Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “expression efficiency”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 757 records · Page 42Linked to original sources

Linear transgene constructs lacking vector backbone sequences generate low-copy-number transgenic plants with simple integration patterns.

Whole plasmids are used in both Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and direct DNA transfer, generally leading to the integration of vector backbone sequences into the host genome along with the transgene(s). This is undesirable, as vector backbone sequences often have negative effects on transgene or endogenous gene expression, and can promote transgene rearrangements. We, therefore, bombarded rice tissue with two constructs: a plasmid containing the bar gene, and a linear DNA fragment isolated from the same plasmid, corresponding to the minimal bar gene expression cassette (promoter, open reading frame and terminator). We recovered phosphinothricin-resistant plants from both experiments, showing that the selectable marker was efficiently expressed. Transformation with such constructs resulted in predominantly 'simple' integration events (one or two bands on Southern blots), producing low-copy-number transgenic plants with a low frequency of transgene rearrangements. Conversely, transformation with supercoiled or linearized whole plasmids generated plants with 'complex' integration patterns, that is, higher copy numbers and frequent transgene rearrangements. We monitored transgenic lines through to the R4 generation and observed no silencing in plants carrying minimal constructs. We also carried out experiments in which rice tissue was simultaneously bombarded with minimal linear hpt and gusA cassettes. We observed robust GUS activity in hygromycin-resistant plants, confirming co-expression of the selectable and nonselectable markers. Furthermore, the efficiency of cotransformation using minimal constructs was the same as that using supercoiled plasmid cointegrate vectors.

Acetyltransferases↗

Effect of chemical features and stability of polyplexes on their gene transfer efficiency.

Chemically modified poly-L-lysine (PL) derivatives with two essential features, which we have recently reported on, have been used to study key factors affecting transgene expression efficiency. PL derivatives having both of N epsilon-trimethyl lysine residue and 25 mole % serine residue showed enhanced transfection efficiency. When PL was modified in either way, no marked enhancement in gene expression was observed. These PL derivatives were found to be able to deliver plasmid DNA into nucleus of the transfected cells with a similar amount. Judging from the loss of EtBr fluorescence intercalating to DNA, the condensing tendency of the DNA were greatly affected by the sequence of the polypeptides used. This loose compaction seems to enhance the transgene expression because of an easy disassembly of the formed complexes or recognition of the DNA molecules in the complexes.

Fluorescence↗

Dual targeting of adenoviral vectors at the levels of transduction and transcription enhances the specificity of gene expression in cancer cells.

Adenoviral (Ad) vector-mediated strategies for cancer gene therapy mandate a vector that is capable of efficient expression of the therapeutic gene specifically within the target tumor cells. In one approach to the development of cancer cell-specific vectors, Ad vectors have been targeted at the level of transduction to achieve the selective delivery of the therapeutic gene. In an alternative approach to the derivation of cancer cell-specific vectors, Ad vectors have been targeted at the level of transcription by placing the therapeutic gene under the control of transcriptional regulatory sequences that are activated in tumor cells, but not in normal cells, and therefore target expression selectively to the tumor cell. In this report, we demonstrate that a higher degree of specificity for cancer cells can be achieved by combining the complementary approaches of transductional and transcriptional targeting, each of which is imperfect or "leaky" by itself.

3T3 Cells↗

Directed evolution of phosphotriesterase from Pseudomonas diminuta for heterologous expression in Escherichia coli results in stabilization of the metal-free state.

Phosphotriesterase from Pseudomonas diminuta (PTE) is an extremely efficient metalloenzyme that hydrolyses a variety of compounds including organophosphorus nerve agents. Study of PTE has been hampered by difficulties with efficient expression of the recombinant form of this highly interesting and potentially useful enzyme. We identified a low-level esterolytic activity of PTE and then screened PTE gene libraries for improvements in 2-naphthyl acetate hydrolysis. However, the attempt to evolve this promiscuous esterase activity led to a variant (S5) containing three point mutations that resulted in a 20-fold increase in functional expression. Interestingly, the zinc holoenzyme form of S5 appears to be more sensitive than wild-type PTE to both thermal denaturation and addition of metal chelators. Higher functional expression of the S5 variant seems to lie in a higher stability of the metal-free apoenzyme. The results obtained in this work point out another-and often overlooked-possible determinant of protein expression and purification yields, i.e. the stability of intermediates during protein folding and processing.

