ColD-derived cloning vectors that autoamplify in the stationary phase of bacterial growth

The construction of cloning vectors based on the replicon of plasmid ColD-CA23 is reported. These vectors, like ColD itself, autoamplify when cultures of host bacteria enter the stationary phase of growth, thereby resulting in a substantial increase in the expression of cloned genes as a consequence of the increase in gene dosage. The principal advantage of these vectors is that, unlike the situation pertaining to other expression vectors, the increase in expression of genes cloned in ColD vectors does not require any experimental intervention (i.e., occurs naturally), and takes place at high cell densities. The vectors show high stability in Escherichia coli strains and are compatible with ColE1-type cloning vectors.     

An in vitro recombination method to convert restriction- and ligation-independent expression vectors

In recent years, restriction-less recombination cloning systems based on site-specific recombinase with high efficiency have been proven to be very successful. Thus, it is desirable to convert existing conventional vectors to recombination vectors. In this report, we describe the conversion of a set of widely used conventional vectors to Gateway recombination expression vectors. An attB cassette flanked by several restriction enzyme sites was inserted in a cloning vector, and then subcloned into existing vectors to be converted to construct intermediate vectors containing the attB cassette, which were then converted to recombination expression vectors by in vitro recombination. The intermediate vectors generated in this study can be used for releasing the attB cassette to convert other vectors using the same protocol described here. With the increasing number of recombination vectors constructed with this protocol, the likeliness of releasing the attB cassette from an existing vector, rather than synthesizing it with PCR, will increase. The final expression vectors can also be used for releasing the attR cassette for constructing new vectors.     

Cardiomyocyte-specific gene expression following recombinant adeno-associated viral vector transduction

Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors hold promise for delivering genes for heart diseases, but cardiac-specific expression by the use of rAAV has not been demonstrated. To achieve this goal rAAV vectors were generated expressing marker or potentially therapeutic genes under the control of the cardiac muscle-specific alpha myosin heavy chain (MHC) gene promoter. The rAAV-MHC vectors expressed in primary cardiomyocytes with similar kinetics to rAAV-CMV; however, expression by the rAAV-MHC vectors was restricted to cardiomyocytes. rAAV vectors have low cytotoxicity, and it is demonstrated here that rAAV fails to induce apoptosis in cardiomyocytes compared with a recombinant adenoviral vector. rAAV-MHC or rAAV-CMV vectors were administered to mice to determine the specificity of expression in vivo. The rAAV-MHC vectors expressed specifically in cardiomyocytes, whereas the control rAAV-CMV vector expressed in heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. rAAV-MHC transduction resulted in long term (16 weeks) expression of human growth hormone following intracardiac, yet not intramuscular, injection. Finally, we defined the minimal MHC enhancer/promoter sequences required for specific and robust in vivo expression in the context of a rAAV vector. For the first time we describe a panel of rAAV vectors capable of long term cardiac specific expression of intracellular and secreted proteins.     

PSITE vectors for stable integration or transient expression of autofluorescent protein fusions in plants: probing Nicotiana benthamiana-virus interactions

Plant functional proteomics research is increasingly dependent upon vectors that facilitate high-throughput gene cloning and expression of fusions to autofluorescent proteins. Here, we describe the pSITE family of plasmids, a new set of Agrobacterium binary vectors, suitable for the stable integration or transient expression of various autofluorescent protein fusions in plant cells. The pSITE vectors permit single-step Gateway-mediated recombination cloning for construction of binary vectors that can be used directly in transient expression studies or for the selection of transgenic plants on media containing kanamycin. These vectors can be used to express native proteins or fusions to monmeric red fluorescent protein or the enhanced green fluorescent protein and its cyan and yellow-shifted spectral variants. We have validated the vectors for use in transient expression assays and for the generation of transgenic plants. Additionally, we have generated markers for fluorescent highlighting of actin filaments, chromatin, endoplasmic reticulum, and nucleoli. Finally, we show that pSITE vectors can be used for targeted gene expression in virus-infected cells, which should facilitate high-throughput characterization of protein dynamics in host-virus interactions.     

