Use of bicistronic vectors in combination with flow cytometry to screen for effective small interfering RNA target sequences

The efficacy and specificity of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are largely dependent on the siRNA sequence. Since only empirical strategies are currently available for predicting these parameters, simple and accurate methods for evaluating siRNAs are needed. To simplify such experiments, target genes are often tagged with reporters for easier readout. Here, we used a bicistronic vector expressing a target gene and green fluorescent protein (GFP) to create a system in which the effect of an siRNA sequence was reflected in the GFP expression level. Cells were transduced with the bicistronic vector, expression vectors for siRNA and red fluorescent protein (RFP). Flow cytometric analysis of the transduced cells revealed that siRNAs for the target gene silenced GFP from the bicistronic vector, but did not silence GFP transcribed without the target gene sequence. In addition, the mean fluorescence intensities of GFP on RFP-expressing cells correlated well with the target gene mRNA and protein levels. These results suggest that this flow cytometry-based method enables us to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy and specificity of siRNAs. Because of its simplicity and effectiveness, this method will facilitate the screening of effective siRNA target sequences, even in high-throughput applications.     

双基因真核表达载体pIRES-BMP2-TGFβ3的构建与鉴定

目的：构建与鉴定骨形态发生蛋白BMP2和转化生长因子TGFβ3双基因真核表达载体pIRES-BMP2-TGFβ3。方法：首先,用PCR方法从质粒pGEMT/BMP2中扩增出BMP2基因全长,并将其连入双基因真核表达载体pIRES,得到质粒pIRES-BMP2,其次,从人胚胎组织提取总RNA,反转录成cDNA,以反转录的cDNA为模板,PCR扩增出TGFβ3基因全长,将TGFβ3基因连入质粒pIRES-BMP2;用酶切的方法筛选出阳性重组质粒,并进行测序鉴定。结果：酶切鉴定证明已将BMP2和TGFβ3两个基因连入载体中,测序结果完全正确。结论：成功构建PIRES-BMP2/TGFβ3双基因真核表达载体。     

Insert sequence length determines transfection efficiency and gene expression levels in bicistronic mammalian expression vectors

Bicistronic expression vectors have been widely used for co-expression studies since the initial discovery of the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) about 25 years ago. IRES sequences allow the 5’ cap-independent initiation of translation of multiple genes on a single messenger RNA strand. Using a commercially available mammalian expression vector containing an IRES sequence with a 3’ green fluorescent protein fluorescent marker, we found that sequence length of the gene of interest expressed 5’ of the IRES site influences both expression of the 3’ fluorescent marker and overall transfection efficiency of the vector construct. Furthermore, we generated a novel construct expressing two distinct fluorescent markers and found that high expression of one gene can lower expression of the other. Observations from this study indicate that caution is warranted in the design of experiments utilizing an IRES system with a short 5’ gene of interest sequence (<300 bp), selection of single cells based on the expression profile of the 3’ optogenetic fluorescent marker, and assumptions made during data analysis.     

HIV—1辅受体配体的融合表达载体的构建及表达

应用PCR扩增RANTES－KDEL基因,鉴定后与真核表达载体pCMV-S/K连接,构建成HIV－1辅受体的配体,趋化因子RANTES和SDF－1的融合表达载体pCMV-R-K-S-K,酶切鉴定和测序证明成功构建了pCMV-R-K-S-K融合表达载体。脂质体介导pCMV-R-K-S-K转染HeLa细胞,间接免疫荧光证实了RANTES和SDF－1可高效表达于HeLa细胞。细胞表明构建的pCMV-R-K-S-K融合表达载体能在HeLa细胞中高效表达,可用于下一步的HIV－1感染实验。     

单纯疱疹病毒I型扩增子系列载体的构建

我们先前已报道了构建成一种能在ＨＳＶ ｔｓＫ株辅助下进行复制和包装,并表达β－半乳糖苷酶基因ｌａｃＺ的ＨＳＶ－１扩增子质粒ｐＨＳＬ,以及它的应用。该质料中依次含有ＨＳＶ－１复制起点ｏｒｉＳ序列及ＩＥ６８启动子、ｌａｃＺ基因、ＳＶ４０ｐｏｌｙＡ、ＨＳＶ－１包装信号‘ａ’序列和大肠杆菌质粒骨架。然而,该质粒中的报告基因ｌａｃＺ无法用简单的酶切方法卸载下来,继而装入目的基因。本研究在此基础上,新构建了一     

动物细胞双顺反子高效稳定表达系统建立

建立稳定高效的动物细胞表达系统对于许多重组蛋白质药物的工业化生产有着十分重大的意义。用PCR扩增得到dhfr基因 ,克隆入载体pIRESneo3基因以替换原有的neo^r 基因 ,并将hbFGF作为报告基因插入其多克隆位点 ,得到重组子pIRESdhfr hbFGF ,转导CHO细胞后 ,MTX浓度梯度筛选稳定表达hbFGF的细胞株 ,ELISA与WesternBlot检测培养基中hbFGF的分泌表达。结果发现10、100、1000nmol LMTX组均检测到hbFGF的表达 ,其中表达量最高的一株细胞传代20次后表达量仍能维持较高的水平。因此利用双顺反子表达系统可以实现外源基因在动物细胞中的高效稳定表达 。     

The use of IRES-based bicistronic vectors allows the stable expression of recombinant G-protein coupled receptors such as NPY5 and histamine 4

Stable expression of G protein coupled receptors in cell lines is a crucial tool for the characterization of the molecular pharmacology of receptors and the screening for new antagonists. However, in some instances, many difficulties have been encountered to obtain stable cell lines expressing functional receptors. Here, we addressed the question of vector optimization to establish cell lines expressing the human neuropeptide Y receptor 5 (NPY5-R) or histamine receptor 4 (HH4R). We have compared bicistronic vectors containing viral or cellular internal ribosome entry sites (IRES), co-expressing the receptor and the neomycine resistance gene from a single mRNA, to a bigenic vector containing two distinct promoters upstream each different genes. This study is the first one to validate the use of three cellular IRESs for long-term transgene expression. Our results demonstrate for both NPY5-R and HH4R that the bicistronic vectors with EMCV, VEGF, FGF1A or FGF2 IRES provide clones expressing functional receptors with yields between 25% and 100%. In contrast, the bigenic vector provided no functional clones, related to a low expression of NPY5R mRNA. The cell lines expressing active receptor were stable after more than 50 passages. These data indicate that IRES-based bicistronic vectors are particularly appropriate to establish cell clones expressing active G-coupled protein receptors with a high yield. In the case of NPY5, it was a new way to produce such a stable cell line. Furthermore, the characteristics-presented herein-of this receptor pharmacological property are perfectly in line with those reported in the literature.