构建基于荧光多重cPCR的小鼠基因拷贝数检测方法

目的建立基于竞争性聚合酶链式反应(competitive polymerase chain reaction,cPCR)小鼠基因拷贝数变异(copy number variations,CNVs)的检测方法,用于检测野生小家鼠来源一号染色体替换系群体(population of specific chromosome 1 substitution strains,PCSSs)的CNVs。方法选取小鼠一号染色体上11个CNVs位点,及7、9和X染色体上各1个内对照位点,分别构建克隆质粒为竞争性粒模板,应用cPCR技术,建立荧光通用引物多重cPCR检测方法。结果多重cPCR方案适用于小鼠一号染色体上11个CNV位点的拷贝数检测,且能准确检测X染色体的拷贝数。结论实现小鼠快速、高通量的CNVs检测,可准确检测小鼠1号染色体中11个CNV位点的拷贝数变异。     

FTL-EGFP融合基因真核表达载体的构建及其表达

[目的]构建小鼠铁蛋白轻链(ferritin light chain,FTL)的增强型绿色荧光蛋白(enhanced green fluorescent protein,EGFP)真核表达载体并检测其表达。[方法]利用PCR扩增技术得到小鼠560 bp的FTL基因编码序列,将此序列插入到含有增强型绿色荧光基因EGFP的真核表达载体PEGFP/N1多克隆位点区域中的限制内切酶HindⅢ和Bam HⅠ之间,得到真核表达载体m FTL-PEGFP/N1。经酶切和测序鉴定后,将构建成功的m FTL-PEGFP/N1及其对照空载体PEGFP/N1分别转染到小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞RAW264.7细胞中,提取蛋白后利用免疫印迹技术检测细胞中带有PEGFP标签的FTL蛋白的表达。[结果]新构建的m FTL-PEGFP/N1重组质粒经酶切鉴定得到预期片段,进一步的测序结果显示所构建的重组质粒中插入的小鼠FTL基因的c DNA序列正确。[结论]利用分子克隆技术获得了带有绿色荧光蛋白标签的小鼠铁蛋白轻链真核表达载体m FTL-PEGFP/N1,并在细胞中表达良好。     

从伪狂犬病病毒中删除Cre/LoxP介导的报告基因

根据pEGFP-C1序列,设计并合成一对引物,通过PCR扩增出两端各含一个同向LoxP位点的GFP表达盒,克隆于转移载体pSKLR获得pSKLR-G-LoxP。通过经典同源重组方法,得到表达GFP的TK基因缺失伪狂犬病毒重组毒株S03109。该重组病毒在转染了pOG231(表达Cre重组酶)的293T细胞上连续传代,筛选得到重组病毒株S0419。荧光显微镜观察、Western blot及PCR检测结果表明,S03109感染细胞后持续表达GFP,而S0419不表达GFP。PCR证实S0419为含单个LoxP位点的TK基因缺失病毒,并且在细胞培养上遗传稳定,测序结果(GenBank登录号AY822465)表明,在Cre重组酶的作用下,两个同向LoxP序列之间的GFP表达盒被正确除去。对BALB/c小鼠的半数致死量(LD50)及免疫保护实验结果表明,S03109和S0419对BALB/c小鼠的LD50值均大于3×105PFU,免疫BALB/c小鼠,攻毒后平均存活率分别为67.5%与70%。以上结果表明,利用Cre/LoxP位点特异性重组系统,成功去除了插入重组伪狂犬病病毒基因组中的GFP报告基因。     

现代罗布人mtDNA 9bp序列缺失频率与DYS287位点多态性研究

目的:研究现代罗布人线粒体DNA 9bp序列缺失频率与Y染色体DYS287位点多态性.方法:分别采用PCR扩增直接测序法和PCR结合琼脂糖凝胶电泳检测法对不同位点的多态性进行分析.结果:在48名无关现代罗布人群个体中,线粒体DNA9bp序列缺失频率为8.3%,在34名无关现代罗布人群男性个体中DYS287全部显示为YAP-.结论:获得现代罗布人线粒体DNA 9bp序列缺失频率与Y染色体DYS287位点多态性数据,为该群体遗传关系的分析、法医学鉴定及该群体的起源提供了一定的遗传背景资料.     

