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Chaudhary S, Ali Z, Mahfouz M. Molecular farming for sustainable production of clinical-grade antimicrobial peptides. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:2282-2300. [PMID: 38685599 PMCID: PMC11258990 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as next-generation therapeutics due to their broad-spectrum activity against drug-resistant bacterial strains and their ability to eradicate biofilms, modulate immune responses, exert anti-inflammatory effects and improve disease management. They are produced through solid-phase peptide synthesis or in bacterial or yeast cells. Molecular farming, i.e. the production of biologics in plants, offers a low-cost, non-toxic, scalable and simple alternative platform to produce AMPs at a sustainable cost. In this review, we discuss the advantages of molecular farming for producing clinical-grade AMPs, advances in expression and purification systems and the cost advantage for industrial-scale production. We further review how 'green' production is filling the sustainability gap, streamlining patent and regulatory approvals and enabling successful clinical translations that demonstrate the future potential of AMPs produced by molecular farming. Finally, we discuss the regulatory challenges that need to be addressed to fully realize the potential of molecular farming-based AMP production for therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Chaudhary
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Zahir Ali
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
| | - Magdy Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences4700 King Abdullah University of Science and TechnologyThuwalSaudi Arabia
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2
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Xue Q, Swevers L, Taning CNT. Drosophila X virus-like particles as delivery carriers for improved oral insecticidal efficacy of scorpion Androctonus australis peptide against the invasive fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii. INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 31:847-858. [PMID: 37681406 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Insect-specific neurotoxic peptides derived from the venoms of scorpions and spiders can cause acute paralysis and death when injected into insects, offering a promising insecticidal component for insect pest control. However, effective delivery systems are required to help neurotoxic peptides pass through the gut barrier into the hemolymph, where they can act. Here, we investigated the potential of a novel nanocarrier, Drosophila X virus-like particle (DXV-VLP), for delivering a neurotoxin from the scorpion Androctonus australis Hector (AaIT) against the invasive pest fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii. Our results show that the fusion proteins of DXV polyproteins with AaIT peptide at their C-termini could be sufficiently produced in Lepidoptera Hi5 cells in a soluble form using the recombinant baculovirus expression system, and could self-assemble into VLPs with similar particle morphology and size to authentic DXV virions. In addition, the AaIT peptides displayed on DXV-VLPs retained their toxicity, as demonstrated in injection bioassays that resulted in severe mortality (72%) in adults after 72 h. When fed to adults, mild mortality was observed in the group treated with DXV-AaIT (38%), while no mortality occurred in the group treated with AaIT peptide, thus indicating the significant role of DXV-VLPs in delivering AaIT peptides. Overall, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates for the first time that VLPs can be exploited to enhance oral delivery of insect-specific neurotoxic peptides in the context of pest control. Moreover, it provides insights for further improvements and potentially the development of neurotoxin-based bioinsecticides and/or transgenic crops for insect pest control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xue
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, National Centre for Scientific Research "Demokritos", Athens, Greece
| | - Clauvis Nji Tizi Taning
- Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Department of Plants and Crops, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
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3
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Rutkowska DA, Du Plessis LH, Suleman E, O’Kennedy MM, Thimiri Govinda Raj DB, Lemmer Y. Development of a Plant-Expressed Subunit Vaccine against Brucellosis. Microorganisms 2024; 12:1047. [PMID: 38930429 PMCID: PMC11205566 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12061047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Brucellosis is an important bacterial disease of livestock and the most common zoonotic disease. The current vaccines are effective but unsafe, as they result in animal abortions and are pathogenic to humans. Virus-like particles are being investigated as molecular scaffolds for foreign antigen presentation to the immune system. Here, we sought to develop a new-generation vaccine by presenting selected Brucella melitensis T cell epitopes on the surface of Orbivirus core-like particles (CLPs) and transiently expressing these chimeric particles in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. We successfully demonstrated the assembly of five chimeric CLPs in N. benthamiana plants, with each CLP presenting a different T cell epitope. The safety and protective efficacy of three of the highest-yielding CLPs was investigated in a mouse model of brucellosis. All three plant-expressed chimeric CLPs were safe when inoculated into BALB/c mice at specific antigen doses. However, only one chimeric CLP induced protection against the virulent Brucella strain challenge equivalent to the protection induced by the commercial Rev1 vaccine. Here, we have successfully shown the assembly, safety and protective efficacy of plant-expressed chimeric CLPs presenting B. melitensis T cell epitopes. This is the first step in the development of a safe and efficacious subunit vaccine against brucellosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria A. Rutkowska
- Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Lissinda H. Du Plessis
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences (PharmacenTM), North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa;
| | - Essa Suleman
- Advanced Agriculture and Food Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Martha M. O’Kennedy
- Future Production and Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (M.M.O.); (Y.L.)
| | - Deepak B. Thimiri Govinda Raj
- Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future Production and Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa;
| | - Yolandy Lemmer
- Future Production and Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; (M.M.O.); (Y.L.)
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Kumar V, Barwal A, Sharma N, Mir DS, Kumar P, Kumar V. Therapeutic proteins: developments, progress, challenges, and future perspectives. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:112. [PMID: 38510462 PMCID: PMC10948735 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-03958-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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteins are considered magic molecules due to their enormous applications in the health sector. Over the past few decades, therapeutic proteins have emerged as a promising treatment option for various diseases, particularly cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and others. The formulation of protein-based therapies is a major area of research, however, a few factors still hinder the large-scale production of these therapeutic products, such as stability, heterogenicity, immunogenicity, high cost of production, etc. This review provides comprehensive information on various sources and production of therapeutic proteins. The review also summarizes the challenges currently faced by scientists while developing protein-based therapeutics, along with possible solutions. It can be concluded that these proteins can be used in combination with small molecular drugs to give synergistic benefits in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vimal Kumar
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Arti Barwal
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Panjab University, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014 India
| | - Nitin Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Mohali, Punjab 140307 India
| | - Danish Shafi Mir
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 India
| | - Vikas Kumar
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
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5
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Matsushima A, Matsuo K. Removal of plant endogenous proteins from tobacco leaf extract by freeze-thaw treatment for purification of recombinant proteins. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 339:111953. [PMID: 38072330 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Plants are useful as a low-cost source for producing biopharmaceutical proteins. A significant hurdle in the production of recombinant proteins in plants, however, is the complicated process of removing plant-derived components. Removing endogenous plant proteins, including ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), a major photosynthetic plant enzyme that catalyzes photosynthesis through carboxylation and oxygenation, is important for the purification of recombinant plant proteins. In particular, RuBisCO accounts for 50% of the soluble leaf protein; thus, the removal of RuBisCO is critical for the purification of recombinant proteins from plant materials. An effective conventional method, known as freeze-thaw treatment, was developed for the removal of RuBisCO from Nicotiana benthamiana, which expresses recombinant green fluorescent protein (GFP). Crude extracts or supernatants were frozen at - 30 °C. Upon thawing, most of the RuBisCO was precipitated by centrifugation without significant inactivation and/or yield reduction of GFP. Based on the proteomics analysis, using this method, RuBisCO large and small subunits were reduced to approximately 10% and 20% of those of the unfrozen supernatant solutions, respectively, without the need for specific reagents or equipment. The proteomic analysis also revealed that many ribosomal proteins were removed from the extracts. This method improves the purification process of recombinant proteins from plant materials. Prolonged freezing damaged recombinant β-glucuronidase (GUS), suggesting that the applicability of this treatment should be carefully considered for each recombinant protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akito Matsushima
- Frontier Business Division, Chiyoda Corporation, 4-6-2 Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-8765, Japan
| | - Kouki Matsuo
- National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Bioproduction Research Institute, 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo 062-8517, Japan.
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6
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Niederau PA, Eglé P, Willig S, Parsons J, Hoernstein SNW, Decker EL, Reski R. Multifactorial analysis of terminator performance on heterologous gene expression in Physcomitrella. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:43. [PMID: 38246952 PMCID: PMC10800305 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-023-03088-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Characterization of Physcomitrella 3'UTRs across different promoters yields endogenous single and double terminators for usage in molecular pharming. The production of recombinant proteins for health applications accounts for a large share of the biopharmaceutical market. While many drugs are produced in microbial and mammalian systems, plants gain more attention as expression hosts to produce eukaryotic proteins. In particular, the good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant moss Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens) has outstanding features, such as excellent genetic amenability, reproducible bioreactor cultivation, and humanized protein glycosylation patterns. In this study, we selected and characterized novel terminators for their effects on heterologous gene expression. The Physcomitrella genome contains 53,346 unique 3'UTRs (untranslated regions) of which 7964 transcripts contain at least one intron. Over 91% of 3'UTRs exhibit more than one polyadenylation site, indicating the prevalence of alternative polyadenylation in Physcomitrella. Out of all 3'UTRs, 14 terminator candidates were selected and characterized via transient Dual-Luciferase assays, yielding a collection of endogenous terminators performing equally high as established heterologous terminators CaMV35S, AtHSP90, and NOS. High performing candidates were selected for testing as double terminators which impact reporter levels, dependent on terminator identity and positioning. Testing of 3'UTRs among the different promoters NOS, CaMV35S, and PpActin5 showed an increase of more than 1000-fold between promoters PpActin5 and NOS, whereas terminators increased reporter levels by less than tenfold, demonstrating the stronger effect promoters play as compared to terminators. Among selected terminator attributes, the number of polyadenylation sites as well as polyadenylation signals were found to influence terminator performance the most. Our results improve the biotechnology platform Physcomitrella and further our understanding of how terminators influence gene expression in plants in general.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pauline Eglé
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sandro Willig
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Juliana Parsons
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Eva L Decker
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
- Signalling Research Centre BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
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Shin M, Kang H, Shin KR, Lee R, Kim K, Min K, Cho KN, Sohn EJ, Kim KS, Kim SH, Cho YJ, Park J, Hahn TW. Plant-expressed Zika virus envelope protein elicited protective immunity against the Zika virus in immunocompetent mice. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22955. [PMID: 38151523 PMCID: PMC10752873 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47428-7] [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] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Zika virus infection causes multiple clinical issues, including Guillain-Barré syndrome and neonatal malformation. Vaccination is considered as the only strategy for the prevention of ZIKV-induced clinical issues. This study developed a plant-based recombinant vaccine that transiently expressed the ZIKV envelope protein (ZikaEnv:aghFc) in Nicotiana benthamiana and evaluated the protective immunity afforded by it in immunocompetent mice. ZikaEnv:aghFc induced both humoral and cellular immunity at a low dose (1-5 μg). This immune-inducing potential was enhanced further when adjuvanted CIA09A. In addition, antigen-specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies were vertically transferred from immunized females to their progeny and afforded both protective immunity to ZIKV and cross-protection to Dengue virus infection. These results suggest that our plant-based ZIKV vaccine provides a safe and efficient protective strategy with a competitive edge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minna Shin
- INNOVAC, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyangju Kang
- BioApplications Inc., Pohang Techno Park Complex, 394 Jigok-Ro Nam-Gu, Pohang, Korea.