Endogenous microRNA can be broadly exploited to regulate transgene expression according to tissue, lineage and differentiation state

We have shown previously that transgene expression can be suppressed in hematopoietic cells using vectors that are responsive to microRNA (miRNA) regulation. Here we investigate the potential of this approach for more sophisticated control of transgene expression. Analysis of the relationship between miRNA expression levels and target mRNA suppression suggested that suppression depends on a threshold miRNA concentration. Using this information, we generated vectors that rapidly adjust transgene expression in response to changes in miRNA expression. These vectors sharply segregated transgene expression between closely related states of therapeutically relevant cells, including dendritic cells, hematopoietic and embryonic stem cells, and their progeny, allowing positive/negative selection according to the cells' differentiation state. Moreover, two miRNA target sites were combined to restrict transgene expression to a specific cell type in the liver. Notably, the vectors did not detectably perturb endogenous miRNA expression or regulation of natural targets. The properties of miRNA-regulated vectors should allow for safer and more effective therapeutic applications.     

The comparative and functional study between two construction methods of shRNA expression vector targeted <Emphasis Type="Italic">LMP1</Emphasis> gene encoded by EBV

To look for a more stable and convenient way of constructing short hairpin RNA expression vectors targeting the latent membrane protein-1(LMP-1) encoded by Epstein-Barr virus(pshLMP1), and to study the inhibition function of pshLMP1 expression vectors in HNE1 cells, we designed the pshLMP1 expression cassette and pshLMP1 expression vectors by both the annealing method and PCR method and then co-transfected with pEGFP-N1-1158 into HNE1 cells to observe the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes by green fluorescence analysis, RT-PCR and western blot. pshLMP1 expression vectors were successfully obtained by both methods but better cloning efficiency was achieved and fewer deletions and mutations of nucleotides were achieved with the PCR method. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes were down-regulated by pshLMP1 expression vectors. According to our research, we found that the PCR method provides a more efficient way to construct pshLMP1 expression vectors which have the ability to inhibit the function of LMP-1 genes expressed in HNE1 cells, and also provides a novel application of RNA interference technology against-EBV.      

The Comparative and Functional Study between Two Construction Methods of shRNA Expression Vector Targeted LMP1 Gene Encoded by EBV

To look for a more stable and convenient way of constructing short hairpin RNA expression vectors targeting the latent membrane protein-1(LMP-1) encoded by Epstein-Barr virus(pshLMP1), and to study the inhibition function of pshLMP1 expression vectors in HNE1 cells, we designed the pshLMP1 expression cassette and pshLMP1 expression vectors by both the annealing method and PCR method and then co-transfected with pEGFP-N1-1158 into HNE1 cells to observe the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes by green fluorescence analysis, RT-PCR and western blot. pshLMP1 expression vectors were successfully obtained by both methods but better cloning efficiency was achieved and fewer deletions and mutations of nucleotides were achieved with the PCR method. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes were down-regulated by pshLMP1 expression vectors. According to our research, we found that the PCR method provides a more efficient way to construct pshLMP1 expression vectors which have the ability to inhibit the function of LMP-1 genes expressed in HNE1 cells, and also provides a novel application of RNA interference technology against-EBV.     

Improved neuronal transgene expression from an AAV-2 vector with a hybrid CMV enhancer/PDGF-beta promoter

BACKGROUND: Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) vectors are highly promising tools for gene therapy of neurological disorders. After accommodating a cellular promoter, AAV-2 vectors are able to drive sustained expression of transgene in the brain. This study aimed to develop AAV-2 vectors that also facilitate a high level of neuronal expression by enhancing the strength of a neuron-specific promoter, the human platelet-derived growth factor beta-chain (PDGF) promoter. METHODS AND RESULTS: A hybrid promoter approach was adopted to fuse the enhancer of human cytomegalovirus immediately early (CMV) promoter to the PDGF promoter. In cultured cortex neurons, AAV-2 vectors containing the hybrid promoter augmented transgene expression up to 20-fold over that mediated by titer-matched AAV-2 vectors with the PDGF promoter alone and 4-fold over the CMV enhancer/promoter. Injection of AAV-2 vectors with the hybrid promoter into the rat striatum resulted in neuron-specific transgene expression, the level of which was about 10-fold higher than those provided by the two control AAV-2 expression cassettes at 4 weeks post-injection and maintained for at least 12 weeks. Gene expression in the substantia nigra through possible retrograde transport of the AAV-2 vectors injected into the striatum was not obvious. After direct injection of AAV-2 vectors into the substantia nigra, transgene expression driven by the hybrid promoter was observed specifically in dopaminergic neurons and its level was about 3 and 17 times higher than that provided by the PDGF promoter alone and the CMV enhancer/promoter, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Enhanced transgene capacity plus neuron-specificity of the AAV-2 vectors developed in this study might prove valuable for gene therapy of Parkinson's disease.     

