A modular and optimized single marker system for generating Trypanosoma brucei cell lines expressing T7 RNA polymerase and the tetracycline repressor

Here, we present a simple modular extendable vector system for introducing the T7 RNA polymerase and tetracycline repressor genes into Trypanosoma brucei. This novel system exploits developments in our understanding of gene expression and genome organization to produce a streamlined plasmid optimized for high levels of expression of the introduced transgenes. We demonstrate the utility of this novel system in bloodstream and procyclic forms of Trypanosoma brucei, including the genome strain TREU927/4. We validate these cell lines using a variety of inducible experiments that recapture previously published lethal and non-lethal phenotypes. We further demonstrate the utility of the single marker (SmOx) TREU927/4 cell line for in vivo experiments in the tsetse fly and provide a set of plasmids that enable both whole-fly and salivary gland-specific inducible expression of transgenes.     

pHUSH: a single vector system for conditional gene expression

Background

Conditional expression vectors have become a valuable research tool to avoid artefacts that may result from traditional gene expression studies. However, most systems require multiple plasmids that must be independently engineered into the target system, resulting in experimental delay and an increased potential for selection of a cell subpopulation that differs significantly from the parental line. We have therefore developed pHUSH, an inducible expression system that allows regulated expression of shRNA, miRNA or cDNA cassettes on a single viral vector.

Results

Both Pol II and Pol III promoters have been successfully combined with a second expression cassette containing a codon-optimized tetracycline repressor and selectable marker. We provide examples of how pHUSH has been successfully employed to study the function of target genes in a number of cell types within in vitro and in vivo assays, including conditional gene knockdown in a murine model of brain cancer.

Conclusion

We have successfully developed and employed a single vector system that enables Doxycycline regulated RNAi or transgene expression in a variety of in vitro and in vivo model systems. These studies demonstrate the broad application potential of pHUSH for conditional genetic engineering in mammalian cells.     

猪Nanog基因四环素诱导干扰载体的构建和鉴定

Nanog基因是在早期胚胎和干细胞等多能性细胞中特异表达的重要基因,但有关猪Nanog基因功能的相关研究甚少。四环素诱导干扰载体是一种可通过四环素等药物条件性诱导干扰目的基因的载体,尤其适用于在发育过程中起着关键作用的基因沉默。常规的四环素干扰系统为二元载体,与一元载体相比获得针对特定基因干扰的稳定细胞系所需周期更长。首先通过构建pGenesil 1.0-shRNA重组干扰载体,瞬时转染稳定过表达猪Nanog基因的猪胎儿成纤维细胞后通过Realtime-PCR筛选出干扰效率可达80%以上的干扰片段。之后将筛选得到的干扰片段插入到改造的一元四环素诱导干扰载体TREsilencer,对稳定表达猪Nanog基因的猪胎儿成纤维细胞进行了瞬时转染。实验分别通过光密度检测以及Realtime-PCR检测了不同浓度doxycycline的诱导效率和干扰效率。结果表明,所构建的四环素诱导干扰载体TREsilencer-shRNA5随着四环素浓度的增加,诱导Nanog基因的干扰效率增加,在处理浓度为1μg/ml时干扰效率可达70%以上,为后续得到可诱导的稳定干扰猪Nanog基因的细胞系和进一步研究猪Nanog基因功能奠定了基础。     

Multipurpose modular lentiviral vectors for RNA interference and transgene expression

We have created a multipurpose modular lentiviral vector system for expressing both transgenes and miRNA 30-based short hairpins (shRNAmirs) for RNAi. The core of the resulting vector system, pLVmir, allows a simple two step cloning procedure for expressing shRNAmirs under the control of a Pol II promoter in both a constitutive and conditional manner. The adapted cloning method includes a PCR-free method for transferring shRNAmir based RNAi clones from a publicly available library (Open Biosystems). The addition of a Pol II promoter-driven shRNAmir cassette and broadening the choice of Pol III promoters and silencing triggers offers great flexibility to this system. The combination of several preexisting and additional modules created here caters to common needs of researchers. Our modular vector system was validated regarding functionality of promoters, inducibility and reversibility. We successfully applied the system to knockdown Xirp2 mRNA expression in H2kb-tsA58 muscle cells and determined that this had no spurious effect on the expression of a closely related protein. Finally, our set of lentiviral vectors may be used to achieve synergistic effects, for simultaneous knockdown of two genes, as a rescue plasmid and for studying mutant proteins in a physiological context.     