| | | | - Rangyeon Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Kiju Kim
- INNOVAC, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungmin Min
- BioApplications Inc., Pohang Techno Park Complex, 394 Jigok-Ro Nam-Gu, Pohang, Korea
| | - Kyou-Nam Cho
- BioApplications Inc., Pohang Techno Park Complex, 394 Jigok-Ro Nam-Gu, Pohang, Korea
| | - Eun-Ju Sohn
- BioApplications Inc., Pohang Techno Park Complex, 394 Jigok-Ro Nam-Gu, Pohang, Korea
| | - Kwang Sung Kim
- EYEGENE Inc., B-1211, 401 Yangcheon-Ro, Gangseo-Gu, Seoul, 07528, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok-Hyun Kim
- EYEGENE Inc., B-1211, 401 Yangcheon-Ro, Gangseo-Gu, Seoul, 07528, Republic of Korea
| | - Yang Je Cho
- EYEGENE Inc., B-1211, 401 Yangcheon-Ro, Gangseo-Gu, Seoul, 07528, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongho Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
| | - Tae-Wook Hahn
- INNOVAC, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
- College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute of Veterinary Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, 24341, Republic of Korea.
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8
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Jin C, Kang YJ, Park SR, Oh YJ, Ko K. Production, expression, and function of dual-specific monoclonal antibodies in a single plant. PLANTA 2023; 259:15. [PMID: 38071691 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04284-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
MAIN CONCLUSION LSC CO17-1AK and anti-HER2 VHH-FcK can be produced in a single plant and exhibit anti-tumor activities comparable to those of their respective parent antibodies. Recombinant monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) which can be applied to treat various cancers, are primarily produced using mammalian, insect, and bacteria cell culture systems. Plant expression systems have also been developed to produce antibodies. Plant expression systems present several advantages, including a lack of human pathogenic agents, efficient production costs, and easy large-scale production. In this study, we generated a transgenic plant expressing anti-colorectal cancer large single chain (LSC) CO17-1AK and anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) VHH-FcK mAbs by cross-pollinating plants expressing LSC CO17-1AK and anti-HER2 VHH-FcK, respectively. F1 siblings expressing both LSC CO17-1AK and anti-HER2 VHH-FcK were screened using polymerase chain reaction and Western-blot analyses. The cell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Cell ELISA) confirmed the binding of LSC CO17-1AK and anti-HER2 VHH-FcK to target proteins in the SW620 human colorectal cancer and the SKBR-3 human breast cancer cell lines, respectively. The wound healing assay confirmed the inhibitory activity of both antibodies against SW620 and SKBR-3 cell migration, respectively. In conclusion, both LSC CO17-1AK mAb and anti-HER2 VHH-FcK can be produced in a single plant, achieve binding activities to SW620 and SKBR-3 cancer cells, and inhibitory activity against SW620 and SKBR-3 cell migration similar to their parental antibodies, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caiquan Jin
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
| | - Yang Joo Kang
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
| | - Se Ra Park
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 48109, USA
| | - Yoo Jin Oh
- Department of Applied Experimental Biophysics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, 4040, Austria
| | - Kisung Ko
- Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, 06974, South Korea.
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Vollheyde K, Dudley QM, Yang T, Oz MT, Mancinotti D, Fedi MO, Heavens D, Linsmith G, Chhetry M, Smedley MA, Harwood WA, Swarbreck D, Geu‐Flores F, Patron NJ. An improved Nicotiana benthamiana bioproduction chassis provides novel insights into nicotine biosynthesis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:302-317. [PMID: 37488711 PMCID: PMC10952274 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The model plant Nicotiana benthamiana is an increasingly attractive organism for the production of high-value, biologically active molecules. However, N. benthamiana accumulates high levels of pyridine alkaloids, in particular nicotine, which complicates the downstream purification processes. Here, we report a new assembly of the N. benthamiana genome as well as the generation of low-nicotine lines by CRISPR/Cas9-based inactivation of berberine bridge enzyme-like proteins (BBLs). Triple as well as quintuple mutants accumulated three to four times less nicotine than the respective control lines. The availability of lines without functional BBLs allowed us to probe their catalytic role in nicotine biosynthesis, which has remained obscure. Notably, chiral analysis revealed that the enantiomeric purity of nicotine was fully lost in the quintuple mutants. In addition, precursor feeding experiments showed that these mutants cannot facilitate the specific loss of C6 hydrogen that characterizes natural nicotine biosynthesis. Our work delivers an improved N. benthamiana chassis for bioproduction and uncovers the crucial role of BBLs in the stereoselectivity of nicotine biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Vollheyde
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Ting Yang
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
| | - Mehmet T. Oz
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Davide Mancinotti
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Darren Heavens
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Gareth Linsmith
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Monika Chhetry
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UHUK
| | - Mark A. Smedley
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UHUK
| | | | - David Swarbreck
- Earlham Institute, Norwich Research ParkNorwichNorfolkNR4 7UZUK
| | - Fernando Geu‐Flores
- Department of Plant and Environmental SciencesUniversity of Copenhagen1871 FrederiksbergCopenhagenDenmark
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Jung JW, Park PG, Lee WK, Shin JH, Jang MH, Seo EH, An T, Kim YB, Moon MH, Choi SK, Yun JS, Hong KJ, Kim SR. Production of Plant-Derived Japanese Encephalitis Virus Multi-Epitope Peptide in Nicotiana benthamiana and Immunological Response in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11643. [PMID: 37511402 PMCID: PMC10380836 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The current production of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccine is based on animal cells, where various risk factors for human health should be resolved. This study used a transient expression system to express the chimeric protein composed of antigenic epitopes from the JEV envelope (E) protein in Nicotiana benthamiana. JEV multi-epitope peptide (MEP) sequences fused with FLAG-tag or 6× His-tag at the C- or N-terminus for the purification were introduced into plant expression vectors and used for transient expression. Among the constructs, vector pSK480, which expresses MEP fused with a FLAG-tag at the C-terminus, showed the highest level of expression and yield in purification. Optimization of transient expression procedures further improved the target protein yield. The purified MEP protein was applied to an ICR mouse and successfully induced an antibody against JEV, which demonstrates the potential of the plant-produced JEV MEP as an alternative vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Wan Jung
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
- PhytoMab Co., Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Pil-Gu Park
- Department of Microbiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Kyung Lee
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Hye Shin
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
- PhytoMab Co., Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Mi-Hwa Jang
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
- PhytoMab Co., Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hye Seo
- Department of Microbiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Plus, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 05029, Republic of Korea
| | - Timothy An
- Department of Microbiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Beom Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Myeong Hee Moon
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | | | - Jee Sun Yun
- Eubiologics Co., Seoul 06026, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee-Jong Hong
- Department of Microbiology, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon 21936, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Ryong Kim
- Department of Life Science, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
- PhytoMab Co., Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea
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11
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Bapat VA, Kavi Kishor PB, Penna S. Editorial: Heterologous production of high value metabolites in plants and microbes. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1223033. [PMID: 37389297 PMCID: PMC10304303 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1223033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Suprasanna Penna
- Amity Centre for Nuclear Biotechnology, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University of Maharashtra, Mumbai, India
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12
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Blokhina EA, Mardanova ES, Zykova AA, Stepanova LA, Shuklina MA, Tsybalova LM, Ravin NV. Plant-Produced Nanoparticles Based on Artificial Self-Assembling Peptide Bearing the Influenza M2e Epitope. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12112228. [PMID: 37299207 DOI: 10.3390/plants12112228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in vaccine development, influenza remains a persistent global health threat and the search for a broad-spectrum recombinant vaccine against influenza continues. The extracellular domain of the transmembrane protein M2 (M2e) of the influenza A virus is highly conserved and can be used to develop a universal vaccine. M2e is a poor immunogen by itself, but it becomes highly immunogenic when linked to an appropriate carrier. Here, we report the transient expression of a recombinant protein comprising four tandem copies of M2e fused to an artificial self-assembling peptide (SAP) in plants. The hybrid protein was efficiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana using the self-replicating potato virus X-based vector pEff. The protein was purified using metal affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions. The hybrid protein was capable of self-assembly in vitro into spherical particles 15-30 nm in size. The subcutaneous immunization of mice with M2e-carrying nanoparticles induced high levels of M2e-specific IgG antibodies in serum and mucosal secretions. Immunization provided mice with protection against a lethal influenza A virus challenge. SAP-based nanoparticles displaying M2e peptides can be further used to develop a recombinant "universal" vaccine against influenza A produced in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena A Blokhina
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Eugenia S Mardanova
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Anna A Zykova
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
| | - Liudmila A Stepanova
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Ministry of Health, 197376 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marina A Shuklina
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Ministry of Health, 197376 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Liudmila M Tsybalova
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, Russian Ministry of Health, 197376 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Nikolai V Ravin
- Institute of Bioengineering, Research Center of Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 119071 Moscow, Russia
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13
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Neuhaus JM, Pimpl P, Zhao Q, Wang H. Editorial: Regulation of plant organelle biogenesis and trafficking. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1211807. [PMID: 37304708 PMCID: PMC10250707 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1211807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marc Neuhaus
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Pimpl
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiong Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
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14
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Narayanan Z, Glick BR. Biotechnologically Engineered Plants. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12040601. [PMID: 37106801 PMCID: PMC10135915 DOI: 10.3390/biology12040601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
