Rescue and Preliminary Application of a Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus Expressing Green Fluorescent Protein Gene

Based on the complete genome sequence of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) ZJI strain, seven pairs of primers were designed to amplify a cDNA fragment for constructing the plasmid pNDV/ZJI, which contained the full-length cDNA of the NDV ZJI strain. The pNDV/ZJI, with three helper plasmids, pCIneoNP, pCIneoP and pCIneoL, were then cotransfected into BSR-T7/5 cells expressing T7 RNA polymerase. After inoculation of the transfected cell culture supernatant into embryonated chicken eggs from specific-pathogen-free (SPF) flock, an infectious NDV ZJI strain was successfully rescued. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was amplified and inserted into the NDV full-length cDNA to generate a GFP-tagged recombinant plasmid pNDV/ZJIGFP. After cotransfection of the resultant plasmid and the three support plasmids into BSR-T7/5 cells, the recombinant NDV, NDV/ZJIGFP, was rescued. Specific green fluorescence was observed in BSR-T7/5 and chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells 48h post-infection, indicating that the GFP gene was expressed at a relatively high level. NDV/ZJIGFP was inoculated into 10-day-old SPF chickens by oculonasal route. Four days post-infection, strong green fluorescence could be detected in the kidneys and tracheae, indicating that the recombinant GFP-tagged NDV could be a very useful tool for analysis of NDV dissemination and pathogenesis.     

表达绿色荧光蛋白重组新城疫病毒 LaSota疫苗株的构建

新城疫病毒是理想的新型活病毒疫苗载体,具有巨大的优势和应用前景。采用生产实践中广泛应用、免疫效果良好的NDV LaSota弱毒疫苗株,建立了反向遗传操作系统。在此基础上,进一步构建了表达绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)的重组NDV基因组cDNA克隆,成功救获了重组病毒rLaSota-EGFP,病毒F1代尿囊病毒液按1×104EID50接种9~10日龄SPF鸡胚尿囊腔,接种后分别于24h、48h、72h及96h收获尿囊液,检测平均HA滴度分别为28、210.3、211.3和211,每mL尿囊液病毒量EID50分别为108.64、109.22、109.21和109.64,重组病毒与亲本株生长滴度在相近时间达到峰值,生长动力学特性与亲本株无明显差异。各代次重组病毒按1×106EID50病毒量接种9~10日龄SPF鸡胚,96h内完全不致死鸡胚。救获重组病毒保持了LaSota弱毒疫苗亲本毒株对鸡胚良好的高滴度生长适应和低致病特性,并且鸡胚连续传9代次仍保持GFP的稳定表达及生物学特性不变。重组病毒rLaSota-EGFP的成功救获为开展新城疫病毒活载体疫苗研制提供了可行的技术平台。     

绿色荧光蛋白分裂肽基因重组乙型肝炎病毒复制子模型的建立

为构建一种重组乙型肝炎病毒(hepatitis B virus,HBV)复制子模型,使其能够在病毒感染的细胞中表达可视化报告基因蛋白,本研究删除HBV基因组核心蛋白(HBV core,HBc)编码区部分序列,构建HBV1.1-ΔHBc113复制子载体.利用内含肽(intein)介导蛋白拼接的特性,选取加强绿色荧光蛋白(...     

鹅源新城疫病毒ZJ1株微型基因组的构建及其初步应用

在获得鹅源新城疫病毒ZJ1株全基因组序列的基础上,用增强型绿色荧光蛋白（eGFP）报告基因取代鹅源新城疫病毒ZJ1株整个编码区,只保留与病毒复制、转录和病毒粒子包装相关的调控序列,将其反向克隆入转录载体TVT7R(0.0)中,构建了该毒株的微型基因组。当转染用辅助病毒ZJ1株感染的Hep_2细胞时报告基因得到表达,表明此微型 基因组RNA可被辅助病毒提供的NP、P和L蛋白翻译。同时将该病毒NP、P和L蛋白基因分别克隆入真核表达载体pCI_neo中,构建了表达该病毒NP、P与L蛋白的辅助质粒,用此微型基因组对辅助质粒的表达产物进行了功能鉴定并对该病毒拯救过程中痘苗病毒的最适感染剂量进行了摸索。以上研究为该病毒的成功拯救及开展其它相关研究奠定了基础。     

GFP在绿色荧光裸鼠不同组织中的表达及分析

目的研究外源绿色荧光蛋白（green fluorescent protein,简称GFP）基因在BALB/c绿色荧光裸鼠主要器官组织中的表达及其差异。方法小动物成像系统和RT-PCR方法检测GFP的组织分布以及荧光表达水平情况。结果经活体荧光影像系统观察及PCR方法检测发现GFP可以在裸鼠多个器官组织中表达,其中在胰腺、心脏、全脑、皮肤、睾丸中表达量较高。结论外源绿色荧光蛋白可以在模型动物体内成功表达且稳定遗传,其中在胰腺组织中高表达。     

