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Conversion of a PI-anchored protein to an integral membrane protein by a single amino acid mutation.

Qa-2, a cell-surface glycoprotein anchored by phosphatidylinositol (PI), is structurally related to the class I transplantation antigens H-2 K, D, and L, which are integral membrane glycoproteins. The predicted transmembrane segment of Qa-2 differs from those of H-2 K, D, and L by the presence of an aspartate in place of a valine at position 295. A single base change that replaced this aspartate with valine resulted in cell-surface Qa-2 molecules that were insensitive to hydrolysis by a PI-specific phospholipase C and more resistant to papain cleavage, properties shared by H-2D. Cells expressing Asp----Val mutant Qa-2 proteins were still able to attach a PI anchor to endogenous proteins such as Thy-1 and J11D. It therefore appears that this single amino acid change converts Qa-2 from a PI-linked form into an integral membrane protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Genomics-informed approach identifies which cell types regulate the metabolome.

MOTIVATION: Metabolism occurs in a cell type-specific manner, but which cells regulate metabolite levels remains unclear. RESULTS: Here, we integrate some of the largest metabolite quantitative trait loci datasets, TOPMed and UK Biobank, with one of the most extensive single-cell RNA sequencing resources, Tabula Sapiens. This integration allows us to identify cell types that regulate metabolites body-wide. We find hepatocytes are the primary regulatory cell type for most metabolites, associating with 385/410 (94%) metabolites for whom an association is found. Additionally, our multi-gene approach reveals more metabolite associations with beta cells compared to those identified using a single-gene approach. For example, we identify novel metabolite-cell type associations, such as the association between phenylpropanoic acid and beta cells, this metabolite that was previously thought to be regulated by the microbiome. AVAILABILITY: Code used in this work is available via Github at https://github.com/haimkru/Metabolite-Cell-Type-Associations.

Metabolome↗

Generation of high-titer pseudotyped retroviral vectors with very broad host range.

Encapsidation of the VSV G protein into the virions of MoMLV-derived retroviral vectors in the absence of other VSV-encoded proteins is shown to be an efficient process, although the exact mechanism for this process is currently unclear. Unlike the conventional retroviral vectors bearing the amphotropic envelope protein, the pseudotyped virus has the ability to withstand the shearing forces encountered during ultracentrifugation. This property of the pseudotyped virus enables the generation of high-titer retroviral vector stocks and has potential application for in vivo gene therapy studies. We have found as many as four copies of a pseudotyped vector to integrate into the genome of a single cell when a high multiplicity of infection was used to infect the cells. Multiple integration events were not observed with amphotropic retroviral vectors, probably because of their low virus titers. In addition, when retroviral vectors are pseudotyped with the VSV G protein, they acquire the host range of VSV and are able to infect nonmammalian cells derived from fish, Xenopus, mosquito, and Lepidoptera. Since techniques for efficient gene transfer in some of these nonmammalian systems are not currently available, retrovirus-mediated gene transfer described here should be useful for transgenic and other genetic studies in lower vertebrate species. The inability to establish a stable cell line expressing the VSV G protein, however, limits large-scale production of the pseudotyped retroviral vectors. Generation of stable packaging cell lines for the pseudotyped retroviral vectors is a major challenge for the future.

3T3 Cells↗

Lipid microdomains in cell surface membranes.

Lipid microdomains within cell membranes are detected by a variety of experimental techniques, each of which characterizes microdomains on a different time and spatial scale. The sum of the data on lipid microdomains has yet to be integrated into a single model of cell membrane structure. Indeed, one highlight of the past year is a new analysis of experimental results which yields a model of a cell membrane which need not contain any microdomains. Other highlights are an estimate of the number of phospholipid molecules in a membrane microdomain and the detection of domain formation in cell membranes in real time. Some progress has also been made in visualizing lipid microdomains within cell membranes. We still await, however, a new model of membrane structure that integrates all experimental results.

Membrane Lipids↗

Robust integration of motion information in the fly visual system revealed by single cell photoablation.