The development of recombinant DNA technology during the past thirty years has enabled scientists to isolate, characterize, and manipulate a myriad of different animal, bacterial, and plant genes. This has, in turn, led to the commercialization of hundreds of useful products that have significantly improved human health and well-being. Commercially, these products have been mostly produced in bacterial, fungal, or animal cells grown in culture. More recently, scientists have begun to develop a wide range of transgenic plants that produce numerous useful compounds. The perceived advantage of producing foreign compounds in plants is that compared to other methods of producing these compounds, plants seemingly provide a much less expensive means of production. A few plant-produced compounds are already commercially available; however, many more are in the production pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zareen Narayanan
- Division of Biological Sciences, School of STEM, University of Washington, Bothell, WA 98011, USA
| | - Bernard R Glick
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L3G1, Canada
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15
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Schwestka J, Zeh L, Tschofen M, Schubert F, Arcalis E, Esteve-Gasent M, Pedrazzini E, Vitale A, Stoger E. Generation of multi-layered protein bodies in N. benthamiana for the encapsulation of vaccine antigens. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1109270. [PMID: 36733717 PMCID: PMC9887037 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1109270] [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: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The ability of plants to assemble particulate structures such as virus-like particles and protein storage organelles allows the direct bioencapsulation of recombinant proteins during the manufacturing process, which holds promise for the development of new drug delivery vehicles. Storage organelles found in plants such as protein bodies (PBs) have been successfully used as tools for accumulation and encapsulation of recombinant proteins. The fusion of sequences derived from 27-kDa-γ-zein, a major storage protein of maize, with a protein of interest leads to the incorporation of the chimeric protein into the stable and protected environment inside newly induced PBs. While this procedure has proven successful for several, but not all recombinant proteins, the aim of this study was to refine the technology by using a combination of PB-forming proteins, thereby generating multi-layered protein assemblies in N. benthamiana. We used fluorescent proteins to demonstrate that up to three proteinaceous components can be incorporated into different layers. In addition to 27-kDa-γ-zein, which is essential for PB initiation, 16-kDa-γ-zein was identified as a key element to promote the incorporation of a third zein-component into the core of the PBs. We show that a vaccine antigen could be incorporated into the matrix of multi-layered PBs, and the protein microparticles were characterized by confocal and electron microscopy as well as flow cytometry. In future, this approach will enable the generation of designer PBs that serve as drug carriers and integrate multiple components that can be functionalized in different ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Schwestka
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Zeh
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marc Tschofen
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Fabian Schubert
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Elsa Arcalis
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Maria Esteve-Gasent
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Emanuela Pedrazzini
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Vitale
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Milano, Italy
| | - Eva Stoger
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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16
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Köchl K, Schopper T, Durmaz V, Parigger L, Singh A, Krassnigg A, Cespugli M, Wu W, Yang X, Zhang Y, Wang WWS, Selluski C, Zhao T, Zhang X, Bai C, Lin L, Hu Y, Xie Z, Zhang Z, Yan J, Zatloukal K, Gruber K, Steinkellner G, Gruber CC. Optimizing variant-specific therapeutic SARS-CoV-2 decoys using deep-learning-guided molecular dynamics simulations. Sci Rep 2023; 13:774. [PMID: 36641503 PMCID: PMC9840421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27636-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Treatment of COVID-19 with a soluble version of ACE2 that binds to SARS-CoV-2 virions before they enter host cells is a promising approach, however it needs to be optimized and adapted to emerging viral variants. The computational workflow presented here consists of molecular dynamics simulations for spike RBD-hACE2 binding affinity assessments of multiple spike RBD/hACE2 variants and a novel convolutional neural network architecture working on pairs of voxelized force-fields for efficient search-space reduction. We identified hACE2-Fc K31W and multi-mutation variants as high-affinity candidates, which we validated in vitro with virus neutralization assays. We evaluated binding affinities of these ACE2 variants with the RBDs of Omicron BA.3, Omicron BA.4/BA.5, and Omicron BA.2.75 in silico. In addition, candidates produced in Nicotiana benthamiana, an expression organism for potential large-scale production, showed a 4.6-fold reduction in half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) compared with the same variant produced in CHO cells and an almost six-fold IC50 reduction compared with wild-type hACE2-Fc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Köchl
- Innophore GmbH, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | | | | | | | - Amit Singh
- Innophore GmbH, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Bioscience, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | | | | | - Wei Wu
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Xiaoli Yang
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Yanchong Zhang
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Welson Wen-Shang Wang
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Crystal Selluski
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Tiehan Zhao
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Xin Zhang
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Caihong Bai
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Leon Lin
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Yuxiang Hu
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Zhiwei Xie
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Zaihui Zhang
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Jun Yan
- SignalChem Lifesciences Corp., 110-13120 Vanier Place, Richmond, BC, V6V 2J2, Canada
| | - Kurt Zatloukal
- Diagnostic- and Research Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Karl Gruber
- Innophore GmbH, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Institute of Molecular Bioscience, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria
| | - Georg Steinkellner
- Innophore GmbH, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Institute of Molecular Bioscience, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria.
| | - Christian C Gruber
- Innophore GmbH, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Institute of Molecular Bioscience, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria.
- Field of Excellence BioHealth, University of Graz, 8010, Graz, Austria.
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17
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Esquirol L, McNeale D, Venturi M, Sainsbury F. Production and Purification of Virus-Like Particles by Transient Expression in Plants. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2671:387-402. [PMID: 37308657 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3222-2_22] [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: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Transient expression in plants has become a useful production system for virus-like particle (VLP) expression. High yields and flexible approaches to assembling complex VLPs, combine with ease of scale-up and inexpensive reagents to provide an attractive method for recombinant protein expression in general. Plants have demonstrated excellent capacity for the assembly and production of protein cages for use in vaccine design and nanotechnology. Furthermore, numerous virus structures have now been determined using plant-expressed VLPs, showing the utility of this approach in structural virology. Transient protein expression in plants uses common microbiology techniques, leading to a straightforward transformation procedure that does not result in stable transgenesis. In this chapter, we aim to provide a generic protocol for transient expression of VLPs in Nicotiana benthamiana using soil-free plant cultivation and a simple vacuum infiltration procedure, along with methodology for purifying VLPs from plant leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lygie Esquirol
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Donna McNeale
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Micol Venturi
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Frank Sainsbury
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia.
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18
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A Plant-Produced Porcine Parvovirus 1-82 VP2 Subunit Vaccine Protects Pregnant Sows against Challenge with a Genetically Heterologous PPV1 Strain. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 11:vaccines11010054. [PMID: 36679898 PMCID: PMC9867127 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine parvovirus (PPV) causes reproductive failure in sows, and vaccination remains the most effective means of preventing infection. The NADL-2 strain has been used as a vaccine for ~50 years; however, it does not protect animals against genetically heterologous PPV strains. Thus, new effective and safe vaccines are needed. In this study, we aimed to identify novel PPV1 strains, and to develop PPV1 subunit vaccines. We isolated and sequenced PPV1 VP2 genes from 926 pigs and identified ten PPV1 strains (belonging to Groups C, D and E). We selected the Group D PPV1-82 strain as a vaccine candidate because it was close to the highly pathogenic 27a strain. The PPV1-82 VP2 protein was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana. It formed virus-like particles and exhibited a 211 agglutination value. The PPV1-190313 strain (Group E), isolated from an aborted fetus, was used as the challenging strain because it was pathogenic. The unvaccinated sow miscarried at 8 days postchallenge, and mummified fetuses were all PPV1-positive. By contrast, pregnant sows vaccinated with PPV1-82 VP2 had 9-11 Log2 antibody titers and produced normal fetuses after PPV1-190313 challenge. These results suggest the PPV1-82 VP2 subunit vaccine protects pregnant sows against a genetically heterologous PPV1 strain by inducing neutralizing antibodies.
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19
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High-Yield Production of Chimeric Hepatitis E Virus-Like Particles Bearing the M2e Influenza Epitope and Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 in Plants Using Viral Vectors. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415684. [PMID: 36555326 PMCID: PMC9779006 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Capsid protein of Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is capable of self-assembly into virus-like particles (VLPs) when expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Such VLPs could be used as carriers of antigens for vaccine development. In this study, we obtained VLPs based on truncated coat protein of HEV bearing the M2e peptide of Influenza A virus or receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (RBD). We optimized the immunogenic epitopes' presentation by inserting them into the protruding domain of HEV ORF2 at position Tyr485. The fusion proteins were expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using self-replicating potato virus X (PVX)-based vector. The fusion protein HEV/M2, targeted to the cytosol, was expressed at the level of about 300-400 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue and appeared to be soluble. The fusion protein was purified using metal affinity chromatography under native conditions with the final yield about 200 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue. The fusion protein HEV/RBD, targeted to the endoplasmic reticulum, was expressed at about 80-100 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue; the yield after purification was up to 20 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue. The recombinant proteins HEV/M2 and HEV/RBD formed nanosized virus-like particles that could be recognized by antibodies against inserted epitopes. The ELISA assay showed that antibodies of COVID-19 patients can bind plant-produced HEV/RBD virus-like particles. This study shows that HEV capsid protein is a promising carrier for presentation of foreign antigen.
