Enrichment of adeno-associated virus serotype 5 full capsids by anion exchange chromatography with dual salt elution gradients

Adeno-associated virus-based gene therapies have demonstrated substantial therapeutic benefit for the treatment of genetic disorders. In manufacturing processes, viral capsids are produced with and without the encapsidated gene of interest. Capsids devoid of the gene of interest, or “empty” capsids, represent a product-related impurity. As a result, a robust and scalable method to enrich full capsids is crucial to provide patients with as much potentially active product as possible. Anion exchange chromatography has emerged as a highly utilized method for full capsid enrichment across many serotypes due to its ease of use, robustness, and scalability. However, achieving sufficient resolution between the full and empty capsids is not trivial. In this work, anion exchange chromatography was used to achieve empty and full capsid resolution for adeno-associated virus serotype 5. A salt gradient screen of multiple salts with varied valency and Hofmeister series properties was performed to determine optimal peak resolution and aggregate reduction. Dual salt effects were evaluated on the same product and process attributes to identify any synergies with the use of mixed ion gradients. The modified process provided as high as ≥75% AAV5 full capsids (≥3-fold enrichment based on the percent full in the feed stream) with near baseline separation of empty capsids and achieved an overall vector genome step yield of >65%.     

Comparative Analysis of the 16S to 23S Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Sequences of Bacillus thuringiensis Strains and Subspecies and of Closely Related Species

Volume 61, no. 4, p. 1624, column 2, lines 38-41: The sentence should read "For example, at position 21, the G nucleotide (Fig. 1) was present in all the ISR B. thuringiensis subspecies except for B. thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis (Te4), which contained an A." Page 1624, column 2, line 45: "Position 62" should read "position 11." Page 1624, column 2, line 47: "Position 90" should read "position 39." Page 1624, column 2, line 49: "Position 83" should read "position 32." Page 1625, column 1, line 3: "Position 83" should read "position 32." Page 1626, column 1, line 1: "Positions 62, 90, and 165, and one deletion at position 83" should read "positions 11, 39, and 114, and one deletion at position 32." [This corrects the article on p. 1623 in vol. 61.].     

Refined solution structure of human profilin I.

Profilin is a ubiquitous eukaryotic protein that binds to both cytosolic actin and the phospholipid phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate. These dual competitive binding capabilities of profilin suggest that profilin serves as a link between the phosphatidyl inositol cycle and actin polymerization, and thus profilin may be an essential component in the signaling pathway leading to cytoskeletal rearrangement. The refined three-dimensional solution structure of human profilin I has been determined using multidimensional heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Twenty structures were selected to represent the solution conformational ensemble. This ensemble of structures has root-mean-square distance deviations from the mean structure of 0.58 A for the backbone atoms and 0.98 A for all non-hydrogen atoms. Comparison of the solution structure of human profilin to the crystal structure of bovine profilin reveals that, although profilin adopts essentially identical conformations in both states, the solution structure is more compact than the crystal structure. Interestingly, the regions that show the most structural diversity are located at or near the actin-binding site of profilin. We suggest that structural differences are reflective of dynamical properties of profilin that facilitate favorable interactions with actin. The global folding pattern of human profilin also closely resembles that of Acanthamoeba profilin I, reflective of the 22% sequence identity and approximately 45% sequence similarity between these two proteins.     

3beta-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in human fetal membranes.

A 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3betaHSD) was demonstrated in term human fetal membranes (chorion and amnion) with both dehydroepiandrosterone (3beta-hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one) and pregnenolone (3beta-hydroxy-5-pregnen-20-one as substrates, and the subcellular distribution substrate and nucleotide specificity of the enzyme was studied. In both membranes the microsomal fraction (particles which sedimented at 105,000 g after 90 min) had the highest specific activity. The chorion was more active than the amnion but the enzyme in both tissues had similar substrate and nucleotide specificity. NAD was the preferred cofactor, and pregnenolone was a better substrate than dehydroepiandrosterone in the presence of NAD. However, with NADP as cofactor both steroids were equally good substrates. When the 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity of chorion microsomes was compared with that of placental microsomes, the specific activities were found to be of the same order of magnitude, and the substrate, nucleotide specificity and steroid binding properties were almost identical.     

Inhibition of fast axonal transport in vitro by tetracaine: an increase in potency at alkaline pH, and no change in potency in calcium-depleted nerves

Some of the present in vitro experiments compare the degree of inhibition of fast axonal transport produced by tetracaine at neutral and at alkaline pH. In desheathed spinal nerves from bullfrog, 0.5 mM tetracaine reduced the quantity of [3H]leucine-labeled proteins which were transported to a ligature by 43% at pH 7.2 and by 96% at pH 8.2; separate experiments established that transport was not affected by the pH change in the absence of tetracaine. The relationship between pH and transport-blocking potency of tetracaine (pKa 8.2) is such that the local anesthetic is more potent when more uncharged form of the molecule is present; this may reflect the easier penetration across the axonal plasma membrane by the uncharged form of the tetracaine molecule. The axonal smooth endoplasmic reticulum has been attributed the function of a calcium reservoir, and it appeared possible that local anesthetics could block axonal transport by releasing calcium from this structure. However, the inhibition of transport produced by 1 mM tetracaine (pH 7.1) in sheathed nerves was approximately 80% both in nerves with a lower than normal calcium content (47% of normal) and in nerves with a normal calcium content; this result does not support the hypothesis that inhibition of axonal transport by local anesthetics is mediated by an increase in intracellular free Ca2+, but does not rule out the hypothesis either.     