In the brain, sensory information needs often to be read out from the ensemble activity of presynaptic neurons. In the most basic case, this may be accomplished by an individual postsynaptic neuron. In the visual system of the blowfly, an identified motion-sensitive spiking neuron is known to be postsynaptic to an ensemble of graded-potential presynaptic input elements. Both the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons were shown previously to be capable of representing the velocity of preferred-direction motion reliably and linearly over a large frequency range of velocity fluctuations. Accordingly, the synaptic transfer properties of the connecting excitatory synapses between individual input elements and the postsynaptic neuron were shown to be linear over a similar range of presynaptic membrane potential fluctuations. It was not known, however, how the postsynaptic neuron integrates and reads out the presynaptic ensemble activity. We were able to compare the response properties of the integrating cell before and after eliminating individual presynaptic elements by a laser ablation technique. For most of the input elements, we found that their elimination strongly affected the activity of the postsynaptic neuron but did not degrade its performance to encode motion with constant and time-varying velocity. Our results suggest that the integration of individual synaptic inputs within the neural circuit operates with some redundancy. This feature might help the postsynaptic neuron to encode in a highly robust way the direction and the velocity of self-motion of the animal.

Action Potentials↗

Strategies for the cryopreservation of microencapsulated cells.

The major challenge in developing cryopreservation protocols for microencapsulated cells is that the relatively large size (300-400 microm) and the fragile semipermeable membrane of microcapsules makes them particularly prone to cryodamage. Rapid-cooling cryopreservation protocols with high DMSO concentrations (3.5M, 25% v/v) resulted in low post-thaw cell viability (<10%), which did not improve with higher concentrations (4.5M, 32% v/v) and longer exposure to DMSO, even though the majority of microcapsules (60-80%) remained intact. Subsequent investigations of slow cooling with a range of DMSO and EG concentrations resulted in a much higher post-thaw cell viability (80-85%), with the majority of the microcapsules remaining intact ( approximately 60%) when DMSO was used at a concentration of 2.8M (20% v/v) and EG at a concentration of 2.7M (15% v/v). The presence of 0.25M sucrose significantly improved post-thaw cell viability upon slow cooling with 2.8M (20% v/v) DMSO, although it had no effect on microcapsule integrity. Multistep exposure and removal of sucrose did not significantly improve either post-thaw cell viability or microcapsule integrity, compared to a single-step protocol. Ficoll 20% (w/v) also did not significantly improve post-thaw cell viability and microcapsule integrity. Hence, the optimal condition for microcapsule cryopreservation developed in this study is slow cooling with 2.8M (20% v/v) DMSO and 0.25M sucrose.

Animals↗

Restitution of single-cell defects in the mouse colon epithelium differs from that of cultured cells.

Integrity of colon epithelium is of crucial importance and, as small defects occur constantly, rapid repair (restitution) is essential. To investigate the mechanism of restitution, single-cell lesions were induced in mouse colonic surface epithelia by iontophoretic injection of Ca2+. Closure of the resulting defects was monitored using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and functional sealing by electrophysiological techniques. Restitution was evaluated as the time constant tau of the exponential decrease in conductance of an induced leak and amounted to 0.28 min under control conditions. After 4 min, the leak was completely sealed. Repair was thus considerably faster than in previously investigated HT-29/B6 cells (tau=5.73 min). As in cultured cells, cytochalasin D delayed restitution in native colon epithelia (tau=0.69 min), indicating the involvement of actin in the healing process; however, no accumulation of actin surrounding the lesion was detected. Long-term incubation of epithelia with IFN-gamma alone or in combination with TNF-alpha increased tau to 0.49 and 0.59 min, respectively. In contrast to cultured cells, TNF-alpha alone did not affect restitution. A brief (<10 min) exposure to the sterile filtered supernatant of hemolytic E. coli O4 cultures did not affect the morphology of the epithelium, but delayed restitution. In CLSM studies, defects were still clearly visible 4 min after the onset of lesion induction. The supernatant of a nonhemolytic E. coli O4 mutant did not exhibit this effect. In conclusion, single-cell defects in native colon cause functional leaks that seal faster than in cell cultures. Proinflammatory cytokines and pathogenic bacteria delay restitution. This suggests a key role of very small lesions at the onset of pathogenic processes in the intestine.

Actins↗

Use of the bnx/hu xenograft model of human hematopoiesis to optimize methods for retroviral-mediated stem cell transduction (Review).