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20
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Mardanova ES, Kotlyarov RY, Ravin NV. Rapid Transient Expression of Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 and the Conserved M2e Peptide of Influenza A Virus Linked to Flagellin in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Using Self-Replicating Viral Vector. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11243425. [PMID: 36559537 PMCID: PMC9785242 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The development of recombinant vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A is an important task. The combination of the conserved influenza A antigen, the extracellular domain of the transmembrane protein M2 (M2e), and the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (RBD) provides the opportunity to develop a bivalent vaccine against these infections. The fusion of antigens with bacterial flagellin, the ligand for Toll-like receptor 5 and potent mucosal adjuvant, may increase the immunogenicity of the candidate vaccines and enable intranasal immunization. In this study, we report the transient expression of RBD alone, RBD coupled with four copies of M2e, and fusions of RBD and RBD-4M2e with flagellin in Nicotiana benthamiana plants using the self-replicating potato virus X-based vector pEff. The yields of purified recombinant proteins per gram of fresh leaf tissue were about 20 µg for RBD, 50-60 µg for RBD-4M2e and the fusion of RBD with flagellin, and about 90 µg for RBD-4M2e fused to flagellin. Targeting to the endoplasmic reticulum enabled the production of glycosylated recombinant proteins comprising RBD. Our results show that plant-produced RBD and RBD-4M2e could be further used for the development of subunit vaccines against COVID-19 and a bivalent vaccine against COVID-19 and influenza A, while flagellin fusions could be used for the development of intranasal vaccines.
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21
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Du M, Hou Z, Liu L, Xuan Y, Chen X, Fan L, Li Z, Xu B. 1Progress, applications, challenges and prospects of protein purification technology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1028691. [PMID: 36561042 PMCID: PMC9763899 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1028691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein is one of the most important biological macromolecules in life, which plays a vital role in cell growth, development, movement, heredity, reproduction and other life activities. High quality isolation and purification is an essential step in the study of the structure and function of target proteins. Therefore, the development of protein purification technologies has great theoretical and practical significance in exploring the laws of life activities and guiding production practice. Up to now, there is no forthcoming method to extract any proteins from a complex system, and the field of protein purification still faces significant opportunities and challenges. Conventional protein purification generally includes three steps: pretreatment, rough fractionation, and fine fractionation. Each of the steps will significantly affect the purity, yield and the activity of target proteins. The present review focuses on the principle and process of protein purification, recent advances, and the applications of these technologies in the life and health industry as well as their far-reaching impact, so as to promote the research of protein structure and function, drug development and precision medicine, and bring new insights to researchers in related fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Du
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Zhuru Hou
- Science and Technology Centre, Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Ling Liu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China,Key Laboratory of Lvliang for Clinical Molecular Diagnostics, Fenyang, China,*Correspondence: Ling Liu, ; Benjin Xu,
| | - Yan Xuan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Xiaocong Chen
- Department of Basic Medicine, Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Lei Fan
- Department of Basic Medicine, Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Zhuoxi Li
- Department of Basic Medicine, Fenyang College of Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China
| | - Benjin Xu
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Fenyang College, Shanxi Medical University, Fenyang, China,Key Laboratory of Lvliang for Clinical Molecular Diagnostics, Fenyang, China,*Correspondence: Ling Liu, ; Benjin Xu,
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22
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Kopertekh L, Reichardt S. Effect of the At-CDC27a gene on Nicotiana benthamiana phenotype and accumulation of recombinant proteins. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1042446. [PMID: 36426154 PMCID: PMC9679211 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1042446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this study the anaphase promoting complex subunit CDC27a from Arabidopsis thaliana was introduced in the genome of Nicotiana benthamiana by Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The presence of the At-CDC27a gene facilitates plant biomass production. Compared to wild type N. benthamiana the leaf mass fraction of the best performing transgenic line At-CDC27a-29 was increased up to 154%. The positive effect of the At-CDC27a expression on leaf biomass accumulation was accompanied by an enlarged total leaf area. Furthermore, the ectopic expression of the At-CDC27a also affected cellular conditions for the production of foreign proteins delivered by the TRBO vector. In comparison to the non-transgenic control, the protein accumulation in the At-CDC27a-29 plant host increased up to 146% for GFP and up to 181% for scFv-TM43-E10. Collectively, the modified N. benthamiana plants developed in this study might be useful to improve the yield of recombinant proteins per biomass unit in closed facilities.
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23
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Yang Y, Shao Y, Chaffin TA, Lee JH, Poindexter MR, Ahkami AH, Blumwald E, Stewart CN. Performance of abiotic stress-inducible synthetic promoters in genetically engineered hybrid poplar ( Populus tremula × Populus alba). FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1011939. [PMID: 36330242 PMCID: PMC9623294 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1011939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stresses can cause significant damage to plants. For sustainable bioenergy crop production, it is critical to generate resistant crops to such stress. Engineering promoters to control the precise expression of stress resistance genes is a very effective way to address the problem. Here we developed stably transformed Populus tremula × Populus alba hybrid poplar (INRA 717-1B4) containing one-of-six synthetic drought stress-inducible promoters (SDs; SD9-1, SD9-2, SD9-3, SD13-1, SD18-1, and SD18-3) identified previously by transient transformation assays. We screened green fluorescent protein (GFP) induction in poplar under osmotic stress conditions. Of six transgenic lines containing synthetic promoter, three lines (SD18-1, 9-2, and 9-3) had significant GFP expression in both salt and osmotic stress treatments. Each synthetic promoter employed heptamerized repeats of specific and short cis-regulatory elements (7 repeats of 7-8 bases). To verify whether the repeats of longer sequences can improve osmotic stress responsiveness, a transgenic poplar containing the synthetic promoter of the heptamerized entire SD9 motif (20 bases, containing all partial SD9 motifs) was generated and measured for GFP induction under osmotic stress. The heptamerized entire SD9 motif did not result in higher GFP expression than the shorter promoters consisting of heptamerized SD9-1, 9-2, and 9-3 (partial SD9) motifs. This result indicates that shorter synthetic promoters (~50 bp) can be used for versatile control of gene expression in transgenic poplar. These synthetic promoters will be useful tools to engineer stress-resilient bioenergy tree crops in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongil Yang
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Yuanhua Shao
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Timothy A. Chaffin
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Jun Hyung Lee
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
| | - Magen R. Poindexter
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Amir H. Ahkami
- Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA, United States
| | - Eduardo Blumwald
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - C. Neal Stewart
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Knoxville, TN, United States
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24
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Murray A, Mendieta JP, Vollmers C, Schmitz RJ. Simple and accurate transcriptional start site identification using Smar2C2 and examination of conserved promoter features. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 112:583-596. [PMID: 36030508 PMCID: PMC9827901 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The precise and accurate identification and quantification of transcriptional start sites (TSSs) is key to understanding the control of transcription. The core promoter consists of the TSS and proximal non-coding sequences, which are critical in transcriptional regulation. Therefore, the accurate identification of TSSs is important for understanding the molecular regulation of transcription. Existing protocols for TSS identification are challenging and expensive, leaving high-quality data available for a small subset of organisms. This sparsity of data impairs study of TSS usage across tissues or in an evolutionary context. To address these shortcomings, we developed Smart-Seq2 Rolling Circle to Concatemeric Consensus (Smar2C2), which identifies and quantifies TSSs and transcription termination sites. Smar2C2 incorporates unique molecular identifiers that allowed for the identification of as many as 70 million sites, with no known upper limit. We have also generated TSS data sets from as little as 40 pg of total RNA, which was the smallest input tested. In this study, we used Smar2C2 to identify TSSs in Glycine max (soybean), Oryza sativa (rice), Sorghum bicolor (sorghum), Triticum aestivum (wheat) and Zea mays (maize) across multiple tissues. This wide panel of plant TSSs facilitated the identification of evolutionarily conserved features, such as novel patterns in the dinucleotides that compose the initiator element (Inr), that correlated with promoter expression levels across all species examined. We also discovered sequence variations in known promoter motifs that are positioned reliably close to the TSS, such as differences in the TATA box and in the Inr that may prove significant to our understanding and control of transcription initiation. Smar2C2 allows for the easy study of these critical sequences, providing a tool to facilitate discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Murray
- Department of Plant BiologyUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGA30602USA
| | | | - Chris Vollmers
- Deparment of Biomolecular EngineeringUniversity of California Santa CruzSanta CruzCA95064USA
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Talens-Perales D, Nicolau-Sanus M, Polaina J, Daròs JA. Expression of an extremophilic xylanase in Nicotiana benthamiana and its use for the production of prebiotic xylooligosaccharides. Sci Rep 2022; 12:15743. [PMID: 36131073 PMCID: PMC9492658 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19774-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
A gene construct encoding a xylanase, which is active in extreme conditions of temperature and alkaline pH (90 °C, pH 10.5), has been transitorily expressed with high efficiency in Nicotiana benthamiana using a viral vector. The enzyme, targeted to the apoplast, accumulates in large amounts in plant tissues in as little as 7 days after inoculation, without detrimental effects on plant growth. The properties of the protein produced by the plant, in terms of resistance to temperature, pH, and enzymatic activity, are equivalent to those observed when Escherichia coli is used as a host. Purification of the plant-produced recombinant xylanase is facilitated by exporting the protein to the apoplastic space. The production of this xylanase by N. benthamiana, which avoids the hindrances derived from the use of E. coli, namely, intracellular production requiring subsequent purification, represents an important step for potential applications in the food industry in which more sustainable and green products are continuously demanded. As an example, the use of the enzyme producing prebiotic xylooligosdaccharides from xylan is here reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Talens-Perales
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Valencia, Spain
| | - María Nicolau-Sanus
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Julio Polaina
- Department of Food Biotechnology, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Paterna, Valencia, Spain.
| | - José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain.
