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Head-to-head comparison on the immunogenicity of two HIV/AIDS vaccine candidates based on the attenuated poxvirus strains MVA and NYVAC co-expressing in a single locus the HIV-1BX08 gp120 and HIV-1(IIIB) Gag-Pol-Nef proteins of clade B.

In this investigation we have generated and defined the immunogenicity of two novel HIV/AIDS vaccine candidates based on the highly attenuated vaccinia virus strains, MVA and NYVAC, efficiently expressing in the same locus (TK) and under the same viral promoter the codon optimized HIV-1 genes encoding gp120 and Gag-Pol-Nef antigens of clade B (referred as MVA-B and NYVAC-B). In infected human HeLa cells, gp120 is released from cells and GPN is produced as a polyprotein; NYVAC-B induces severe apoptosis but not MVA-B. The two poxvirus vectors showed genetic stability of the inserts. In BALB/c and in transgenic HHD mice for human HLA-A2 class I, both vectors are efficient immunogens and induced broad cellular immune responses against peptides represented in the four HIV-1 antigens. Some differences were observed in the magnitude and breadth of the immune response in the mouse models. In DNA prime/poxvirus boost protocols, the strongest immune response, as measured by fresh IFN-gamma and IL-2 ELISPOT, was obtained in BALB/c mice boosted with NYVAC-B, while in HHD mice there were no differences between the poxvirus vectors. When the prime/boost was performed with homologous or with combination of poxvirus vectors, the protocols MVA-B/MVA-B and NYVAC-B/NYVAC-B, or the combination NYVAC-B/MVA-B gave the most consistent broader immune response in both mouse models, although the magnitude of the overall response was higher for the DNA-B/poxvirus-B regime. All of the immunization protocols induced some humoral response against the gp160 protein from HIV-1 clone LAV. Our findings indicate that MVA-B and NYVAC-B meet the criteria to be potentially useful vaccine candidates against HIV/AIDS.

AIDS Vaccines↗

Improved recombinant tandem expression of translation initiation factor IF2 in RNASE E deficient E. coli cells.

The prokaryotic translation initiation factor IF2 exists in a varying number of nested forms in different species. In E. coli three natural forms exist, IF2 alpha, IF2 beta and IF2 gamma differing only in the N-terminal: IF2 beta and IF2 gamma lack 158 and 165 amino acid residues, respectively, as compared to IF2 alpha. We have earlier shown that the smaller forms of IF2 are not the result of a specific proteolysis of IF2 alpha, but produced from individual translation initiation sites in the mRNA. However it has not been known whether the expression in E. coli of IF2 beta and IF2 gamma is dependent on or related to a posttranscriptional processing of the polycistronic nusA operon, containing infB, the gene for IF2. Here we have used S1 mapping to study the existence of such mRNA processing in the region between the initiation sites for IF2 alpha and IF2 beta/IF2 gamma. The results show a Ribonuclease E cleavage site at position +200 in the infB mRNA between the translation initiation sites. However, studies of the overexpression of the different forms of IF2 show that the relative expression of IF2 alpha and IF2 beta/IF2 gamma is independent of RNase E activity. Thus E. coli exhibits a true tandem translation of intact infB mRNA with multiple in-frame translation initiation sites resulting in gene products of different sizes. An additional observation is a significant increase in the level of overexpression of IF2 in cells devoid of RNase E activity. We conclude that due to lack of RNase E activity, the amount of plasmid-transcribed infB mRNA available for translation is accumulated, resulting in an elevated amount of recombinant IF2. This observation may have a more general application within the field of recombinant protein production and expression efficiency.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Membrane expression of HLA-Cw4 free chains in activated T cells of transgenic mice.

