外源基因在转基因动物中遗传和表达的稳定性

转基因技术经过近半个世纪的发展,已成为当今生物技术研究的热点。近10多年来,与核移植技术的结合,转基因效率大大提高,携带有不同外源基因的不同种类的转基因动物迅速增加。但是,成功获得转基因动物并不是转基因动物研究的最终目的,如何利用转基因技术为人类的需求服务才是科研人员始终面对的课题。在畜牧生产领域,通过转基因技术培育家畜新品种是转基因技术应用的重要体现,在我国这方面已经引起了广泛关注。但迄今为止,外源基因在转基因动物中遗传和表达的稳定性仍然是亟待解决的问题,究其原因,这主要与位置效应、外源基因的表观遗传学修饰和遗传效率相关,文章结合目前的研究进展和本实验室的研究结果,从这3方面阐述其作用机制,期望为转基因动物遗传育种向产业化的迈进提供一定的理论探讨。     

Irregular patterns of transgene silencing in allohexaploid oat

An irregular pattern of transgene silencing was revealed in expression and inheritance studies conducted over multiple generations following transgene introduction by microprojectile bombardment of allohexaploid cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.). Expression of two transgenes, bar and uidA, delivered on the same plasmid was investigated in 23 transgenic oat lines. Twenty-one transgenic lines, each derived from an independently selected transformed tissue culture, showed expression of both bar and uidA while two lines expressed only bar. The relationship of the transgenic phenotypes to the presence of the transgenes in the study was determined using (1) phenotypic scoring combined with Southern blot analyses of progeny, (2) coexpression of the two transgenic phenotypes since the two transgenes always cosegregated, and (3) reactivation of a transgenic phenotype in self-pollinated progenies of transgenic plants that did not exhibit a transgenic phenotype. Transgene silencing was observed in 19 of the 23 transgenic lines and resulted in distorted segregation of transgenic phenotypes in 10 lines. Silencing and inheritance distortions were irregular and unpredictable. They were often reversible in a subsequent generation of self-pollinated progeny and abnormally segregating progenies were as likely to trace back to parents that exhibited normal segregation in a previous generation as to parents showing segregation distortions. Possible causes of the irregular patterns of transgene silencing are discussed.     

Protein slot blotting: An easy,rapid and reliable technique to identify the expression of a protein in transgenic plants

A technique based on immunological recognition of a foreign protein in transgenic plants has been developed. It allows a quick and reliable screening of many plant samples, improves the accuracy of the results compared to ELISA and is easier to carry out and more sensitive than a western immunoblot. This technique has also been tested to recognize foreign proteins in rice and tobacco leaf extracts.     

Immunohistochemical detection of transgene expression in the brain using small epitope tags

Background  

In vivo overexpression of proteins is a powerful approach to study their biological function, generate disease models or evaluate gene therapy approaches. In order to investigate an exogenously expressed protein, specific and sensitive detection is essential. Unfortunately, antibodies that allow histological detection of the protein of interest are not always readily available. The use of an epitope tag fused to the protein can circumvent this problem as well as provide the possibility to discriminate endogenous from overexpressed proteins. In order to minimize impact on the bioactivity and biodistribution of the overexpressed protein, preference is given to small tags.     

An improved enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay protocol for the detection of small lytic peptides in transgenic grapevines (Vitis vinifera)

An enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA) protocol was developed for the detection of small lytic peptides in transgenic grapevines (V. vinifera). The protocol requires a high concentration of protease inhibitor in the extraction buffer; the use of antiserum cross-absorbed with control tissue, an increased concentration of blocking reagents in the antiserum buffer, and performing all coating and/or binding processes at 37°C while reducing the time period for each step to 1 h. The procedure greatly reduced protein degradation, increased the signal-to-noise ratio, and it allowed the effective detection of the Shiva-1 lytic peptide (5 kDa) at concentrations as low as 0.1 μM. This procedure made it possible for routine analysis of transgene expression in Shiva-1 gene-containing transgenic grape plants.     