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Reconstitution of monoterpene indole alkaloid biosynthesis in genome engineered Nicotiana benthamiana. Commun Biol 2022; 5:949. [PMID: 36088516 PMCID: PMC9464250 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03904-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIAs) are a diverse class of plant natural products that include a number of medicinally important compounds. We set out to reconstitute the pathway for strictosidine, a key intermediate of all MIAs, from central metabolism in Nicotiana benthamiana. A disadvantage of this host is that its rich background metabolism results in the derivatization of some heterologously produced molecules. Here we use transcriptomic analysis to identify glycosyltransferases that are upregulated in response to biosynthetic intermediates and produce plant lines with targeted mutations in the genes encoding them. Expression of the early MIA pathway in these lines produces a more favorable product profile. Strictosidine biosynthesis was successfully reconstituted, with the best yields obtained by the co-expression of 14 enzymes, of which a major latex protein-like enzyme (MLPL) from Nepeta (catmint) is critical for improving flux through the iridoid pathway. The removal of endogenous glycosyltransferases does not impact the yields of strictosidine, highlighting that the metabolic flux of the pathway enzymes to a stable biosynthetic intermediate minimizes the need to engineer the endogenous metabolism of the host. The production of strictosidine in planta expands the range of MIA products amenable to biological synthesis. The biosynthesis of strictosidine, a key intermediate of monoterpene indole alkaloids, was successfully reconstructed in Nicotiana benthamiana, demonstrating the potential of Nicotiana benthamiana as a bioproduction chassis for small molecules.
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Yao X, Wuzhang K, Peng B, Chen T, Zhang Y, Liu H, Li L, Fu X, Tang K. Engineering the expression of plant secondary metabolites-genistein and scutellarin through an efficient transient production platform in Nicotiana benthamiana L. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:994792. [PMID: 36147222 PMCID: PMC9485999 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.994792] [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: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant natural products (PNPs) are active substances indispensable to human health with a wide range of medical and commercial applications. However, excessive population growth, overexploitation of natural resources, and expensive total chemical synthesis have led to recurrent supply shortages. Despite the fact that the microbial production platform solved these challenges, the platform still has drawbacks such as environmental pollution, high costs, and non-green production. In this study, an efficient platform for the production of PNPs based on the transient expression system of Nicotiana benthamiana L. combined with synthetic biology strategies was developed. Subsequently, the feasibility of the platform was verified by a simple "test unit." This platform was used to synthesize two high-value PNPs: genistein (5.51 nmol g-1 FW) and scutellarin (11.35 nmol g-1 FW). Importantly, this is the first report on the synthesis of scutellarin in heterologous plants. The platform presented here will possibly be adopted for the heterologous production of genistein and scutellarin in tobacco plants as a novel and sustainable production strategy.
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Matsumura EE, Guo F, Boogers D, van Oevelen D, Vu ST, Falk BW. Citrus sudden death-associated virus as a new expression vector for rapid in planta production of heterologous proteins, chimeric virions, and virus-like particles. BIOTECHNOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 35:e00739. [PMID: 35646618 PMCID: PMC9130518 DOI: 10.1016/j.btre.2022.e00739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 05/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emilyn E. Matsumura
- Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA 8 Wageningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
- Corresponding author at: Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA 8 Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Fei Guo
- Department of Cell Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Daan Boogers
- Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA 8 Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Dennis van Oevelen
- Laboratory of Virology, Wageningen University and Research, 6700 AA 8 Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sandra T. Vu
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Bryce W. Falk
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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Chuang L, Enders A, Offermann S, Bahnemann J, Franke J. 3D-printed autoclavable plant holders to facilitate large-scale protein production in plants. Eng Life Sci 2022; 22:803-810. [PMID: 36514535 PMCID: PMC9731595 DOI: 10.1002/elsc.202200001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The Australian tobacco plant Nicotiana benthamiana is becoming increasingly popular as a platform for protein production and metabolic engineering. In this system, gene expression is achieved transiently by infiltrating N. benthamiana plants with suspensions of Agrobacterium tumefaciens carrying vectors with the target genes. To infiltrate larger numbers of plants, vacuum infiltration is the most efficient approach known, which is already used on industrial scale. Current laboratory-scale solutions for vacuum infiltration, however, either require expensive custom-tailored equipment or produce large amounts of biologically contaminated waste. To overcome these problems and lower the burden to establish vacuum infiltration in new laboratories, we present here 3D-printed plant holders for vacuum infiltration. We demonstrate that our plant holders are simple to use and enable a throughput of around 40 plants per hour. In addition, our 3D-printed plant holders are made from autoclavable material, which tolerate at least 12 autoclave cycles, helping to limit the production of contaminated waste and thus contributing to increased sustainability in research. In conclusion, our plant holders provide a simple, robust, safe and transparent platform for laboratory-scale vacuum infiltration that can be readily adopted by new laboratories interested in protein and metabolite production in Nicotiana benthamiana. Practical application Transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana provides a popular and rapid system for producing proteins in a plant host. To infiltrate larger numbers of plants (typically >20), vacuum infiltration is the method of choice. However, no system has been described so far which is robust to use and can be used without expensive and complex equipment. Our autoclavable 3D-printed plant holders presented here will greatly reduce the efforts required to adopt the vacuum infiltration technique in new laboratories. They are easy to use and can be autoclaved at least 12 times, which contributes to waste reduction and sustainability in research laboratories. We anticipate that the 3D printing design provided here will drastically lower the bar for new groups to employ vacuum infiltration for producing proteins and metabolites in Nicotiana benthamiana.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Chuang
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug ResearchLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | - Anton Enders
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
| | | | - Janina Bahnemann
- Institute of Technical ChemistryLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany,Institute of PhysicsUniversity of AugsburgAugsburgGermany
| | - Jakob Franke
- Centre of Biomolecular Drug ResearchLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany,Institute of BotanyLeibniz University HannoverHannoverGermany
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Abstract
The idea of producing vaccines in plants originated in the late 1980s. Initially, it was contemplated that this notion could facilitate the concept of edible vaccines, making them more cost effective and easily accessible. Initial studies on edible vaccines focussed on the use of a variety of different transgenic plant host species for the production of vaccine antigens. However, adequate expression levels of antigens, the difficulties predicted with administration of consistent doses, and regulatory rules required for growth of transgenic plants gave way to the development of vaccine candidates that could be purified and administered parenterally. The field has subsequently advanced with improved expression techniques including a shift from using transgenic to transient expression of antigens, refinement of purification protocols, a deeper understanding of the biological processes and a wealth of evidence of immunogenicity and efficacy of plant-produced vaccine candidates, all contributing to the successful practice of what is now known as biopharming or plant molecular farming. The establishment of this technology has resulted in the development of many different types of vaccine candidates including subunit vaccines and various different types of nanoparticle vaccines targeting a wide variety of bacterial and viral diseases. This has brought further acceptance of plants as a suitable platform for vaccine production and in this review, we discuss the most recent advances in the production of vaccines in plants for human use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Stander
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Sandiswa Mbewana
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa
| | - Ann E Meyers
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa.
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Geddes-McAlister J, Prudhomme N, Gutierrez Gongora D, Cossar D, McLean MD. The emerging role of mass spectrometry-based proteomics in molecular pharming practices. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2022; 68:102133. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Agrobacterium expressing a type III secretion system delivers Pseudomonas effectors into plant cells to enhance transformation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2581. [PMID: 35546550 PMCID: PMC9095702 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30180-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation (AMT) is the basis of modern-day plant biotechnology. One major drawback of this technology is the recalcitrance of many plant species/varieties to Agrobacterium infection, most likely caused by elicitation of plant defense responses. Here, we develop a strategy to increase AMT by engineering Agrobacterium tumefaciens to express a type III secretion system (T3SS) from Pseudomonas syringae and individually deliver the P. syringae effectors AvrPto, AvrPtoB, or HopAO1 to suppress host defense responses. Using the engineered Agrobacterium, we demonstrate increase in AMT of wheat, alfalfa and switchgrass by ~250%–400%. We also show that engineered A. tumefaciens expressing a T3SS can deliver a plant protein, histone H2A-1, to enhance AMT. This strategy is of great significance to both basic research and agricultural biotechnology for transient and stable transformation of recalcitrant plant species/varieties and to deliver proteins into plant cells in a non-transgenic manner. Agrobacterium infection can cause defense responses in many plants, which leads to transformation recalcitrance. Here, the authors express type III secretion system in Agrobacterium to deliver effector proteins into plant cells to suppress host defense responses and thus enhance transformation in some plant species.
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Ruocco V, Strasser R. Transient Expression of Glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 Antigens in Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1093. [PMID: 35448821 PMCID: PMC9033091 DOI: 10.3390/plants11081093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The current COVID-19 pandemic very dramatically shows that the world lacks preparedness for novel viral diseases. In addition to newly emerging viruses, many known pathogenic viruses such as influenza are constantly evolving, leading to frequent outbreaks with severe diseases and deaths. Hence, infectious viruses are a recurrent burden to our daily life, and powerful strategies to stop the spread of human pathogens and disease progression are of utmost importance. Transient plant-based protein expression is a technology that allows fast and highly flexible manufacturing of recombinant viral proteins and, thus, can contribute to infectious disease detection and prevention. This review highlights recent progress in the transient production of viral glycoproteins in N. benthamiana with a focus on SARS-CoV-2-derived viral antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, A-1190 Vienna, Austria;
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Jez JM. Connecting primary and specialized metabolism: Amino acid conjugation of phytohormones by GRETCHEN HAGEN 3 (GH3) acyl acid amido synthetases. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 66:102194. [PMID: 35219141 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
GRETCHEN HAGEN 3 (GH3) acyl acid amido synthetases catalyze the ATP-dependent conjugation of phytohormones with amino acids. Traditionally, GH3 proteins are associated with synthesis of the bioactive jasmonate hormone (+)-7- iso -jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine (JA-Ile) and conjugation of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) with amino acids that tag the hormone for degradation and/or storage. Modifications of JA and IAA by GH3 acyl acid amido synthetases help maintain phytohormones homeostasis. Recent studies broaden the roles of GH3 proteins to include the regulation of JA biosynthesis; the modification of other auxins (i.e., phenylacetic acid and indole-3-butyric acid); the conjugation of auxinic herbicides, such as 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, 4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)butyric acid, and dicamba; and the missing step in the isochorismate pathway for the biosynthesis of salicylic acid. The GH3 protein family joins the growing number of versatile enzyme families that blur the line between primary and specialized metabolism for an increasing range of biology functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Jez
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130 USA.