Metal-enhanced fluorescence of single green fluorescent protein (GFP)

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) has emerged as a powerful reporter molecule for monitoring gene expression, protein localization, and protein-protein interaction. However, the detection of low concentrations of GFPs is limited by the weakness of the fluorescent signal and the low photostability. In this report, we observed the proximity of single GFPs to metallic silver nanoparticles increases its fluorescence intensity approximately 6-fold and decreases the decay time. Single protein molecules on the silvered surfaces emitted 10-fold more photons as compared to glass prior to photobleaching. The photostability of single GFP has increased to some extent. Accordingly, we observed longer duration time and suppressed blinking. The single-molecule lifetime histograms indicate the relatively heterogeneous distributions of protein mutants inside the structure.     

Evolutionary and functional diversity of green fluorescent proteins in cephalochordates

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) has been widely used as a molecular marker in modern biological research. Before the recent report of one GFP gene in Branchiostoma floridae, GFP family members were cloned only from other two groups of species: Cnidaria and Copepoda. Here we describe the complete GFP gene repertoire of B. floridae which includes 13 functional genes and 2 pseudogenes, representing the largest GFP family found so far. Coupling with nine other GFP sequences from another two species of genus Branchiostoma and the sequences from Cnidaria and Copepoda, we made a deep-level phylogenetic analysis for GFP genes in cephalochordates and found: 1) GFP genes have experienced a divergent evolution in cephalochordates; 2) all amphioxus GFP genes form four main clades on the tree which had diverged before the radiation of the last common ancestor of all extant cephalochordates; 3) GFP genes in amphioxus shared a common ancestor with that in Copepoda rather than being derived from horizontal gene transfer, which indicates that our ancestor was derived from a fluorescent organism and lost this ability after its separation from Cephalochordata, and also makes GFP a rare gene which has a rather unusual evolutionary path. In addition, we also provided evidence indicating that GFP genes have evolved divergent functions by specializing their expression profile, and different fluorescent spectra by changing their emission peaks. These findings spark two interesting issues: what are GFP in vivo functions in cephalochordates and why they are lost in other examined deuterostomes?     

Characterization of a mutant Listeria monocytogenes strain expressing green fluorescent protein

To construct a recombinant strain of Listeria monocytogenes for the expression of heterologous genes, homologous recombination was utilized for insertional mutation, targeting its listeriolysin O gene (hly). The gene encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used as the indicator of heterologous gene expression. The gene gfp was inserted into hly downstream from its promoter and signal sequence by an overlapping extension polymerase chain reaction, and was then cloned into the shuttle plasmid pKSV7 for allelic exchange with the L. monocytogenes chromosome. Homologous recombination was achieved by growing the electro-transformed L. monocytogenes cells on chloramphenicol plates at a non-permissive temperature. Sequencing analysis indicated correct insertion of the target gene in-frame with the signal sequence. The recombinant strain expressed GFP constitutively as revealed by fluorescence microscopy. The mutant strain L. monocytogenes hly-gfp lost its hemolytic activity as visualized on the blood agar or when analyzed with the culture supernatant samples. Such insertional mutation resulted in a reduced virulence of about 2 logs less than its parent strain L. monocytogenes 10403s as shown by the 50%-lethal-dose assays in the mouse and embryonated chicken egg models. These results thus demonstrate that mutated L. monocytogeues could be a potential carrier for the expression of heterologous passenger genes or could act as an indicator organism in the food industry.     

Androgen receptor transactivation assay using green fluorescent protein as a reporter

For screening of a large number of samples for androgenic activity, a robust system with minimal handling is required. The coding sequence for human androgen receptor (AR) was inserted into expression plasmid YEpBUbi-FLAG1, resulting in the plasmid YEpBUbiFLAG-AR, and the estrogen response element (ERE) on the reporter vector YRpE2 was replaced by an androgen response element (ARE), resulting in the plasmid YRpE2-ARE. Thus, a fully functional transactivation assay system with beta-galactosidase as a reporter gene could be created. Furthermore, green fluorescent protein (GFP) was introduced as an alternative reporter gene that resulted in a simplification of the whole assay procedure. For evaluation of both reporter systems, seven steroidal compounds with known AR agonistic properties (5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, testosterone, androstenedione, 17 alpha-methyltestosterone, progesterone, epitestosterone, and d-norgestrel) were tested, and their potencies obtained in the different assays were compared. Furthermore, potencies from the transactivation assays were compared with IC(50) values obtained in radioligand binding assays. The newly developed androgen receptor transactivation assay is a useful tool for characterizing compounds with androgenic activity.     