Chelating Agents↗

DNA sequences that regulate expression of a vaccinia virus late gene (L65) and interact with a DNA-binding protein from infected cells.

To be efficiently expressed in vivo, the vaccinia virus late gene, L65, requires 5'-proximal cis-acting elements which bind a factor from infected cells. Deletion mutagenesis and vaccinia virus helper-dependent transient expression procedures were used to demonstrate that two distinct late promoter elements direct transcription from two different start sites (proximal [+1] and distal [-92]). The -128 to -112 region was essential for L65 distal promoter function, while sequences between -59 and +50 were sufficient for L65 proximal promoter function. The proximal DNA sequences interact with a protein, binding factor I (BF-I), which was isolated and partially purified from vaccinia virus-infected cells at late times postinfection. This activity is not detectable in uninfected cells or in purified virions. This factor binds specifically to two different sites within the proximal promoter, one 5' and one 3' to the transcription start site, but does not bind to the distal promoter element.

Animals↗

Intracellular and extracellular production of proteins in Aspergillus under the control of expression signals of the highly expressed Aspergillus nidulans gpdA gene.

The expression in Aspergillus is described of genes, coding for intracellular and extracellular proteins controlled by the promoter region of the constitutively and efficiently expressed glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (gpdA) of Aspergillus nidulans. Both the homologous gpdA and the heterologous Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (lacZ) and beta-glucuronidase (uidA) genes could be expressed intracellularly at levels as high as 10-25% of total soluble protein. Efficient extracellular production of A. niger glucoamylase could be achieved with a fusion-gene containing the region of the glucoamylase gene coding for the mature protein preceded by a synthetic fungal signal sequence. Extracellular production of a heterologous protein, E. coli beta-glucuronidase, with such a fusion was much less efficient. Only very low levels of beta-glucuronidase were detected in the culture fluid, whereas considerable enzyme activity was detected in the mycelium.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Use of homologous expression-secretion signals and vector-free stable chromosomal integration in engineering of Lactobacillus plantarum for alpha-amylase and levanase expression.

The genuine alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus licheniformis (amyL) is not expressed in Lactobacillus plantarum, but replacement of the amyL promoter by a strong L. plantarum promoter leads to efficient expression of the gene and secretion of more than 90% of the alpha-amylase into the culture supernatant. A series of L. plantarum genetic cassettes (transcription and translation with or without secretion) were cloned by translation fusion of random DNA fragments to the silent amyL coding frame in the pGIP212 probe vector (P. Hols, A. Baulard, D. Garmyn, B. Delplace, S. Hogan, and J. Delcour, Gene 118:21-30, 1992). Five different cassettes were sequenced and found to harbor genetic signals similar to those of other gram-positive bacteria. The functions of the cloned cassettes and the cassettes isolated previously from Enterococcus faecalis were compared in E. faecalis and L. plantarum, respectively. All signals were well recognized in L. plantarum, but cassettes isolated from L. plantarum led to a low level of amylase production in E. faecalis, suggesting that the L. plantarum signals are more species specific. Six transcriptional or translational fusions were constructed to express the Bacillus subtilis levanase gene (sacC) in L. plantarum. All of these constructions were capable of inducing levanase production and secretion in the culture supernatant, and, furthermore, L. plantarum strains harboring the most efficient fusions could grow in MRS medium containing inulin as the major carbon source. Finally, a two-step chromosomal integration procedure was used to achieve efficient stabilization of an amylase construction without any residual resistance marker or vector sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Large-scale transient transfection of serum-free suspension-growing HEK293 EBNA1 cells: peptone additives improve cell growth and transfection efficiency.