The Comparative and Functional Study between Two Construction Methods of shRNA Expression Vector Targeted LMP1 Gene Encoded by EBV

To look for a more stable and convenient way of constructing short hairpin RNA expression vectors targeting the latent membrane protein-1(LMP-1)encoded by Epstein-Barr virus(pshLMP1),and to study the inhibition function of pshLMP1 expression vectors in HNE1 cells,we designed the pshLMP1 expression cassette and pshLMP1 expression vectors by both the annealing method and PCR method and then co-transfected with pEGFP-N1-1158 into HNE1 cells to observe the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes by green fluorescence analysis,RT-PCR and western blot.pshLMP1 expression vectors were successfully obtained by both methods but better cloning efficiency was achieved and fewer deletions and mutations of nucleotides were achieved with the PCR method.Furthermore,the mRNA and protein levels of LMP-1 genes were down-regulated by pshLMP1 expression vectors.According to our research,we found that the PCR method provides a more efficient way to construct pshLMP1 expression vectors which have the ability to inhibit the function of LMP-1 genes expressed in HNE1 cells,and also provides a novel application of RNA interference technology against-EBV.     

MSTN基因siRNA表达载体的构建和鉴定

目的构建能沉默MSTN基因的小干扰RNA表达载体,并鉴定它沉默肌母细胞MSTN基因的效率。方法合成3对发夹小干扰RNA模板寡核苷酸链,退火后插入pSileneer载体．构建成可沉默MSTN基因的小干扰RNA表达载体,通过酶切和测序鉴定构建的小干扰RNA表达载体。将小干扰RNA表达载体转染肌母细胞,用实时荧光定量RT—PCR和Western印迹检测转染的肌母细胞myostatin的表达水平。结果酶切和测序证实3个小干扰RNA表达载体构建正确,实时荧光定量RT—PCR显示所构建的3个小干扰RNA表达载体对肌母细胞MSTN基因的干扰率分别为43．6％、47．7％和81．6％,它们的干扰效果被Western印迹所证实。结论干扰率为81．6％的小干扰RNA表达载体为构建成功的小干扰RNA表达载体,。岜可用作MSTN基因的功能研究和肌病治疗的分子研究。     

An advanced blue-white screening method for construction of shRNA expression vectors

Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) encoded within an expression vector is an effective tool for exploration of gene function in mammalian cells. Many of the current methods for constructing shRNA expression vectors require cumbersome and time-consuming procedures for identification of the desired recombinants. We have developed a highly efficient and less labor-intensive cloning method that allows the construction of shRNA expression vectors in one day and with minimal effort. This advanced blue-white screening technique was developed by combining the reconstitution of ideal lacO with TA cloning. The DNAs are simply ligated into the destination vectors and, following transformation, a desired recombinant event will give a typical blue colony. In addition, we have used this cloning method for the construction of targeting reporter expression vectors to measure the efficacy of the corresponding shRNA. We constructed 122 functional shRNA expression vectors and sequencing of the positive cloning vectors confirmed a high degree of accuracy. Only three short DNA primers are needed for constructing both shRNA and targeting reporter expression vectors. This advanced blue-white screening system is a powerful tool for the high-throughput assay of RNAi libraries.     

Improved bicistronic mammalian expression vectors using expression augmenting sequence element (EASE)

We have recently reported on the isolation of a 5.7 kb segment of Chinese hamster ovary cell genomic DNA, Expression Augmenting Sequence Element (EASE), which when used in bicistronic expression vectors allows the development of stable Chinese hamster ovary cell pools in a five to seven week time period that express high levels of recombinant protein (6–25 μg 10-6 cells/day depending on the protein). In the present study, we have mapped the activity of the EASE to a 2.1 kb region using colony forming assays and developed bicistronic expression vectors with the smaller EASE or control lambda DNA. The recovery of pools expressing the hematopoietic growth factor, FLT3 Ligand, in methotrexate-containing media took 1 to 4 weeks less when using EASE expression vectors compared with control vectors. The cell pools developed with the EASE and control vectors had similar final protein expression levels. Southern blot analysis suggested the expression cassette from the EASE containing vectors integrated in tandem arrays arranged in either head to head or head to tail fashion. By contrast, control vectors appeared to integrate with multiple interruptions to the expression vector. Thus, the EASE, within a bicistronic expression vector, appeared to facilitate tandem vector integration and reduce the time required to develop cell pools for protein expression. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Advances in lentiviral vector design for gene-modification of hematopoietic stem cells