The potentiality of primitive human hematopoietic cells can be profoundly affected by in vitro culture. Due to the growing number of protocols proposed for stem cell gene therapy and ex vivo expansion, it is crucial to define methods to preserve the generative capacity of human stem cells in culture while promoting self-renewal divisions. Stem cell division, homing, and subsequent lineage development can only be studied definitively by marking of pluripotent cells, followed by tracking and clonal analysis of the progeny in a long-term transplantation system. We have developed a bnx/hu xenograft model, in which transduced human hematopoietic cells can be individually tracked into different lineages over the course of one year post-transplantation. The tracking is accomplished by single cell cloning of individual T lymphoid and myeloid progenitors recovered from the marrow of the mice, and clonal integration analysis by the sensitive technique of single-colony inverse PCR. All cells derived from a stem cell transduced by a retroviral vector will carry the unique restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) created by the random integration event. We have used the bnx/hu xenograft system coupled with single-colony inverse PCR to determine that human stem cells require stromal support, fibronectin support with cytokines, or the presence of Flt3 ligand during a 72-h ex vivo culture to maintain the ability to sustain long-term multilineage hematopoiesis.

Animals↗

Somatic integration of an oncogene-harboring Sleeping Beauty transposon models liver tumor development in the mouse.

The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system can integrate foreign sequences of DNA in the genome of mouse somatic cells eliciting long-term expression in vivo. This technology holds great promise for human gene therapy as a nonviral technology to deliver therapeutic genes. SB also provides a means to study the effects of defined genetic elements, such as oncogenes, on somatic cells in mice. Here, we test the ability of the SB transposon system to facilitate somatic integration of a transposon containing an activated NRAS oncogene in mouse hepatocytes to elicit tumor formation. NRAS oncogene-driven tumors developed when such vectors were delivered to the livers of p19Arf-null or heterozygous mice. Delivery of the NRAS transposon cooperates with Arf loss to cause carcinomas of hepatocellular or biliary origin. These tumors allowed characterization of transposon integration and expression at the single-cell level, revealing robust NRAS expression and both transposase-mediated and random insertion of delivered vectors. Random integration and expression of the SB transposase plasmid was also observed in one instance. In addition, studies using effector loop mutants of activated NRAS provide evidence that mitogen-activated protein kinase activation alone cannot efficiently induce liver carcinomas. This system can be used to rapidly model tumors caused by defined genetic changes.

Animals↗

Integrated viral genomes can be lost from adenovirus type 12-induced hamster tumor cells in a clone-specific, multistep process with retention of the oncogenic phenotype.

In adenovirus type 12 (Ad12)-induced tumor cells, in Ad12-transformed cells and in continuously passaged cell lines from these sources, the viral DNA is integrated in multiple copies, usually at a single chromosomal location. In different tumors or cell lines, the sites of integration of Ad12 DNA are all different. Rare exceptions exist. In most instances, the integrated viral DNA resides very stably in the host cell genomes. However, upon continuous serial passage of such cell lines, the integrated viral DNA can be destabilized and lost. In two instances, i.e. in the Ad12-induced hamster tumor cell lines H1111(1) and CLAC1, we have investigated the loss of integrated viral DNA in detail. After extended serial passage, these two cell lines seemed to be devoid of Ad12 DNA sequences, as detectable by Southern blot hybridization, but continued to induce tumors after reinjection into hamsters. Cells from these two cell lines were now recloned three times, and DNAs from cultures derived from several individual clones were reinvestigated for the presence of several parts of the viral genome by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Some of the clones still carried parts of the Ad12 genome. However, several clones were isolated that proved free of all parts of the viral genome, except for minute segments from the right terminus of the Ad12 genome. Apparently, the loss of integrated viral DNA from these cell lines proceeded as a continuous, gradual, multistep process whose pattern could differ from cell clone to cell clone, once destabilization had been initiated. The mechanism of destabilization is not understood. Cell populations of 2 x 10(6) to 3 x 10(7), and as low as 10(2), cells from the clones, that contained only minimal remnants from the right viral DNA terminus, were reinjected into newborn or 13-20 day-old weanling Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus). Tumors developed within 5-17 days after injection. Tumor cell clones also grew in soft agar. The injection of primary hamster skin fibroblasts never elicited tumor formation. The tumor cells induced by this reinjection proved repeatedly free of Ad12 DNA both by Southern blot hybridization and by PCR, except for those cell and tumor clones that contained small segments of the right terminal E4 region of the Ad12 genome. The tumor cells, however, retained their oncogenic phenotype. The results raise questions about the cell clone-specific excision patterns of integrated foreign DNA from the recipient genome and the possibility of a hit-and-run mechanism of adenoviral oncogenesis.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

Dose-dependent IFN programs in myeloid cells after mRNA and adenovirus COVID-19 vaccination.

