1
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Rahimpour A, Mosallaei M, Pourghazi F, Tabatabaee SH, Hoseinpoor R, Pourmaleki E, Soosanabadi M. Development of an Expression Vector Engineering Strategy Based on tDNA Insulator Element for the Stable Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-Fc Fusion Protein. Monoclon Antib Immunodiagn Immunother 2023; 42:140-144. [PMID: 37624609 DOI: 10.1089/mab.2023.0006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
During the past decades, tremendous advances have occurred in manufacturing recombinant therapeutic proteins in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Nevertheless, the production of stable high-producing cell lines has remained a major obstacle in the development process of the CHO cell line. It has been shown that genomic regulatory elements can promote cell line development efficiency by improving transgenes' productivity and stability. Such elements include insulators, ubiquitous chromatin opening elements, scaffold/matrix attachment regions, and antirepressors. In addition, tDNA elements are shown to act as insulators in mammalian cells. This study examines the effect of the tDNA insulator on stable expression of a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-Fc fusion protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azam Rahimpour
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Meysam Mosallaei
- Personalized Medicine and Genometabolomics Research Center, Hope Generation Foundation, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farzad Pourghazi
- Endocrinology and Metabolism Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sayed Hassan Tabatabaee
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technology, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reyhaneh Hoseinpoor
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Es'hagh Pourmaleki
- Medical Nanotechnology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Soosanabadi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, Jiroft University of Medical Sciences, Jiroft, Iran
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2
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Wang Z, Shea Z, Rosso L, Shang C, Li J, Bewick P, Li Q, Zhao B, Zhang B. Development of new mutant alleles and markers for KTI1 and KTI3 via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated mutagenesis to reduce trypsin inhibitor content and activity in soybean seeds. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1111680. [PMID: 37223818 PMCID: PMC10200896 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1111680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The digestibility of soybean meal can be severely impacted by trypsin inhibitor (TI), one of the most abundant anti-nutritional factors present in soybean seeds. TI can restrain the function of trypsin, a critical enzyme that breaks down proteins in the digestive tract. Soybean accessions with low TI content have been identified. However, it is challenging to breed the low TI trait into elite cultivars due to a lack of molecular markers associated with low TI traits. We identified Kunitz trypsin inhibitor 1 (KTI1, Gm01g095000) and KTI3 (Gm08g341500) as two seed-specific TI genes. Mutant kti1 and kti3 alleles carrying small deletions or insertions within the gene open reading frames were created in the soybean cultivar Glycine max cv. Williams 82 (WM82) using the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing approach. The KTI content and TI activity both remarkably reduced in kti1/3 mutants compared to the WM82 seeds. There was no significant difference in terms of plant growth or maturity days of kti1/3 transgenic and WM82 plants in greenhouse condition. We further identified a T1 line, #5-26, that carried double homozygous kti1/3 mutant alleles, but not the Cas9 transgene. Based on the sequences of kti1/3 mutant alleles in #5-26, we developed markers to co-select for these mutant alleles by using a gel-electrophoresis-free method. The kti1/3 mutant soybean line and associated selection markers will assist in accelerating the introduction of low TI trait into elite soybean cultivars in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibo Wang
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Zachary Shea
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Luciana Rosso
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Chao Shang
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Jianyong Li
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Patrick Bewick
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Qi Li
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Bingyu Zhao
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Bo Zhang
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, United States
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3
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Kallam K, Moreno-Giménez E, Mateos-Fernández R, Tansley C, Gianoglio S, Orzaez D, Patron N. Tunable control of insect pheromone biosynthesis in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2023. [PMID: 37032497 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated that plants can be used as production platforms for molecules used in health, medicine, and agriculture. Production has been exemplified in both stable transgenic plants and using transient expression strategies. In particular, species of Nicotiana have been engineered to produce a range of useful molecules, including insect sex pheromones, which are valued for species-specific control of agricultural pests. To date, most studies have relied on strong constitutive expression of all pathway genes. However, work in microbes has demonstrated that yields can be improved by controlling and balancing gene expression. Synthetic regulatory elements that provide control over the timing and levels of gene expression are therefore useful for maximizing yields from heterologous biosynthetic pathways. In this study, we demonstrate the use of pathway engineering and synthetic genetic elements for controlling the timing and levels of production of Lepidopteran sex pheromones in Nicotiana benthamiana. We demonstrate that copper can be used as a low-cost molecule for tightly regulated inducible expression. Further, we show how construct architecture influences relative gene expression and, consequently, product yields in multigene constructs. We compare a number of synthetic orthogonal regulatory elements and demonstrate maximal yields from constructs in which expression is mediated by dCas9-based synthetic transcriptional activators. The approaches demonstrated here provide new insights into the heterologous reconstruction of metabolic pathways in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani Kallam