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35
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Martí M, Merwaiss F, Butković A, Daròs JA. Production of Potyvirus-Derived Nanoparticles Decorated with a Nanobody in Biofactory Plants. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:877363. [PMID: 35433643 PMCID: PMC9008781 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.877363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral nanoparticles (VNPs) have recently attracted attention for their use as building blocks for novel materials to support a range of functions of potential interest in nanotechnology and medicine. Viral capsids are ideal for presenting small epitopes by inserting them at an appropriate site on the selected coat protein (CP). VNPs presenting antibodies on their surfaces are considered highly promising tools for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Due to their size, nanobodies are an interesting alternative to classic antibodies for surface presentation. Nanobodies are the variable domains of heavy-chain (VHH) antibodies from animals belonging to the family Camelidae, which have several properties that make them attractive therapeutic molecules, such as their small size, simple structure, and high affinity and specificity. In this work, we have produced genetically encoded VNPs derived from two different potyviruses—the largest group of RNA viruses that infect plants—decorated with nanobodies. We have created a VNP derived from zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) decorated with a nanobody against the green fluorescent protein (GFP) in zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) plants. As reported for other viruses, the expression of ZYMV-derived VNPs decorated with this nanobody was only made possible by including a picornavirus 2A splicing peptide between the fused proteins, which resulted in a mixed population of unmodified and decorated CPs. We have also produced tobacco etch virus (TEV)-derived VNPs in Nicotiana benthamiana plants decorated with the same nanobody against GFP. Strikingly, in this case, VNPs could be assembled by direct fusion of the nanobody to the viral CP with no 2A splicing involved, likely resulting in fully decorated VNPs. For both expression systems, correct assembly and purification of the recombinant VNPs was confirmed by transmission electron microscope; the functionality of the CP-fused nanobody was assessed by western blot and binding assays. In sum, here we report the production of genetically encoded plant-derived VNPs decorated with a nanobody. This system may be an attractive alternative for the sustainable production in plants of nanobody-containing nanomaterials for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
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Opto-Microfluidic Integration of the Bradford Protein Assay in Lithium Niobate Lab-on-a-Chip. SENSORS 2022; 22:s22031144. [PMID: 35161887 PMCID: PMC8840398 DOI: 10.3390/s22031144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
This paper deals with the quantification of proteins by implementing the Bradford protein assay method in a portable opto-microfluidic platform for protein concentrations lower than 1.4 mg/mL. Absorbance is measured by way of optical waveguides integrated to a cross-junction microfluidic circuit on a single lithium niobate substrate. A new protocol is proposed to perform the protein quantification based on the high correlation of the light absorbance at 595 nm, as commonly used in the Bradford method, with the one achieved at 633 nm with a cheap commercially available diode laser. This protocol demonstrates the possibility to quantify proteins by using nL volumes, 1000 times less than the standard technique such as paper-analytical devices. Moreover, it shows a limit of quantification of at least 0.12 mg/mL, which is four times lower than the last literature, as well as a better accuracy (98%). The protein quantification is obtained either by using one single microfluidic droplet as well by performing statistical analysis over ensembles of several thousands of droplets in less than 1 min. The proposed methodology presents the further advantage that the protein solutions can be reused for other investigations and the same pertains to the opto-microfluidic platform.
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Matsuo K. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the DCL2 and DCL4 genes in Nicotiana benthamiana and its productivity of recombinant proteins. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2022; 41:307-317. [PMID: 34783883 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-021-02809-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE DCL2 and DCL4 genes in Nicotiana benthamiana plants were successfully edited using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Recently, plants have been utilized for recombinant protein production similar to other expression systems, i.e., bacteria, yeast, insect, and mammal cells. However, insufficient amounts of recombinant proteins are often produced in plant cells. The repression of RNA silencing within plant cells could improve production levels of recombinant protein because RNA silencing frequently decomposes mRNAs from transgenes. In this study, the genes dicer-like protein 2 and 4 (NbDCL2 and NbDCL4) were successfully edited to produce double-knockout transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants (dcl2dcl4 plants) using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology. A transient green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene expression assay revealed that the dcl2dcl4 plants accumulated higher amounts of GFP and GFP mRNA than wild type (WT) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6-knockout N. benthamiana plants (ΔRDR6 plants). Small RNA sequencing also showed that dcl2dcl4 plants accumulated lower amounts of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) against the GFP gene than WT plants. The dcl2dcl4 plants might also produce higher amounts of human fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) than WT and ΔRDR6 plants. These observations appear to reflect differences between DCLs and RDR6 in plant cell biological mechanisms. These results reveal that dcl2dcl4 plants would be suitable as platform plants for recombinant protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kouki Matsuo
- Bioproduction Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 2-17-2-1 Tsukisamu-Higashi, Toyohira-ku, Sapporo, 062-8517, Japan.
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Fearon SH, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP, Meyers AE. Plant expression systems as an economical alternative for the production of iELISA coating antigen AHSV VP7. N Biotechnol 2022; 68:48-56. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nbt.2022.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Mardanova ES, Kotlyarov RY, Ravin NV. High-Yield Production of Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 Linked to Bacterial Flagellin in Plants Using Self-Replicating Viral Vector pEff. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:plants10122682. [PMID: 34961153 PMCID: PMC8708900 DOI: 10.3390/plants10122682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The development of recombinant vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 is required to eliminate the COVID-19 pandemic. We reported the expression of a recombinant protein Flg-RBD comprising receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (RBD) fused to flagellin of Salmonella typhimurium (Flg), known as mucosal adjuvant, in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. The fusion protein, targeted to the cytosol, was transiently expressed using the self-replicating vector pEff based on potato virus X genome. The recombinant protein Flg-RBD was expressed at the level of about 110-140 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue and was found to be insoluble. The fusion protein was purified using metal affinity chromatography under denaturing conditions. To increase the yield of Flg-RBD, the flow-through fraction obtained after loading of the protein sample on the Ni-NTA resin was re-loaded on the sorbent. The yield of Flg-RBD after purification reached about 100 μg per gram of fresh leaf tissue and the purified protein remained soluble after dialysis. The control flagellin was expressed in a soluble form and its yield after purification was about 300 μg per gram of fresh leaf biomass. Plant-produced Flg-RBD protein could be further used for the development of intranasal recombinant mucosal vaccines against COVID-19.
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Drastíková E, Konderlová K, Šebestová A, Baron D, Švecová P, Táborská P, Vítková K, Pospíšilová V, Forostyak S, Kořístek Z, Porubová L, Petr J. Determination of total protein content in biomedical products by the PDMS-assisted lab-in-a-syringe assay using 3D printed scaffolds removal. J Anal Sci Technol 2021. [DOI: 10.1186/s40543-021-00307-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe aim of our work was to develop a low-cost, portable device for the fast and easy determination of total protein content by using PDMS-based lab-in-a-syringe technology with removal of 3D-printed channels. We proposed two designs with a one-step PDMS curing and a two-step PDMS-curing fabrication procedure. The one-step PDMS microdevices were found to be the best in the view of preparation, repeatability, and stability of the reagent. This design was then applied for the determination of total protein content in biomedical products using the Bradford assay.
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Kang CE, Lee S, Seo DH, Heo W, Kwon SH, Kim J, Lee J, Ko BJ, Koiwa H, Kim WT, Kim JY. Comparison of CD20 Binding Affinities of Rituximab Produced in Nicotiana benthamiana Leaves and Arabidopsis thaliana Callus. Mol Biotechnol 2021; 63:1016-1029. [PMID: 34185248 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-021-00360-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Plants are promising drug-production platforms with high economic efficiency, stability, and convenience in mass production. However, studies comparing the equivalency between the original antibodies and those produced in plants are limited. Amino acid sequences that constitute the Fab region of an antibody are diverse, and the post-transcriptional modifications that occur according to these sequences in animals and plants are also highly variable. In this study, rituximab, a blockbuster antibody drug used in the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, was produced in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves and Arabidopsis thaliana callus, and was compared to the original rituximab produced in CHO cells. Interestingly, the epitope recognition and antigen-binding abilities of rituximab from N. benthamiana leaves were almost lost. In the case of rituximab produced in A. thaliana callus, the specific binding ability and CD20 capping activity were maintained, but the binding affinity was less than 50% of that of original rituximab from CHO cells. These results suggest that different plant species exhibit different binding affinities. Accordingly, in addition to the differences in PTMs between mammals and plants, the differences between the species must also be considered in the process of producing antibodies in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cho Eun Kang
- Department of Pharmacology and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungeun Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hye Seo
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Woon Heo
- Department of Pharmacology and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Hyung Kwon
- Department of Pharmacology and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - JeongRyeol Kim
- Department of Pharmacology and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinu Lee
- College of Pharmacy, Yonsei Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Yonsei University, Incheon, 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Byoung Joon Ko
- Mass Analysis Team, New Drug Development Center, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 28160, Republic of Korea
| | - Hisashi Koiwa
- Vegetable and Fruit Development Center, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX77843-2133, USA
| | - Woo Taek Kim
- Department of Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
| | - Joo Young Kim
- Department of Pharmacology and Brain Korea 21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic of Korea.
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Byrne M, Kashyap A, Esquirol L, Ranson N, Sainsbury F. The structure of a plant-specific partitivirus capsid reveals a unique coat protein domain architecture with an intrinsically disordered protrusion. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1155. [PMID: 34615994 PMCID: PMC8494798 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02687-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Persistent plant viruses may be the most common viruses in wild plants. A growing body of evidence for mutualism between such viruses and their hosts, suggests that they play an important role in ecology and agriculture. Here we present the capsid structure of a plant-specific partitivirus, Pepper cryptic virus 1, at 2.9 Å resolution by Cryo-EM. Structural features, including the T = 1 arrangement of 60 coat protein dimers, are shared with fungal partitiviruses and the picobirnavirus lineage of dsRNA viruses. However, the topology of the capsid is markedly different with protrusions emanating from, and partly comprising, the binding interface of coat protein dimers. We show that a disordered region at the apex of the protrusion is not required for capsid assembly and represents a hypervariable site unique to, and characteristic of, the plant-specific partitiviruses. These results suggest a structural basis for the acquisition of additional functions by partitivirus coat proteins that enables mutualistic relationships with diverse plant hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Byrne
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
| | - Aseem Kashyap
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Lygie Esquirol
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Neil Ranson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Frank Sainsbury
- Centre for Cell Factories and Biopolymers, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia.
- Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Brisbane, QLD, 4001, Australia.
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Üzülmez Ö, Kalic T, Mayr V, Lengger N, Tscheppe A, Radauer C, Hafner C, Hemmer W, Breiteneder H. The Major Peanut Allergen Ara h 2 Produced in Nicotiana benthamiana Contains Hydroxyprolines and Is a Viable Alternative to the E. Coli Product in Allergy Diagnosis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:723363. [PMID: 34671372 PMCID: PMC8522509 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.723363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Peanut allergy is a potentially life-threatening disease that is mediated by allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. The major peanut allergen Ara h 2, a 2S albumin seed storage protein, is one of the most dangerous and potent plant allergens. Ara h 2 is posttranslationally modified to harbor four disulfide bridges and three hydroxyprolines. These hydroxyproline residues are required for optimal IgE-binding to the DPYSPOHS motifs representing an immunodominant IgE epitope. So far, recombinant Ara h 2 has been produced in Escherichia coli, Lactococcus lactis, Trichoplusia ni insect cell, and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast expression systems, which were all incapable of proline hydroxylation. However, molecular diagnosis of peanut allergy is performed using either natural or E. coli-produced major peanut allergens. As IgE from the majority of patients is directed to Ara h 2, it is of great importance that the recombinant Ara h 2 harbors all of its eukaryotic posttranslational modifications. We produced hydroxyproline-containing and correctly folded Ara h 2 in the endoplasmic reticulum of leaf cells of Nicotiana benthamiana plants, using the plant virus-based magnICON® transient expression system with a yield of 200 mg/kg fresh biomass. To compare prokaryotic with eukaryotic expression methods, Ara h 2 was expressed in E. coli together with the disulfide-bond isomerase DsbC and thus harbored disulfide bridges but no hydroxyprolines. The recombinant allergens from N. benthamiana and E. coli were characterized and compared to the natural Ara h 2 isolated from roasted peanuts. Natural Ara h 2 outperformed both recombinant proteins in IgE-binding and activation of basophils via IgE cross-linking, the latter indicating the potency of the allergen. Interestingly, significantly more efficient IgE cross-linking by the N. benthamiana-produced allergen was observed in comparison to the one induced by the E. coli product. Ara h 2 from N. benthamiana plants displayed a higher similarity to the natural allergen in terms of basophil activation due to the presence of hydroxyproline residues, supporting so far published data on their contribution to the immunodominant IgE epitope. Our study advocates the use of N. benthamiana plants instead of prokaryotic expression hosts for the production of the major peanut allergen Ara h 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Öykü Üzülmez
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Tanja Kalic
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Pölten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, St. Pölten, Austria
| | - Vanessa Mayr
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Nina Lengger
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Angelika Tscheppe
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian Radauer
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christine Hafner
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital St. Pölten, Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences, St. Pölten, Austria
- Karl Landsteiner Institute for Dermatological Research, St. Pölten, Austria
| | | | - Heimo Breiteneder
- Institute of Pathophysiology and Allergy Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Lobato Gómez M, Huang X, Alvarez D, He W, Baysal C, Zhu C, Armario‐Najera V, Blanco Perera A, Cerda Bennasser P, Saba‐Mayoral A, Sobrino‐Mengual G, Vargheese A, Abranches R, Abreu IA, Balamurugan S, Bock R, Buyel J, da Cunha NB, Daniell H, Faller R, Folgado A, Gowtham I, Häkkinen ST, Kumar S, Ramalingam SK, Lacorte C, Lomonossoff GP, Luís IM, Ma JK, McDonald KA, Murad A, Nandi S, O’Keefe B, Oksman‐Caldentey K, Parthiban S, Paul MJ, Ponndorf D, Rech E, Rodrigues JCM, Ruf S, Schillberg S, Schwestka J, Shah PS, Singh R, Stoger E, Twyman RM, Varghese IP, Vianna GR, Webster G, Wilbers RHP, Capell T, Christou P. Contributions of the international plant science community to the fight against human infectious diseases - part 1: epidemic and pandemic diseases. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2021; 19:1901-1920. [PMID: 34182608 PMCID: PMC8486245 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Infectious diseases, also known as transmissible or communicable diseases, are caused by pathogens or parasites that spread in communities by direct contact with infected individuals or contaminated materials, through droplets and aerosols, or via vectors such as insects. Such diseases cause ˜17% of all human deaths and their management and control places an immense burden on healthcare systems worldwide. Traditional approaches for the prevention and control of infectious diseases include vaccination programmes, hygiene measures and drugs that suppress the pathogen, treat the disease symptoms or attenuate aggressive reactions of the host immune system. The provision of vaccines and biologic drugs such as antibodies is hampered by the high cost and limited scalability of traditional manufacturing platforms based on microbial and animal cells, particularly in developing countries where infectious diseases are prevalent and poorly controlled. Molecular farming, which uses plants for protein expression, is a promising strategy to address the drawbacks of current manufacturing platforms. In this review article, we consider the potential of molecular farming to address healthcare demands for the most prevalent and important epidemic and pandemic diseases, focussing on recent outbreaks of high-mortality coronavirus infections and diseases that disproportionately affect the developing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lobato Gómez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Xin Huang
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Derry Alvarez
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Wenshu He
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Can Baysal
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Changfu Zhu
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Victoria Armario‐Najera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Amaya Blanco Perera
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Pedro Cerda Bennasser
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Andera Saba‐Mayoral
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | | | - Ashwin Vargheese
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Rita Abranches
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Isabel Alexandra Abreu
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Shanmugaraj Balamurugan
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Johannes.F. Buyel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for Molecular BiotechnologyRWTH Aachen UniversityAachenGermany
| | - Nicolau B. da Cunha
- Centro de Análise Proteômicas e Bioquímicas de BrasíliaUniversidade Católica de BrasíliaBrasíliaBrazil
| | - Henry Daniell
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Roland Faller
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - André Folgado
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Iyappan Gowtham
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Suvi T. Häkkinen
- Industrial Biotechnology and Food SolutionsVTT Technical Research Centre of Finland LtdEspooFinland
| | - Shashi Kumar
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyNew DelhiIndia
| | - Sathish Kumar Ramalingam
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Cristiano Lacorte
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | | | - Ines M. Luís
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
| | - Julian K.‐C. Ma
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Karen. A. McDonald
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Andre Murad
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Somen Nandi
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Global HealthShare InitiativeUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Barry O’Keefe
- Molecular Targets ProgramCenter for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, and Natural Products BranchDevelopmental Therapeutics ProgramDivision of Cancer Treatment and DiagnosisNational Cancer Institute, NIHFrederickMDUSA
| | | | - Subramanian Parthiban
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Mathew J. Paul
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Daniel Ponndorf
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António XavierUniversidade Nova de LisboaOeirasPortugal
- Department of Biological ChemistryJohn Innes CentreNorwichUK
| | - Elibio Rech
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Julio C. M. Rodrigues
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Stephanie Ruf
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant PhysiologyPotsdam‐GolmGermany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IMEAachenGermany
- Institute for PhytopathologyJustus‐Liebig‐University GiessenGiessenGermany
| | - Jennifer Schwestka
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | - Priya S. Shah
- Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular GeneticsUniversity of California, DavisDavisCAUSA
| | - Rahul Singh
- School of Dental MedicineUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPAUSA
| | - Eva Stoger
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell BiologyUniversity of Natural Resources and Life SciencesViennaAustria
| | | | - Inchakalody P. Varghese
- Plant Genetic Engineering LaboratoryDepartment of BiotechnologyBharathiar UniversityCoimbatoreIndia
| | - Giovanni R. Vianna
- Brazilian Agriculture Research CorporationEmbrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and National Institute of Science and Technology Synthetic in BiologyParque Estação BiológicaBrasiliaBrazil
| | - Gina Webster
- Institute for Infection and ImmunitySt. George’s University of LondonLondonUK
| | - Ruud H. P. Wilbers
- Laboratory of NematologyPlant Sciences GroupWageningen University and ResearchWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Teresa Capell
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Crop and Forest SciencesUniversity of Lleida‐Agrotecnio CERCA CenterLleidaSpain
- ICREACatalan Institute for Research and Advanced StudiesBarcelonaSpain
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45
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Jutras PV, Soldan R, Dodds I, Schuster M, Preston GM, van der Hoorn RAL. AgroLux: bioluminescent Agrobacterium to improve molecular pharming and study plant immunity. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:600-612. [PMID: 34369027 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Agroinfiltration in Nicotiana benthamiana is widely used to transiently express heterologous proteins in plants. However, the state of Agrobacterium itself is not well studied in agroinfiltrated tissues, despite frequent studies of immunity genes conducted through agroinfiltration. Here, we generated a bioluminescent strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 to monitor the luminescence of Agrobacterium during agroinfiltration. By integrating a single copy of the lux operon into the genome, we generated a stable 'AgroLux' strain, which is bioluminescent without affecting Agrobacterium growth in vitro and in planta. To illustrate its versatility, we used AgroLux to demonstrate that high light intensity post infiltration suppresses both Agrobacterium luminescence and protein expression. We also discovered that AgroLux can detect Avr/Cf-induced immune responses before tissue collapse, establishing a robust and rapid quantitative assay for the hypersensitive response (HR). Thus, AgroLux provides a non-destructive, versatile and easy-to-use imaging tool to monitor both Agrobacterium and plant responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe V Jutras
- Plant Chemetics Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Riccardo Soldan
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Isobel Dodds
- Plant Chemetics Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Mariana Schuster
- Plant Chemetics Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Gail M Preston
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Renier A L van der Hoorn
- Plant Chemetics Laboratory, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Park Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
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46
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Kurokawa N, Robinson MK, Bernard C, Kawaguchi Y, Koujin Y, Koen A, Madhi S, Polasek TM, McNeal M, Dargis M, Couture MMJ, Trépanier S, Forrest BD, Tsutsui N. Safety and immunogenicity of a plant-derived rotavirus-like particle vaccine in adults, toddlers and infants. Vaccine 2021; 39:5513-5523. [PMID: 34454786 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.08.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study is the first clinical trial for a parenteral non-replicating rotavirus vaccine developed using virus-like particle (VLP) technology. METHODS This open-labeled, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in two parts: Part A (a first-in-human study in Australian adults) and Part B (ascending dose and descending age in South African adults, toddlers and infants). In Part A, two cohorts of 10 adults were assigned to receive a single intramuscular injection of 1 of 2 escalating dose levels of the rotavirus VLP (Ro-VLP) vaccine (7 μg or 21 μg) or placebo. In Part B, one cohort of 10 adults was assigned to receive a single injection of the Ro-VLP vaccine (21 μg) or placebo, two cohorts of 10 toddlers were assigned to receive 2 injections of 1 of 2 escalating dose levels of the Ro-VLP vaccine (7 μg or 21 μg) or placebo 28 days apart, and three cohorts of 20 infants were assigned to receive 3 injections of 1 of 3 escalating dose levels of the Ro-VLP vaccine (2.5 μg, 7 μg or 21 μg) or placebo or 2 doses of oral Rotarix 28 days apart. Safety, reactogenicity and immunogenicity were assessed. RESULTS There were no safety or tolerability concerns after administration of the Ro-VLP vaccine. The Ro-VLP vaccine induced an anti-G1P[8] IgG response in infants 4 weeks after the second and third doses. Neutralizing antibody responses against homologous G1P[8] rotavirus were higher in all Ro-VLP infant groups than in the placebo group 4 weeks after the third dose. No heterotypic immunity was elicited by the Ro-VLP vaccine. CONCLUSIONS The Ro-VLP vaccine was well tolerated and induced a homotypic immune response in infants, suggesting that this technology platform is a favorable approach for a parenteral non-replicating rotavirus vaccine. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03507738.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natsuki Kurokawa
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 17-10, Nihonbashi-Koamicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8405, Japan.
