Efficient insertion from an internal long terminal repeat (LTR)-LTR sequence on a reticuloendotheliosis virus vector is imprecise and cell specific

An improved self-deleting retroviral vector derived from avian leukemia and sarcoma virus

We have previously developed a self-deleting avian leukosis and sarcoma virus (ALSV)- based retroviral vector carrying an additional attachment (att) sequence. Resulting proviruses underwent deletion of viral sequences and were flanked either by two LTRs (LTRs proviruses) or by the additional att sequence and the 3' LTR (att proviruses). Herein, we have tried to increase (1) the self-deleting properties of this vector, either by raising the selection pressure applied on target cells or by optimizing the size of the internal att sequence, (2) the titer of the vector by deleting or inverting some viral sequences. Moreover, a new type of provirus flanked by att sequences at each end was isolated. Finally, under specific conditions, 100% of proviruses had internal sequences deleted, and as many as 92-100% of proviruses were no longer mobilizable by a replication-competent virus. The inactivation procedure achieved here might improve the biosafety of retroviral vectors.

A novel self-deleting retroviral vector carrying an additional sequence recognized by the viral integrase (IN)

During retroviral integration, the viral integrase recognizes the attachment (att) sequence (formed by juxtaposition of two LTRs ends) as the substrate of integration. We have developed a self-deleting Avian Leukosis and Sarcoma Viruses (ALSVs)-based retroviral vector carrying an additional copy of the att sequence, between neo and puro genes. We observed that: (i) the resulting NP3Catt vector was produced at neo and puro titers respectively smaller and higher than that of the parental vector devoid of the att sequence; (ii) 61% of NP3Catt proviruses were flanked by LTRs; most of them were deleted of internal sequences, probably during the reverse transcription step; (iii) 31% of clones were deleted of the whole 5' part of their genome and were flanked, in 5', by the additional att sequence and, in 3', by an LTR. Integration of these last proviruses was often imprecise with respect to the viral ends. At total, 77% of proviruses had lost the packaging signal and were not mobilizable by a replication-competent virus and 92% had lost the selectable gene in a single round of replication. Although still to improve, the att vector could be considered as an interesting new safe retroviral vector for gene transfer experiments.

Identification of the lacZ insertion site and beta-galactosidase expression in transgenic chickens

The quail:chick chimera system is a classical research model in developmental biology. An improvement over the quail:chick chimera system would be a line of transgenic chickens expressing a reporter gene. Transgenic chickens carrying lacZ and expressing bacterial beta-galactosidase have been generated, but complete characterization of the insertion event and characterization of beta-galactosidase expression have not previously been available. The genomic sequences flanking the retroviral insertion site have now been identified by using inverse polymerase chain reaction (PCR), homozygous individuals have been identified by using PCR-based genotyping, and beta-galactosidase expression has been evaluated by using Western analysis and histochemistry. Based upon the current draft of the chicken genome, the viral insertion carrying the lacZ gene has been located on chromosome 11 within the predicted gene for neurotactin/fractalkine (CX3CL1); neurotactin mRNA expression appears to be missing from the brain of homozygous individuals. When Generation 2 (G2) lacZ-positive individuals were inter-mated, they generated 361 G3 progeny; 82 were homozyous for lacZ (22.7%), 97 were wild-type non-transgenic (26.9%), and 182 (50.4%) were hemizygous for lacZ. Western analysis revealed the highest expression in the muscle and liver. With the identification of homozygous birds, the line of chickens is now designated NCSU-Blue1.

Coordinated disintegration reactions mediated by Moloney murine leukemia virus integrase

The protein-DNA and protein-protein interactions important for function of the integrase (IN) protein of Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) were investigated by using a coordinated-disintegration assay. A panel of M-MuLV IN mutants and substrate alterations highlighted distinctions between the intermolecular and intramolecular reactions of coordinated disintegration. Mispairing of the crossbone single-strand region and altered long terminal repeat (LTR) positioning affected the intermolecular, but not the intramolecular, reactions of coordinated disintegration. Partial components of the crossbone substrate were coordinated by M-MuLV IN, indicating a reliance on both LTR and target DNA determinants for substrate assembly. The intramolecular reaction was dependent on the presence of either the HHCC domain or a crossbone LTR 5' single-stranded tail. An M-MuLV IN mutant without the HHCC domain (Ndelta105) catalyzed reduced levels of double disintegration but not single disintegration. A separately purified HHCC domain protein (Cdelta232) stimulated double disintegration mediated by Ndelta105, suggesting a role of the N-terminal HHCC domain in stable IN-IN and IN-DNA interactions. Significantly, crossbone substrates lacking the LTR 5' tails were not recognized by the fingerless Ndelta105 protein. Collectively, these data suggest similar roles of the HHCC domain and 5' LTR tail in substrate recognition and modulation of IN activity.