NDV CN株对几种人肿瘤细胞的杀伤作用及其机理的分析

本文研究了NDV-CN株对5株不同的人肿瘤细胞的体外杀伤作用。结果表明5株肿瘤细胞对NDV-CN敏感,于感染早期出现细胞收缩变圆,失去贴壁性,感染第5天时细胞存活率低于10％。其中尤以HEP3B细胞最敏感。但NDV-CN株对人二倍体细胞2BS有弱杀伤性。病毒感染早期可检测到感染细胞中有病毒核酸的复制、感染细胞表面有病毒蛋白的表达,脑浆内有病毒粒子存在。NDV-CN株主要诱导HEP3B及T24细胞产生凋亡,主要诱导Hep2、Hela及A549细胞产生坏死。     

Production of transgenic chickens expressing a tetracycline-inducible GFP gene

There is much interest in using farm animals as ‘bioreactors’ to produce large quantities of biopharmaceuticals. However, uncontrolled constitutive expression of foreign genes have been known to cause serious physiological disturbances in transgenic animals. The objective of this study was to test the feasibility of the controllable expression of an exogenous gene in the chicken. A retrovirus vector was designed to express GFP (green fluorescent protein) and rtTA (reverse tetracycline-controlled transactivator) under the control of the tetracycline-inducible promoter and the PGK (phosphoglycerate kinase) promoter, respectively. G0 founder chickens were produced by infecting the blastoderm of freshly laid eggs with concentrated retrovirus vector. Feeding the chickens obtained with doxycycline, a tetracycline derivative, resulted in emission of green body color under fluorescent light, and no apparent significant physiological dysfunctions. Successful germline transmission of the exogenous gene was also confirmed. Expression of the GFP gene reverted to the pre-induction levels when doxycycline was removed from the diet. The results showed that a tetracycline-inducible expression system in transgenic animals might be a promising solution to minimize physiological disturbances caused by the transgene.     

Expression of a modified green fluorescent protein gene in transgenic maize plants and progeny

Several modifications of a wild-type green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene were combined into a single construct, driven by the ubi-1 promoter and intron region, and transformed into maize. Green fluorescence, indicative of GFP expression, was observed in stably transformed callus as well as in leaves and roots of regenerated plants and their progeny. Cell wall autofluorescence made GFP expression difficult to observe in sections of leaves and roots. However, staining sections with toluidine blue allowed detection of GFP in transgenic tissue. Bright GFP fluorescence was observed in approximately 50% of the pollen of transgenic plants. These results suggest that GFP can be used as a reporter gene in transgenic maize; however, further modification, i.e., to alter the emission spectra, would increase its utility. Received: 17 December 1997 / Revision received: 6 March 1998 / Accepted: 20 March 1998     

Construction and characterization of recombinant fowlpox virus co-expressing F and HN genes of newcastle disease virus and gB gene of infectious larygnotracheitis virus

The Fusion (F) and Haemagglutinin-Neuraminidase (HN) genes of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and the glycoprotein B (gB) gene of infectious laryngothracheitis virus (ILTV) as well as a LacZ reporter gene were all inserted into a nonessential gene of fowlpox virus (FPV) 017 strain by homologous recombination. The NDV and ILTV genes were each under the control of a fowlpox virus immediate early/late promoter (LP2EP2), whereas the LacZ reporter gene expression cassette was regulated by a P11 late promoter. A recombinant FPV harboring the F, HN and gB genes as well as the LacZ gene, designated as rFPV-F/HN/gB/LacZ, was obtained after ten cycles of blue plaque purification. The presence of the NDV and ILTV genes was confirmed by PCR. The expression of the recombinant proteins in rFPV-F/HN/gB/LacZ was characterized by Western blot (F and gB proteins) and indirect immunofluorescence tests (F, HN and gB proteins). The results demonstrated that all four foreign proteins, which were encoded within a 10-kb gene fragment, could be expressed authentically and efficiently. Compared with the parental virus, rFPV-F/HN/gB/LacZ showed no obvious difference with respect to virus replication and cytopathogenic effects in the cell culture of chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF). Overall, this study suggests that FPV can be a useful live virus vector for the expression of multiforeign genes against multiple avian pathogens.     