| | | | - Catherine Bernard
- International Regulatory Affairs Services, Inc., 10626 Wagon Box Way, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130, USA
| | - Yutaka Kawaguchi
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 17-10, Nihonbashi-Koamicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8405, Japan
| | - Yoshito Koujin
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 17-10, Nihonbashi-Koamicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8405, Japan
| | - Anthonet Koen
- Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Berstham Chris Hani Road, Soweto 2013, South Africa
| | - Shabir Madhi
- Respiratory and Meningeal Pathogens Research Unit, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Berstham Chris Hani Road, Soweto 2013, South Africa
| | - Thomas M Polasek
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Port Road, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Monica McNeal
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA
| | - Michèle Dargis
- Medicago Inc., 1020 route de l'Église office 600, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Manon M-J Couture
- Medicago Inc., 1020 route de l'Église office 600, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Sonia Trépanier
- Medicago Inc., 1020 route de l'Église office 600, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Bruce D Forrest
- Cognoscenti Bioscience, LLC., PO Box 444, Nyack, NY 10960, USA
| | - Naohisa Tsutsui
- Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, 17-10, Nihonbashi-Koamicho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 103-8405, Japan
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47
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Development and Optimization of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Detect Serum Antibodies against the Hepatitis E Virus in Pigs, Using Plant-Derived ORF2 Recombinant Protein. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9090991. [PMID: 34579228 PMCID: PMC8473109 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9090991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E is an emerging global disease, mainly transmitted via the fecal-oral route in developing countries, and in a zoonotic manner in the developed world. Pigs and wild boar constitute the primary Hepatitis E virus (HEV) zoonotic reservoir. Consumption of undercooked animal meat or direct contact with infected animals is the most common source of HEV infection in European countries. The purpose of this study is to develop an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the detection of anti-hepatitis E virus IgG in pig serum, using plant-produced recombinant HEV-3 ORF2 as an antigenic coating protein, and also to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of this assay. A recombinant HEV-3 ORF2 110-610_6his capsid protein, transiently expressed by pEff vector in Nicotiana benthamiana plants was used to develop an in-house HEV EIA. The plant-derived HEV-3 ORF2 110-610_6his protein proved to be antigenically similar to the HEV ORF2 capsid protein and it can self-assemble into heterogeneous particulate structures. The optimal conditions for the in-house EIA (iEIA) were determined as follows: HEV-3 ORF2 110-610_6his antigen concentration (4 µg/mL), serum dilution (1:50), 3% BSA as a blocking agent, and secondary antibody dilution (1:20 000). The iEIA developed for this study showed a sensitivity of 97.1% (95% Cl: 89.9-99.65) and a specificity of 98.6% (95% Cl: 92.5-99.96) with a Youden index of 0.9571. A comparison between our iEIA and a commercial assay (PrioCHECK™ Porcine HEV Ab ELISA Kit, ThermoFisher Scientific, MA, USA) showed 97.8% agreement with a kappa index of 0.9399. The plant-based HEV-3 ORF2 iEIA assay was able to detect anti-HEV IgG in pig serum with a very good agreement compared to the commercially available kit.
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48
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Virus-Like Particle Vaccines Against Respiratory Viruses and Protozoan Parasites. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2021; 433:77-106. [PMID: 33650036 DOI: 10.1007/82_2021_232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The field of vaccinology underwent massive advances over the past decades with the introduction of virus-like particles (VLPs), a supra-molecular nanoparticle vaccine platform that resembles viral structures without the ability to replicate in hosts. This innovative approach has been remarkably effective, as evidenced by its profound immunogenicity and safety. These highly desirable intrinsic properties enabled their further development as vaccines against a multitude of diseases. To date, several VLP-based vaccines have already been commercialized and many more are undergoing clinical evaluation prior to FDA approval. However, efficacious vaccines against a plethora of pathogens are still lacking, which imposes a tremendous socioeconomic burden and continues to threaten public health throughout the globe. This is especially the case for several respiratory pathogens and protozoan parasites. In this review, we briefly describe the fundamentals of VLP vaccines and the unique properties that enable these to be such valuable vaccine candidates and summarize current advances in VLP-based vaccines targeting respiratory and parasitic diseases of global importance.
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49
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Permyakova NV, Marenkova TV, Belavin PA, Zagorskaya AA, Sidorchuk YV, Uvarova EA, Kuznetsov VV, Rozov SM, Deineko EV. Assessment of the Level of Accumulation of the dIFN Protein Integrated by the Knock-In Method into the Region of the Histone H3.3 Gene of Arabidopsis thaliana. Cells 2021; 10:2137. [PMID: 34440906 PMCID: PMC8394151 DOI: 10.3390/cells10082137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted DNA integration into known locations in the genome has potential advantages over the random insertional events typically achieved using conventional means of genetic modification. We investigated the possibility of obtaining a suspension cell culture of Arabidopsis thaliana carrying a site-specific integration of a target gene encoding modified human interferon (dIFN) using endonuclease Cas9. For the targeted insertion, we selected the region of the histone H3.3 gene (HTR5) with a high constitutive level of expression. Our results indicated that Cas9-induced DNA integration occurred with the highest frequency with the construction with donor DNA surrounded by homology arms and Cas9 endonuclease recognition sites. Among the monoclones of the four cell lines with knock-in studied, there is high heterogeneity in the level of expression and accumulation of the target protein. The accumulation of dIFN protein in cell lines with targeted insertions into the target region of the HTR5 gene does not statistically differ from the level of accumulation of dIFN protein in the group of lines with random integration of the transgene. However, one among the monoclonal lines with knock-in has a dIFN accumulation level above 2% of TSP, which is very high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalya V. Permyakova
- Federal Research Center Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, pr. Lavrentieva 10, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia; (T.V.M.); (P.A.B.); (A.A.Z.); (Y.V.S.); (E.A.U.); (V.V.K.); (S.M.R.); (E.V.D.)
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Rattanapisit K, Bulaon CJI, Khorattanakulchai N, Shanmugaraj B, Wangkanont K, Phoolcharoen W. Plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) variants showed differential binding efficiency with anti-spike specific monoclonal antibodies. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253574. [PMID: 34379620 PMCID: PMC8357147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic which is characterized by respiratory illness and severe pneumonia, and currently accounts for > 2.5 million deaths worldwide. Recently, diverse mutations in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 were reported in United Kingdom (Alpha) and South Africa (Beta) strains which raise concerns over the potential increase in binding affinity towards the host cell receptor and diminished host neutralization capabilities. In order to study the effect of mutation in the binding efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) with anti-SARS-CoV/CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), we have produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD and two variants SARS-CoV-2 RBD (Alpha RBD and Beta RBD) in Nicotiana benthamiana by transient expression. Plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Fc, Alpha RBD-Fc and Beta RBD-Fc exhibited specific binding to human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor determined by ELISA. Intriguingly, the binding of plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD proteins to plant-produced mAbs CR3022, B38, and H4 was found to be different depending on the variant mutation. In contrary to the plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Fc and Alpha RBD-Fc, Beta RBD-Fc variant showed weak binding affinity towards the mAbs. The result suggested that the Beta RBD variant might have acquired partial resistance to neutralizing antibodies compared to other variants. However, further studies with sera from convalescent or vaccinated individuals are required to confirm this finding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christine Joy I. Bulaon
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narach Khorattanakulchai
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Kittikhun Wangkanont
- Center of Excellence for Molecular Biology and Genomics of Shrimp (GCE 6302823006-1), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Molecular Crop Research Unit (GRU 6407023008-1), Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Research Unit for Plant-produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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