Mechanisms for recombination between stably integrated vector sequences in CHO cells

X rays induce interallelic homologous recombination at the human thymidine kinase gene

We have developed a human lymphoblast cell line for the study of interchromosomal homologous recombination at the endogenous thymidine kinase (tk) gene on chromosome 17 (M. B. Benjamin, H. Potter, D. W. Yandell, and J. B. Little, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:6652-6656, 1991). This cell line (designated 6:86) carries unique heterozygous frameshift mutations in exons 4 and 7 of its endogenous tk alleles and can revert to TK+ by frame-restoring mutations, gene conversion, or reciprocal recombination. Line 6:86 reverts spontaneously to TK+ at a frequency of 10(-7) to 10(-8), and exposures to X-irradiation or the frameshift mutagen ICR-191 induce increased reversion frequencies in a dose-dependent manner. Another cell line (designated 4:2) carries a homozygous exon 7 frameshift and is not expected to revert through mechanisms other than frame-restoring mutation. Line 4:2 reverts to TK+ at a lower spontaneous frequency than does 6:86 but can be induced with similar kinetics by ICR-191. In contrast to line 6:86, however, X rays did not induce detectable reversion of line 4:2. We have characterized a number of 6:86-derived revertants by means of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis at tk and linked loci, single-strand conformation polymorphisms, and direct transcript sequencing. For X rays, most revertants retain both original mutations in the genomic DNA, and a subset of these frameshift-retaining revertants produce frameshift-free message, indicating that reversion is the result of reciprocal recombination within the tk gene. Frame-restoring point mutations, restoration of original sequences, and phenocopy reversion by acquisition of aminopterin resistance were also found among X-ray-induced revertants, whereas the ICR-191-induced revertants examined show only loss of the exon 7 frameshift.

X rays induce interallelic homologous recombination at the human thymidine kinase gene

We have developed a human lymphoblast cell line for the study of interchromosomal homologous recombination at the endogenous thymidine kinase (tk) gene on chromosome 17 (M. B. Benjamin, H. Potter, D. W. Yandell, and J. B. Little, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88:6652-6656, 1991). This cell line (designated 6:86) carries unique heterozygous frameshift mutations in exons 4 and 7 of its endogenous tk alleles and can revert to TK+ by frame-restoring mutations, gene conversion, or reciprocal recombination. Line 6:86 reverts spontaneously to TK+ at a frequency of 10(-7) to 10(-8), and exposures to X-irradiation or the frameshift mutagen ICR-191 induce increased reversion frequencies in a dose-dependent manner. Another cell line (designated 4:2) carries a homozygous exon 7 frameshift and is not expected to revert through mechanisms other than frame-restoring mutation. Line 4:2 reverts to TK+ at a lower spontaneous frequency than does 6:86 but can be induced with similar kinetics by ICR-191. In contrast to line 6:86, however, X rays did not induce detectable reversion of line 4:2. We have characterized a number of 6:86-derived revertants by means of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis at tk and linked loci, single-strand conformation polymorphisms, and direct transcript sequencing. For X rays, most revertants retain both original mutations in the genomic DNA, and a subset of these frameshift-retaining revertants produce frameshift-free message, indicating that reversion is the result of reciprocal recombination within the tk gene. Frame-restoring point mutations, restoration of original sequences, and phenocopy reversion by acquisition of aminopterin resistance were also found among X-ray-induced revertants, whereas the ICR-191-induced revertants examined show only loss of the exon 7 frameshift.

Targeted gene replacement at the endogenous APRT locus in CHO cells

We demonstrate the feasibility of targeted gene replacement at an endogenous, chromosomal gene locus in cultured mammalian cells, employing a two-step strategy similar to an approach routinely used for genetic manipulation in yeast. Utilizing an APRT+ recombinant generated by targeted integration of plasmid sequences (including a functional copy of the gpt gene) at the CHO APRT locus, we have been able to select gpt- "pop-out" recombinants that have arisen by intrachromosomal recombination between APRT direct repeats at the targeted integration site. Reciprocal exchanges leading to "pop-out" of integrated plasmid/gpt gene sequences occur at a rate of approximately 6.3 x 10(-6) per cell generation. Depending on the site of crossover, such "pop-out" events result in either replacement or restoration of the original APRT target gene sequence.