Lentiviral vectors are more efficient at transducing quiescent hematopoietic stem cells than murine retroviral vectors. This characteristic is due to multiple karyophilic components of the lentiviral vector pre-integration complex. Lentiviral vectors are also able to carry more complex payloads than murine retroviral vectors, making it possible to deliver expression cassettes that direct either constitutive or targeted expression in various hematopoietic stem cell progeny.     

Eukaryotic Expression Vectors That Replicate to Low Copy Number in Bacteria: Transient Expression of the Menkes Protein

A set of low copy number plasmid vectors for mammalian gene expression has been constructed. These vectors are derived from the previously described bacterial low copy number expression vectors, pWSK29 and pWKS30, which are present at six to eight copies per cell. The new plasmids also have the following useful properties: (1) they contain antibiotic resistance markers for the selection of stable mammalian cell lines; (2) they have either constitutive or inducible promoters; (3) a chimeric intron, for enhancing gene expression, is present; (4) they contain unique cloning sites; (5) they have an SV40 polyadenylation signal, and a subset of the vectors have an SV40 origin of replication for episomal replication and transient gene expression. A cDNA encoding the Menkes disease protein was cloned into two of these vectors, and transient expression studies in COS-7 cells showed that both constitutive and inducible expression was possible. This set of expression vectors will provide a useful tool for the manipulation, inEscherichia coli,of mammalian genes or cDNAs that are unstable in the high copy number vectors that are currently available.     

Expression vectors for enzyme restriction- and ligation-independent cloning for producing recombinant His-fusion proteins

In this work we have constructed two novel expression vectors, designated as pURI2 and pURI3, which enable parallel cloning of a given target gene for producing recombinant His-fusion proteins. The vectors were created using the well-known pT7-7 and pIN-III-A3 plasmids as their template. The same DNA fragment containing the His-tag, enterokinase cleavage site, and a NotI unique site, as well as keeping the HindIII unique restriction site, was introduced in both vectors. These vectors have been designed to avoid the enzyme restriction and ligation steps during the cloning. The unique NotI site was introduced to facilitate the selection of the adequate recombinant plasmid. Parallel cloning of the same polymerase chain reaction fragment can be carried out since both vectors shared the same leader sequence. The described strategy avoids tedious cloning efforts into different expression vectors and represents a highly efficient means of cloning. To validate our vectors, we have cloned one target gene in both vectors and used expression and purification techniques to obtain the recombinant target protein. We herein show that both vectors function effectively in all the required experimental steps-cloning, expression, purification, and cleavage.     

High-throughput gateway bicistronic retroviral vectors for stable expression in mammalian cells: exploring the biologic effects of STAT5 overexpression

Stable expression of cloned genes in mammalian cells has been achieved in the past by retroviral transduction using bicistronic retroviral vectors. In these vectors, the use of an Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) allows simultaneous expression of a protein of interest and a fluorescence marker. However, traditional cDNA cloning in these vectors is often difficult. Here we report the construction of a high-throughput retroviral vector using the Invitrogen "Gateway" Cloning system. The Gateway recombination sequences (attR) flanking the ccdB and chloramphenicol resistance genes were incorporated at the 5' of the IRES of pMX-IRES-GFP, -CD2, or -CD4 vectors. Through recombination, these vectors can acquire cDNAs coding for genes of interest, which will result in simultaneous expression of the recombined gene and the marker protein. We constructed Gateway bicistronic vectors coding for the erythropoietin receptor (EpoR) and GFP, CD4, or CD2. Epo-dependent proliferation assays and analysis of Jak2-dependent EpoR cell-surface expression showed that these vectors were able to function indistinguishable from the original pMX-EpoR-IRES-GFP. The expression levels of the genes cloned upstream the IRES were proportional to the levels of expression of GFP, which was cloned downstream of the IRES. We used the same approach and generated Ba/F3 cells that overexpress STAT5a, STAT5b, or a constitutively active form of STAT5. Overexpression of STAT5 lead to a significant effect on the intrinsic adherence to plastic of these cells, but did not change their proliferative responses to cytokines. We discuss possible applications of the new vectors for cell signaling and expression cloning.     

