Transgenic crop plants expressing synthetic cry9Aa gene are protected against insect damage

A synthetic gene sequence of cry9Aa was made to achieve high expression levels in a plant cell. Tobacco, potato, cauliflower and turnip rape plants were transformed with this synthetic gene driven by the double 35S promoter using Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. The presence and expression of the synthetic cry9Aa gene was evaluated in Southern, Northern and Western analysis and with insect bioassays. The expression of the gene in tobacco plants reached a level of 5 pg of mRNA per 1 μg of total RNA and 0.3% of soluble protein or 1.4 μg of Cry9Aa protein per 1 g of leaf material. The expression level in the other species was three to ten times lower. Tobacco plants were also transformed with a truncated native cry9Aa gene construct and with a translational fusion construct of the truncated native cry9Aa and the uidA (GUS) gene sequence. The constructs were transformed in tobacco plants under the control of the same promoter as the synthetic cry9Aa. The expression level of the native cry9Aa gene constructs ranged from 0.03 to 1 pg of cry9Aa mRNA per 1 μg of total RNA. The protein was undetectable in Western analysis. In comparison to the native constructs the expression level of the synthetic cry9Aa gene was five to ten times higher at the mRNA level and at least 50 times higher at the translational level. Bioassays against Plutella xylostella performed with transgenic cauliflower showed high insecticidal activity of the plants expressing the synthetic cry9Aa gene.     

一种适用于产朊假丝酵母的基因敲除系统及其在gsh1基因敲除中的应用

报道一种适用于产朊假丝酵母Candida utilis的基因敲除系统,利用该敲除系统获得gsh1基因敲除杂合突变株。根据不同种属酵母菌γ-谷氨酰半胱氨酸合成酶(γ-GCS)蛋白质的保守序列,克隆C.utilis SZU 07-01的gsh1基因;以商品化质粒pPICZalpha A为基础,构建gsh1基因的敲除载体pPICZalpha A-kan 3,其中,kan基因的启动子TEF被替换为来自于C.utilis SZU 07-01的GAP启动子(pGAP:kan)。质粒电转化C.utilis,获得gsh1基因敲除杂合突变株C.utilis GSH-6。结合发酵培养得到的数据进行分析,突变株的γ-GCS酶活比出发菌株降低17.5%,GSH合成量降低61%,细胞干重降低18.5%。所构建敲除组件pGAP:kan的成功应用为从分子水平研究C.utilis中谷胱甘肽(GSH)的生理功能提供了一种新借鉴。     

Carbohydrases in camel (Camelus dromedarius) pancreas. Purification and characterization of glucoamylase

The present study analyzed the existence of carbohydrases in camel pancreas compared to some other ruminants. Disaccharidases (maltase, cellobiase, lactase, trehalase and sucrase), glucoamylase and alpha-amylase were detected in pancreas of camel, sheep, cow and buffalo. Enzyme levels in sheep were lower than in the other ruminants. The highest level was detected for alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.2). Moderate activity levels were detected for glucoamylase (EC 3.2.1.3) and maltase (EC 3.2.1.20), while other disaccharidases showed very low activity. The results suggested that, in addition to alpha-amylase, glucoamylase and maltase may be synthesized and secreted from pancreas to the small intestine in ruminants. Camel pancreatic glucoamylase was purified and characterized. The purification procedure included glycogen precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose and Sepharose 6B. The molecular mass was 58 kDa for native and denatured enzyme using gel filtration and SDS-PAGE, respectively. The enzyme had a pH optimum at 5.5 and a Km of 10 mg starch/mL with more affinity toward potato soluble starch than the other carbohydrates. Glucoamylase had a temperature optimum at 50 degrees C with heat stability up to 30 degrees C. The effect of different cations and inhibitors was examined. The camel pancreatic glucoamylase may possess an essential thiol.     