- Engineering Biology, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Elena Moreno-Giménez
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), UPV-CSIC, Valencia, Spain
| | | | - Connor Tansley
- Engineering Biology, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
| | - Silvia Gianoglio
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), UPV-CSIC, Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Institute for Plant Molecular and Cell Biology (IBMCP), UPV-CSIC, Valencia, Spain
| | - Nicola Patron
- Engineering Biology, Earlham Institute, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk, UK
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4
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Zhong V, Archibald BN, Brophy JAN. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional controls for tuning gene expression in plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 71:102315. [PMID: 36462457 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant biotechnologists seek to modify plants through genetic reprogramming, but our ability to precisely control gene expression in plants is still limited. Here, we review transcription and translation in the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana with an eye toward control points that may be used to predictably modify gene expression. We highlight differences in gene expression requirements between these plants and other species, and discuss the ways in which our understanding of gene expression has been used to engineer plants. This review is intended to serve as a resource for plant scientists looking to achieve precise control over gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Zhong
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bella N Archibald
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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5
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Jiang L, Liu Y, Wen Z, Yang Y, Singer SD, Bennett D, Xu W, Su Z, Yu Z, Cohn J, Luo X, Liu Z, Chae H, Que Q, Liu Z. CW198 acts as a genetic insulator to block enhancer-promoter interaction in plants. Transgenic Res 2022; 31:647-660. [PMID: 36053433 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-022-00326-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Insulators in vertebrates play a role in genome architecture and orchestrate temporo-spatial enhancer-promoter interactions. In plants, insulators and their associated binding factors have not been documented as of yet, largely as a result of a lack of characterized insulators. In this study, we took a comprehensive strategy to identify and validate the enhancer-blocking insulator CW198. We show that a 1.08-kb CW198 fragment from Arabidopsis can, when interposed between an enhancer and a promoter, efficiently abrogate the activation function of both constitutive and floral organ-specific enhancers in transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants. In plants, both transcriptional crosstalk and spreading of histone modifications were rarely detectable across CW198, which resembles the insulation property observed across the CTCF insulator in the mammalian genome. Taken together, our findings support that CW198 acts as an enhancer-blocking insulator in both Arabidopsis and tobacco. The significance of the present findings and their relevance to the mitigation of mutual interference between enhancers and promoters, as well as multiple promoters in transgenes, is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Jiang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.,USDA-ARS, -Appalachian Fruit Research Station, 2217 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA
| | - Yue Liu
- College of Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China
| | - Zhifeng Wen
- USDA-ARS, -Appalachian Fruit Research Station, 2217 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA.,College of Horticulture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, China
| | - Yingjun Yang
- USDA-ARS, -Appalachian Fruit Research Station, 2217 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA.,Forestry College, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China
| | - Stacy D Singer
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, Lethbridge, AB, T1J 4B1, Canada
| | - Dennis Bennett
- USDA-ARS, -Appalachian Fruit Research Station, 2217 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA
| | - Wenying Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhen Su
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhifang Yu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Josh Cohn
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Xi Luo
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Zhongchi Liu
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Hyunsook Chae
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Qiudeng Que
- Syngenta Crop Protection, LLC, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709, USA
| | - Zongrang Liu
- USDA-ARS, -Appalachian Fruit Research Station, 2217 Wiltshire Road, Kearneysville, WV, 25430, USA.
