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At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

Persistence and expression of the herpes simplex virus genome in the absence of immediate-early proteins.

The immediate-early (IE) proteins of herpes simplex virus (HSV) function on input genomes and affect many aspects of host cell metabolism to ensure the efficient expression and regulation of the remainder of the genome and, subsequently, the production of progeny virions. Due to the many and varied effects of IE proteins on host cell metabolism, their expression is not conducive to normal cell function and viability. This presents a major impediment to the use of HSV as a vector system. In this study, we describe a series of ICP4 mutants that are defective in different subsets of the remaining IE genes. One mutant, d109, does not express any of the IE proteins and carries a green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene under the control of the human cytomegalovirus IE promoter (HCMVIEp). d109 was nontoxic to Vero and human embryonic lung (HEL) cells at all multiplicities of infection tested and was capable of establishing persistent infections in both of these cell types. Paradoxically, the genetic manipulations that were required to eliminate toxicity and allow the genome to persist in cells for long periods of time also dramatically lowered the level of transgene expression. Efficient expression of the HCMVIEp-GFP transgene in the absence of ICP4 was dependent on the ICP0 protein. In d109-infected cells, the level of transgene expression was very low in most cells but abundant in a small subpopulation of cells. However, expression of the transgene could be induced in cells containing quiescent d109 genomes weeks after the initial infection, demonstrating the functionality of the persisting genomes.

Animals↗

A PCR shortcut to oocyte expression.

We describe a new method, RNA amplification with oocyte expression, for efficient expression of proteins in the Xenopus oocyte after PCR amplification of cDNA coding regions, using as examples mouse GABAA receptor alpha 1 and beta 2 subunits. RNA is reverse-transcribed and the cDNAs are amplified using 5' primers containing a T7 RNA polymerase promoter and a consensus ribosome binding site and 3' primers giving a short poly(A) tail. This is followed by direct in vitro transcription of the PCR products and injection of the resulting mRNAs into Xenopus oocytes. The method gave abundant GABA-gated chloride channels in the oocyte membrane, as measured by recording agonist-induced currents. It promises to be a rapid route to expression of cloned proteins in oocytes, without requiring actual clones, and is free of possible variations in efficiency from untranslated regions.

Animals↗

Comparison of three 3' non-coding regions in Schizosaccharomyces pombe expression vectors: efficiencies of transcription termination and mRNA 3'-end formation.

Analysis of an established Schizosaccharomyces pombe episomal shuttle vector suggested that inefficient transcription termination was deleterious to plasmid function. We undertook a study to determine if transcription in the presence and absence of 3'-processing within a vector could affect the ability of the plasmid to transform, transcribe and translate the RNA produced. This report provides an analysis of the effects that three S. pombe 3' non-coding regions have on the transformation and expression efficiencies of a fission yeast plasmid vector. The 3' regions from adh1, act1 and ura4 were tested for their ability to terminate and process adh1 promoter-driven transcription of a lacZ reporter gene. Differences between the 3'-processing sequences were observed, with transcription termination mediated by the ura4 3' region being more efficient than termination by the 3' regions of adh1 and act1. We show that plasmids containing inefficient transcription termination signals result in readthrough transcription and reduced transformation efficiencies. In addition, the readthrough transcripts containing 3' non-coding regions show impaired translation efficiencies. We describe an S. pombe vector (pURAS) with a high transformation efficiency that directs the production of highly translatable, discrete-sized transcripts.

Gene Dosage↗

Elements within the beta-lactoglobulin gene inhibit expression of human serum albumin cDNA and minigenes in transfected cells but rescue their expression in the mammary gland of transgenic mice.

