Improved vectors for stable expression of foreign genes in mammalian cells by use of the untranslated leader sequence from EMC virus.

Dicistronic mRNA expression vectors efficiently translate a 5' open reading frame (ORF) and contain a selectable marker within the 3' end which is inefficiently translated. In these vectors, the efficiency of translation of the selectable 3' ORF is reduced approximately 100-fold and is highly dependent on the particular sequences inserted into the 5' cloning site. Upon selection for expression of the selection marker gene product, deletions within the 5' ORF occur to yield more efficient translation of the selectable marker. We have generated improved dicistronic mRNA expression vectors by utilization of a putative internal ribosomal entry site isolated from encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus. Insertion of the EMC virus leader sequence upstream of an ORF encoding either a wildtype or methotrexate resistant dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) reduces DHFR translation up to 10-fold in a monocistronic DHFR expression vector. However, insertion of another ORF upstream of the EMC leader to produce a dicistronic mRNA does not further reduce DHFR translation. In the presence of the EMC virus leader, DHFR translation is not dependent on sequences inserted into the 5' end of the mRNA. We demonstrate that stable high level expression of inserted cDNAs may be rapidly achieved by selection for methotrexate resistance in DHFR deficient as well as DHFR containing cells. In contrast to previously described dicistronic expression vectors, these new vectors do not undergo rearrangement or deletion upon selection for amplification by propagation in increasing concentrations of methotrexate. The explanation may be either that the EMC virus leader sequence allows internal initiation of translation or that cryptic splice sites in the EMC virus sequence mediate production of monocistronic mRNAs. These vectors may be generally useful to rapidly obtain high level expression of cDNA genes in mammalian cells.     

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 Modified MultiSite Gateway Cloning Strategy for Consolidation of Genes in Plants

The genome information is offering opportunities to manipulate genes, polygenic characters and multiple traits in plants. Although a number of approaches have been developed to manipulate traits in plants, technical hurdles make the process difficult. Gene cloning vectors that facilitate the fusion, overexpression or down regulation of genes in plant cells are being used with various degree of success. In this study, we modified gateway MultiSite cloning vectors and developed a hybrid cloning strategy which combines advantages of both traditional cloning and gateway recombination cloning. We developed Gateway entry (pGATE) vectors containing attL sites flanking multiple cloning sites and plant expression vector (pKM12GW) with specific recombination sites carrying different plant and bacterial selection markers. We constructed a plant expression vector carrying a reporter gene (GUS), two Bt cry genes in a predetermined pattern by a single round of LR recombination reaction after restriction endonuclease-mediated cloning of target genes into pGATE vectors. All the three transgenes were co-expressed in Arabidopsis as evidenced by gene expression, histochemical assay and insect bioassay. The pGATE vectors can be used as simple cloning vectors as there are rare restriction endonuclease sites inserted in the vector. The modified multisite vector system developed is ideal for stacking genes and pathway engineering in plants.     

Phage lambda and plasmid expression vectors with multiple cloning sites and lacZ alpha-complementation

Two new lambda vectors were constructed which permit cloning of genes that are potentially lethal if cloned in analogous plasmid vectors. lambda DL10 and lambda DL11 contain the alpha-complementing fragment of lacZ and multiple cloning sites found in the polylinker region of M13mp10 and M13mp11, respectively. DNA cloned into the unique cloning sites of these vectors can be detected by inactivation of alpha-complementation. These lambda vectors provide a lac promoter for expression of foreign genes as well as the ability to make fusion proteins. Two plasmid expression vectors, pPR110 and pPR111, were constructed from lambda DL10 and lambda DL11 respectively, and pCQV2. These plasmids, which express lacZ alpha-complementing activity from the lambda PR promoter, contain multiple cloning sites immediately downstream of the PR promoter. They allow cloning of genes under the control of the PR promoter and the plasmid-encoded thermosensitive (cI857) repressor, and allow easy detection of inserted fragments by inactivation of alpha-complementation.     

Triple mammalian/yeast/bacterial shuttle vectors for single and combined Lentivirus- and Sindbis virus-mediated infections of neurons

Today, a large variety of viral vectors is available for ectopic gene expression in mammalian cell cultures or in vivo. Among them, infection with Sindbis virus- or Lentivirus-derived constructs is often used to address biological questions or for applications in neuronal therapies. However, cloning of genes of interest is time consuming, since it relies on restriction and ligation, frequently of PCR-generated DNA fragments with suitable restriction sites introduced by the primers employed. We here take advantage of the unusually high capacity for homologous recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to circumvent this problem, and introduce a new set of triple shuttle vectors, which can be shuffled between E. coli, yeast, and mammalian cells. The system allows the introduction of genes of interest largely independent of the target site in the vectors. It also allows the removal of the yeast selection marker by Cre-recombinase directed recombination in E. coli, if vector size limits transfection efficiency in the mammalian cells. We demonstrate the expression of genes encoding fluorescent proteins (EGFP and mCherry) both separately and in combination, using two different viral systems in mammalian cell lines, primary neurons and organotypic slices.     

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.     

Efficient directional cloning of recombinant adenovirus vectors using DNA-protein complex.