Large-scale transient transfection of mammalian cells is a recent and powerful technology for the fast production of milligram amounts of recombinant proteins (r-proteins). As many r-proteins used for therapeutic and structural studies are naturally secreted or engineered to be secreted, a cost-effective serum-free culture medium that allows their efficient expression and purification is required. In an attempt to design such a serum-free medium, the effect of nine protein hydrolysates on cell proliferation, transfection efficiency, and volumetric productivity was evaluated using green fluorescent protein (GFP) and human placental secreted alkaline phosphate (SEAP) as reporter genes. The suspension growing, serum-free adapted HEK293SF-3F6 cell line was stably transfected with an EBNA1-expression vector to increase protein expression when using EBV oriP bearing plasmids. Compared to our standard serum-free medium, concomitant addition of the gelatin peptone N3 and removal of BSA slightly enhanced transfection efficiency and significantly increased volumetric productivity fourfold. Using the optimized medium formulation, transfection efficiencies between 40-60% were routinely obtained and SEAP production reached 18 mg/L(-1). To date, we have successfully produced and purified over fifteen r-proteins from 1-14-L bioreactors using this serum-free system. As examples, we describe the scale-up of two secreted his-tagged r-proteins Tie-2 and Neuropilin-1 extracellular domains (ED) in bioreactors. Each protein was successfully purified to >95% purity following a single immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) step. In contrast, purification of Tie-2 and Neuropilin-1 produced in serum-containing medium was much less efficient. Thus, the use of our new serum-free EBNA1 cell line with peptone-enriched serum-free medium significantly improves protein expression compared to peptone-less medium, and significantly increases their purification efficiency compared to serum-containing medium. This eliminates labor-intensive and expensive chromatographic steps, and allows for the simple, reliable, and extremely fast production of milligram amounts of r-proteins within 5 days posttransfection.

Bioreactors↗

Inducible virus-mediated expression of a foreign protein in suspension-cultured plant cells.

Although suspension-cultured plant cells have many potential merits as sources of useful proteins, the lack of an efficient expression system has prevented using this approach. In this study, we established an inducible tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) infection system in tobacco BY-2 suspension-cultured cells to inducibly and efficiently produce a foreign protein. In this system, a modified ToMV encoding a foreign protein as replacement of the coat protein is expressed from stably transformed cDNA under the control of an estrogen-inducible promoter in transgenic BY-2 cells. Estrogen added to the culture activates an estrogen-inducible transactivator expressed constitutively from the transgene and induces transcription and replication of viral RNA. In our experiments, accumulation of viral RNA and expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) encoded in the virus were observed within 24 h after induction. The amount of GFP reached approximately 10% of total soluble protein 4 d after induction. In contrast, neither viral RNA nor GFP were detected in uninduced cells. The inducible virus infection system established here should be utilized not only for the expression of foreign proteins, but also for investigations into the viral replication process in cultured plant cells.

Capsid Proteins↗

Effect of a tsA mutation of simian virus 40 late gene expression: variations between host cell lines.

Infection of AGMK or CV-1 cells by the early simian virus 40 mutant tsA58 at the permissive temperature (32 degrees C) followed by a shift to the nonpermissive temperature (41 degrees C) caused a substantial decrease in the levels of late viral RNA in the cytoplasm of AGMK cells but not CV-1 cells. At the translational level, this depression of late viral RNA levels was reflected by a decrease in late viral protein synthesis. Thus, in AGMK cells, an early region gene product (presumably large T-antigen) appeared to be continuously required for efficient expression of the late viral genes. In contrast, late simian virus 40 gene expression, once it is initiated in CV-1 cells, continued efficiently regardless of the tsA mutation. The difference in expression of the late simian virus 40 genes in these tsA mutant-infected monkey kidney cell lines may reflect a difference in host cell proteins which regulate viral gene expression in conjunction with early viral proteins.

Animals↗

Expression and purification of rotavirus proteins NSP5 and NSP6 in Escherichia coli.

Rotaviruses are one of the worldwide leading causes of gastroenteritis in children under 5 yr old. The rotavirus nonstructural NSP5 is a phosphoprotein implicated in viroplasms formation, whereas NSP6 could have a possible regulatory role of NSP5. It has been reported that N- and C-termini of NSP5 are important for their function. However, no structural information on NSP5 and NSP6 proteins is available. Because a high amount of protein is required for structural analysis, efficient expression systems are required. His-tag fusion at the C-terminus and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-fusion at the N-terminus were used as expression systems, and conditions for recombinant proteins expression were obtained. His-tag fusion was not efficient to produce NSP5 (2% of total protein), but NSP6 was expressed in higher amounts (11% of total protein). In contrast, GSTNSP5 and GST-NSP6 proteins correspond to 34 and 31% of the total proteins, respectively. GST-fusions seem to have a protective effect against nonstructural rotavirus protein toxicity in Escherichia coli; however, in both systems, NSP5 and NSP6 recombinant proteins were expressed as inclusion bodies. Conditions for solubilization and purification of recombinant proteins were achieved. This is the first report of expression and purification of NSP5 and NSP6 recombinant proteins in suitable amounts for further structural analysis.