Production of lycopene by the food yeast, Candida utilis that does not naturally synthesize carotenoid

The Erwinia uredovora crtE, crtB, and crtI genes, which are responsible for the synthesis of carotenoid lycopene from farnesyl pyrophosphate, were expressed in Candida utilis under the control of the promoters and terminators derived from the C. utilis GAP, PGK, and PMA genes, respectively. The yeast transformant carrying the carotenoid biosynthesis genes produced 758 microg/g dry weight of lycopene along with 407 microg/g dry weight of phytoene in the stationary phase. It was observed in the C. utilis transformant that ergosterol content was decreased to 65% of that in the parent strain that accumulated 6.04 mg/g dry weight of ergosterol. It is therefore possible that the carbon flux for the ergosterol biosynthesis has been branched at farnesyl pyrophosphate to generate a new pathway for the lycopene production in this yeast transformant.     

Synthesis and secretion of alpha-amylase by rice callus: evidence for differential gene expression

Rice seed callus expressed and secreted alpha-amylase at high levels. Twenty percent of the protein secreted by the callus was alphaamylase. The callus secreted about 840 mug alpha-amylase with 10.9 x 10(3) units of activity per gram dry weight callus per day. The alpha-amylase from callus exhibited a more complex isoform pattern than the germinating seed alpha-amylase. In addition, the level of mRNA expression by the five alpha-amylase gene groups was markedly different between callus and the germinating seed. The rice callus culture has features which it attractive as a potential system for expression proteins in plant cell fermentation systems.     

Thermoadaptation of a mesophilic hygromycin B phosphotransferase by directed evolution in hyperthermophilic Archaea: selection of a stable genetic marker for DNA transfer into Sulfolobus solfataricus

A mutated version of the hygromycin B phosphotransferase (hph(mut)) gene from Escherichia coli, isolated by directed evolution at 75 degrees C in transformants of a thermophilic strain of Sulfolobus solfataricus, was characterized with respect to its genetic stability in both the original mesophilic and the new thermophilic hosts. This gene was demonstrated to be able to express the hygromycin B resistance phenotype and to be steadily maintained and propagated also in other, more thermophilic strains of S. solfataricus, i.e., up to 82 degrees C. Furthermore, it may be transferred to S. solfataricus cells by cotransformation with pKMSD48, another extrachromosomal element derived from the virus SSV1 of Sulfolobus shibatae, without any loss of stability and without affecting the replication and infectivity of this viral DNA. The hph(mut) and the wild-type gene products were expressed at higher levels in E. coli and purified by specific affinity chromatography on immobilized hygromycin B. Comparative characterization revealed that the mutant enzyme had acquired significant thermoresistance and displayed higher thermal activity with augmented catalytic efficiency.     

Targeted disruption of the alpha-amylase gene in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus

Sulfolobus solfataricus secretes an acid-resistant alpha-amylase (amyA) during growth on starch as the sole carbon and energy source. Synthesis of this activity is subject to catabolite repression. To better understand alpha-amylase function and regulation, the structural gene was identified and disrupted and the resulting mutant was characterized. Internal alpha-amylase peptide sequences obtained by tandem mass spectroscopy were used to identify the amyA coding sequence. Anti-alpha-amylase antibodies raised against the purified protein immunoprecipitated secreted alpha-amylase activity and verified the enzymatic identity of the sequenced protein. A new gene replacement method was used to disrupt the amyA coding sequence by insertion of a modified allele of the S. solfataricus lacS gene. PCR and DNA sequence analysis were used to characterize the altered amyA locus in the recombinant strain. The amyA::lacS mutant lost the ability to grow on starch, glycogen, or pullulan as sole carbon and energy sources. During growth on a non-catabolite-repressing carbon source with added starch, the mutant produced no detectable secreted amylase activity as determined by enzyme assay, plate assay, or Western blot analysis. These results clarify the biological role of the alpha-amylase and provide additional methods for the directed genetic manipulation of the S. solfataricus genome.     