We describe an efficient cloning system utilizing adenoviral DNA-protein complexes which allows the directional cloning of genes into adenoviral expression vectors in a single step. DNA-protein complexes derived from a recombinant adenovirus (AVC2.null) were isolated by sequential use of CsCl step gradients followed by isopycnic centrifugation in a mixture of CsCl and guanidine HCl. AVC2.null is an adenoviral expression vector containing unique restriction sites between the human CMV-IE promoter and the SV40 intron/polyadenylation site. Transgenes were prepared for cloning into this vector by introduction of compatible restriction sites by PCR. A vector expressing rat granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) was constructed using DNA-protein complex as well as by traditional recombination techniques. The efficacy of our adenoviral cloning system utilizing DNA-protein complex was two logs higher than that seen using homologous recombination. All viruses generated by directional ligation of the insert into the vector DNA-protein complexes contained the desired transgene in the correct orientation. This technique greatly simplifies and accelerates the generation of recombinant adenoviral vectors.     

The Cre-<Emphasis Type="Italic">loxP</Emphasis> recombination-based reporter system for plant transcriptional expression studies*

To facilitate the characterization of plant genes, the Cre-loxP site-specific recombination system was adapted to make reporter vectors for plant expression studies. This system allows promoter fragments to be cloned into a small vector (univector) and subsequently recombined in vitro with binary vectors containing different reporter genes precisely at near-perfect efficiency. We have constructed univector-adapted vectors with three reporters, beta-glucuronidase, luciferase, and green fluorescent protein, and a BASTA-resistance gene for selection of plant transformants. Expression in plants using the new system was validated by comparison to conventional reporter vectors. These new vectors are efficient and economical alternatives to the other plant reporter vectors currently available. The royalty-free Cre-loxP system serves as a platform for the future expansion of recombination-based cloning vectors for plant research.     

Development of broad-host-range vectors for expression of cloned genes in Pseudomonas

The cloning and expression of genes in Pseudomonas have been difficult, until now, due to the absence of vector systems that contain multiple restriction sites downstream from promoter sequences that are functional in Pseudomonas. We report here the construction of several broad-host-range vectors that can be utilized in either Pseudomonas or Escherichia coli and that rely on easily selectable antibiotic resistance markers with multiple cloning sites. These vectors were constructed by inserting the entire pUC13 sequence into derivatives of the RSF1010 wide-host-range plasmid. From this construction, other derivatives were obtained, specifically a lacZ::KmR fusion gene which provides an easily selectable marker in both E. coli and Pseudomonas. These vectors have been used to express the Pseudomonas putida cytochrome P450 monoxygenase gene in a P450-deficient P. putida strain. Thus, these vectors allow for the cloning, expression and selection of Pseudomonas genes in Pseudomonas by complementation.     

Energy transfer between fluorescent proteins using a co-expression system in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

The goal of this study was to establish a two-plasmid co-expression system for Mycobacterium smegmatis. Two vectors with compatible origins of replication and a polylinker, which allows modular cloning of promoters and genes, were constructed and used to clone genes encoding a blue fluorescent protein (BFP) and a green fluorescent protein (GFP). A 160-fold variation of GFP expression levels in M. smegmatis was achieved by combining three promoters with different copy numbers of the vectors. An efficient energy transfer between BFP and GFP in M. smegmatis was observed by fluorescence measurements and demonstrated that these genes were simultaneously expressed from both vectors. Thus, these vectors will be valuable for all strategies where co-expression of proteins in M. smegmatis is needed, e.g. for constructing a two-hybrid system or for deleting essential genes.     

Escherichia coli gpt gene provides dominant selection for vaccinia virus open reading frame expression vectors.

Mycophenolic acid, an inhibitor of purine metabolism, was shown to block the replication of vaccinia virus in normal cell lines. This observation led to the development of a dominant one-step plaque selection system, based on expression of the Escherichia coli gpt gene, for the isolation of recombinant vaccinia viruses. Synthesis of xanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase enabled only the recombinant viruses to form large plaques in a selective medium containing mycophenolic acid, xanthine, and hypoxanthine. To utilize the selection system efficiently, we constructed a series of plasmids that contain the E. coli gpt gene and allow insertion of foreign genes into multiple unique restriction endonuclease sites in all three reading frames between the translation initiation codon of a strong late promoter and synthetic translation termination sequences. The selection-expression cassette is flanked by vaccinia virus DNA that directs homologous recombination into the virus genome. The new vectors allow high-level expression of complete or partial open reading frames and rapid construction of recombinant viruses by facilitating the cloning steps and by simplifying their isolation. The system was tested by cloning the E. coli beta-galactosidase gene; in 24 h, this enzyme accounted for approximately 3.5% of the total infected-cell protein.     

Vectors for ligation-independent construction of lacZ gene fusions and cloning of PCR products using a nicking endonuclease

Several ligation-independent cloning methods have been developed that offer advantages for construction of recombinant plasmids at high efficiency while minimizing cloning artifacts. Here we report new plasmid vectors that use the nicking endonuclease Nt.BspQI to generate extended single stranded tails for direct cloning of PCR products. The vectors include pLacCOs1, a ColE1-derivative plasmid imparting resistance to ampicillin, which allows facile construction of lacZ translational fusions and pKanCOs1, a pSC101-derivative cloning vector that imparts resistance to kanamycin, for cloning of PCR amplicons from genomic DNA as well as from ampicillin-based plasmids. We have successfully used these plasmids to directionally clone and characterize bacterial promoters that exhibit temperature regulated expression, as well as for cloning a variety of PCR products. In all cases, constructs with the correct configurations were generated at high efficiency and with a minimal number of manipulations. The cloning vectors can also be easily modified to incorporate additional reporter genes or to express epitope-tagged gene products.