Combined effect of 2-deoxy-D-glucose and exercise on plasma catecholamine response.

2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) is a nonmetabolizable analogue of glucose that, by competitive inhibition of glucose utilization, produces a central neuroglucopenia and a peripheral hyperglycemia. This glucopenic agent was used to gain more insight into the combined effects of central glucopenia and exercise on plasma catecholamine response. This was carried out by comparing one group of exercising (26 m/min, 0% grade) rats injected with 2-DG (2-DG-EX; 250 mg/kg iv) with two control groups: one group of exercising rats injected with a saline solution (SAL-EX) and one group of resting rats injected with 2-DG (2-DG-RE). Significant (P less than 0.05) increases in blood glucose levels were observed 10 min after administration of 2-DG (7.2-13.8 and 7.3-12.4 mmol/l in 2-DG-EX and 2-DG-RE groups, respectively). These elevated blood glucose levels were maintained throughout the experiment in the 2-DG-RE condition but decreased in 2-DG-EX rats to levels observed in the SAL-EX group after 45 min of running (13.8-8.0 mmol/l). The combination of 2-DG-induced neuroglucopenia and exercise resulted in an additive response of norepinephrine (0.59 vs. 0.34 and 0.34 ng/ml; t = 12 min) and an amplified epinephrine response (1.4 vs. 0.37 and 0.31 ng/ml; t = 12 min) compared with the responses to each stimulus alone (2-DG-EX vs. 2-DG-RE and SAL-EX, respectively).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Preliminary characterization of four bacteriocins from Streptococcus mutans

The various properties of the inhibitory substances produced by Streptococcus mutans strains C67-1, Ny257-S, Ny266, and T8, and the fact that inhibitory zones produced could not be associated with lactic acid (or other organic acids), bacteriophages, or hydrogen peroxide indicate that these substances can be classified as mutacins. The substances produced by strains C67-1, Ny266, and T8 possessed similar properties. They were shown to be thermoresistant (100 degrees C, 30 min), low molecular weight (less than 3500) substances sensitive to proteolytic enzymes (chymotrypsin, papain, pronase E, proteinase K, and trypsin) and they were active against most of the Gram-positive bacteria tested but not against most of the Gram-negative bacteria. The substance produced by strain Ny257-S differs from the other three by its narrower activity spectrum, its lower thermoresistance (80 degrees C, 30 min), and its higher molecular weight (8,000-14,000). The gene or the genes coding for the mutacins are probably located on the chromosome since no plasmid DNA could be detected in these four producing strains. Restriction-fragment patterns of C67-1 and T8 suggest that these strains are closely related, as supported by the strong similarity observed between the properties of their mutacins.     

Effects of glucocorticoids on prostaglandin formation by human amnion

The human amnion may be an important source of prostaglandins involved in the onset of human labor and therefore it is important to define the factors that regulate their formation in this tissue. In the present study we demonstrate that glucocorticoids inhibit prostaglandin production by freshly isolated amnion cells. The inhibitory action of the glucocorticoids, however, changes to a stimulatory action when the cells are maintained in primary culture for a few days. For both inhibition and stimulation, concentrations of 10(-8) M dexamethasone or greater were required to give significant effects, and estradiol and progesterone had no effect on the prostaglandin output of the cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), which has previously been found to stimulate prostaglandin output by confluent amnion cells, did not alter prostaglandin output of cells initially placed in culture. Furthermore, the stimulatory action of EGF and dexamethasone appeared additive. The calcium ionophore A23187 stimulated prostaglandin output in freshly isolated cells and accentuated the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone. These studies indicate that prostaglandin formation by human amnion during pregnancy could be regulated by glucocorticoids. These steroids are easily available to the amnion by way of cortisone conversion to cortisol by the maternal decidua. The results also indicate that amnion is capable of responding to glucocorticoids in both a stimulatory and inhibitory fashion and whether one or both actions are of importance in vivo is a question that is as yet unresolved.     

Effect of human leukocyte interferon on human lymphocytes in vitro: cytogenetic studies

Mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes from 8 healthy donors were exposed to interferon, and cytogenetic studies were preformed. The response of lymphocytes to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalin A (con A) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM) was inhibited by interferon, whereas an increased number of structural chromosomal aberrations was not detected. Further investigations of the cytogenetic effects of interferon are needed.