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6
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Brophy JAN, Magallon KJ, Duan L, Zhong V, Ramachandran P, Kniazev K, Dinneny JR. Synthetic genetic circuits as a means of reprogramming plant roots. Science 2022; 377:747-751. [PMID: 35951698 DOI: 10.1126/science.abo4326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The shape of a plant's root system influences its ability to reach essential nutrients in the soil and to acquire water during drought. Progress in engineering plant roots to optimize water and nutrient acquisition has been limited by our capacity to design and build genetic programs that alter root growth in a predictable manner. We developed a collection of synthetic transcriptional regulators for plants that can be compiled to create genetic circuits. These circuits control gene expression by performing Boolean logic operations and can be used to predictably alter root structure. This work demonstrates the potential of synthetic genetic circuits to control gene expression across tissues and reprogram plant growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A N Brophy
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Lina Duan
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Vivian Zhong
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Kiril Kniazev
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - José R Dinneny
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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7
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Zhang JH, Shan LL, Liang F, Du CY, Li JJ. Strategies and Considerations for Improving Recombinant Antibody Production and Quality in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:856049. [PMID: 35316944 PMCID: PMC8934426 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.856049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant antibodies are rapidly developing therapeutic agents; approximately 40 novel antibody molecules enter clinical trials each year, most of which are produced from Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. However, one of the major bottlenecks restricting the development of antibody drugs is how to perform high-level expression and production of recombinant antibodies. The high-efficiency expression and quality of recombinant antibodies in CHO cells is determined by multiple factors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of several state-of-the-art approaches, such as optimization of gene sequence of antibody, construction and optimization of high-efficiency expression vector, using antibody expression system, transformation of host cell lines, and glycosylation modification. Finally, the authors discuss the potential of large-scale production of recombinant antibodies and development of culture processes for biopharmaceutical manufacturing in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-He Zhang
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Recombinant Pharmaceutical Protein Expression System, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
- *Correspondence: Jun-He Zhang,
| | - Lin-Lin Shan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Fan Liang
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Chen-Yang Du
- Institutes of Health Central Plains, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Jing-Jing Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China
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8
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Gandía M, Moreno-Giménez E, Giner-Llorca M, Garrigues S, Ropero-Pérez C, Locascio A, Martínez-Culebras PV, Marcos JF, Manzanares P. Development of a FungalBraid Penicillium expansum-based expression system for the production of antifungal proteins in fungal biofactories. Microb Biotechnol 2022; 15:630-647. [PMID: 35084102 PMCID: PMC8867986 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.14006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Fungal antifungal proteins (AFPs) have attracted attention as novel biofungicides. Their exploitation requires safe and cost‐effective producing biofactories. Previously, Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium digitatum produced recombinant AFPs with the use of a P. chrysogenum‐based expression system that consisted of the paf gene promoter, signal peptide (SP)‐pro sequence and terminator. Here, the regulatory elements of the afpA gene encoding the highly produced PeAfpA from Penicillium expansum were developed as an expression system for AFP production through the FungalBraid platform. The afpA cassette was tested to produce PeAfpA and P. digitatum PdAfpB in P. chrysogenum and P. digitatum, and its efficiency was compared to that of the paf cassette. Recombinant PeAfpA production was only achieved using the afpA cassette, being P. chrysogenum a more efficient biofactory than P. digitatum. Conversely, P. chrysogenum only produced PdAfpB under the control of the paf cassette. In P. digitatum, both expression systems allowed PdAfpB production, with the paf cassette resulting in higher protein yields. Interestingly, these results did not correlate with the performance of both promoters in a luciferase reporter system. In conclusion, AFP production is a complex outcome that depends on the regulatory sequences driving afp expression, the fungal biofactory and the AFP sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Gandía
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Elena Moreno-Giménez
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain.,Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Valencia, Spain
| | - Moisés Giner-Llorca
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Sandra Garrigues
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Carolina Ropero-Pérez
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Antonella Locascio
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Pedro V Martínez-Culebras
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain.,Departamento de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Ciencias de la Alimentación, Bromatología, Toxicología y Medicina Legal, Universitat de València, Vicente Andrés Estellés s/n, Valencia, 46100, Spain
| | - Jose F Marcos
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
| | - Paloma Manzanares
- Food Biotechnology Department, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de Alimentos (IATA), Catedrático Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, Paterna, Valencia, 46980, Spain
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9
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Kurbidaeva A, Purugganan M. Insulators in Plants: Progress and Open Questions. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12091422. [PMID: 34573404 PMCID: PMC8470105 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of higher eukaryotes are partitioned into topologically associated domains or TADs, and insulators (also known as boundary elements) are the key elements responsible for their formation and maintenance. Insulators were first identified and extensively studied in Drosophila as well as mammalian genomes, and have also been described in yeast and plants. In addition, many insulator proteins are known in Drosophila, and some have been investigated in mammals. However, much less is known about this important class of non-coding DNA elements in plant genomes. In this review, we take a detailed look at known plant insulators across different species and provide an overview of potential determinants of plant insulator functions, including cis-elements and boundary proteins. We also discuss methods previously used in attempts to identify plant insulators, provide a perspective on their importance for research and biotechnology, and discuss areas of potential future research.
