Instability of plasmid DNA integrated into mammalian somatic cell genome

The phenomenon of loosing exogenic DNA from the mammalian somatic cell genome is under investigation. It is found that foreign DNA incorporated into cell genome as a result of transfection by electrophoretion may be lost with the frequency from 1/100 up to 1/100 000 per cell division during cultivation. This effect is not dependent of the nature of cell line and vector DNA. It is actual for different cell lines: A23, human fibroblasts AG 11395, murine embryonic line F9, and for different plasmid vectors: p16, p.39, pATR4 and pcDNA3.1-Higr (WRN). Integration of pDNA into genome and the following loosing of this DNA is registered by selection markers G418 and hygromycin B resistance and gancyclovir sensibility. The presence of foreign DNA in the genome was controlled by PCR. It is found that true foreign DNA deletion from the genome takes place rather than gene expression changes. For closely linked plasmid genes deletion of both genes at once as well as loosing any one gene separately is shown. Thus, the phenomenon of selective deletion of exogenic DNA from genome has been demonstrated for different mammalian cells.     

Shuttle vectors conferring hygromycin B resistance to E. coli and to mammalian cells. Differential expression of carboxyterminal fusion proteins.

Shuttle vectors expressing resistance to hygromycin B in both E. coli and in mammalian cells were constructed. A combination of the simian virus 40 early promoter upstream of the native bacterial promoter of the neo gene from transposon Tn5 was found to express hygromycin B resistance better in both types of host cells than a combination of the Tn5 promoter followed by the promoter of the Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. Hygromycin phosphotransferase fusion proteins with extensions at the carboxyterminus were also tested and found to be marginally less effective as selection markers in eukaryotic cells but virtually inactive in E. coli.     

潮霉素抗性3T3细胞的建立和鉴定

目的　建立具有潮霉素 (hygromycin)抗性的 3T3细胞系 ,用于转染目的基因 (pTRE Ins human)的ES阳性细胞克隆筛选的饲养层。方法　通过脂质体转染的方法 ,将含有潮霉素B磷酸转移酶基因的质粒pHyg导入 3T3细胞中 ,利用潮霉素的药物选择特性 ,对转染细胞进行压力筛选 ,并对其进行PCR鉴定。结果　经 5 0 0 μg ml的潮霉素压力筛选后 ,获得了抗性细胞克隆。抗性 3T3细胞的形态和生长速度与正常 3T3细胞没有差异 ,特异性核苷酸引物检测抗性细胞基因组DNA ,可以扩增出对应的核苷酸片段。结论　成功地培育了潮霉素抗性的 3T3细胞 ,为进行目的基因 (pTRE Ins human)转染ES细胞的阳性细胞克隆筛选奠定了基础。     

Shuttle vectors conferring hygromycin B resistance toE. coli and to mammalian cells

Shuttle vectors expressing resistance to hygromycin B in bothE. coli and in mammalian cells were constructed. A combination of the simian virus 40 early promoter upstream of the native bacterial promoter of theneo gene from transposon Tn5 was found to express hygromycin B resistance better in both types of host cells than a combination of the Tn5 promoter followed by the promoter of the Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. Hygromycin phosphotransferase fusion proteins with extensions at the carboxyterminus were also tested and found to be marginally less effective as selection markers in eukaryotic cells but virtually inactive inE. coli.Abbreviations HM hygromycin - hpt hygromycin phosphotransferase gene - neo neomycin (geneticin) phosphotransferase gene - DHFR dihydrofolate reductase     

PEG介导的猴头菌遗传转化体系的建立

对猴头菌Hericium erinaceus原生质体制备的各种因素进行比较研究,结果表明,猴头菌原生质体制备的最佳体系为：液体培养5d的猴头菌丝,以0.6mol/L KCl作为稳渗剂,加入含1.0%纤维素酶+1.0%蜗牛酶+1.0%溶壁酶的复合酶,在30℃酶解猴头菌丝3h时,原生质体得率达到3.0×106个/mL。潮霉素敏感性测试表明,猴头菌在PDSA固体培养基上的潮霉素最低筛选浓度为60μg/mL。采用PEG介导的原生质体法,将质粒pBgGI-hph（含有灵芝gpd1-Gl启动子和潮霉素抗性基因hph）转化猴头菌原生质体,经潮霉素初步筛选以及PCR鉴定,表明有4株猴头菌拟转化子的基因组扩增出hph基因;转化子经过多次转接后进行Southern杂交验证,结果表明4个转化子的基因组中均稳定整合了hph抗性基因。     