Animals↗

Cre recombinase-mediated gene targeting of mesenchymal cells.

Loss-of-function approaches by the Cre/loxP technology have provided powerful tools for functional analyses of genes of interest expressed preferentially in a particular tissue. Here we describe the generation of transgenic mouse lines expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the promoter/enhancer unit of the gene for the alpha2 chain of collagen type I (Col1alpha2). As an expression vector, we used a P1-derived artificial chromosome (PAC), which harbors approximately 100 kb carrying the col1alpha2 gene. The improved coding sequence of the Cre recombinase was introduced to replace the first exon of col1alpha2. Cre expression was determined by immunohistochemistry and Cre-mediated onset of beta-galactosidase expression in ROSA26R-Cre reporter mice. In four analyzed transgenic lines, Cre recombinase was efficiently expressed during embryogenesis and in adult animals in cells of mesenchymal origin, such as dermal fibroblasts, mesenchymal cells of blood vessel walls, and cells in fibrous connective tissues surrounding internal organs.

Animals↗

Expression of cloned cDNA for the human mitochondrial RNA polymerase in Escherichia coli and purification.

A full-length cDNA for the mature, mitochondrial form of human mitochondrial RNA polymerase was cloned and expressed under the control of T5 or tac promoter in Escherichia coli. The cDNA was efficiently expressed at 37 degrees C, but virtually all the polymerase produced was insoluble, and renaturation of the inclusion bodies was unsuccessful. When the cells were grown at 25 degrees C, however, a portion of approximately 10% was soluble and active. The protein was purified 100-fold from the soluble lysates to homogeneity by two-step chromatography using Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid-Sepharose and heparin-agarose columns, as an N-terminal histidine tag attached and as the tag cleaved away. The purified polymerases with and without the histidine tag were both active in RNA polymerization in vitro as measured with poly(dA-dT) template, and specific activity was 140,000 units/mg. The purified enzyme has the same biochemical properties as the polymerase fraction partially purified from the human mitochondria, except for the promoter-specific activity that was not observed with the purified polymerase in the presence of mitochondrial transcription factor A. Additional factor(s) and/or mammalian-specific or regulatory modification(s) of the polymerase should be necessary for promoter-specific transcription.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

An improved Tet-On regulatable FasL-adenovirus vector system for lung cancer therapy.

Gene therapy is a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of human cancers. Gene expression systems that can be regulated by drugs have been developed to improve the safety and efficacy of therapeutic transgene delivery. One of the most promising systems is the tetracycline (Tet)-responsive system in the Tet-On configuration. A major problem of the Tet-On system if used in viral vectors is the high basal activity of the Tet response element (TRE) promoter leading to leaky expression of transgenes under uninduced conditions. We therefore evaluated novel TRE promoters for controlling gene expression in an adenovirus vector (AdV) Tet-On system and further investigated them for expression of the pro-apoptotic CD95/Fas ligand (FasL) in human epithelial carcinoma cell line (HeLa) and lung cancer cells. Plasmid-based reporter gene assays showed that modifications within the tetO (7) and minimal immediate early cytomegalovirus promoter (CMV)(min) sequence of the TRE promoter reduced its leakiness and led to a markedly improved regulatability by doxycycline. Among several TRE promoters tested, a new construct (TRE-Tight1) containing modifications of both the tetO (7) sequence and the CMV(min) showed 11-fold reduced leakiness and 1.5-fold increased absolute transgene expression levels after induction, as compared to the original TRE. Under induced conditions, a TRE-Tight1 promoter-dependent AdV expressing the pro-apoptotic CD95L/FasL induced apoptosis and cell lysis in HeLa cells as efficiently as an AdV containing the original TRE promoter. In contrast to the latter, however, the vector with the modified TRE promoter left cells totally unaffected in the absence of the inducer. Stringently regulated induction of apoptosis and cell death by TRE-Tight1-AdV was also demonstrated in three human lung cancer cell lines. These data show that the novel TRE-Tight1 promoter has a high potential for closely controlled and efficient expression of cytotoxic genes in AdV-based anti-cancer approaches.