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10
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Rottet S, Förster B, Hee WY, Rourke LM, Price GD, Long BM. Engineered Accumulation of Bicarbonate in Plant Chloroplasts: Known Knowns and Known Unknowns. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:727118. [PMID: 34531888 PMCID: PMC8438413 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.727118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Heterologous synthesis of a biophysical CO2-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in plant chloroplasts offers significant potential to improve the photosynthetic efficiency of C3 plants and could translate into substantial increases in crop yield. In organisms utilizing a biophysical CCM, this mechanism efficiently surrounds a high turnover rate Rubisco with elevated CO2 concentrations to maximize carboxylation rates. A critical feature of both native biophysical CCMs and one engineered into a C3 plant chloroplast is functional bicarbonate (HCO3 -) transporters and vectorial CO2-to-HCO3 - converters. Engineering strategies aim to locate these transporters and conversion systems to the C3 chloroplast, enabling elevation of HCO3 - concentrations within the chloroplast stroma. Several CCM components have been identified in proteobacteria, cyanobacteria, and microalgae as likely candidates for this approach, yet their successful functional expression in C3 plant chloroplasts remains elusive. Here, we discuss the challenges in expressing and regulating functional HCO3 - transporter, and CO2-to-HCO3 - converter candidates in chloroplast membranes as an essential step in engineering a biophysical CCM within plant chloroplasts. We highlight the broad technical and physiological concerns which must be considered in proposed engineering strategies, and present our current status of both knowledge and knowledge-gaps which will affect successful engineering outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Rottet
- Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Britta Förster
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Wei Yih Hee
- Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Loraine M. Rourke
- Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - G. Dean Price
- Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Benedict M. Long
- Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Translational Photosynthesis, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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11
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Huang G, Kawabe Y, Shirakawa K, Akiyama T, Kamihira M. Novel transgenic Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain with retargetable genomic transgene integration using Cre-loxP system. J Biosci Bioeng 2021; 132:469-478. [PMID: 34420898 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The use of Chlamydomonas for biofuel and biopharmaceutical production has been anticipated. However, the genetic engineering technology for Chlamydomonas is not as advanced as that for other organisms. Here, we established transgenic Chlamydomonas strains capable of high and stable transgene expression. The established cells exhibited stable reporter gene expression at a high level throughout long-term culture (∼60 days), even in the absence of drug pressure. The transgene insertion sites in the cell genome that may be suitable for exogenous gene expression were identified. Because the transgene contains a loxP site, the cells can be used as founders for retargeting other transgenes using the Cre-loxP system to generate transgenic Chlamydomonas producing useful substances. As a model biopharmaceutical gene, an interferon expression cassette was integrated into the genomic locus of the cells using Cre recombinase. The transgenic cells stably produced interferon protein in medium for 12 passages under non-selective conditions. These results indicate that the Chlamydomonas cells established in this study can serve as valuable and powerful tools not only for basic research on microalgae but also for the rapid establishment of cell lines expressing exogenous genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guan Huang
- Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yoshinori Kawabe
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Kazuki Shirakawa
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Akiyama
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Masamichi Kamihira
- Graduate School of Systems Life Sciences, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan; Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
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12
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Ghassemi B, Jamalkhah M, Shokri G, Kehtari M, Soleimani M, Shamsara M, Kiani J. Improved efficiency of genome editing by constitutive expression of Cas9 endonuclease in genetically-modified mice. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:56. [PMID: 33489675 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02580-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite its convenience and precision, CRISPR-based gene editing approaches still suffer from off-target effects and low efficiencies, which are partially rooted in Cas9, the nuclease component of the CRISPR/Cas9 system. In this study, we showed how mouse genome editing efficiency can be improved by constitutive and inheritable expression of Cas9 nuclease. For this goal, a transgenic mouse line expressing the Cas9 protein (Cas9-mouse) was generated. For in vitro assessment of gene editing efficiency, the Cas9-mice were crossed with the EGFP-mice to obtain mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) expressing both EGFP and Cas9 (MEFCas9-EGFP). Transfection of these cells with in vitro transcribed (IVT) EGFP sgRNA or phU6-EGFPsgRNA plasmid led to robust decrease of Mean Fluorescent Intensity (MFI) to 8500 ± 1025 a.u. and 13,200 ± 1006 a.u. respectively. However, in the control group, in which the MEFEGFP cells were transfected with a pX330-EGFPsgRNA plasmid, the measured MFI was 16,800 ± 2254 a.u. For in vivo assessment, the Cas9-zygotes at two pronuclei stage (2PN) were microinjected with a phU6-HhexsgRNA vector and the gene mutation efficiency was compared with the wild-type (WT) zygotes microinjected with a pX330-HhexsgRNA plasmid. The analysis of born mice showed that while the injection of Cas9-zygotes resulted in 43.75% Hhex gene mutated mice, it was just 15.79% for the WT zygotes. In conclusion, the inheritable and constitutive expression of Cas9 in mice provides an efficient platform for gene editing, which can facilitate the production of genetically-modified cells and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bita Ghassemi