Two new beta-lactoglobulin (BLG)/human serum albumin (HSA) hybrid gene vectors were constructed and tested for expression in COS-7 cells and in transgenic mice. The HSA sequences were inserted between the second and sixth BLG exons. Transient transfection experiments with these vectors as well as a series of additional vectors with either the BLG 5'- or 3'- intragenic sequences revealed that sequences within BLG exon 1/intron 1/exon 2 abrogated BLG- directed HSA expression in vitro, regardless of the presence of HSA introns or the origin of the 3' polyadenylation signal. In contrast, the same BLG expression cassette enabled the efficient expression of HSA cDNA or minigene in the mammary gland of transgenic mice with subsequent secretion of the corresponding protein into the milk of 56 and 82%, respectively of the mouse strains at levels up to 0.3 mg/ml. Previous attempts to express HSA cDNA inserted into exon 1 of the BLG gene had failed [Shani,M., Barash,I., Nathan,M., Ricca,G., Searfoss,G.H., Dekel,I., Faerman,A., Givol,D. and Hurwitz,D.R. (1992) Transgenic Res. 1, 195- 208]. The new BLG expression cassette conferred more stringent tissue specific expression than previously described BLG/HSA constructs [Barash,I, Faerman,A., Ratovitsky,T, Puzis,R., Nathan,M., Hurwitz,D.R. and Shani, M. (1994) Transgenic Res. 3, 141-151]. However, it was not able to insulate the transgenes from the surrounding host DNA sequences and did not result in copy number dependent expression in transgenics. Together, the in vitro and in vivo results suggest both positive and negative regulatory elements within the BLG intragenic sequences evaluated. The new BLG construct represents an extremely valuable vector for the efficient expression of cDNAs in the mammary gland of transgenic animals.

Animals↗

The simian virus 40 minimal origin and the 72-base-pair repeat are required simultaneously for efficient induction of late gene expression with large tumor antigen.

We have studied the temporal regulation of simian virus 40 (SV40) late gene expression by construction and transient expression analysis of plasmids containing the transposon Tn9 chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene placed downstream from the late control region. The SV40 origin region in the early (but not the late) orientation promotes chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene expression efficiently in monkey cells lacking large tumor (T) antigen. In monkey cells producing T antigen, the promoter activity of the late control region is induced by approximately 1,000-fold above the basal level. By deletion and point mutagenesis, we define two domains of the late control region required for efficient induction with T antigen. Domain I is the minimal replication origin containing T-antigen binding site II. Domain II consists of the 72-base-pair (bp) repeat and a 19-bp downstream sequence up to nucleotide 270. Domains I and II should act synergistically because the absence of either one or the other decreases induction efficiency by 2 orders of magnitude. Though a complete copy of domain II is optimal, the origin-proximal 22-bp portion of this domain is sufficient. The 21-bp repeat, located between domains I and II, is dispensable for this induction, as are sequences located downstream from nucleotide 270 in the late orientation.

Antigens, Viral, Tumor↗

Functional inactivation of the conserved Sem1p in yeast by intrabodies.

Intrabody technology was applied to characterize the function and intracellular localization of a highly conserved Saccharomyces cerevisiae Sem1 protein. DSS1, the mammalian homologue of Sem1p, is functionally conserved between yeast and mammalian cells, and in mammalian cells physically interacts with the strong tumour supressor BRCA2. Yeast and the generated intrabodies are thus expected to offer a useful system for studies on Sem1p/DSS1 function. Sem1p-specific antibody isolated from a phage display library was expressed intracellularily and targeted to either the cytosol or the nucleus of yeast cells. Analysis of the applicability of different antibody fragments as intrabodies showed that the Fab intrabody was expressed most efficiently. Expression of nuclear-targeted anti-Sem1p Fab intrabodies inhibited the growth of the sigma1278b yeast strain in a manner similar to deletion of the SEM1 gene. This indicates that the Fab intrabodies interact in vivo with Sem1p and result in inactivation of Sem1p. Localization of the Fab intrabody with or without the nuclear localization signal to the nucleus in Sem1p-dependent manner suggests that Sem1p mediates the nuclear transport of the intrabody without any targeting signal. Our results suggest that Sem1p function in yeast cells is in part manifested in the nucleus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Gene suture--a novel method for intramuscular gene transfer and its application in hypertension therapy.

In this report, reporter gene beta-galactosidase (LacZ) was chosen to compare two different intramuscular gene transfer methods, direct injection and gene suture. Evidence showed that gene suture can produce a higher foreign gene express efficiency in skeletal muscle compared with the direct injection method. The highly efficient eukaryotic expressing vectors of human atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) were constructed (pcD2/pAdVAntage/hANF and pcDNA3/hANF), and in vivo ANF gene delivery was performed by intramuscular gene suture. The effects of ANF gene transfer on blood pressure and renal sodium and water excretion were studied in three models of hypertensive animals. Results showed that a marked decrease of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and a significant increase of urine volume and urinary sodium excretion was produced in rats receiving the hANF construct due to the local expression of ANF and its secretion into plasma. Taken together, these results indicate that gene suture may represent a novel gene delivery modality in gene therapy.

