized with bicistronic constructs. Interestingly, the presence of MV-F in the bicistronic constructs stimulated serum MV-specific immunoglobulin G of reduced avidity. By contrast, mice immunized with bicistronic constructs induced equivalent or higher levels of MV-specific gamma interferon responses than mice immunized with DNA vaccine encoding MV-H alone. These data will help guide the design of DNA-based MV vaccines to be used early in life in a heterologous prime-boost strategy.     

Construction of a bicistronic vector for the co-expression of two genes in Caenorhabditis elegans using a newly identified IRES

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model animal for biological research. Currently, transgenic C. elegans strains are mainly generated by injecting DNA encoding a gene of interest, in combination with a reporter gene, into the gonad. With this approach, the interpretation of negative results, such as the failure to observe reporter expression, is frequently required. Single, selectable vectors are urgently required. Internal ribosome entry site (IRES) elements are known to bind the eukaryotic ribosomal translation initiation complex and independently promote translation initiation. Bioinformatic analysis predicted an IRES motif upstream of the start codon of the C. elegans Hsp-3 gene. While this sequence has a Y-shaped double-hairpin secondary structure characteristic of IRES elements, it was unclear if it could function as an IRES. In the present study, this predicted Hsp-3 IRES was incorporated into a bicistronic vector driven by the myo-3 promoter, which allowed co-expression of RFP and GFP genes in the muscle tissue of C. elegans and thereby demonstrated that this IRES element is functional. This vector provides a novel, powerful tool for C. elegans research.