Transgenic mice were produced in which human HLA-Cw4 is stably integrated, behaves as a single Mendelian trait, and, being under the transcriptional control of human CD2, is selectively and efficiently expressed in T lymphocytes. These mice were used as a model system to determine whether HLA-type C molecules can be exposed on the surface of activated lymphocytes as free heavy chains, non-associated with beta2-microglobulin (beta2m). In our transgenic mice we could identify HLA-Cw4 molecules either as free chains or as beta2m-associated molecules by the use of monoclonal antibodies specific for either conformation of HLA class I and nonreactive to mouse H2 molecules. Resting mouse lymphocytes were shown by western transfer analysis to contain sizeable amounts of HLA-Cw4 free chains, but they exposed on their surface HLA-Cw4 only in association with beta2m, as indicated by flow cytometric measurements. Conversely, where the content of total HLA-Cw4 was increased, lectin-activated mouse lymphocytes exposed on their outer cell membrane HLA-Cw4 molecules in both conformations, namely, also as free heavy chains. Isoelectrofocusing analysis confirmed the presence of both HLA-Cw4 molecular conformations in activated T cells and indicated that HLA-Cw4 heavy chains can bind to mouse beta2m with the same low affinity displayed for human beta2m. The results of our experiments led us to conclude that (1) association with beta2m is not necessary for the exposure of HLA-C on the surface of activated T lymphocytes and (2) cell activation affects the balance between the two conformational forms of HLA-C.

Animals↗

Tissue-specific, high level expression of the rat whey acidic protein gene in transgenic mice.

The importance of intragenic and 3' flanking sequences in the control of the temporal, hormonal and tissue-specific expression of milk whey acidic protein (WAP) has been demonstrated in transgenic mice. Mouse lines carrying a 4.3 kb genomic clone containing the entire rat WAP gene minus 200 bp of the first intron with 0.949 kb of 5' and 1.4 kb of 3' flanking DNA were generated. In eight of nine independent lines of mice analyzed, WAP transgene expression was detected at levels ranging from 1% to 95% (average, 27%) of the endogenous gene. The transgene was expressed preferentially in the mammary gland. Although developmentally regulated during pregnancy and lactation, the temporal pattern of WAP transgene expression differed from the endogenous gene. A precocious increase in expression of the transgene was detected at 7 days of pregnancy, several days earlier in pregnancy than the major increase observed in endogenous mouse WAP mRNA. The rat WAP transgene was translated and secreted into the milk of transgenic mice at levels comparable to the endogenous mouse WAP. This is the first report of a gene that is negatively regulated in dissociated cell cultures as well as in transfected cells, yet is expressed efficiently in the correct multicellular environment of the transgenic mouse.

Animals↗

BSMV genome mediated expression of a foreign gene in dicot and monocot plant cells.

Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) possesses a tripartite genome composed of RNAs alpha, beta and gamma that have been cloned into in vitro transcription vectors from which infectious transcripts can be obtained. The BSMV genome has been engineered here to serve as an expression vector in plant protoplasts. Open reading frame (ORF) b of RNA beta, encoding a non-structural protein, was replaced by the firefly luciferase (luc) reporter gene to yield RNA beta 2-luc. In the presence of both RNAs alpha and gamma, RNA beta 2-luc mediated efficient expression of the luc gene upon transfection into tobacco and maize protoplasts. This expression ranged from 20- to 123-fold higher than the luciferase activity obtained from transfection with a luc gene mRNA. Replication of RNA beta and its derivatives i.e. 'minus' strand synthesis, was confirmed by Northern analysis, indicating that the high level of luc gene expression using RNA beta 2-luc resulted from RNA amplification. ORFa of RNA beta, encoding the coat protein, was also replaced by the luc gene to yield RNA beta 1-luc. Although transfection of RNA beta 1-luc alone produces luciferase efficiently, neither 'minus' strand synthesis nor further increase of luciferase activity was observed in the presence of RNAs alpha and gamma, or RNAs alpha, beta and gamma, suggesting that the deleted sequences within ORFa are cis-acting for replication of RNA beta. Our results demonstrate that a foreign gene can be expressed by replacement of a viral non-structural protein gene that is essential for virus multiplication in plants, leading to a potential strategy for virus 'containment' with use of 'disarmed' plant viral vectors.

Animals↗

Negative regulation of viral enhancers in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells.

Many viral genomes, including those of SV40 and MuLV, are not efficiently expressed in undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells but are expressed in differentiated derivatives. This regulation appears to be at the level of transcription. We have used DNA-mediated gene transfer to analyze the function of several viral promoters in EC cells. We show that the SV40 early promoter works efficiently in an enhancer-independent fashion following transfection into undifferentiated cells. Strikingly, the promoter in the LTR of MSV does not function in such cells; but when upstream sequences, including the enhancer, are deleted expression ensues. Replacement of the SV40 enhancer by that of MSV results in inactivation of the SV40 early promoter in these cells. We propose that the undifferentiated cells contain a trans-acting regulatory factor (or factors) that reduces transcription by interacting with viral enhancers.