外源性人TIMP-1基因在转基因小鼠染色体上的整合及定位

为探讨外源基因人基质金属蛋白酶组织抑制物-1（human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1, hTIMP-1）基因在转基因小鼠家系染色体上的整合和精确定位,应用Southrn印迹检测外源基因在染色体上整合的位点及拷贝数.结果表明,外源基因是以单拷贝、单位点形式整合;应用荧光原位杂交（fluorescence in situ hybridization, FISH）技术检测F4～F20代转基因小鼠中外源基因的整合.结果证明,该家系转基因小鼠自F4代起是纯合子,外源基因整合在17号染色体E区;反向PCR法（Inverse PCR, IPCR）克隆出约3.8 kb外源基因整合位点处的侧翼序列.分析表明,外源基因整合在17号染色体E1.3区,ALK（anaplastic lymphoma kinase, ALK）基因第23个内含子区域.结果提示,获得的转基因小鼠为纯系,外源基因hTIMP-1已稳定整合在转基因小鼠染色体上,并能遗传给后代.     

猪CuZnSOD基因启动子的克隆鉴定及分析

猪铜锌超氧化物歧化酶(CuZnSOD)是一种重要的抗氧化酶,其功能已被广泛研究,但CuZnSOD基因的转录调控尚不明确。为了研究猪CuZnSOD基因的核心启动子区域,并对其转录调控机制进行探讨,运用PCR方法从猪基因组克隆CuZnSOD基因5′上游调控区853 bp的片段,然后通过巢式PCR方法获得5′末端逐渐缺失的启动子系列片段,并将这些片段定向插入到荧光素酶报告基因表达载体(pGL3-Basic)中。瞬时转染小鼠胚胎细胞(NIH/3T3),利用双荧光素酶报告基因检测不同长度启动子活性。检测结果显示,在CuZnSOD基因5′上游调控区-87 bp和-266 bp处分别存在2个潜在转录起始位点,-383 bp~+67 bp启动区活性最强,进一步缺失分析发现-75 bp~-32 bp区域内含有猪CuZnSOD基因转录所必需的基础启动子序列,其中存在多个潜在的转录因子结合位点,研究结果提示这些转录因子结合位点可能是参与CuZnSOD基因转录的重要调控序列。     

利用RT-PCR技术验证基于小鼠外显子芯片发现的缺血相关基因的表达

目的:利用RT-PCR技术验证并确认基于小鼠外显子芯片发现的部分缺血相关基因的表达,以鉴定候选基因的外显子是否发生可变剪接,从而实现对外显子芯片结果的鉴定。方法:根据生物信息学分析结果,选取小鼠外显子芯片中的3个基因(Ube3c,6330439K17Rik,Atp7a),在预测发生可变剪接的外显子两侧设计上下游引物,PCR后进行凝胶回收,再克隆到载体中进行测序。结果:RT-PCR及测序结果表明,Ube3c基因在6号外显子、6330439K17Rik基因在12号外显子、Atp7a基因在3号外显子发生可变剪接,与芯片预测结果一致。结论:RT-PCR技术可针对外显子芯片的结果进行可靠性验证,为可变剪接基因表达研究提供了一种有效手段。     

融合酶表达载体的构建及出现问题的初探

目的:将限制性内切酶FokⅠ催化区域基因(631bp)和PI-SceⅠ识别区域的基因(546bp)连接到一起,克隆入载体质粒pET28a+中,为表达新的限制性内切酶融合酶做准备。方法:分别以啤酒酵母和海床黄杆菌作模板,PCR扩增PI-SceⅠ和FokⅠ基因片段,再将它们克隆入载体质粒pET28a+,然后对整合质粒进行双酶切检测。结果:整合过程中,无论是PI-SceⅠ还是FokⅠ基因片段,都能单独成功插入载体,但当插入第二段基因片段时,酶切结果显示大约600bp的基因片段缺失了。结论:缺失可能因为两段连在一起的新基因在转化过程中对宿主细胞有毒性,宿主细胞对其进行了剪切;也可能这两段基因会形成某种高级结构而导致其不能很好的连接,产生缺失现象。     