产朊假丝酵母整合表达载体的构建

[目的]构建一个产朊假丝酵母(Candida utilis,C.utilis)整合表达载体.[方法]该载体以质粒pBR322为骨架,包括3-磷酸甘油醛脱氢酶(GAP)启动子和终止子、放线菌酮(CYH)抗性基因和18S rDNA介导的同源整合区.再以木聚糖酶基因为目标基因,插入pGLR9K载体上,构建重组表达载体,电击转化C.utilis.对阳性转化子进行酶活测定,检测其表达情况.[结果]转化子的胞内外都可检测到木聚糖酶酶活,酶活可达60 U/mL.[结论]本实验构建了一个C.utilis载体,并用此载体表达了木聚糖酶基因,本研究将为产朊假丝酵母工程菌在饲料添加剂及食品行业中的应用提供又一个新的实验平台.     

Cloning and expression of alpha-amylase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus woesei in the moderately halophilic bacterium Halomonas elongata

An extracellular alpha-amylase gene from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus woesei has been cloned and sequenced. The 1.4-kb protein-coding sequence is identical to that of the corresponding alpha-amylase gene of the closely related species P. furiosus. By using a shuttle cloning vector for halophilic bacteria, the P. woesei alpha-amylase was expressed in the moderate halophile Halomonas elongata, under the control of a native H. elongata promoter. The hyperthermophilic amylase activity expressed in the halophilic host was recovered completely in the crude membrane fraction of cell homogenates, suggesting the formation of inclusion bodies or that the secretion machinery of H. elongata may fail to recognize and release the pyrococcal alpha-amylase to the extracellular medium. However, thermal stability, metal ion interactions, optimal temperature and pH values for the crude and purified recombinant alpha-amylase were comparable with those of the native pyrococcal enzyme. The P. woesei amylase activity expressed in H. elongata was consistently detected in the cells upon growth on a wide range of NaCl concentrations (0.7-2.5 mol l-1). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the expression of an archaeal gene (P. woesei alpha-amylase) in a moderate halophilic host which serves as a cell factory able to grow under extreme salt conditions and with very simple nutritional requirements.     

A defined level of protein disulfide isomerase expression is required for optimal secretion of thaumatin by Aspergillus awamori

Thaumatin, a 22-kDa protein containing eight disulfide bonds, is secreted by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus awamori at levels which are dependent upon the extent of overexpression of protein disulfide isomerase (PDIA). Additional copies of the PDIA-encoding gene pdiA were introduced into a strain of A. awamori that expresses a cassette encoding thaumatin. Transformants with different levels of pdiA mRNA and measured PDIA levels were chosen for examination of the impact that PDIA levels had on thaumatin secretion. The secretion of two native proteins, alpha-amylase and acid phosphatase, was also examined in relation to varying levels of PDIA. Over a range of PDIA levels of 1-8, relative to the native level in strains with just one copy of the pdiA gene, the fraction of alpha-amylase and acid phosphatase in the total secreted protein was unaffected. In contrast, a peak level of thaumatin, about 5-fold higher than in the strain with one copy of pdiA, was found in strains with a relative PDIA level of between two and four. Improved thaumatin production was confirmed in 5-1 fermenters using a strain of A. awamori with six pdiA gene copies, containing 3.2-fold higher levels of PDIA than wild-type strains.     

Starch fermentation by recombinant saccharomyces cerevisiae strains expressing the alpha-amylase and glucoamylase genes from lipomyces kononenkoae and saccharomycopsis fibuligera