Acetyltransferases↗

Construction of retroviral vectors with enhanced efficiency of transgene expression.

Retroviral vectors have been widely used in gene therapy due to their simple genomic structure and high transduction efficiency. We report a construction of Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MoMSV) and Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV) hybrid-based retroviral vectors with significantly improved efficiency of transgene expression after stable incorporation into the host genome. In these vectors, the residual gag gene coding sequence located in the extended region of packaging signal was removed. These vectors, therefore, contain no coding sequence for the gag, pol, or env gene that can be used for homologous recombination with sequences introduced in the packaging system for a recombinant competent retrovirus (RCR) generation. A strong splice acceptor site obtained from the exon/intron junction of either the chimpanzee EF1-alpha gene or the human CMV major immediate early gene was placed downstream of the MoMSV packaging signal (Psi), significantly improving the efficiency of transgene expression. The 5' LTR U3 sequence was replaced with an extended human CMV major immediate early gene enhancer/promoter for a strong expression of full-length messages from the viral backbone, helping to maintain high levels of viral titer. These newly developed retroviral vectors should facilitate RCR-free gene transfer with significantly improved efficacy in clinical gene therapy trials.

Animals↗

Empty and peptide-containing conformers of class I major histocompatibility complex molecules expressed in Drosophila melanogaster cells.

Transfected Drosophila melanogaster cells can express large quantities of class I major histocompatibility complex molecules. Such molecules lack endogenous peptides because the Drosophila cells are devoid of proteins necessary for intracellular peptide loading. The empty molecules are efficiently expressed on the cell surface and can acquire extracellular peptides. The conformation and stability of empty murine class I molecules are determined by the source of beta 2-microglobulin. All beta 2-microglobulin-induced conformers of empty heavy chains seem to be unified in a common rigid conformation on peptide binding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The factors that contribute to the long-term expression of siRNA.

RNA interference (RNAi) has become a powerful tool of knocking down a specific gene in vivo. In applications of RNAi, chemically synthesized short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are commonly used because of their easiness and simplicity. However, siRNAs are cost inhibitive and their effect is transient. DNA which encodes siRNA can overcome these problems. In this study, we compared the stability and expression efficiency of plasmid DNA vector, short and long dumbbell-shaped DNA vectors. We found that the short dumbbell-shaped DNA vector is more stable and results in long-term expression of siRNA.

Genetic Vectors↗

Archae-opsin expressed in Escherichia coli and its conversion to purple pigment in vitro.

Archae-opsin-1 (aO-1) has been expressed efficiently as a fusion protein with 13 heterologous amino acids at the amino terminus of the mature aO-1 in Escherichia coli under the control of T7 promoter. The E. coli-expressed aO-1, designated as aO-1002, which was located in the membrane fraction, was extracted with 8 M urea and partially purified by gel filtration chromatography in the presence of SDS. When all-trans retinal was added, aO-1002 in dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and detergent-mixed micelles was converted to a purple pigment with lambda max at 558 nm at 20 degrees C via a 435/460 nm intermediate. Conversion of the intermediate to purple pigment was the rate-limiting step and proceeded as a two-state transition, because an isosbestic point was seen at 485 nm. Similar spectral changes were also observed in the regeneration process of hydroxylamine-bleached claret membranes and aO-1 isolated from claret membranes. Thus, the polypeptide of aO-1002 is considered to fold and form a retinal binding pocket in phospholipid and detergent micelles similarly to aO-1 isolated from the halobacterial membranes. Purple pigment showed a light-driven proton-pumping activity when reconstituted into phosphatidylcholine liposomes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Fos and jun proteins are specifically expressed during differentiation of human keratinocytes.

