Expression of human growth hormone in transgenic rice cell suspension culture

Human growth hormone (hGH), a pituitary-derived polypeptide, evidences a wide range of biological functions, including protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and metabolism. A synthetic hGH gene (shGH) has been synthesized on the basis of plant-optimized codon usage via an overlap PCR strategy and located in a plant expression vector under the control of the rice amylase 3D (Ramy3D) promoter, which is induced by sugar starvation. The plant expression vector was introduced into rice calli (Oryza sativa L. cv. Donjin) via particle bombardment transformation methods. The integration of the shGH gene into the chromosome of the transgenic rice callus was verified via genomic DNA PCR amplification and shGH expression in transgenic rice suspension cells was confirmed via Northern blot analysis. The shGH protein was detected in the transgenic rice cell suspension culture medium following induction with sugar starvation, using Western blot analysis. The quantity of shGH that accumulated in the transgenic rice cell suspension medium was 57 mg/l. The shGH accumulated in the transgenic rice cell suspension culture medium evidenced a biological activity similar to that of Escherichia coli-derived recombinant hGH. These results indicate that the shGH was generated and accumulated in the transgenic rice cell suspension culture medium, and manifested biological activity.     

Production of bioactive human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in transgenic rice cell suspension cultures

Human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (hG-CSF), a human cytokine, was expressed in transgenic rice cell suspension culture. The hG-CSF gene was cloned into the rice expression vector containing the promoter, signal peptide, and terminator derived from a rice alpha-amylase gene Amy3D. Using particle bombardment-mediated transformation, hG-CSF gene was introduced into the calli of rice (Oryza sativa) cultivar Dong-jin. Expression of the hG-CSF gene was confirmed by ELISA and Northern blot analysis. The amount of recombinant hG-CSF accumulated in culture medium from transgenic rice cell suspension culture on the sugar starvation was determined by time series ELISA. Biological activity of the plant derived hG-CSF was confirmed by measuring the proliferation of the AML-193 cells, and was similar to that of the commercial Escherichia coli-derived hG-CSF. In this paper, we discuss the attractive attributes of using rice cell suspension system for the expression of therapeutic recombinant hG-CSF.     

Reduced protease activity in transformed rice cell suspension cultures expressing a proteinase inhibitor

In this study, we synthesized a synthetic serine proteinase inhibitor II gene (sPI-II) that harbored the chymotrypsin and trypsin inhibitor domains of the PI-II gene from Nicotiana alata. In an effort to reduce protease activity in a rice cell suspension culture, we first synthesized sPI-II using overlap PCR and then introduced the gene into a rice calli (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongin) by particle bombardment-mediated transformation. The sPI-II gene was under the control of a rice alpha-amylase 3D promoter induced by sugar starvation. To verify the integration and expression of the sPI-II gene in the transformed rice cells, we employed genomic DNA PCR amplification and Northern blot analysis, respectively. The relative protease activity of the transformed cell suspension culture was reduced to approximately 23% when compared to the non-transformed culture. This indicates that a transformed suspension culture system expressing a proteinase inhibitor, may be a useful tool to protect against recombinant protein losses resulting from extracellular proteases.     

Co-expression of proteinase inhibitor enhances recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor production in transgenic rice cell suspension culture

The synthetic gene (sPI-II) harboring the chymotrypsin (C1) and trypsin (T1) inhibitor domains of the Nicotiana alata serine proteinase inhibitor II gene has been previously expressed, and extracellular protease activity was shown to be reduced in the suspension culture medium. In this study, the sPI-II gene was introduced into transgenic rice cells expressing rhGM-CSF (recombinant human granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor), in an effort to reduce protease activity and increase rhGM-CSF accumulation in the suspension culture medium. The integration and expression of the introduced sPI-II gene in the transgenic rice cells were verified via genomic DNA PCR amplification and Northern blot analysis, respectively. Relative protease activity was found to have been reduced and rhGM-CSF production was increased 2-fold in the co-transformed cell suspension culture with rhGM-CSF and the sPI-II gene, as compared with that observed in the transformed cell suspension culture expressing rhGM-CSF only. These results indicate that a transformed plant cell suspension culture system expressing the proteinase inhibitor can be a useful tool for increasing recombinant protein production.     