BACKGROUNDThe SARS-CoV-2 pandemic provided a rare opportunity to study how human immune responses develop to a novel viral antigen delivered through different vaccine platforms. However, to date, no study has directly compared immune responses to all 3 FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines at single-cell multiomic resolution.METHODSWe longitudinally profiled SARS-CoV-2-naive adults (n = 31) vaccinated with BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, or Ad26.COV2.S, integrating plasma cytokines, antibody titers, and single-cell multiomic data (DOGMA-Seq).RESULTSWe discovered a distinct, transient IFN program termed ISG-dim, which emerged specifically 1-2 days after the first mRNA dose in approximately 10% of myeloid cells. This state was characterized by ISGF3 complex activation and its target genes (e.g., MX1, MX2, DDX58), with transcriptional and epigenetic profiles distinct from the robust IFN program observed after mRNA boosting or a single Ad26.COV2.S dose (ISG-high). In vitro stimulation of human monocytes showed that IFN-&#x3b1; alone recapitulates ISG-dim, whereas both IFN-&#x3b1; and IFN-&#x3b3; are required for ISG-high.CONCLUSIONThese findings define dose-dependent IFN programming in human myeloid cells and highlight mechanistic differences between priming and boosting, with implications for optimizing vaccine platform choice, dose scheduling, and formulation.FUNDINGNIH grants AI142086, U19 AI135972, U01 AI165452, U01 AI165452, R01 AI160706, and P30 AG067988.

Humans↗

Transfection of mouse fibroblast cells with a promoterless herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene: number of integrated gene copies and structure of single and amplified gene sequences.

Plasmids carrying the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (tk) gene were used to transfect thymidine kinase-deficient cells of the mouse fibroblast cell line LM(tk-). Individual cell clones were cultivated in selective hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine medium to determine the number of integrated plasmid copies which was almost always in the range of one to three copies per genome. In contrast, cells transfected with plasmids carrying a promoterless "truncated" tk gene typically contained between 10 and 25 copies per genome. Surprisingly, when the truncated tk gene was transfected together with a simian virus 40 DNA segment, including its transcriptional enhancer, the number of integrated tk gene copies was always low, between one and three copies per genome. We have analyzed the genomic organization of integrated truncated tk genes by blot hybridization of restricted cellular DNA and concluded that integrated units of plasmid DNA molecules are arranged in tandem arrays which remain stable in most cases for many cell generations. In only 1 of ca. 20 cell clones did we observe a retraction and expansion of the number of integrated promoterless tk genes as a response to the removal or readdition of selective pressure. Surprisingly, the thymidine kinase activity determined in extracts from cells growing in selective hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine medium (high numbers of integrated tk gene copies) was nearly the same as the enzymatic activity in cells growing in nonselective medium (low copy numbers). Moreover, Northern blots of polyadenylated RNA, extracted from cells growing under selective and nonselective conditions, showed that, in both cases, the major species of tk-specific transcripts was ca. 1.5 kilobases in size, as expected for a tk-specific mRNA containing the entire coding region of the gene. Thus, disproportionate DNA replication appeared not to be essential for an active tk gene expression in these cells. We discuss possible pathways leading to the formation of tandem arrays of integrated truncated tk genes and the conditions required for disproportionate DNA replication in the unique case in which we found a retraction and expansion of tk gene copy numbers as a response to selective growth conditions.

Animals↗

Hybrid selection of small RNAs by using simian virus 40 DNA: evidence that the simian virus 40-associated small RNA is synthesized by specific cleavage from large viral transcripts.