抑制Dicer基因对shRNA功能发挥的影响

本文将Dicer基因的RNA酶III结构域作为靶区,设计并构建了两个抗Dicer基因的小发夹样RNA(shRNA)表达载体,将其转染2215、结肠癌TC细胞和基因组中整合有绿色荧光蛋白基因(GFP)的HepG2A9细胞,通过RT-PCR评价RNA干扰抑制Dicer基因表达的效率;当HepG2A9细胞Dicer基因表达被上述RNA干扰抑制时,再转染抗GFP的shRNA表达载体,通过RT-PCR和荧光显微镜观察GFP表达水平。结果显示,在不同细胞系中,这两个抗Dicer基因shRNA表达载体,均能明显抑制Dicer基因的表达;当Dicer基因受抑时,后续转染抗GFP的shRNA表达载体不能有效抑制GFP的表达。结果表明,抗Dicer基因shRNA表达载体,能够明显抑制Dicer基因的表达;shRNA表达载体的功能发挥需要Dicer酶的直接参与。     

Alphaviral vectors for gene transfer into neurons

Alphaviruses are small, enveloped positive-strand RNA viruses that have been successfully transformed into expression vectors in the case of Semliki Forest virus (SFV), Sindbis virus (SIN), and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Compared to other viral vectors, their advantages are easy and fast generation of recombinant viral particles, rapid onset, and high-level transgene expression. When applied to neuronal tissue, SFV and SIN vectors possess the additional advantage of efficiently and preferentially transducing neurons rather than non-neuronal cells. This article gives an overview of the biology of SFV and SIN, their generation into expression vectors, and their application in neurobiology, with particular emphasis on the transduction of hippocampal neurons. In addition, it describes the more recent development of alphaviral vectors with decreased or absent cytotoxicity and lowered transgene expression, temperature-controllable gene expression, and altered host-cell specificity in the central nervous system (CNS). Finally, the review evaluates the use of SFV and SIN vectors in hippocampal tissue cultures vs recombinant lentivirus, adenovirus type 5, adeno-associated virus type 2, and measles virus.     

乳酸菌食品级表达载体的研究与应用

乳酸菌是能够发酵糖类产生大量有机酸的革兰氏阳性菌的通称,在发酵食品中有着悠久的应用历史。乳酸菌通常被认为是安全菌株,这些微生物的基因工程操作在食品、医学等方面具有广阔的应用前景。表达载体是基因工程中常用的工具之一,大多数乳酸菌的表达载体通常以抗生素抗性基因作为选择标记,然而抗性基因具有潜在的转移性,因此需要开发食品级表达载体。食品级表达载体不含有抗生素的抗性基因,仅包含来自同源宿主或通常被认为是安全生物的DNA。本文介绍了乳酸菌食品级表达载体的构成及其常用宿主,同时对乳酸菌食品级表达载体的应用进行了归纳总结。     

靶向HBs基因的shRNA表达载体的构建及其抑制HepG2.2.15表达HBVsAg的作用

探索用PGenesil-1(Pg)构建的靶向乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)基因的shRNA表达载体PGenesil-1-HBs(简称Pgs),对体外培养HepG2.2.15细胞中的HBV基因及其抗原表达的抑制作用.设计、合成靶向HBV S区的3对DNA序列,分别插入PGenesil-1中构建3个siRNA表达载体Pgs1、Pgs2、Pgs3,经限制性内切酶,DNA序列测定等技术鉴定确认.筛选并确定最佳细胞接种量及重组质粒转染量后,分别或按不同组合转染HepG-2.2.15细胞,48 h后采用半定量RT-PCR检测HBVsmRNA转录水平,免疫细胞化学技术检测HBsAg表达水平,MEIA分别检测细胞裂解液和培养上清中HBsAg和HBeAg的表达水平.结果表明,HBV真核表达载体Pgs1、Pgs2、Pgs3均能不同程度地抑制HepG2.2.15细胞中的HBsAg、HBeAg合成和HBs-mRNA转录.成功构建的HBV真核表达载体Pgs1、Pgs2、Pgs3,其中PgS3能显著抑制HBsAg表达(P＜0.01).多种表达载体联合对抗原表达的抑制作用效率不同.