Activator protein 1 (AP-1) proteins play key roles in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. In this study we investigated the expression of Fos and Jun proteins in different models of terminal differentiation of human keratinocytes and in skin from psoriasis patients. All Jun and Fos proteins, with the exception of FosB, were efficiently expressed in keratinocytes in monolayer cultures. In contrast, in normal epidermis as well as in organotypic epidermal cultures, the expression pattern of AP-1 proteins was dependent on the differentiation stage. Fos proteins were readily detected in nuclei of keratinocytes of basal and suprabasal layers. JunB and JunD were expressed in all layers of normal epidermis. Interestingly, expression of c-Jun started suprabasally, then disappeared and became detectable again in distinct cells of the outermost granular layer directly at the transition zone to the stratum corneum. In psoriatic epidermis, c-Jun expression was prominent in both hyperproliferating basal and suprabasal keratinocytes, whereas c-Fos expression was unchanged. These data indicate that AP-1 proteins are expressed in a highly specific manner during terminal differentiation of keratinocytes and that the enhanced expression of c-Jun in basal and suprabasal keratinocytes might contribute to the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Cell Differentiation↗

The alkane hydroxylase gene of Burkholderia cepacia RR10 is under catabolite repression control.

In many microorganisms the first step for alkane degradation is the terminal oxidation of the molecule by an alkane hydroxylase. We report the characterization of a gene coding for an alkane hydroxylase in a Burkholderia cepacia strain isolated from an oil-contaminated site. The protein encoded showed similarity to other known or predicted bacterial alkane hydroxylases, although it clustered on a separate branch together with the predicted alkane hydroxylase of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain. Introduction of the cloned B. cepacia gene into an alkane hydroxylase knockout mutant of Pseudomonas fluorescens CHAO restored its ability to grow on alkanes, which confirms that the gene analyzed encodes a functional alkane hydroxylase. The gene, which was named alkB, is not linked to other genes of the alkane oxidation pathway. Its promoter was identified, and its expression was analyzed under different growth conditions. Transcription was induced by alkanes of chain lengths containing 12 to at least 30 carbon atoms as well as by alkanols. Although the gene was efficiently expressed during exponential growth, transcription increased about fivefold when cells approached stationary phase, a characteristic not shared by the few alkane degraders whose regulation has been studied. Expression of the alkB gene was under carbon catabolite repression when cells were cultured in the presence of several organic acids and sugars or in a complex (rich) medium. The catabolic repression process showed several characteristics that are clearly different from what has been observed in other alkane degradation pathways.

Alkanes↗

High-level expression of the truncated alpha chain of human high-affinity receptor for IgE as a soluble form by baculovirus-infected insect cells. Biochemical characterization of the recombinant product.

The binding subunit of human high-affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RI alpha) was efficiently expressed as a truncated form in insect cells. The soluble (s)Fc epsilon RI alpha purified from culture medium by affinity chromatography with an anti-(alpha chain) mAb was nearly homogeneous and had an IgE-binding activity. The amino acid composition and the revealed N-terminal amino acid sequence of sFc epsilon RI alpha suggested that it was properly processed in insect cells. The apparent molecular mass (35 kDa) of purified sFc epsilon RI alpha was smaller than that of sFc epsilon RI alpha produced by CHO transfectants. The reduction of the apparent molecular mass after N-glycanase treatment showed the recombinant product was N-glycosylated. Peptide mapping of native and deglycosylated sFc epsilon RI alpha indicated that three Asn residues (Asn21, Asn42 and Asn166) should be almost fully glycosylated, and that two Asn residues (Asn74 and Asn135) were partially glycosylated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

trans regulation of cap-independent translation by a viral subgenomic RNA.

Many positive-strand RNA viruses generate 3'-coterminal subgenomic mRNAs to allow translation of 5'-distal open reading frames. It is unclear how viral genomic and subgenomic mRNAs compete with each other for the cellular translation machinery. Translation of the uncapped Barley yellow dwarf virus genomic RNA (gRNA) and subgenomic RNA1 (sgRNA1) is driven by the powerful cap-independent translation element (BTE) in their 3' untranslated regions (UTRs). The BTE forms a kissing stem-loop interaction with the 5' UTR to mediate translation initiation at the 5' end. Here, using reporter mRNAs that mimic gRNA and sgRNA1, we show that the abundant sgRNA2 inhibits translation of gRNA, but not sgRNA1, in vitro and in vivo. This trans inhibition requires the functional BTE in the 5' UTR of sgRNA2, but no translation of sgRNA2 itself is detectable. The efficiency of translation of the viral mRNAs in the presence of sgRNA2 is determined by proximity to the mRNA 5' end of the stem-loop that kisses the 3' BTE. Thus, the gRNA and sgRNA1 have "tuned" their expression efficiencies via the site in the 5' UTR to which the 3' BTE base pairs. We conclude that sgRNA2 is a riboregulator that switches off translation of replication genes from gRNA while permitting translation of structural genes from sgRNA1. These results reveal (i) a new level of control of subgenomic-RNA gene expression, (ii) a new role for a viral subgenomic RNA, and (iii) a new mechanism for RNA-mediated regulation of translation.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