A predictable ligand regulated expression strategy for stably integrated transgenes in mammalian cells in culture

Several strategies for regulated stable transgene expression in mammalian cells have been described. These strategies have different strengths and weaknesses, however they all share a common problem, namely predictability in application. Here we address this problem using the leading strategy for ligand inducible transgene expression, the tetracycline repressor system. Initially, we found the best stable clone out of 48 examined showed only 6-fold inducibility. Hence we looked for additions and modifications that improve the chances of a successful outcome. We document three important aspects; first, use of a mammalian codon-optimized tetracycline repressor gene; second, addition of a steroid hormone receptor ligand binding domain to the tetracycline repressor-virion protein 16 fusion protein activator; third, flanking the tet-operator/transgene cassette with insulator elements from the chicken beta-globin locus. By inclusion of these three design features, 18/18 clones showed low basal and highly inducible (>50 x) expression.     

Constitutive expression of tetracycline resistance mediated by a Tn10-like element in Haemophilus parainfluenzae results from a mutation in the repressor gene.

The Tn10-like constitutively expressed tetracycline resistance determinant from a Haemophilus parainfluenzae strain was cloned in Escherichia coli. Toxicity resulting from expression on multicopy plasmids necessitated its being cloned on a low-copy plasmid vector or in cells containing the Tn10-encoded repressor. Constitutive expression of tetracycline resistance was found to result from the synthesis of a truncated inactive repressor molecule. Instead of the 23-kilodalton repressor found in other Tn10-containing strains, this determinant encoded a 14.5-kilodalton molecule. The DNA sequence of the 700-base-pair region spanning the repressor gene and promoter-operator regions of the Haemophilus determinant was identical to that of the same region of Tn10, except for the absence of a single T X A base pair in the repressor gene. This deletion leads to premature termination of the protein. Antisera to the repressor suggested that the repressor was also absent in a second independently isolated H. parainfluenzae strain bearing a Tn10-like constitutive tetracycline resistance determinant.     

Leishmania chagasi: a tetracycline-inducible cell line driven by T7 RNA polymerase

Trypanosomatid protozoa lack consensus promoters for RNA polymerase (RNAP) II. However, the artificial insertion of the T7 promoter (P(T7)) and the tetracycline repressor into Trypanosoma brucei cell lines expressing T7RNAP allows P(T7)-driven gene expression to be tetracycline-inducible. These cell lines provide a molecular tool to address protein function by several recombinant approaches. We describe here the development of an analogous Leishmania chagasi cell line bearing the genes for exogenous T7RNAP and the tetracycline repressor inserted in the multi-gene alpha-tubulin locus. A plasmid construct with P(T7) and the tetracycline operator upstream of a reporter gene, when introduced into this cell line as episomal plasmids or chromosomal insertion into the non-coding strand of an 18SrRNA gene, resulted in tetracycline-inducible expression of the reporter as much as 16- and 150-fold, respectively. The reporter was under a much tighter control when chromosomally inserted than extra-chromosomally born. Furthermore, P(T7) augmented the reporter's expression 2-fold more in comparison to P(T7)-less constructs. This cell line is the first Leishmania spp. that allows the exogenous T7RNAP-driven gene expression to be tetracycline-inducible; and may provide a useful tool for addressing protein function by manipulating expression levels of Leishmania endogenous genes.     

One-step knockin for inducible expression in mouse embryonic stem cells

Transgenesis enables the elucidation of gene function; however, constant transgene expression is not always desired. The tetracycline responsive system was devised to turn on and off transgene expression at will. It has two components: a doxycycline (dox)-controlled transactivator (TA) and an inducible expression cassette. Integration of these transgenes requires two transfection steps usually accomplished by sequential random integration. Unfortunately, random integration can be problematic due to chromatin position effects, integration of variable transgene units, and mutation at the integration site. Therefore, targeted transgenesis and knockin were developed to target the TA and the inducible expression cassette to a specific location, but these approaches can be costly in time, labor, and money. Here, we describe a one-step Cre-mediated knockin system in mouse embryonic stem cells that positions the TA and inducible expression cassette to a single location. Using this system, we show dox-dependent regulation of eGFP at the DNA topoisomerase 3β promoter. Because Cre-mediated recombination is used in lieu of gene targeting, this system is fast and efficient.