A vector that replicates as a plasmid and can be efficiently selected in B-lymphoblasts transformed by Epstein-Barr virus.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) transforms human B-lymphocytes into proliferating blasts which are efficiently established into cell lines. The viral DNA in these cell lines is usually present as complete, unintegrated plasmid molecules. A cis-acting element of EBV, oriP, permits plasmid maintenance in adherent cells that carry EBV DNA. We constructed a vector, pHEBo, that carries oriP and showed that it is also efficiently maintained as a plasmid when introduced into EBV-transformed B-lymphoblasts. The pHEBo vector carries the coding sequences for the hph gene from Escherichia coli such that it can be expressed in mammalian cells and confers resistance to the antibiotic hygromycin B. Hygromycin B kills EBV-transformed lymphoblasts at concentrations of 50 to 300 micrograms/ml. The combination of oriP plus the expressed hph gene makes pHEBo useful for the stable introduction of genes on plasmids into EBV-transformed lymphoblasts. Because pHEBo is derived from the plasmid pBR322 it can be easily isolated from lymphoblasts by reintroduction into E. coli.     

Electrotransformation of Chlorella vulgaris

Using hygromycin B resistance as a marker for selection, we have established the conditions required for the transformation of Chlorella vulgaris. The exponentially grown C. vulgaris cells were transformed by electroporation with plasmid pIG121-Hm, and transformants were selected with hygromycin B at a concentration of 50 μg/ml. Cell extracts prepared from the late-log cultures of the transformants exhibited glucuronidase activities as conferred by the gus gene on pIG121-Hm. The maintenance of plasmid in the algal cells seemed to be transient as many cultures derived from the hygromycin B-resistant colonies gradually lost the hygromycin resistance upon prolonged growth. The result of Southern blotting of the genomic DNAs prepared from transformant cultures exhibiting persistent hygromycin resistance showed that integration of part of the plasmid DNA into the host chromosome had taken place. Received: 19 December 1997 / Revision received: 5 October 1998 / Accepted: 27 October 1998     

HyTK基因转移联合ganciclovir对瘢痕成纤维细胞的体外杀伤作用

增生性瘢痕和瘢痕疙瘩的过度增生主要是由于高度增生活性的成纤维细胞的数量异常增多及细胞外基质合成增加所致．用逆转录病毒载体介导单纯疱疹病毒胸苷激酶基因（ＨＳＶｔｋ）的转移,随后应用药物９－（１,３－二羟基－丙氧基－甲基）鸟嘌呤（ｇａｎｃｉｃｌｏｖｉｒ,ＧＣＶ）可选择性地杀死增生细胞．采用组织块贴壁法在体外原代培养成功增生性瘢痕病人的成纤维细胞（ＦＢ）．重组逆转录病毒ＧＴＫ转染ＦＢ细胞后,用ｈｙｇｒｏｍｙｃｉｎＢ筛选出阳性细胞克隆（ＦＢ／ＧＴＫ）,经ＰＣＲ方法检测证明ＨｙＴＫ基因已成功地导入ＦＢ中,但不含可复制的辅助病毒．分别用不同浓度的ＧＣＶ作用于ＦＢ／ＧＴＫ及ＦＢ,光镜下观察不同时间后细胞形态变化及ＭＴＴ法检测细胞活性．结果表明,ＧＣＶ浓度大于０．１μｍｏｌ／Ｌ时即对ＦＢ／ＧＴＫ有显著的杀伤作用,且具有强有力的“旁观者效应”     

Analysis of a bacterial hygromycin B resistance gene by transcriptional and translational fusions and by DNA sequencing

We have characterized hygromycin B and apramycin resistance genes from an E. coli plasmid. We have localized the coding and control regions of these genes by deletion of DNA fragments from plasmids containing the genes. It was found that polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 33,000 and 31,500 daltons are encoded by the apramycin resistance gene and polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 42,500 and 41,500 daltons are encoded by the hygromycin B resistance gene. DNA sequence analysis identified a typical promoter sequence upstream of the genes. Deletion of this promoter eliminated both resistance phenotypes, and hygromycin B resistance could be restored by substitution of a promoter from a foreign gene. The region known to be necessary for hygromycin B resistance contained an open reading frame large enough to encode the hygromycin B resistance gene product. This open reading frame was fused with the amino terminus of beta-galactosidase. This hybrid gene conferred hygromycin resistance to E. coli, and expression of resistance was under IPTG control.     

Transformation of Aspergillus nidulans with the hygromycin-resistance gene, hph

Aspergillus nidulans strain G191 was transformed to hygromycin resistance using plasmid pDH25, which contains the bacterial hygromycin B phosphotransferase gene (hph) fused to promoter elements of the A. nidulans trpC gene. Southern hybridizations of transformants revealed multiple, integrated copies of the vector. A pleiotropic effect conferring increased hygromycin B sensitivity was found to be associated with the A. nidulans pyrG89 allele. Plasmid pDH25 features a ClaI site immediately preceding the hph start codon thus permitting convenient replacement of the trpC sequences with other eukaryotic promoters.     