Animals↗

The androgen-dependent C4-Slp gene is driven by a constitutively competent promoter.

The androgen-dependent liver protein Slp, together with its constitutively expressed closely related isoform C4, provides a model to address the question of which minimal alteration in DNA can shut off the expression of a gene in a manner reversible by testosterone or by trans-acting mutations. Previous work indicated that sequences located at -1.9, -0.45, and -0.25 kb from the transcription start site of the C4-Slp gene played a critical role in determining its unusual functional divergence from C4. Now, using quantitatively and qualitatively controlled transfection assays in HepG2 human hepatoma cells and mouse L fibroblasts, we have observed that the C4-Slp promoter is fully effective and unhindered by upstream sequences and that the C4 promoter has a consistent albeit modest superiority. The determinant of this nearly 2-fold difference does not coincide with the sites highlighted in previous studies but lies within the most cap-site-proximal nucleotides, at positions -189 to +48. We have also established conditions for cell-free transcription of C4 and C4-Slp from plasmid and cosmid templates by using nuclear extracts from rat and mouse liver of both sexes as well as from L cells. At variance with the rat alpha 2u-globulin gene, C4-Slp transcription in vitro does not require male factors, for it is expressed as efficiently as C4 by all nuclear extracts. Further, the minimal promoter sequences required to direct accurate initiation extend not farther than the most proximal 19 nucleotides. Because L cells efficiently express transfected cosmids covering the whole C4 gene or C4/C4-Slp recombinants, as well as plasmids carrying the C4-Slp promoter, but fail to express the full C4-Slp gene, we favor a model in which the expression of the gene is modulated intragenically.

Androgens↗

Efficient bicistronic expression of cre in mammalian cells.

Cre recombinase-mediated DNA recombination is proving to be a powerful technique for the generation of mosaic mutant mice. To develop this technology further, we have altered the cre gene to enhance its expression in mammalian cells and have tested its efficiency of expression in a bicistronic message. Using a transient transfection assay, we found that the extension of a eukaryotic translation initiation consensus sequence, the insertion of two N-terminal amino acids, and the mutation of a cryptic splice acceptor site did not detectably alter Cre recombinase activity. The addition of either of two introns resulted in an approximately 2-fold increase in recombination frequency. We then tested the relative efficacy of Cre-mediated recombination in several bicistronic messages having the encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Recombination frequencies were only reduced 2-fold relative to a comparable monocistronic cre gene. The latter results indicate that it will be possible to generate transgenic mouse strains having tissue-specific expression of the Cre recombinase through integration of an IRES-cre gene without disabling the targeted gene.

Animals↗

[Efficient generation of recombinant adenoviruses expressing antiangiogenic fragment of human thrombospondin1].

OBJECTIVE: To construct recombinant adenoviruses expressing antiangiogenic fragment of human thrombospondin1 (TSP1f). METHODS: TSP1f cDNA was amplified by RT-PCR from normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and was subcloned into a shuttle vector pShuttle-CMV. After sequence confirmation, the resultant plasmid was linearized by the restriction endonuclease Pme I and cotransformed with the supercoiled adenoviral vector pAdEasy-1 into Escherichia coli strain BJ5183. Recombinants were selected by Kanamycin resistance and screened by restriction endonuclease digestion. Then, the recombinant adenoviral construct was cleaved with Pac I and transfected into the packaging cell line 293. The adenoviral vector ADV-TSP1f was propagated in 293 cells and purified by cesium chloride (CsCl) density centrifugation. PCR and Western blot analysis were performed to confirm TSP1f expression. RESULTS: Of 43 Kanamycin-resistant colonies obtained from cotransformation, all of the 10 smallest ones were the correct recombinants. TSP-1f was expressed efficiently by ADV-TSP1f. The virus stock titer after CsCl banding was 1.0 x 10(11) pfu/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Generating recombinant adenoviruses using AdEasy System results in highly efficient viral production and significantly decrease the time required to construct usable viruses. ADV-TSP1f can be further used in in vivo gene therapy studies.

Adenoviridae↗

The effect of various introns and transcription terminators on the efficiency of expression vectors in various cultured cell lines and in the mammary gland of transgenic mice.