Expression of a consensus dengue virus envelope protein domain III in transgenic callus of rice

An effective dengue vaccine should elicit immune responses against all four different dengue virus serotypes. This study optimized the codon usage of a gene encoding consensus dengue virus envelope protein domain III (cEDIII) with cross-neutralizing activity against four dengue virus serotypes for plant expression. Then, a plant expression vector was constructed with this gene under the control of the rice amylase 3D promoter (RAmy3D), which is a strong inducible promoter under sugar starvation conditions. The synthetic cEDIII gene was fused with the RAmy3D signal peptide and ER retention signal, SEKDEL, and was introduced into rice callus by particle bombardment-mediated transformation. The integration and expression of cEDIII gene in transgenic rice callus was confirmed by genomic DNA PCR amplification, Northern blot analysis, and western blot analysis, respectively. Densitometric analysis determined that the highest expression level of the cEDIII protein in lyophilized rice callus was approximately 0.45 mg g⁻¹. These results suggest that it is feasible to use transgenic rice callus to produce the consensus dengue virus envelop protein domain III for edible vaccine purposes.     

Production and secretion of human interleukin-18 in transgenic tobacco cell suspension culture

Interleukin-18 (IL-18), otherwise known as interferon-gamma-inducing factor (IGIF), is one of several well characterized and important cytokines that contribute to host defenses. The complementary DNA (cDNA) of mature human interleukin-18 gene (hIL-18) was fused with the signal peptide of the rice amylase 1A gene (Ramy1A) and introduced into the plant expression vector under the control of a duplicated CaMV 355 promoter. The recombinant plasmid was transformed into tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Havana) using theAgrobacterium-mediated transformation method. The integration of the hIL-18 gene into the genome of transgenic tobacco plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and its expression was observed in the suspension cells that were derived from the transgenic plant callus by using Northern blot analysis. The hIL-18 protein was detected in the extracts of the transgenic callus and in the medium of the transgenic tobacco suspension culture by using immunoblot analysis. Based upon enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) results, the expression level of the hIL-18 protein approximated 166 μg/L in the suspension culture medium. Bioassay results from the induction of interferon-γ from a KG-1 cell line indicated that the hIL-18 secreted into the suspension culture medium was bioactive.     

High level of expression of recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in transgenic rice cell suspension culture

Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) has been previously produced in tobacco cell suspension cultures. However, the amount of hGM-CSF accumulated in the culture medium dropped quickly from its maximum of 150 microg/L at 5 d after incubation. To overcome this problem, we sought an expression system in which heterologous gene expression could be induced at high levels. We selected a rice amylase expression system in which the promoter Ramy3D is induced to express recombinant protein by sucrose starvation. This induction system was found to give good yield of recombinant hGM-CSF in transgenic rice cell suspension culture and protease activity of this culture medium was low compared to that of tobacco culture system.     

Production and characterization of human CTLA4Ig expressed in transgenic rice cell suspension cultures

Human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4-immunoglobulin (hCTLA4I g) fusion protein, a novel immunosuppressive agent, was expressed in transgenic rice cell suspension culture and its characteristics and in vitro activities were investigated. The expression vector pMYN409 was constructed to express hCTLA4I g under the control of rice alpha-amylase 3D (RAmy3D) promoter. Transgenic calli were prepared by particle bombardment mediated transformation and were screened for hCTLA4I g expression using ELISA. Under the induction condition by sugar starvation, suspension-cultured rice cells secreted hCTLA4I g into the media up to 31.4 mg/L in flask culture. The rice-derived hCTLA4Ig (hCTLA4IgP) was purified from the culture media with affinity chromatography using protein A and compared with CHO-derived hCTLA4Ig (hCTLA4IgM). Recombinant hCTLA4IgP has molecular weight of approximately 50 kDa on SDS-PAGE under reducing condition, which is a little different from that of hCTLA4IgM probably due to the difference of carbohydrate chain structures. Purified hCTLA4IgP was biologically active and was confirmed to suppress T-cell proliferation.     

Dengue Virus E Glycoprotein Production in Transgenic Rice Callus

Dengue is a disease caused by dengue virus and represents the most important arthropod-borne viral disease in humans. Dengue virus enters host cells via binding of envelope glycoprotein (E) to a receptor. In this study, plant expression vectors containing native and synthetic glycoprotein E genes (sE) modified based on plant-optimized codon usage and fused with an ER retention signal were constructed under control of the rice amylase 3D promoter expression system. Plant expression vectors were introduced into rice callus (Oryza sativa L. cv. Dongin) via particle bombardment-mediated transformation. The integration and expression of target genes were confirmed in the transgenic callus by genomic DNA PCR and Northern blot analyses, respectively. The plant-codon optimized sE gene with an ER retention signal showed high protein production levels based on Western blot analysis of approximately 18.5 ug/g dried calli weight by immunoblot-based densitometric analysis. These results suggest that the plant-codon optimized sE gene with an ER retention signal was highly produced in the transgenic rice callus.     