No enhancing effects of plasmid-specific histone acetyltransferase recruitment system on transgene expression in vivo

Abstract

Altered levels of histone acetylation are associated with changes in chromosomal gene expression. Thus, the specific acetylation of histones bound to plasmid DNA might increase transgene expression. Previously, the expression of the histone acetyltransferase domain of CREB-binding protein fused to the sequence-dependent DNA binding domain of GAL4 (GAL4-HAT) successfully improved reporter gene expression in cultured cells [J. Biosci. Bioengng. 123, 277–280 (2017)]. In this study, the same approach was applied for transgene expression in mice. The activator and reporter plasmid DNAs bearing the genes for GAL4-HAT and Gaussia princeps luciferase, respectively, were co-administered into the mouse liver by hydrodynamics-based tail vein injection, and the Gaussia luciferase activity in serum was measured for two weeks. Unexpectedly, the co-injection of the GAL4-HAT and luciferase plasmid DNAs seemed to decrease, rather than increase, luciferase expression. Moreover, the co-injection apparently reduced the amount of luciferase DNA in the liver. These results indicated that this system is ineffective in vivo and suggested the exclusion of hepatic cells expressing GAL4-HAT.     

基质结合区（MARs）与转基因植物的基因表达

对动植物的研究结果表明,基质结合区（MARs）能提高转基因的表达水平,并能降低其在转基因个体之间的表达差异。本文着重综述了MARs的基本特征及其在转基因植物中的研究应用,对MARs在转基因动物方面的研究成果和MARs的作用机制也作了介绍。     

表位标签技术在膜蛋白研究中的应用

膜蛋白的研究包括埘膜蛋白在细胞内的运输和定位,膜蛋白的结构和功能,以及膜蛋白和其他蛋白质间的相互作用等方面的研究.在研究过程中,如果能够基于膜蛋白的拓扑学结构预测,选择合适的表位标签,利用基因融合技术在基因水平上对膜蛋白进行改造,可以产生含有表位标签的重组膜蛋白,不仅具有原有膜蛋白的功能活性,还能够被抗体特异性识别,并且结合相关的免疫荧光检测技术,将会极大地促进膜蛋白的结构和功能研究.本文就目前膜蛋白研究中所涉及的表位标签技术及其应用策略和所取得的进展作一简述.     

T细胞抗原表位预测的研究方法进展

确定T细胞所识别抗原分子上的短肽序列对T细胞表位进行定位,对于研究特异性免疫应答有着重要意义。综述了近年来实验确定和理论预测T细胞蛋白质抗原袁位的常用方法,以及T细胞抗原表位分析的研究方法。     

Expression of neutralizing epitope of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in potato plants

Transgenic plants expressing recombinant proteins from pathogenic microorganisms provide an inexpensive edible vaccine for induction of local immunity. A neutralizing epitope of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) gene containing SEKDEL was expressed in potato using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system. Putative transgenic plants were regenerated, and genomic PCR confirmed the presence of PEDV epitope gene in the potato plants. Based on the ELISA results, epitope of PEDV protein made up approximately 0.1% of the total soluble tuber protein.     

肺炎支原体双蛋白多抗原表位表达载体的构建

目的构建肺炎支原体(Mp)双蛋白多特异抗原表位表达载体,提高重组蛋白抗原的敏感性。方法应用生物信息学方法筛选Mp P116粘附蛋白抗原表位序列,PCR点突变技术获取P116蛋白基因片段,与pMD-T载体重组,转入大肠埃希菌JM109,通过限制性酶切图谱和基因序列分析鉴定重组质粒。酶切回收P116基因片段与pGEX 6P-1-P1 DNA重组,转入大肠埃希菌JM109菌株。用Glutathione Sepharose 4B纯化重组蛋白,SDS-PAGE分析表达产物的相对分子量,用Mp免疫血清进行免疫印迹试验,鉴定重组蛋白的免疫原性。结果 PCR点突变扩增Mp黏附蛋白P116的基因片段为597 bp,该基因片段与已知的基因库序列分析比较,除两个突变位点由UAG突变为UGG外,其余核苷酸序列同源性为100%。SDS-PAGE分析多表位重组蛋白相对分子质量(Mr)为77.8 kDa。免疫印迹结果显示,Mp兔多价血清能与纯化的78KDa的重组蛋白发生免疫反应。结论本研究成功构建了Mp双蛋白多表位的表达载体。该表达载体表达的重组蛋白具有Mp特异的免疫反应性。重组蛋白的敏感性有待进一步鉴定。     

