Simple Method for Markerless Gene Deletion in Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii

The traditional markerless gene deletion technique based on overlap extension PCR has been used for generating gene deletions in multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. However, the method is time-consuming because it requires restriction digestion of the PCR products in DNA cloning and the construction of new vectors containing a suitable antibiotic resistance cassette for the selection of A. baumannii merodiploids. Moreover, the availability of restriction sites and the selection of recombinant bacteria harboring the desired chimeric plasmid are limited, making the construction of a chimeric plasmid more difficult. We describe a rapid and easy cloning method for markerless gene deletion in A. baumannii, which has no limitation in the availability of restriction sites and allows for easy selection of the clones carrying the desired chimeric plasmid. Notably, it is not necessary to construct new vectors in our method. This method utilizes direct cloning of blunt-end DNA fragments, in which upstream and downstream regions of the target gene are fused with an antibiotic resistance cassette via overlap extension PCR and are inserted into a blunt-end suicide vector developed for blunt-end cloning. Importantly, the antibiotic resistance cassette is placed outside the downstream region in order to enable easy selection of the recombinants carrying the desired plasmid, to eliminate the antibiotic resistance cassette via homologous recombination, and to avoid the necessity of constructing new vectors. This strategy was successfully applied to functional analysis of the genes associated with iron acquisition by A. baumannii ATCC 19606 and to ompA gene deletion in other A. baumannii strains. Consequently, the proposed method is invaluable for markerless gene deletion in multidrug-resistant A. baumannii.     

新型双基因表达盒真核载体的构建及功能验证

目的: 构建含双基因表达盒的新型基因疫苗真核表达载体pVAX2,并对其功能进行验证。方法: 设计一个包含人巨细胞病毒启动子(CMV promoter)、T7启动子、信号肽基因、血凝素A表位基因(HA)、多克隆位点区域(MCS)、c-myc抗原表位、血小板来源的生长因子受体跨膜区域(PDGFR TM)及牛生长激素多腺苷酸化信号(BGH polyA)等八种元素的表达盒Ⅱ(Expressing cassette Ⅱ),在其上下游添加Nru Ⅰ酶切位点后,进行人工化学合成,连接到克隆载体pGH中得pGH-Ⅱ;用Nru Ⅰ酶切pGH-Ⅱ,回收1 300bp左右的片段,去磷后插入到pVAX1的相应位点,Nru Ⅰ及Bgl Ⅱ/Pst Ⅰ酶切鉴定,获得新型基因疫苗真核表达载体pVAX2;然后以增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)为报告基因,将其分别构建至两个不同的表达盒内,脂质体转染BHK-21细胞,利用RT-PCR及荧光显微镜技术进行该载体的功能验证。结果: 两个表达盒内的EGFP基因在BHK-21细胞均能高效表达,相互间不受影响,且新构建的表达盒具有蛋白展示功能。结论: 成功构建含双基因表达盒的新型基因疫苗真核表达载体pVAX2,为多价DNA疫苗的研究奠定了坚实基础。     

High frequency vector-mediated transformation and gene replacement in Tetrahymena.

Recently, we developed a mass DNA-mediated transformation technique for the ciliated protozoan Tetrahymena thermophila that introduces transforming DNA by electroporation into conjugating cells. Other studies demonstrated that a neomycin resistance gene flanked by Tetrahymena H4-I gene regulatory sequences transformed Tetrahymena by homologous recombination within the H4-I locus when microinjected into the macronucleus. We describe the use of conjugant electrotransformation (CET) for gene replacement and for the development of new independently replicating vectors and a gene cassette that can be used as a selectable marker in gene knockout experiments. Using CET, the neomycin resistance gene flanked by H4-I sequences transformed Tetrahymena, resulting in the replacement of the H4-I gene or integrative recombination of the H4-I/neo/H4-I gene (but not vector sequences) in the 5' or 3' flanking region of the H4-I locus. Gene replacement was obtained with non-digested plasmid DNA but releasing the insert increased the frequency of replacement events about 6-fold. The efficiency of transformation by the H4-I/neo/H4-I selectable marker was unchanged when a single copy of the Tetrahymena rDNA replication origin was included on the transforming plasmid. However, the efficiency of transformation using CET increased greatly when a tandem repeat of the replication origin fragment was used. This high frequency of transformation enabled mapping of the region required for H4-I promoter function to within 333 bp upstream of the initiator ATG. Similarly approximately 300 bp of sequence downstream of the translation terminator TGA of the beta-tubulin 2 (BTU2) gene could substitute for the 3' region of the H4-I gene. This hybrid H4-I/neo/BTU2 gene did not transform Tetrahymena when subcloned on a plasmid lacking an origin of replication, but did transform at high frequency on a two origin plasmid. Thus, the H4-I/neo/BTU2 cassette is a selectable marker that can be used for gene knockout in Tetrahymena. As a first step toward constructing a vector suitable for cloning genes by complementation of mutations in Tetrahymena, we also demonstrated that the vector containing 2 origins and the H4-I/neo/BTU2 cassette can co-express a gene encoding a cycloheximide resistant ribosomal protein.     

High-throughput Binary Vectors for Plant Gene Function Analysis

A series of high-throughput binary cloning vectors were constructed to facilitate gene function analysis in higher plants. This vector series consists of plasmids designed for plant expression, promoter analysis, gene silencing, and green fluorescent protein fusions for protein localization. These vectors provide for high-throughput and efficient cloning utilizing sites for λ phage integrase/excisionase. In addition, unique restriction sites are incorporated in a multiple cloning site and enable promoter replacement. The entire vector series are available with complete sequence information and detailed annotations and are freely distributed to the scientific community for non-commercial uses.     