腺病毒载体介导密码子优化型HPV 16 L1基因在哺乳动物细胞中的高效表达及病毒样颗粒的装配

为研究重组腺病毒载体作为HPV16预防性疫苗的可行性,构建了含密码子优化型HPV 16 L1基因的重组腺病毒,并对优化基因在哺乳动物细胞中的表达进行研究。首先按照哺乳动物密码子偏好对野生型HPV16 L1基因进行改造并合成优化基因,命名为mod.HPV16L1。将mod.HPV16L1基因克隆到穿梭质粒PDC316上,与骨架质粒共转染293细胞,在细胞内包装重组腺病毒rAd-mod.HPV16L1。用免疫印迹法检测病毒感染的293T细胞中HPV16L1蛋白的表达。通过Optiprep密度梯度超速离心法纯化HPV16 L1病毒样颗粒(VLPs)。用磷钨酸负染,在电子显微镜下观察HPV16 L1蛋白自我装配形成的VLPs。结果显示,重组腺病毒载体可介导mod.HPV16 L1基因在哺乳动物细胞内的高效表达,L1蛋白可自我装配形成VLPs。     

生菜遗传转化体系的建立及转基因研究

以散叶生菜大速生(Lactuca sativavar.capatataL.)为试材,以MS为基本培养基,采用不同激素配比,确定生菜高效诱芽培养基为MS 1.5mg/L6-BA 0.2mg/LIAA;抗生素敏感性试验表明,筛选培养基中适宜的潮霉素选择压为20mg/L,抑菌剂羧苄青霉素的适宜质量浓度为300mg/L;通过根癌农杆菌介导的叶盘法将携带O型和A型口蹄疫抗原决定簇融合基因O21-O14-A21-HBcAg转入大速生散叶生菜,对部分抗性植株进行PCR和PCR-Southern杂交检测,证实目的基因已经成功整合到生菜基因组中。RT-PCR检测初步表明,O21-O14-A21-HBcAg基因可以在生菜中正常转录表达。     

A comparison of the phenotypic and genetic stability of recombinant Trichoderma spp. generated by protoplast- and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

Four different Trichoderma strains, T. harzianum CECT 2413, T. asperellum T53, T. atroviride T11 and T. longibrachiatum T52, which represent three of the four sections contained in this genus, were transformed by two different techniques: a protocol based on the isolation of protoplasts and a protocol based on Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Both methods were set up using hygromycin B or phleomycin resistance as the selection markers. Using these techniques, we obtained phenotypically stable transformants of these four different strains. The highest transformation efficiencies were obtained with the T. longibrachiatum T52 strain: 65-70 transformants/microg DNA when transformed with the plasmid pAN7-1 (hygromycin B resistance) and 280 transformants/107 spores when the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation was performed with the plasmid pUR5750 (hygromycin B resistance). Overall, the genetic analysis of the transformants showed that some of the strains integrated and maintained the transforming DNA in their genome throughout the entire transformation and selection process. In other cases, the integrated DNA was lost.     

Production of an immunoglobulin gene product by the plasmid expression vector L factor in mouse myeloma cells.

L factor, originally discovered in a subclone of mouse L cells, is a multicopy mammalian plasmid whose structure is related to that of polyoma. When a composite DNA consisting of L factor, pBR, bacterial neo, and an immunoglobulin (kappa) gene was introduced into mouse myeloma cells, the DNA was established as plasmids in the cells without rearrangement or integration into the chromosomes. The plasmid-bearing myeloma cells produced kappa mRNA and the gene product, kappa immunoglobulin, which were apparently derived from the gene located on plasmid L factor. These results suggest that L factor can be used as a plasmid expression vector for studies on gene expression and production of biologically active substances in mammalian cells.     

Expression of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen in Drosophila S2 cells

Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells were transfected with a plasmid vector (pAcHBsAgHy) containing the S gene, coding for the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), under control of the constitutive drosophila actin promoter (pAc), and the hygromycin B (Hy) selection gene. The vector was introduced into Schneider 2 (S2) Drosophila cells by DNA transfection and a cell population (S2AcHBsAgHy) was selected by its resistance to hygromycin B. The pAcHBsAgHy vector integrated in transfected S2 cell genome and approximately 1,000 copies per cell were found in a higher HBsAg producer cell subpopulation. The HBsAg production varied in different subpopulations, but did not when a given subpopulation was cultivated in different culture flasks. Higher HBsAg expression was found in S2AcHBsAgHy cells cultivated in Insect Xpress medium (13.5 μg/1E7 cells) and SFX medium (7 μg/1E7 cells) in comparison to SF900II medium (0.6 μg/1E7 cells). An increase of HBsAg was observed in culture maintained under hygromycin selection pressure. Data presented in the paper show that S2AcHBsAgHy cells produce efficiently the HBsAg which is mainly found in the cell supernatant, suggesting that HBsAg is secreted from the cells. The data also show that our approach using the Drosophila expression system is suitable for the preparation of other viral protein preparation.     