High-level production of recombinant trypsin in transgenic rice cell culture through utilization of an alternative carbon source and recycling system

Productivity of recombinant bovine trypsin using a rice amylase 3D promoter has been studied in transgenic rice suspension culture. Alternative carbon sources were added to rice cell suspension cultures in order to improve the production of recombinant bovine trypsin. It was demonstrated that addition of alternative carbon sources such as succinic acid, fumaric acid and malic acid in the culture medium could increase the productivity of recombinant bovine trypsin 3.8–4.3-fold compared to those in the control medium without carbon sources. The highest accumulated trypsin reached 68.2 mg/L on day 5 in the culture medium with 40 mM fumaric acid.The feasibility of repeated use of the cells for recombinant trypsin production was tested in transgenic rice cell suspension culture with the culture medium containing the combination of variable sucrose concentration and 40 mM fumaric acid. Among the used combinations, the combination of 1% sucrose and 40 mM fumaric acid resulted in a yield of up to 53 mg/L five days after incubation. It also increased 31% (W/W) of dry cell weight and improved 43% of cell viability compared to that in control medium without sucrose. Based on these data, recycling of the trypsin production process with repeated 1% sucrose and 40 mM fumaric acid supplying-harvesting cycles was developed in flask scale culture. Recombinant bovine trypsin could be stably produced with a yield of up to 53–39 mg/L per cycle during five recycling cycles.     

干旱耐逆基因（HS1）转化甘薯获得转基因植株

以甘薯（1pomoeabatatas（L.）Lam．）品种栗子香的胚性悬浮细胞为受体材料,用根癌农杆菌介导法,获得了表达除草剂抗性基因bar基因的转HSl基因甘薯植株。共计380个遗传转化的胚性细胞团,在添加2mg／L2．4-D、100mg／L Carb和10mg／L Glu（glufosinate）的固体Ms培养基上选择培养9周后,得到了12个Glu抗性愈伤组织。将这些抗性愈伤组织转移到添加1mg／L ABA、100mg／L羧苄青霉素和10mg／L Glu的固体MS培养基上,其中的3个抗性愈伤组织再生出拟转基因植株。PCR鉴定它们为转基因植株。Southern blot分析表明,HS1基因已整合到基因组中。转基因植株具有稳定的除草剂抗性。结薯观察实验结果表明,转基因植株结薯正常。     

Optimization of the culture medium for recombinant protein production under the control of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">αAmy3</Emphasis> promoter in a rice suspension-cultured cell expression system

Many recombinant proteins have been produced successfully in a rice suspension-cultured expression system based on the αAmy3 promoter and signal peptide. Here, a transgenic rice cell line, H11, which can produce recombinant human serum albumin (rHSA) under conditions of sugar starvation, was cultured in various common rice-cell media, including MS, AA, and N6D, to determine the optimal medium for the production of rHSA in rice suspension-cultured cells. The yields of rHSA secreted into the N6D medium were 23.2 mg/L at an initial cell density of 3% and 49.6 mg/L at an initial cell density of 24%, which was 1.8-fold and twofold higher, respectively, than the yields obtained in MS. Moreover, the yield of rHSA was also twofold higher in N6D than in AA medium. Thus, rice suspension cells cultured in N6D medium had the highest rHSA productivity compared with MS and AA media. Proline is known to play roles in plant tolerance to stress. Consequently, we examined the effect of proline in N6D on rHSA production. A twofold increase in the concentration of proline in N6D increased the yield of rHSA to 32.3 mg/L at an initial cell density of 3% after 16 days, an increase of 39.2% compared with standard N6D. A beneficial effect of proline was also demonstrated on the production of recombinant mouse granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor from the G10 transgenic cell line. Our study showed that the supplementation of N6D with additional proline can promote the production of recombinant proteins in the αAmy3 promoter/signal peptide-based rice suspension-cultured system.     