Various combinations of promoters, introns and transcription terminators were used to drive the expression of bovine growth hormone (bGH) cDNA in different cell types. In constructs containing the human cytomegalovirus (hCMV) promoter and the SV40 late genes terminator, the intron from SV40 genes (VP1) was much more efficient, than the intron from the early genes (t). The synthetic intron SIS generated by the association of an adenovirus splice donor and an immunoglobulin G splice acceptor showed the highest activity. The respective potency of these introns was similar in several mammalian (CHO, HC11 and COS) and fish (TO2 and EPC) cells. The rabbit whey acidic protein (WAP) gene promoter was highly efficient to drive the expression of bGH gene in the HC11 mammary cell lines. In contrast, the bGH cDNA under the control of the same promoter was much less efficiently expressed when the SV40 VP1 intron and transcription terminator were used. The rabbit WAP gene and the human GH gene terminators did not or only moderately enhanced the expression of the construct WAP bGH cDNA. Introduction of a promoter sequence from the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) LTR in the VP1 intron increased very significantly the expression of the WAP bGH cDNA. Although several of these vectors showed high potency when expressed stably in HC11 cells, all of them were only moderately efficient in transgenic mice. These data indicate that the VP1 and the SIS introns may be used to express foreign cDNAs with good efficiency in different cell types. The addition of an enhancer within an intron may still reinforce its efficiency. However, transfection experiments, even when stable expression is carried out, are poorly predictive of the potential efficiency of a vector in transgenic animals.

Animals↗

Efficient CFTR expression from AAV vectors packaged with promoters--the second generation.

Gene therapy studies of cystic fibrosis (CF) have shown that AAV-based vector was efficient in transferring but not in expressing the CFTR cDNA in the target cells. The levels of CFTR gene expression were limited by the small packaging capacity of AAV because it had been difficult to package the CFTR cDNA with an efficient promoter. In the present study we have developed a new generation of AAV/CFTR vectors which contain efficient short promoters to express the CFTR gene in target cells. To do so, we reduced the size of the CFTR cDNA by determining the minimal untranslated regions required for expression of CFTR cDNA. We also identified short and efficient promoters that could be packaged with the down-sized CFTR cDNA into a novel AAV vector that had a maximal packaging capacity. Functional analyses showed that the new vectors were packaged efficiently and expressed higher levels of CFTR than a vector in which the CFTR gene was driven by the ITR sequence of AAV. Transduction of airway epithelial cells containing [symbol: see text] 508 mutation with the new vectors demonstrated efficient expression of the wild-type CFTR and correction of the CF phenotype. In contrast, no significant CFTR expression was detected in cells infected with the vector that express the CFTR gene from the ITR. These findings support the notion that the AAV can be developed into an efficient vector to transduce the CFTR gene and vectors expressing higher levels of CFTR from an efficient promoter should provide better efficacy for gene therapy of cystic fibrosis.

Cystic Fibrosis↗

Development of an epithelium-specific expression cassette with human DNA regulatory elements for transgene expression in lung airways.

The efficient expression of therapeutic genes in target cells or tissues is an important component of efficient and safe gene therapy. Utilizing regulatory elements from the human cytokeratin 18 (K18) gene, including 5' genomic sequences and one of its introns, we have developed a novel expression cassette that can efficiently express reporter genes, as well as the human cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, in cultured lung epithelial cells. CFTR transcripts expressed from the native K18 enhancer/promoter include two alternative splicing products, due to the activation of two cryptic splice sites in the CFTR coding region. Modification of the K18 intron and CFTR cDNA sequences eliminated the cryptic splice sites without changing the CFTR amino acid sequence, and led to enhanced CFTR mRNA and protein expression as well as biological function. Transgenic expression analysis in mice showed that the modified expression cassette can direct efficient and epithelium-specific expression of the Escherichia coli LacZ gene in the airways of fetal lungs, with no detectable expression in lung fibroblasts or endothelial cells. This is the first expression cassette which selectively directs lung transgene expression for CFTR gene therapy to airway epithelia.

Animals↗

[High efficiency eukaryotic expression of rhIL-12 in COS-7 cells].