Adenoviridae↗

Cloning and expression of pectin lyase gene from Erwinia carotovora in Escherichia coli.

A pectin lyase (PNL; EC 4.2.2.10) gene of Erwinia carotovora Er was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The analysis of the nucleotide sequence of the 0.6 kb StuI-EcoRI fragment, which was hybridized with the mixed oligonucleotide probe for PNL gene, revealed the presence of an open reading frame (0RF) and correlated exactly with the known N-terminal 18 amino acid sequence of PNL. When a plasmid pTN2159, which has a BamHI-EcoRI fragment containing this ORF, was introduced into E. coli JM109, PNL was not expressed. When a tac-promoter was inserted in front of the ORF, PNL was efficiently expressed in E. coli. Synthesis of PNL by E. coli was also confirmed by immunoblot analysis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular biology of human xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochromes P450: role of vaccinia virus cDNA expression in evaluating catalytic function.

Mammalian xenobiotic-metabolizing cytochromes P450s are membrane-bound enzymes that use O2 and electrons from NADPH to oxidize their substrates. For most chemical substrates, stable metabolites are produced that are destined for further metabolism and elimination from the cell. These enzymes are also capable of metabolically-converting promutagens and procarcinogens to their active proximate metabolites that can kill and transform cells. The xenobiotic-metabolizing P450s reside with three distinct families of the large P450 super-family. To study the catalytic activities of P450s, particularly human P450s that cannot be easily purified, a cDNA expression system was developed using vaccinia virus. P450 cDNAs incorporated into this lytic virus are efficiently expressed into catalytically-active enzymes that can be used to determine substrate specificities of specific human P450s forms. Activation of the hepatocarcinogen aflatoxin B1 was determined using a series of vaccinia virus-expressed P450s establishing that it is metabolically-activated to a DnA-binding derivative by several human P450 forms, albeit to differing extents.

Animals↗

Expression of recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I in mammalian cells.

In order to develop a suitable mammalian expression system for human insulin-like growth factors (hIGFs) and mutant IGFs, we have constructed several artificial IGF genes, based on a cDNA encoding the IGF-I precursor (153 amino acids). Transient expression experiments using mouse Ltk- cells revealed that the IGF-I gene constructs were efficiently expressed when placed under control of the SV40 Early promoter (SV40E). This resulted in the synthesis and secretion of IGF-I receptor-reactive products. Constructs encoding an IGF-I precursor with a truncated signal peptide of 25 amino acids under control of SV40E promoter or the inducible Drosophila heat shock hsp70 promoter, were used to establish stably transformed CHOdhfr- and mouse L cells. Clones secreting IGF-I were identified by an IGF-I-specific radioreceptor assay. Immunoblot analysis of conditioned media from these clones resulted in the specific precipitation of a protein of 7 kDa identical in size to native IGF-I purified from human serum. After optimization of the expression conditions, the stable cell lines secrete 0.5-2 microgram/10(6) cells of IGF-I. The biological activity of the secreted recombinant IGF-I was shown by its ability to stimulate DNA synthesis in human MCF-7 cells. The results described in this paper indicate that a mammalian expression system, employing CHOdhfr- or L cells, is a useful system for the synthesis of biological active IGF-I.

Animals↗

Cloning and expression in biologically active form of the gene for human interferon alpha 2 in Streptomyces lividans.

A fragment of human DNA encoding the mature form of interferon alpha 2 (hIFN-alpha 2), and carrying both an in-phase ATG initiation codon and the ribosome binding site (RBS) of the Escherichia coli membrane lipoprotein gene (lpp), was fused to the aminoglycoside phosphotransferase gene (aph) promoter (aphP) from Streptomyces fradiae. When this construction was inserted, in the two possible orientations, in the Streptomyces plasmid pIJ702, plasmids pNIS19 and pNIS91 were obtained. A 20-kDa polypeptide that immunoreacted with an hIFN-alpha 2 monoclonal antibody was expressed in S. lividans clones carrying these plasmids. Moreover, these clones contained an intracellular antiviral activity similar to that of hIFN-alpha 2. When plasmids pNIS19 and pNIS91 were deprived of the aphP no expression of activity was found. Therefore, it is concluded that the hIFN gene can be efficiently expressed in Streptomyces as directed by the aph gene promoter.

Cloning, Molecular↗