A lambda 1 transgene under the control of a heavy chain promoter and enhancer does not undergo somatic hypermutation.

To identify cis-acting elements responsible for targeting somatic hypermutation to immunoglobulin variable regions, we generated transgenic mice which carry a rearranged lambda 1 gene regulated by the heavy chain intron enhancer, E mu, and the heavy chain promoter PH186.2 from the VH186.2 variable region. C57BL/6 x SJL founders were bred with C57BL/6 mice to establish a line carrying a single copy of the transgene. Somatic hypermutation was studied by generating hybridoma cell lines from mice immunized with the hapten (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl (NP) coupled to chicken gamma globulin. The immune response in this transgenic line was dominated by the endogenous VH186.2 heavy chain variable region and the transgenic lambda 1 light chain, and the transgene was actively expressed in all hybridomas analyzed. In this work we show that the transgenic V lambda 1 regions do not undergo hypermutation, despite high levels of expression, while the expressed heavy chain V regions accumulate mutations at a rate typical of the NP response in C57BL/6 mice. Thus, within the same B cell, the PH186.2 promoter in connection with E mu drives efficient expression of both a VH and a V lambda region, but only the VH is a target for somatic hypermutation. Our observations show that cis-acting sequences that activate immunoglobulin gene transcription are not sufficient to target somatic hypermutation.

Animals↗

Production of a cellulase in silkworm larvae using a recombinant Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus lacking the virus-encoded chitinase and cathepsin genes.

The expression efficiency of an insect-derived cellulase was assayed in silkworm larvae infected with recombinant Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) mutants lacking the virus-encoded chitinase (chiA) and/or cathepsin (v-cath) genes. Expression was increased by approx. 10% in mutants lacking chiA or v-cath and 17% in a mutant lacking both chiA and v-cath compared with that of the unmodified recombinant BmNPV. The recombinant BmNPV lacking both chiA and v-cath can therefore be used for a large-scale production of foreign proteins in silkworms.

Animals↗

Heterologous expression and site-directed mutagenesis studies of two Trichoderma harzianum chitinases, Chit33 and Chit42, in Escherichia coli.

Heterologous expression of two fungal chitinases, Chit33 and Chit42, from Trichoderma harzianum was tested in the different compartments and on the surface of Escherichia coli cells. Our goal was to find a fast and efficient expression system for protein engineering and directed evolution studies of the two fungal enzymes. Cytoplasmic overexpression resulted in both cases in inclusion body formation, where active enzyme could be recovered after refolding. Periplasmic expression of Chit33, and especially of Chit42, proved to be better suited for mutagenesis purposes. Recombinant chitinases from the periplasmic expression system showed activity profiles similar to those of the native proteins. Both chitinases also degraded a RET (resonance energy transfer) based bifunctionalized chitinpentaose substrate in a similar manner as reported for some putative exochitinases in the glycosyl hydrolase family 18, offering a sensitive way to assay their activities. We further demonstrated that Chit42 can also be displayed on E. coli surface and the enzymatic activity can be measured directly from the whole cells using methylumbelliferyl-chitinbioside as a substrate. The periplasmic expression and the surface display of Chit42, both offer a suitable expression system for protein engineering and activity screening in a microtiter plate scale. As a first mutagenesis approach we verified the essential role of the two carboxylic acid residues E172 (putative proton donor) and D170 (putative stabilizer) in the catalytic mechanism of Chit42, and additionally the role of the carboxylic acid E145 (putative proton donor) in the catalytic mechanism of Chit33.

Chitinases↗