转基因水稻BPL9K-2事件特异性检测方法的建立

利用hiTAIL-PCR(high efficient thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR)法扩增获得了转基因水稻BPL9K-2的外源基因插入位点的左旁侧序列450bp,与水稻参考基因组数据比对发现其左边界插入在水稻基因组第10号染色体短臂的1 037 765位核苷酸残基之后。根据水稻参考基因组序列和外源基因右边界序列,设计引物扩增得到485bp的特异片段,通过数据库比对发现其右边界插入在水稻基因组第10号染色体短臂的1 037 825位核苷酸残基之前。因为外源基因插入和非正常重组,水稻基因组上缺失了59个核苷酸。基于左右旁侧序列,建立了转基因水稻BPL9K-2的事件特异性定性PCR检测方法,可以分别扩增到片段大小为449bp和485bp的特异条带。该方法特异性好,灵敏度高,能够在BPL9K-2基因组DNA相对含量为0. 1%的模板中检测出转基因成分。依据旁侧序列,建立了快速鉴定转基因后代植株外源基因型的三引物PCR检测方法。这些方法的建立,为转基因水稻BPL9K-2的应用和检测提供了技术支持。     

利用CRISPR/Cas9技术定点敲除烟草多酚氧化酶基因NtPPO1

植物多酚氧化酶具有多种重要的生理功能。为研究烟草中多酚氧化酶基因功能,从GenBank中挑选一个烟草多酚氧化酶基因(基因登录号为XM_016608009.1),命名为NtPPO1。NtPPO1编码序列经PCR扩增、克隆测序验证后,采用CRISPR/Cas9技术定点敲除NtPPO1,并利用实时荧光定量PCR检验基因敲除效果。研究表明烟草NtPPO1全长1 746 bp,存在2种可变剪切方式。经测序与分析发现,T2突变体中的NtPPO1序列在靶位点处发生了1个、2个碱基的缺失突变与1个碱基的插入突变。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果显示,与对照相比,T2突变体中NtPPO1表达水平显著下降。烟株外观显示NtPPO1突变体与野生型对照之间无明显差异。     

Enhanced gene trapping in mouse embryonic stem cells

Gene trapping is used to introduce insertional mutations into genes of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs). It is performed with gene trap vectors that simultaneously mutate and report the expression of the endogenous gene at the site of insertion and provide a DNA tag for rapid identification of the disrupted gene. Gene traps have been employed worldwide to assemble libraries of mouse ESC lines harboring mutations in single genes, which can be used to make mutant mice. However, most of the employed gene trap vectors require gene expression for reporting a gene trap event and therefore genes that are poorly expressed may be under-represented in the existing libraries. To address this problem, we have developed a novel class of gene trap vectors that can induce gene expression at insertion sites, thereby bypassing the problem of intrinsic poor expression. We show here that the insertion of the osteopontin enhancer into several conventional gene trap vectors significantly increases the gene trapping efficiency in high-throughput screens and facilitates the recovery of poorly expressed genes.     