The simian virus 40 (SV40)-associated small RNA (SAS-RNA), approximately 64 nucleotides, is virally encoded within a region of the viral late (+) DNA strand which encodes no known protein. The SAS-RNA arises in abundance late in SV40 lytic infection. Previous data indicate that the synthesis of the SAS-RNA may be under the control of the normal late viral promoter; i.e., inhibition of transcription from the late promoter results in cessation of SAS-RNA synthesis. The synthesis of SAS-RNA was examined to determine whether the SAS-RNA is the product of cleavage from noncoding regions of nuclear late transcripts or an independent transcription product like 5S RNA, or the adenovirus VA-RNAs. The data described below suggest that SAS-RNA is cleaved from large late transcripts. In vitro transcription of DNA fragments containing the SAS-RNA coding region yielded no SAS-RNA synthesis; this result was supported by DNA sequence analysis, which indicated no promoter-like regions either within or flanking the SAS-RNA coding region. In support of a cleavage mechanism, the SAS-RNA has a 3'-phosphate end, an occurrence which is indicative of nuclease cleavage. In addition, 5'-end labeling of the SAS-RNA was possible only after calf alkaline phosphatase treatment; this indicates that the SAS-RNA is not capped. Hybrid selection analysis was used to demonstrate that separation of the SAS-RNA coding region from the normal late promoter resulted in elimination of SAS-RNA synthesis. This was demonstrated in SV40-transformed cells in which integration of a single copy of SV40 breaks the continuity of the late coding region, so that the SAS-RNA coding region is physically separated from the normal late promoter. The lack of SAS-RNA synthesis indicates that the SAS-RNA coding region cannot function as a primary transcription unit. The same result and conclusion were obtained by using a permissive cell line transformed by SV40 (COS-1 cells); here it was found that the integrated SAS-RNA coding region was not expressed even during a viable lytic infection in which the SAS-RNA could be expressed from the infecting viral genomes. The simplest conclusion drawn from the data is that the SAS-RNA is cleaved from larger late transcripts which initiate at the normal late promoter. This conclusion suggests that many of the small RNAs found in normal eucaryotic cells may be synthesized by specific cleavage rather than by primary transcription. In the course of these studies several small cellular RNAs were detected, due to their specific hybrid selection, by using SV40 DNA. Primary mapping and characterization data of these RNAs are also presented.

Animals↗

Integration of Imaging-based and Sequencing-based Spatial Omics Mapping on the Same Tissue Section via DBiTplus.

Spatially mapping the transcriptome and proteome in the same tissue section can significantly advance our understanding of heterogeneous cellular processes and connect cell type to function. Here, we present Deterministic Barcoding in Tissue sequencing plus (DBiTplus), an integrative multi-modality spatial omics approach that combines sequencing-based spatial transcriptomics and image-based spatial protein profiling on the same tissue section to enable both single-cell resolution cell typing and genome-scale interrogation of biological pathways. DBiTplus begins with in situ reverse transcription for cDNA synthesis, microfluidic delivery of DNA oligos for spatial barcoding, retrieval of barcoded cDNA using RNaseH, an enzyme that selectively degrades RNA in an RNA-DNA hybrid, preserving the intact tissue section for high-plex protein imaging with CODEX. We developed computational pipelines to register data from two distinct modalities. Performing both DBiT-seq and CODEX on the same tissue slide enables accurate cell typing in each spatial transcriptome spot and subsequently image-guided decomposition to generate single-cell resolved spatial transcriptome atlases. DBiTplus was applied to mouse embryos with limited protein markers but still demonstrated excellent integration for single-cell transcriptome decomposition, to normal human lymph nodes with high-plex protein profiling to yield a single-cell spatial transcriptome map, and to human lymphoma FFPE tissue to explore the mechanisms of lymphomagenesis and progression. DBiTplusCODEX is a unified workflow including integrative experimental procedure and computational innovation for spatially resolved single-cell atlasing and exploration of biological pathways cell-by-cell at genome-scale.

Journal Article↗

Integration of Imaging-based and Sequencing-based Spatial Omics Mapping on the Same Tissue Section via DBiTplus.

Spatially mapping the transcriptome and proteome in the same tissue section can significantly advance our understanding of heterogeneous cellular processes and connect cell type to function. Here, we present Deterministic Barcoding in Tissue sequencing plus (DBiTplus), an integrative multi-modality spatial omics approach that combines sequencing-based spatial transcriptomics and image-based spatial protein profiling on the same tissue section to enable both single-cell resolution cell typing and genome-scale interrogation of biological pathways. DBiTplus begins with in situ reverse transcription for cDNA synthesis, microfluidic delivery of DNA oligos for spatial barcoding, retrieval of barcoded cDNA using RNaseH, an enzyme that selectively degrades RNA in an RNA-DNA hybrid, preserving the intact tissue section for high-plex protein imaging with CODEX. We developed computational pipelines to register data from two distinct modalities. Performing both DBiT-seq and CODEX on the same tissue slide enables accurate cell typing in each spatial transcriptome spot and subsequently image-guided decomposition to generate single-cell resolved spatial transcriptome atlases. DBiTplus was applied to mouse embryos with limited protein markers but still demonstrated excellent integration for single-cell transcriptome decomposition, to normal human lymph nodes with high-plex protein profiling to yield a single-cell spatial transcriptome map, and to human lymphoma FFPE tissue to explore the mechanisms of lymphomagenesis and progression. DBiTplusCODEX is a unified workflow including integrative experimental procedure and computational innovation for spatially resolved single-cell atlasing and exploration of biological pathways cell-by-cell at genome-scale.