In this study, two high-efficiency eukaryotic expression vectors, PED35 and PED40 containing p35 and p40 cDNA of rhIL-12 respectively, were co-transfected into COS-7 cells by modified DEAE-Dextran method. The COS-7 cell culture supernatant had been certified to contain high level of expressed rhIL-12 protein, nearly 600 IU/ml. Furthermore, in the two biological assays, the expressed rhIL-12 protein can cause the proliferation of human PHA-activated lymphoblasts and augmentation of NK cells mediated cytotoxic activity. This study, therefore, could help further exploration of biological activities and potential usage of rhIL-12.

Animals↗

An efficient fusion expression system for protein and peptide overexpression in Escherichia coli and NMR sample preparation.

An efficient fusion expression system with a small fusion partner, His6-tagged N-terminal fragment of staphylococcal nuclease R, has been constructed and tested with two genes. The results show that the system is not only suitable for overexpression of small proteins and peptides but simplifies purification of target proteins and peptides. The study also provides a practical method for preparation of isotope-labeled protein sample for NMR analysis.

Crotalid Venoms↗

Expression of Reverse Cholesterol Transport Pathway Associated Protein Genes in Skeletal Muscle.

Viral and nonviral vectors containing apoAI, apoE or LCAT genes were constructed and transfected into myogenic cells in vitro or injected directly into mouse skeletal muscle. The expression efficiencies of these vectors were assaied to investigate the possibility of ectopic expression of these genes in skeletal muscle and to develop a safe and convenient gene therapy method for atherosclerosis. The results showed that the primary cultured mouse myoblasts, C2C12 cells transfected with pCMVapoE3 expressed human apoE3 successfully and the expressed product was secreted into the medium. Mouse skeletal muscle efficiently expressed apoE3 in vivo after direct plasmid injection. The expression level of Ad-RSV-apoAI in primary cultured mouse myoblasts was correlated with virus titer. Human apoAI was synthesized in mouse skeletal muscle by direct injection of recombinant virus and was secreted into blood continuously up to 30 days functional LCAT was expressed by C2C12 and 293 cells transfected with conventional vector or recombinant AAV plasmid DNA. The expression efficiency of recombinant AAV plasmid DNA was 2-5 times higher than that of conventional plasmid vector. The above results provided experimental data for further studying and developing a gene therapy method for atherosclerosis by enhancement of reverse cholesterol transport using skeletal muscle as target.

Journal Article↗

'Shocking' developments in chick embryology: electroporation and in ovo gene expression.

Efficient gene transfer by electroporation of chick embryos in ovo has allowed the development of new approaches to the analysis of gene regulation, function and expression, creating an exciting opportunity to build upon the classical manipulative advantages of the chick embryonic system. This method is applicable to other vertebrate embryos and is an important tool with which to address cell and developmental biology questions. Here we describe the technical aspects of in ovo electroporation, its different applications and future perspectives.

Animals↗

Recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated high-efficiency, transient expression of the murine cationic amino acid transporter (ecotropic retroviral receptor) permits stable transduction of human HeLa cells by ecotropic retroviral vectors.

Adeno-associated virus has a broad host range, is nonpathogenic, and integrates into a preferred location on chromosome 19, features that have fostered development of recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAV) as gene transfer vectors for therapeutic applications. We have used an rAAV to transfer and express the murine cationic amino acid transporter which functions as the ecotropic retroviral receptor, thereby rendering human cells conditionally susceptible to infection by an ecotropic retroviral vector. The proportion of human HeLa cells expressing the receptor at 60 h varied as a function of the multiplicity of infection (MOI) with the rAAV. Cells expressing the ecotropic receptor were efficiently transduced with an ecotropic retroviral vector encoding a nucleus-localized form of beta-galactosidase. Cells coexpressing the ecotropic receptor and nucleus-localized beta-galactosidase were isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and cell lines were recovered by cloning at limiting dilution. After growth in culture, all clones contained the retroviral vector genome, but fewer than 10% (3 of 47) contained the rAAV genome and continued to express the ecotropic receptor. The ecotropic receptor coding sequences in the rAAV genome were under the control of a tetracycline-modulated promoter. In the presence of tetracycline, receptor expression was low and the proportion of cells transduced by the ecotropic retroviral vector was decreased. Modulation of receptor expression was achieved with both an episomal and an integrated form of the rAAV genome. These data establish that functional gene expression from an rAAV genome can occur transiently without genome integration.

Amino Acid Transport Systems↗