Molecular Characterization of Transgene Integration by Next-Generation Sequencing in Transgenic Cattle

As the number of transgenic livestock increases, reliable detection and molecular characterization of transgene integration sites and copy number are crucial not only for interpreting the relationship between the integration site and the specific phenotype but also for commercial and economic demands. However, the ability of conventional PCR techniques to detect incomplete and multiple integration events is limited, making it technically challenging to characterize transgenes. Next-generation sequencing has enabled cost-effective, routine and widespread high-throughput genomic analysis. Here, we demonstrate the use of next-generation sequencing to extensively characterize cattle harboring a 150-kb human lactoferrin transgene that was initially analyzed by chromosome walking without success. Using this approach, the sites upstream and downstream of the target gene integration site in the host genome were identified at the single nucleotide level. The sequencing result was verified by event-specific PCR for the integration sites and FISH for the chromosomal location. Sequencing depth analysis revealed that multiple copies of the incomplete target gene and the vector backbone were present in the host genome. Upon integration, complex recombination was also observed between the target gene and the vector backbone. These findings indicate that next-generation sequencing is a reliable and accurate approach for the molecular characterization of the transgene sequence, integration sites and copy number in transgenic species.     

Exchangeable gene trap using the Cre/mutated lox system.

The gene trap technique is a powerful approach for characterizing and mutating genes involved in mouse development. However, one shortcoming of gene trapping is the relative inability to induce subtle mutations. This problem can be overcome by introducing a knock-in system into the gene trap strategy. Here, we have constructed a new gene trap vector, pU-Hachi, employing the Cre-mutated lox system (Araki et al., 1997), in which a pair of mutant lox, lox71 and lox66, was used to promote targeted integrative reaction by Cre recombinase. The pU-Hachi carries splicing acceptor (SA)-lox71-internal ribosomal entry site (IRES)-beta-geo-pA-loxP-pA-pUC. By using this vector, we can carry out random insertional mutagenesis as the first step, and then we can replace the beta-geo gene with any gene of interest through Cre-mediated integration. We have isolated 109 trap clones electroporated with pU-Hachi, and analyzed their integration patterns by Southern blotting to select those carrying a single copy of the trap vector. By use of some of these clones, we have succeeded in exchanging the reporter gene at high efficiency, ranging between 20-80%. This integration system is also quite useful for plasmid rescue to recover flanking genomic sequences, because a plasmid vector sequence can be introduced even when the pUC sequence of the trap vector is lost through integration into the genome. Thus, this method, termed exchangeable gene trapping, has many advantages as the trapped clones can be utilized to express genes with any type of mutation.     

Construction of a piggyBac-based enhancer trap system for the analysis of gene function in silkworm Bombyx mori

Enhancer trapping and insertional mutagenesis are powerful tools for analyzing genetic function. To construct an enhancer trap system in the silkworm Bombyx mori, we developed efficient jumpstarter strains by inserting the piggyBac transposase gene under the control of Bombyx cytoplasmic actin gene (BmA3) promoter into the genome. To stabilize the inserted transgene, the jumpstarter strains were constructed using the Minos transposon as a vector. The ability of each of the 13 jumpstarter strains to remobilize their respective transposons was tested by crossing the jumpstarters with a mutator strain carrying a GAL4 construct containing the BmA3 promoter. Four strains with high remobilization activity were then selected and used to produce enhancer trap lines by crossing with the mutator strains and hybridizing the F1 progeny with a UAS-EGFP strain. Several enhancer trap lines showing characteristic expression patterns at the embryonic, larval, pupal, and adult stages were detected in the subsequent generation. Approximately 10-40% of the silkworms from each cross in the hybridized brood had a remobilized mutator. An analysis of the insertion positions in 105 lines by inverse PCR using a silkworm genome database revealed that remobilization occurred randomly in each chromosome. The frequency of insertion of the remobilized mutator into putative exons, introns, intergenic regions, and repetitive sequences was 12, 9, 36, and 40%, respectively. We concluded that the piggyBac-based GAL4 enhancer trap system developed in this study is applicable for large-scale enhancer trapping in the silkworm.     