通用型基因打靶载体的构建及其功能鉴定

为了构建适合大多数基因座位点打靶的通用型基因打靶载体及打靶成功后去除正选择标记基因,以克隆载体pGEM-3Z为骨架,插入了一个正选择标记基因新霉素磷酸转移酶基因(neo).两个相同的负选择标记基因单纯疱疹病毒胸苷激酶基因HSV-tk1和HSV-tk2,并在neo的两侧各添加了一个方向相同的LoxP(10cus of crossing-over(X)in P1)序列及两个不同的多克隆位点序列,从而构建了载体pA2T.插入的两个不同的多克隆位点序列中,neo和HSV-tk1之间的多克隆位点序列有8个稀少的酶切位点、neo和HSV-tk2之间的多克隆位点序列有5个稀少的酶切位点,neo、HSV-tk1和HSV-tk2有各自独立的转录单元.脂质体法转染山羊成纤维细胞,用遗传霉素(G418)和丙氧鸟苷(GAC)进行正负筛选,验证了正负选择标记基因的生物活性,证明通用型基因打靶载体pA2T构建成功.栽体pA2T转化组成性表达Cre重组醇(Cyclization recombination protein)的大肠杆菌BM25.8,检测到LoxP序列的生物活性,结果表明pA2T中的正选基因可以被Cre重组酶去除.因此,本研究所构建的通用型基因打靶载体pA2T,根据不同的基因座设计同源臂后,插入到MCS中可直接用于不同基因座位点的打靶,并能够在打靶成功后用Cre重组酶去除基因组中插入的neo基因,为用基因打靶的方法制作转基因动物提供了便利.     

High efficiency transformation of Tetrahymena using a codon-optimized neomycin resistance gene

Tetrahymena thermophila is a useful model for the study of eukaryotic biology. A neomycin resistance gene (neo) has been developed that was optimized for the codon usage of T. thermophila. Using this codon-optimized neo gene (neoTet), a new drug resistance marker cassette, neo4, has been constructed. The neo4 cassette resulted in about ten times more drug resistant transformants than a cassette containing the non-codon-optimized original neo gene. The new cassette enables transgenic Tetrahymena strains to be created with high efficiency. This study also emphasizes the importance of codon optimization in transgene expression in Tetrahymena.     

Using a modified TA cloning method to create entry clones

We describe a noncommercial alternative method to create entry clones compatible with all kinds of destination vectors based on an improved TA cloning approach. To generate Gateway T vectors, we first constructed gentamicin- and chloramphenicol-resistant entry vectors designated pGWG and pGWC, respectively. Each entry vector contains an AhdI cassette flanked by attL sites, with each AhdI cassette containing two AhdI restriction enzyme sites spaced by the ccdB killer gene, which is lethal to most Escherichia coli strains. Gateway T vectors can be prepared by simple digestion of these entry vectors with the AhdI enzyme or its isoschizomers. The use of the ccdB gene as a negative selection marker is an important improvement over conventional TA cloning in that it eliminates the necessity of blue/white color screening based on alpha-complementation. Another important improvement that we have implemented is to retail the T vectors using Taq polymerase and dTTP so as to improve the cloning efficiency. Together, these improvements allow TA cloning to realize its full potential. Using Gateway T vectors prepared by this improved method, entry clones for PCR products or restriction enzyme fragments can be created simply, efficiently, and inexpensively while at the same time introducing greater compatibility.     

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.     

GreenGate - A Novel,Versatile, and Efficient Cloning System for Plant Transgenesis

Building expression constructs for transgenesis is one of the fundamental day-to-day tasks in modern biology. Traditionally it is based on a multitude of type II restriction endonucleases and T4 DNA ligase. Especially in case of long inserts and applications requiring high-throughput, this approach is limited by the number of available unique restriction sites and the need for designing individual cloning strategies for each project. Several alternative cloning systems have been developed in recent years to overcome these issues, including the type IIS enzyme based Golden Gate technique. Here we introduce our GreenGate system for rapidly assembling plant transformation constructs, which is based on the Golden Gate method. GreenGate cloning is simple and efficient since it uses only one type IIS restriction endonuclease, depends on only six types of insert modules (plant promoter, N-terminal tag, coding sequence, C-terminal tag, plant terminator and plant resistance cassette), but at the same time allows assembling several expression cassettes in one binary destination vector from a collection of pre-cloned building blocks. The system is cheap and reliable and when combined with a library of modules considerably speeds up cloning and transgene stacking for plant transformation.     

鹅细小病毒和番鸭细小病毒核酸疫苗重组质粒的构建及表达

将鹅细小病毒（GPV）和番鸭细小病毒（MPV）主要结构蛋白（VP2－VP3）基因克隆到核酸疫苗质粒pIRESlneo载体上,构建了核酸疫苗重组质粒pIGVP1和pIMVP,通过脂质体转染法分别将重组质粒到鹅胚成纤维细胞和番鸭胚成纤维细胞中,核酸疫苗重组质粒pIGVP1和pIMVP分别转染鹅胚成纤维细胞和番鸭成纤维细胞中,于转染后72h收取细胞,细胞裂解液裂解后,经Western blot检测其表达产物可出现特异性反应带,证明表达产物具有很好的反应原性。