Transgenic peanut plants obtained by particle bombardment via somatic embryogenesis regeneration system.

After pre-culture and treatment of osmosis, cotyledons of immature peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) zygotic embryos were transformed via particle bombardment with a plasmid containing a chimeric hph gene conferring resistance to hygromycin and a chimeric intron-gus gene. Selection for hygromycin resistant calluses and somatic embryos was initiated at 10th d post-bombardment on medium containing 10-25 mg/L hygromycin. Under continuous selection, hygromycin resistant plantlets were regenerated from somatic embryos and were recovered from nearly 1.6% of the bombarded cotyledons. The presence and integration of foreign DNA in regenerated hygromycin resistant plants was confirmed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) for the intron-gus gene and by Southern hybridization of the hph gene. GUS enzyme activity was detected in leaflets from transgenic plants but not from control, non-transformed plants. The production of transgenic plants are mainly based on a newly improved somatic embryogenesis regeneration system developed by us.     

Thansgenic peanut plants obtained by particle bombardment via somatic embryogenesis regeneration system

INTRODUCTIONArachiS hypogaea L., Peanut or groundnut, isan importal commercial crop worldwide. It provides an excellellt source of protein and other nutrients. Its production and quality can be severelyimpacted under stressful growing conditions such ascdriate factors, pests and diseajses. Genetic engineering provides a prospective way to reduce certainproblems by transferring individual genes for pestresistance or other traits into elite germplasm of acultiVated species. Thansgenic pea…     

Rabies virus glycoprotein expression in Drosophila S2 cells. I. Functional recombinant protein in stable co-transfected cell line

Recombinant rabies virus glycoprotein (rRVGP) was expressed in Drosophila melanogaster Schneider 2 (S2) cells. The cDNA encoding the entire RVGP gene was cloned in an expression plasmid under the control of the constitutive actin promoter (Ac), which was co-transfected into S2 cells together with a hygromycin selection plasmid. Selected S2 cell populations (S2AcRVGP) had a decreased ability to grow and consume substrates, when compared to the non-transfected cells (S2). They were shown, by PCR, to express the RVGP gene and mRNA and, by immunoblotting, to synthesize the rRVGP in its expected molecular mass of 65 kDa. ELISA kinetic studies showed the rRVGP expression in cell lysates and supernatants attaining concentrations of 300 microg/L. By flow cytometry analysis, about 30% of the cells in the co-transfected populations were shown to express the rRVGP. Cell populations selected by limiting dilution expressed higher rRVGP yields. Mice immunized with rRVGP were shown to synthesize antibodies against rabies virus and be protected against experimental infection with rabies virus. The data presented here show that S2 cells can be suitable hosts for the rRVGP expression, allowing its synthesis in a high degree of physical and biological integrity.     

Species-specific recognition patterns of monoclonal antibodies directed against vimentin.

Two commercially available monoclonal antibodies raised against the intermediate filament protein vimentin were characterized concerning their species-specific reaction pattern on vertebrate cells. The antibody V9 exhibited extensive reactivity with vimentin of all mammalian species tested, but specifically did not detect vimentin in mouse cells and chicken fibroblasts. The antibody VIM 3B4 recognized vimentin in cells of chicken and most mammalian species, except for rodent species. Characterization of the binding site of VIM 3B4 on human vimentin by limited proteolysis and immunoblotting as well as by sequence comparison strongly suggested that the epitope is located in the coil 2 part of the vimentin rod domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of a mouse vimentin cDNA clone followed by in vivo expression showed that VIM 3B4 could detect rodent vimentin containing a single amino acid substitution (valine for leucine) at position 353 of the mouse vimentin sequence. Practical application for this finding was demonstrated by the unequivocal identification of a modified murine vimentin protein, distinct from the endogenous vimentin, in a cytoplasmic intermediate filament network in mouse skin fibroblasts transfected with a recombinant plasmid expression vector.     

Identification of a promoter sequence in the plasmid pUL340 of Brevibacterium lactofermentum and construction of new cloning vectors for corynebacteria containing two selectable markers

A strong promoter P1 has been found in plasmid pUL340, a cloning vector used to transform corynebacteria. This promoter is also expressed efficiently in Escherichia coli. A gene (cat) for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase from Streptomyces acrimycini and a gene (hyg) for hygromycin phosphotransferase from Streptomyces hygroscopicus were subcloned in different positions of the Brevibacterium lactofermentum plasmid pUL340. Both resistance genes are expressed in B. lactofermentum from their own promoters or from the endogenous promoter in pUL340. These genes provide useful screening markers for selecting transformants of B. lactofermentum together with the kanamycin-resistance gene from the transposon Tn5.