番茄rbcS3A启动子控制的GUS融合基因在转基因水稻中的表达

为研究不同启动子用于转基因水稻,克隆了番茄Rubisco小亚基rbcS3A基因的5′上游调控区,构建了由rbcS3A启动子引导的GUS嵌合基因,并经农杆菌介导导入到水稻中。对转基因水稻植株中GUS活性的定性与定量测定结果表明,rbcS3A启动子可驱动GUS报告基因在转基因水稻植株茎和叶组织中高效表达,而在根和种子等器官中不表达或表达活性极弱,表现出一定的组织特异性。在转基因水稻中,番茄rbcS3A启动子驱动外源基因的表达不受光诱导。     

转基因水稻胚乳中表达铁结合蛋白提高稻米铁含量

为提高我国稻米的铁含量,通过农杆菌介导将自行克隆的菜豆(Phaseolus limensis)铁结合蛋白(Ferritin)基因导入了一个高产粳稻(Oryaz sativa L.ssp．japonuica)品种中,获得17个独立的转基因水稻株系。分子检测证明,外源基因在多数转基因水稻植株基因组中有1～3个整合位点,并可稳定遗传。在水稻种子贮存蛋白谷蛋白基因GluB-1启动子的控制下,铁结合蛋白基因可在转基因水稻的种子中高效特异地表达,不同转化子中的表达量有明显不同。在转基因水稻种子中表达铁结合蛋白后对提高精米中的铁含量有明显的效果,相对于未转化对照最多可提高64％,而锌的含量并无明显变化。     

Expression of hepatitis B small surface antigen in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Santalum album</Emphasis> embryogenic cell suspension cultures

Embryogenic cell suspension cultures of Santalum album were transformed with Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring pD35SHER plant expression vector having hepatitis B small surface antigen (HBsAg) with a C-terminal ER retention signal. The transformed colonies were selected on culture medium supplemented with kanamycin and subsequently the transgenic nature of these colonies was confirmed by PCR analysis. The expression of HBsAg was confirmed by RT-PCR analysis and Western blot analysis and the expression was quantified using monoclonal antibody-based ELISA. Cell suspension cultures were initiated from the colony with expression of 11.09 μg(HBsAg) g⁻¹(f.m.). To further increase the expression of HBsAg, transgenic S. album suspensions were cultured on media with various medium additives and cells growing in medium with 30 mM trehalose showed the expression of 19.95 μg(HBsAg) g⁻¹(f.m.).     

Expression of Rice Stripe Virus Coat Protein Gene in Transgenic Rice Plants

Rice stripe virus (RSV) is a pathogen of rice stripe disease causing great damage to rice. The disease is transmitted by Laodelphax striatellus and three other planthoppers. RSV infects as much as 37 cereals including rice, wheat, maize and results in a significant reduction in yield in epidemic year. In order to develop efficient means of controlling the disease, authors have studied the amino acid composition of RSV coat protein (CP), synthesized and cloned the cDNA to CP, sequenced the full-length CP gene. Having inserted the RSV CP gene into plant expression vector pROK Ⅱ, authors transformed rice suspension culture via microprojectile bombardment and obtained transgenic plants expressing the CP gene. The suspension culture was initiated by inoculating yellowish, compact and embryogenic calli derived from seeds into suspension medium containing proline and maltose. After being cultured at 26℃ in the dark for about half a year, finely-dispersed and embryogenic suspension culture was estabolished. Before bombardment the suspension culture was evently applied onto three-layered filter-paper discs in a petri dish. CaCl2 and spermidine was employed to coat tungsten particle with plasmid DNA. 2.5 μl of coated particle was loaded onto bullet and each dish was bombarded three times. Immediately after being bombarded, the suspensions were cultured in modified N6 medium. 2 days later the suspensions were transferred to the same medium but containing G418, which were subcultured weekly. Being subject to G418 selection for two months, white and fast-growing clones were emerged from the brownish cultures. Green plants regenerated when the resistant calli were transferred to differentiation medium. The regenerated plants were firm enough to grow well in the greenhouse. 10 plants regenerated from G418 resistant calli were tested for their transformed nature by Southern blot using 32P-labelled CP gene as a probe. Among the plants tested, 2 plants showed clearly hy bridizing bands with a molecular weight corresponding to RSV CP gene. Western blot further demonstrated that RSV CP gene was expressed in transgenic rice plants. At present tests on the antiviral effects of transgenic plants by feeding plantphoppers infccted with RSV are being underway.