T-DNA insertional mutagenesis for functional genomics in rice

We have produced 22 090 primary transgenic rice plants that carry a T-DNA insertion, which has resulted in 18 358 fertile lines. Genomic DNA gel-blot and PCR analyses have shown that approximately 65% of the population contains more than one copy of the inserted T-DNA. Hygromycin resistance tests revealed that transgenic plants contain an average of 1.4 loci of T-DNA inserts. Therefore, it can be estimated that approximately 25 700 taggings have been generated. The binary vector used in the insertion contained the promoterless beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene with an intron and multiple splicing donors and acceptors immediately next to the right border. Therefore, this gene trap vector is able to detect a gene fusion between GUS and an endogenous gene, which is tagged by T-DNA. Histochemical GUS assays were carried out in the leaves and roots from 5353 lines, mature flowers from 7026 lines, and developing seeds from 1948 lines. The data revealed that 1.6-2.1% of tested organs were GUS-positive in the tested organs, and that their GUS expression patterns were organ- or tissue-specific or ubiquitous in all parts of the plant. The large population of T-DNA-tagged lines will be useful for identifying insertional mutants in various genes and for discovering new genes in rice.     

A novel transmembrane MSP-containing protein that plays a role in right ventricle development

We have identified and characterized a gene, Mospd3 on mouse chromosome 5 using gene trapping in ES cells. MOSPD3 is part of a family of proteins, including MOSPD1, which is defined by the presence of a major sperm protein (MSP) domain and two transmembrane domains. Interestingly Mospd3 is mammalian specific and highly conserved between mouse and man. Insertion of the gene trap vector at the Mospd3 locus is mutagenic and breeding to homozygosity results in a characteristic right ventricle defect and neonatal lethality in 50% of mice. The phenotypic defect is dependent on the genetic background, indicating the presence of genetic modifier loci. We speculate that the further characterization of Mospd3 will shed light on the complex genetic interactions involved in cardiac development and disease.     

Gene trapping of the Arabidopsis genome with a firefly luciferase reporter

Experiments with gene-trap vectors containing the firefly luciferase (LUC) reporter genes were carried out with the aim of analyzing functions of the Arabidopsis genome. Studies with protein fusion-type trap vectors as well as an internal ribosome entry site (IRES)-assisted non-fusion-type vector revealed that both types of vectors were suitable for gene trapping in Arabidopsis, although there were some differences in trapping efficiencies. The established trap lines were subjected to analyses for light responses, demonstrating the powerful and unique applications of a LUC-trapping system. A systematic survey of the insertion sites of the T-DNAs in LUC-expressing lines revealed 12-41% gene-trapping efficiencies depending on the vector. We demonstrate that the LUC-trapping system provides a unique system with which to monitor temporal expression of plant genes.     

Transposition and gene disruption in the male germline of the mouse

We have tested a synthetic, functional, transposon called Sleeping Beauty for use in mice as a germline insertional mutagen. We describe experiments in which mutagenic, polyadenylation‐site trapping, transposon vectors were introduced into the germline of mice. When doubly transgenic males, expressing the Sleeping Beauty transposase gene (SB10) and harboring poly(A)‐trap transposon vectors, were outcrossed to wild‐type females, offspring were generated with new transposon insertions. The frequency of new transposon insertion is roughly two per male gamete. These new insertions can be passed through the germline to the next generation and can insert into or near genes. We have generated a preliminary library of 24 mice harboring 56 novel insertion sites, including one insertion into a gene represented in the EST database and one in the promoter of the galactokinase (Gck) gene. This technique has promise as a new strategy for forward genetic screens in the mouse or functional genomics. genesis 30:82–88, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

嘌呤霉素抗性基因捕获载体的构建及在细胞中的功能验证

目的构建具有嘌呤霉素抗性基因捕获载体,扩大基因捕获载体的应用范围。方法用经改造的捕获载体（gene trapping vector）稳定转染HepG2．2．15肝癌细胞系,经嘌呤霉素筛选,制作单克隆细胞株。用PCR方法验证该载体的在细胞染色体中的整合,ELISA方法证明捕获载体捕获基因后的细胞的功能改变。结果嘌呤霉素抗性基因捕获载体整合在HepG2．2．15肝癌细胞的染色体上,并能影响细胞HBsAg和HBeAg的分泌。结论新构建的嘌呤霉素抗性基因捕获载体能在具有G418抗性的细胞中捕获有意义的目的基因。