Lipomyces kononenkoae and Saccharomycopsis fibuligera possess highly efficient alpha-amylase and/or glucoamylase activities that enable both of these yeasts to utilize raw starch as a carbon source. Eight constructs containing the L. kononenkoae alpha-amylase genes (LKA1 and LKA2), and the S. fibuligera alpha-amylase (SFA1) and glucoamylase (SFG1) genes were prepared. The first set of constructs comprised four single gene cassettes each containing one of the individual amylase coding sequences (LKA1, LKA2, SFA1 or SFG1) under the control of the phosphoglycerate kinase gene (PGK1) promoter and terminator, while the second set comprised two single cassettes containing SFA1 and SFG1 linked to their respective native promoters and terminators. The third set of constructs consisted of two double-gene cassettes, one containing LKA1 plus LKA2 under the control of the PGK1 promoter and terminator, and the other SFA1 plus SFG1 controlled by their respective native promoters and terminators. These constructs were transformed into a laboratory strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sigma1278b). Southern-blot analysis confirmed the stable integration of the different gene constructs into the S. cerevisiae genome and plate assays revealed amylolytic activity. The strain expressing LKA1 and LKA2 resulted in the highest levels of alpha-amylase activity in liquid media. This strain was also the most efficient at starch utilization in batch fermentations, utilizing 80% of the available starch and producing 0.61g/100 mL of ethanol after 6 days of fermentation. The strain expressing SFG1 under the control of the PGK1 expression cassette gave the highest levels of glucoamylase activity. It was shown that the co-expression of these heterologous alpha-amylase and glucoamylase genes enhance starch degradation additively in S. cerevisiae. This study has resulted in progress towards laying the foundation for the possible development of efficient starch-degrading S. cerevisiae strains that could eventually be used in consolidated bioprocessing, and in the brewing, whisky, and biofuel industries.     

Recombinant soluble Fc epsilon receptor II (Fc epsilon RII/CD23) has IgE binding activity but no B cell growth promoting activity

We have undertaken the production of recombinant soluble Fc epsilon receptor II (Fc epsilon RII) as a secretory protein, but not as a cleavage product of membrane-bound receptor. Several plasmid constructs containing soluble receptor sequence were prepared. Only a chimeric gene containing the sequences encoding IL-6 signal peptide and the soluble moiety of Fc epsilon RII could be expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and CHO cells, resulting in the secretion of soluble Fc epsilon RII. The recombinant soluble Fc epsilon RII was also produced in the yeast expression system. The NH2-terminal sequence analysis of the chimeric gene product generated by oocytes demonstrated the correct cleavage of IL-6 leader sequence by a signal peptidase. Moreover, most of CHO cell and all of the yeast-derived recombinant molecules were products identical with the native B cell-derived soluble Fc epsilon RII. These recombinant products as well as the natural soluble receptor derived from a human B cell line could bind both human IgE and two different anti-Fc epsilon RII mAb and could competitively inhibit the binding of IgE to Fc epsilon RII-expressing cells. However, the recombinant soluble Fc epsilon RII and highly purified native molecules did not display any B cell growth-promoting activity.     

Secretion of a functional single-chain Fv protein in transgenic tobacco plants and cell suspension cultures

A synthetic gene encoding an anti-phytochrome single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody bearing an N-terminal signal peptide has been used to transform tobacco plants. Immunoblot analysis showed that transformed plants accumulate high levels of scFv protein, accounting for up to 0.5% of the total soluble protein fraction, which could be extracted by simple infiltration and centrifugation of leaf tissue. A substantial proportion of the scFv protein extracted in this way was found to possess antigen-binding activity. Callus cell suspension cultures derived from transformed plants secrete functional scFv protein into the surrounding medium. Compared with the levels of scFv protein observed in plants expressing the native scFv gene, the incorporation of an N-terminal signal peptide, to target the scFv to the apoplast, results in elevated accumulation of the protein.     

Secretion and surface display of green fluorescent protein using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) continues to be a very useful tool in biotechnology, but soluble production of GFP and GFP-protein fusions has been difficult. In this study, we have produced yeast-enhanced green fluorescent protein (yEGFP) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a soluble, secreted product with a purified level of 6 mg/L. Expression was directed by the inducible GAL1-10 promoter and synthetic prepro leader sequence. The secretion of yEGFP by yeast was strongly dependent on temperature, with 20 degrees C induction being optimal. Use of 2 micro multicopy expression constructs elevated yields over a low-copy CEN-based system by approximately 2-fold. Yeast-enhanced GFP was also expressed as a fusion to the Aga2p mating agglutinin in order to test the secretory processing fidelity of yEGFP-protein fusions. When the cell surface anchoring protein, Aga1p, was co-overexpressed with the Aga2p-yEGFP fusion, the Aga2p-yEGFP protein was tethered to the yeast cell surface. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy analysis indicated that the fusion was displayed on the yeast cell surface at high levels. In the absence of high level Aga1p expression, the Aga2p-yEGFP fusion protein was instead secreted in its entirety with no detectable surface display. These findings reveal that yeast is a suitable host for secretion of GFP and GFP-protein fusions and thus could enable a wide range of biochemistry and biotechnology applications.     