Journal Article↗

Integrated Genomic and Proteomic Analysis Reveals T-B Lymphocyte Signatures in the MYCN Driven "Immune Desert" of Specific Neuroblastoma Subtypes.

AIMS: This study aims to systematically dissect how MYCN amplification shapes the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in high-risk neuroblastoma, elucidating key mechanisms underlying immune evasion. METHODS: We performed an integrated multi-omics analysis of bulk RNA-seq (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;721), single-cell RNA-seq (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;9), proteomic data (n&#x2009;=&#x2009;49) and spatial transcriptomics (Visium, with external validation in melanoma). Analyses included unsupervised clustering, cell-cell communication inference, transcriptional regulatory network reconstruction, and spatial proximity assessment to map the immune landscape. RESULTS: A distinct molecular subtype (Class C), defined by MYCN amplification and poor prognosis, exhibited a comprehensive "immune desert" phenotype characterized by low immune scores and minimal leukocyte infiltration. Single-cell analysis confirmed significant depletion of T and B lymphocytes within the Class C TME. Dysregulated transcriptional networks were identified, including upregulation of REL and EOMES in T cells-with EOMES potentially driving exhaustion via regulation of Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) genes, and REL inhibition enhancing cytotoxic function in&#xa0;vitro. A unique immunosuppressive B-cell subset (B7) engaged in enhanced crosstalk with exhausted T cells and harbored a MYC-centered network linked to cell cycle dysregulation and poor survival. Spatial transcriptomics revealed significant proximity between B7-active regions and Treg/exhaustion-enriched areas, externally validated in melanoma. Proteomic data validated elevated REL expression in MYCN-amplified tumors. CONCLUSION: This work delineates the immunosuppressive architecture of MYCN-driven neuroblastoma, revealing novel regulatory nodes within specific lymphocyte compartments. Integrating single-cell, spatial, and proteomic evidence, we propose REL inhibition as a therapeutic candidate, the EOMES/TRP axis as a bioinformatically supported hypothesis, and the B7/MYC hub as a hypothesis supported by transcriptomic and spatial evidence.

Humans↗

Analysis of CAD gene amplification using a combined approach of molecular genetics and cytogenetics.

CAD is a multifunctional protein which catalyzes the first three steps of de novo uridine biosynthesis. Rodent cells resistant to PALA, a specific inhibitor of the ATCase activity of CAD, overproduce the CAD protein and CAD mRNA as a direct result of the amplification of the CAD gene. In order to study the mechanism of CAD gene amplification, a functional Syrian hamster CAD gene was inserted into a cosmid vector using molecular cloning techniques. The cloned genes were assayed for biological function by fusing CAD-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell mutants with protoplasts of E. coli containing the CAD cosmids. Two clones with functional CAD genes were isolated and shown to contain inserts 40 and 45 kb long. The cloned genes could also be introduced into wild type CHO cells by selecting for cells which became resistant to high PALA concentrations in a single step. Transformations of mutant and wild type CHO cells contained multiple active copies of the donated Syrian hamster CAD genes in addition to their endogenous CHO CAD genes. The cloned genes in all transformants analyzed are integrated into host cell chromosomes at single locations defined by in situ hybridization. Independently isolated transformants contain the donated genes in different chromosomes. Co-transformation of CHO cells with two different genes by protoplast fusion is also shown to be possible.

Animals↗

Efficient method to generate single-copy transgenic mice by site-specific integration in embryonic stem cells.

Transgenic and gene-targeted mutant mice provide powerful tools for analysis of the cellular processes involved in early development and in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Here we describe a transgene integration strategy mediated by site-specific recombination that allows establishment of multiple embryonic stem (ES) cell lines carrying tetracycline-inducible genes targeted to a specific locus to assure predictable temporal and spatial expression in ES cells and mice. Using homologous recombination we inserted an frt homing site into which tetracycline-inducible transgenes can be integrated efficiently in the presence of FLPe recombinase. This strategy and the vectors described here are generally applicable to any locus in ES cells and should allow for the rapid production of mice with transgenes efficiently targeted to a defined site.

Alleles↗