Liver-specific and seasonal expression of transgenic Atlantic salmon harboring the winter flounder antifreeze protein gene

We have analyzed the inheritance and expression of a line of transgenic salmon harboring the antifreeze protein gene from the winter flounder. The genomic clone 2A-7 coding for a major liver-type antifreeze protein gene (wflAFP-6) was integrated into the salmon genome. From a transgenic founder (# 1469), an F3 generation was produced. In this study, southern blot analysis showed that only one copy of the antifreeze protein transgene was integrated into a unique site in F3 transgenic fish. The integration site was cloned and characterized. Northern analysis indicated that the antifreeze protein mRNA was only expressed in the liver and showed seasonal variation. All of the F3 offspring contained similar levels of the antifreeze protein precursor protein in the sera and the sera of these offspring showed a characteristic hexagonal ice crystal pattern indicating the presence of antifreeze activity. In addition, the antifreeze protein precursor protein level was found to vary with the season, being highest in the month of November and lowest in May. This study had demonstrated a tissue-specific and stable expression of the antifreeze protein transgene in the F3 generation of the transgenic salmon 1469 line.     

Peptides from the SARS-associated coronavirus as tags for protein expression and purification

Protein tagging with a peptide is a commonly used technique to facilitate protein detection and to carry out protein purification. Flexibility with respect to the peptide tag is essential since no single tag suites all purposes. This report describes the usage of two short peptides from the SARS-associated coronavirus nucleocapsid (SARS-N) protein as protein tags. Plasmids for the generation of tagged proteins were generated by ligating synthetic oligonucleotides for the peptide-coding regions downstream of the protein coding sequence. The data show recognition of prokaryotically expressed HIV-1 Gag/p24 fusion protein by Western blot and efficient affinity purification using monoclonal antibodies against the tags. The SARS peptide antibody system described presents an alternative tagging opportunity in the growing field of protein science.     

鹦鹉热衣原体B细胞表位的表达及抗原鉴定

利用噬菌体PⅢ蛋白为载体对鹦鹉热衣原体单抗17筛选得到的B细胞抗原表位进行了研究,利用改构后的原核表达载体pQE30,构建含有B细胞表位基因的重组表达质粒,表达的蛋白经ELISA及Western Blot实验证实能够与单抗C17发生特异反应,蛋白免疫动物后得到了抗鹦鹉热衣原体的抗体,验证了所筛选表位的真实性。     

Enhanced expression,detection and purification of recombinant proteins using RNA stem loop and tandem fusion tags

The creation of a double His-tag fusion that forms a RNA stem loop in the mRNA encoding the N-terminus of the target protein is a novel approach for the enhancement of expression, purification, and detection of a recombinant protein. Compared to a single His-tag fusion, a tandem His-tag fusion RNA stem loop, located downstream of the constitutive groE and Ch promoters, enhanced heterologous gene expression in Brucella, Salmonella, and Escherichia. We demonstrated one-step detection and purification of recombinant green fluorescence protein (GFP) directly from Brucella spp. without using Escherichia coli as an expression host. The amount of purified GFP using the tandem His-tag RNA stem loop increased more than threefold; moreover, the sensitivity of detection increased more than fourfold in comparison to the single His-tag fusion form. This method has the potential to significantly improve heterologous gene expression and high-throughput protein synthesis and purification.     

A short synthetic chimeric sequence harboring matrix attachment region/PSAR2 increases transgene expression in Chinese hamster ovary cells

A chimeric DNA fragment containing an interferon-beta matrix attachment region (MAR) and an immunoglobulin MAR (PSAR2) was synthesized. PSAR2 was cloned into the upstream or downstream region of an enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) expression cassette in a eukaryotic vector, which was then transfected into CHO cells. The results showed that PSAR2 did not effectively increase transgene expression when it was cloned into the upstream region of the eGFP expression cassette. However, when inserted downstream of the eGFP expression cassette, PSAR2-enhanced transient transgene expression and significantly increased the numbers of stably transfected cells compared with the control vector. Additionally, PSAR2 significantly increased eGFP copy numbers as compared with the control vector. PSAR2 could significantly enhance transgene expression in CHO cells according to the position in the vector and increased transgene copy numbers. We found a short chimeric sequence harboring two MARs effectively increased transgene expression in CHO cells.