Improved expression and purification of the correctly folded response regulator PlnC from lactobacilli

The response regulator PlnC is part of the signal transduction system that plays a key role in the regulation of bacteriocin production in Lactobacillus plantarum C11. In this study, we wanted to express high levels of the response regulator PlnC in a soluble and native form for purification and further studies. The protein was expressed as a fusion protein (fPlnC) containing an N-terminal Flag-tag to facilitate detection and purification. When the fusion gene, fplnC, was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21, nearly all (99%) of the recombinant protein ended up inside inclusion bodies as an incorrectly folded protein. By utilizing two different Gram-positive expression systems (SIP and NICE) in L. plantarum NC8 and Lactobacillus sakei Lb790, the expression of the soluble fPlnC was significantly increased, being 20-40 times more than that in E. coli BL21. Using the N-terminal tag, the expressed protein was purified by immunoprecipitation. By DNA-binding study (EMSA), we demonstrated that the fusion protein purified from the soluble pool was correctly folded as judged by its ability to bind specifically on regulated promoters. Using our approach, we estimate that about 1 mg of fPlnC can be purified from 11 of the bacterial culture.     

Comparative characterization of complete and truncated forms of Lactobacillus amylovorus alpha-amylase and role of the C-terminal direct repeats in raw-starch binding

Two constructs derived from the alpha-amylase gene (amyA) of Lactobacillus amylovorus were expressed in Lactobacillus plantarum, and their expression products were purified, characterized, and compared. These products correspond to the complete (AmyA) and truncated (AmyADelta) forms of alpha-amylase; AmyADelta lacks the 66-kDa carboxyl-terminal direct-repeating-unit region. AmyA and AmyADelta exhibit similar amylase activities towards a range of soluble substrates (amylose, amylopectin and alpha-cyclodextrin, and soluble starch). The specific activities of the enzymes towards soluble starch are similar, but the K(M) and V(max) values of AmyADelta were slightly higher than those of AmyA, whereas the thermal stability of AmyADelta was lower than that of AmyA. In contrast to AmyA, AmyADelta is unable to bind to beta-cyclodextrin and is only weakly active towards glycogen. More striking is the fact that AmyADelta cannot bind or hydrolyze raw starch, demonstrating that the carboxyl-terminal repeating-unit domain of AmyA is required for raw-starch binding activity.     

Protein secretion controlled by a synthetic gene in Escherichia coli

The inability of Escherichia coli to secrete proteins in growth medium is one of the major drawbacks in its use in genetic engineering. A synthetic gene, homologous to the one coding for the kil peptide of pColE1, was made and cloned under the control of the lac promoter, in order to obtain the inducible secretion of homologous or heterologous proteins by E. coli. The efficiency of this synthetic gene to promote secretion was assayed by analysing the production and secretion of two proteins, the R-TEM1 beta-lactamase, and the alpha-amylase from Bacillus licheniformis. This latter protein was expressed in E. coli from its gene either on the same plasmid as the kil gene or on a different plasmid. The primary effect of the induction of the kil gene is the overproduction of the secreted proteins. When expressed at a high level, the kil gene promotes the overproduction of all periplasmic proteins and the total secretion in the culture medium of both the beta-lactamase or the alpha-amylase. This secretion is semi-selective for most periplasmic proteins are not secreted. The kil peptide induces the secretion of homologous or heterologous proteins in two steps, first acting on the cytoplasmic membrane, then permeabilizing the outer membrane. This system, which is now being assayed at the fermentor scale, is the first example of using a synthetic gene to engineer a new property into a bacterial strain.