- Division of Continuing Education, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA USA
| | - Monire Jamalkhah
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gelareh Shokri
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mousa Kehtari
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Soleimani
- Hematology Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Shamsara
- Department of Animal Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Jafar Kiani
- Cellular and Molecular Research Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Hemmat Highway, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Tran A, Johnson DA. Mutational analysis identifies functional Rap1, Su(Hw), and CTCF insulator sites in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2020; 39:1743-1753. [PMID: 32959125 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-020-02601-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Genetic analysis identifies multiple, potential protein binding sites important for insulator function in Arabidopsis thaliana: Rap1 site in UASrpg, Su(Hw) site in UASrpg, and CTCF site in BEAD1c. Three non-plant insulators UASrpg, BEAD1c, and gypsy isolated from Ashbya gossypii, Homo sapiens and Drosophila melanogaster gypsy retrotransposon, respectively, demonstrate insulator function in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, the hypothesis that DNA sequences functional in A. thaliana are the same as those in the original host as previously assumed, was tested. Genetic analyses of the cloned fragments in an enhancer blocking assay system was performed through deletions and mutations to identify more precisely which sequences within the cloned fragments function as insulators. Significant loss of insulator activity was observed when the UASrpg Rap1 binding site R2 was mutated but not R1. Cloned fragments containing BEAD1c are effective insulators in our assay system and the previously investigated gypsy insulator is non-functional. Further analyses identified potential Su(Hw) and CTCF sites within UASrpg, of which only the Su(Hw) site was functional. Thus, the activity of non-plant insulators in A. thaliana is context dependent. These results support the hypothesis that insulator function is conserved across kingdoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anh Tran
- Biology Department, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
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Ruiz Y, Ramos PL, Soto J, Rodríguez M, Carlos N, Reyes A, Callard D, Sánchez Y, Pujol M, Fuentes A. The M4 insulator, the TM2 matrix attachment region, and the double copy of the heavy chain gene contribute to the enhanced accumulation of the PHB-01 antibody in tobacco plants. Transgenic Res 2020; 29:171-186. [PMID: 31919795 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-019-00187-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The expression of recombinant proteins in plants is a valuable alternative to bioreactors using mammalian cell systems. Ease of scaling, and their inability to host human pathogens, enhance the use of plants to generate complex therapeutic products such as monoclonal antibodies. However, stably transformed plants expressing antibodies normally have a poor accumulation of these proteins that probably arise from the negative positional effects of their flanking chromatin. The induction of boundaries between the transgenes and the surrounding DNA using matrix attachment regions (MAR) and insulator elements may minimize these effects. With the PHB-01 antibody as a model, we demonstrated that the insertion of DNA elements, the TM2 (MAR) and M4 insulator, flanking the transcriptional cassettes that encode the light and heavy chains of the PHB-01 antibody, increased the protein accumulation that remained stable in the first plant progeny. The M4 insulator had a stronger effect than the TM2, with over a twofold increase compared to the standard construction. This effect was probably associated with an enhancer-promoter interference. Moreover, transgenic plants harboring two transcriptional units encoding for the PHB-01 heavy chain combined with both TM2 and M4 elements enhanced the accumulation of the antibody. In summary, the M4 combined with a double transcriptional unit of the heavy chain may be a suitable strategy for potentiating PHB-01 production in tobacco plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoslaine Ruiz
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba.
| | - Pedro Luis Ramos
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
- Department of Phytopathology and Plant Biochemistry, Instituto Biologico, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jeny Soto
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
- Comparative Pathology Department, University of Miami, Miami, USA
| | - Meilyn Rodríguez
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Natacha Carlos
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Aneisi Reyes
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Danay Callard
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Yadira Sánchez
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Merardo Pujol
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba
| | - Alejandro Fuentes
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Cuba, Ave. 31/158 and 190, Playa, P.O. Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba.
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