表达兔出血症病毒VP60蛋白的重组兔粘液瘤病毒的构建与初步评价

兔出血症病毒(Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus,RHDV)及兔粘液瘤病毒(Myxoma virus,MYXV)分别引起兔出血症(兔瘟)和兔粘液瘤病,是两种严重危害家兔养殖业以及导致原产地欧洲野兔-穴兔(Oryctolagus cuniculus)种群近濒危的重要病原。VP60为构成RHDV衣壳的主要抗原蛋白。为研制能同时免疫预防该两种疫病的重组二联疫苗,本研究分别以MYXV和其复制非必需基因——胸腺激酶(Thymidine kinase,TK)基因为重组载体和同源重组靶基因,构建穿梭载体p7.5-VP60-GFP。将p7.5-VP60-GFP载体转染被MYXV感染的兔肾细胞株RK13,经同源重组后,在荧光显微镜下筛选出表达GFP的重组病毒,并将其命名为rMV-VP60-GFP。通过PCR和Western blotting进行重组病毒vp60基因特异性插入和表达验证结果显示,vp60和gfp基因成功插入MYXV基因组中并且可成功表达,表明成功构建了表达RHDV衣壳蛋白基因vp60的重组MYXV。动物攻毒保护试验表明,制备的重组病毒能保护家兔抵抗MYXV的致死性攻击,这为后续疫苗的研发奠定了基础。     

微流控芯片监测绿色荧光蛋白在枯草芽孢杆菌中的表达

目前主要使用激光共聚焦扫描显微镜观察绿色荧光蛋白的表达,但需要昂贵的仪器并耗费大量时间。本研究开发了一种新型激光诱导的微流芯片检测系统来监测绿色荧光蛋白在枯草芽孢杆菌中的表达。该系统主要由激光装置、光路系统、微流控芯片、光电倍增管和计算机处理系统等5部分组成。对该系统的测试结果显示,随着诱导强度的增强监测信号峰也随之增强,并且与激光共聚焦显微镜观察的结果一致。利用该芯片系统能够快速准确地筛选和鉴定用绿色荧光蛋白作为标记的细胞克隆,可以替代PCR鉴定方法。但该系统仅仅能够监测表达强度,不能够满足蛋白定位等高水平研究,因此,该系统适合应用于环境的微生物监测、药物筛选和其他无需观察蛋白定位等研究。     

A theoretical study on the optical absorption of green fluorescent protein chromophore in solutions

Ethyl 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl) methylidene- 2-methyl-5-oxoimidazolacetate (HBMIA) is a model chromophore of green fluorescent protein. The electronic structure of HBMIA in aqueous solution phase is studied using a hybrid method of quantum chemistry and statistical mechanics, RISM-SCF-SEDD. The solvatochromic shift is correctly reproduced by the present computations.     

High-level secretion of functional green fluorescent protein from transgenic tobacco cell cultures: characterization and sensing

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is useful for studying protein trafficking in plant cells. This utility could potentially be extended to develop an efficient secretory reporter system or to enable on-line monitoring of secretory recombinant protein production in plant cell cultures. Toward this end, the aim of the present study was to: (1) demonstrate and characterize high levels of secretion of fluorescent GFP from transgenic plant cell culture; and (2) examine the utility of GFP fluorescence for monitoring secreted recombinant protein production. In this study we expressed in tobacco cell cultures a secretory GFP construct made by splicing an Arabidopsis basic chitinase signal sequence to GFP. Typical extracellular GFP accumulation was 12 mg/L after 10 to 12 days of culture. The secreted GFP is functional and it accounts for up to 55% of the total GFP expressed. Findings from culture treatments with brefeldin A suggest that GFP is secreted by the cultured tobacco cells via the classical endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway. Over the course of flask cultures, medium fluorescence increased with the secreted GFP concentrations that were determined using either Western blot or enzyme-linked immunoassay. Real-time monitoring of secreted GFP in plant cell cultures by on-line fluorescence detection was verified in bioreactor cultures in which the on-line culture fluorescence signals showed a linear dependency on the secreted GFP concentrations.     

Optimization of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression from a lactose-inducible promoter in Lactobacillus casei

An expression vector for Lactobacillus casei has been constructed containing the inducible lac promoter and the gene encoding ultraviolet visible green fluorescent protein (GFP(UV)) as reporter. Different conditions to grow L. casei were assayed and fluorescence as well as total protein synthesized were quantified. The maintenance of neutral pH had the greatest incidence on GFP(UV) expression, followed by aeration and a temperature of 30 degrees C. Environmental factors favoring GFP(UV) accumulation did not exactly correlate with those enhancing fluorescence. Therefore, oxygenation, by stirring the culture, had the greatest influence on the proportion of fluorescent protein, which is in accordance with the structural requirements of this protein. The highest yield obtained was 1.3 microg of GFP per mg of total protein, from which 55% was fluorescent.