1
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Wang Q, Liu HJ, Xu Y, Wang ZX, Sun B, Xu JW. Development of a 2A peptide-based multigene expression system and its application for enhanced production of ganoderic acids in Ganoderma lucidum. J Biotechnol 2024; 393:109-116. [PMID: 39103018 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2024.08.001] [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: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 07/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Ganoderma has received much attention for its medicinal value, but the manipulation of multiple genes remains a challenge, hindering the genetic engineering of this species for the development of cell factories. Here, we first showed that the presence of an intron is necessary for the efficient expression of the endogenous cDNA of carboxin-resistant gene (cbx) in G. lucidum. Then, the self-cleaving function of 2 A peptide was investigated in G. lucidum by linking cbx cDNA to the codon-optimized hygromycin B-resistant gene (ophph) using the 2A-peptide sequence. The results showed that cbx cDNA and ophph can be successfully expressed in G. lucidum in a bicistronic manner from a single transcript. Moreover, the expression of both genes was not affected by the order within the 2 A cassette. In addition, simultaneous expression of cbx cDNA, ophph, and codon-optimized yellow fluorescent protein gene (opyfp) was conducted for the first time in G. lucidum using the 2 A peptide-based approach. The developed method was successfully applied to express both cDNA of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (hmgr) and squalene epoxidase gene (se) for enhanced production of ganoderic acids (GAs) in G. lucidum. The engineered strain produced the maximum content of GA-Mk, GA-T, GA-S, and GA-Me were 26.56±3.53,39.58±3.75, 16.54±2.16, and 19.1±1.87 μg/100 mg dry weight, respectively. These values were 3.85-, 4.74-, 3.65-, and 3.23-fold higher than those produced by the control strain. The developed method will be useful for the manipulation of complex metabolic or regulatory pathways involving multiple genes in Ganoderma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Hong-Jun Liu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yan Xu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Zi-Xu Wang
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Bin Sun
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Jun-Wei Xu
- Faculty of Life Science and Technology, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
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2
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Boulos A, Maroun D, Ciechanover A, Ziv NE. Peripheral sequestration of huntingtin delays neuronal death and depends on N-terminal ubiquitination. Commun Biol 2024; 7:1014. [PMID: 39155290 PMCID: PMC11330980 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06733-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a glutamine repeat expansion in the protein huntingtin. Mutated huntingtin (mHtt) forms aggregates whose impacts on neuronal survival are still debated. Using weeks-long, continual imaging of cortical neurons, we find that mHtt is gradually sequestrated into peripheral, mainly axonal aggregates, concomitant with dramatic reductions in cytosolic mHtt levels and enhanced neuronal survival. in-situ pulse-chase imaging reveals that aggregates continually gain and lose mHtt, in line with these acting as mHtt sinks at equilibrium with cytosolic pools. Mutating two N-terminal lysines found to be ubiquitinated in HD animal models suppresses peripheral aggregate formation and reductions in cytosolic mHtt, promotes nuclear aggregate formation, stabilizes aggregates and leads to pervasive neuronal death. These findings demonstrate the capacity of aggregates formed at peripheral locations to sequester away cytosolic, presumably toxic mHtt forms and support a crucial role for N-terminal ubiquitination in promoting these processes and delaying neuronal death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayub Boulos
- Technion Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Institute and Network Biology Research Laboratories, Fishbach Building, Technion City, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Dunia Maroun
- Technion Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Institute and Network Biology Research Laboratories, Fishbach Building, Technion City, Haifa, Israel
| | - Aaron Ciechanover
- Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Rappaport Technion Integrated Cancer Center (RTICC), Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Noam E Ziv
- Technion Faculty of Medicine, Rappaport Institute and Network Biology Research Laboratories, Fishbach Building, Technion City, Haifa, Israel.
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3
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Veland N, Gleneadie HJ, Brown KE, Sardini A, Pombo J, Dimond A, Burns V, Sarkisyan K, Schiering C, Webster Z, Merkenschlager M, Fisher AG. Bioluminescence imaging of Cyp1a1-luciferase reporter mice demonstrates prolonged activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor in the lung. Commun Biol 2024; 7:442. [PMID: 38600349 PMCID: PMC11006662 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06089-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) signalling integrates biological processes that sense and respond to environmental, dietary, and metabolic challenges to ensure tissue homeostasis. AHR is a transcription factor that is inactive in the cytosol but upon encounter with ligand translocates to the nucleus and drives the expression of AHR targets, including genes of the cytochrome P4501 family of enzymes such as Cyp1a1. To dynamically visualise AHR activity in vivo, we generated reporter mice in which firefly luciferase (Fluc) was non-disruptively targeted into the endogenous Cyp1a1 locus. Exposure of these animals to FICZ, 3-MC or to dietary I3C induced strong bioluminescence signal and Cyp1a1 expression in many organs including liver, lung and intestine. Longitudinal studies revealed that AHR activity was surprisingly long-lived in the lung, with sustained Cyp1a1 expression evident in discrete populations of cells including columnar epithelia around bronchioles. Our data link diet to lung physiology and also reveal the power of bespoke Cyp1a1-Fluc reporters to longitudinally monitor AHR activity in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Veland
- Epigenetic Memory Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 OHS, UK
| | - Hannah J Gleneadie
- Epigenetic Memory Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 OHS, UK
| | - Karen E Brown
- Epigenetic Memory Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 OHS, UK
| | - Alessandro Sardini
- Whole Animal Physiology and Imaging, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK
| | - Joaquim Pombo
- Senescence Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK
| | - Andrew Dimond
- Epigenetic Memory Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 OHS, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Vanessa Burns
- Epigenetic Memory Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 OHS, UK
| | - Karen Sarkisyan
- Synthetic Biology Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK
| | - Chris Schiering
- Inflammation and Obesity Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK
| | - Zoe Webster
- Transgenics & Embryonic Stem Cell Facility, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK
| | - Matthias Merkenschlager
- Lymphocyte Development Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK
| | - Amanda G Fisher
- Epigenetic Memory Group, MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 OHS, UK.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
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4
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Singh R, Chandel S, Ghosh A, Gautam A, Huson DH, Ravichandiran V, Ghosh D. Easy efficient HDR-based targeted knock-in in Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome using CRISPR-Cas9 system. Bioengineered 2022; 13:14857-14871. [PMID: 36602175 PMCID: PMC10109214 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2162667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
During the last two decades, yeast has been used as a biological tool to produce various small molecules, biofuels, etc., using an inexpensive bioprocess. The application of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) techniques in yeast genetic and metabolic engineering has made a paradigm shift, particularly with a significant improvement in targeted chromosomal integration using synthetic donor constructs, which was previously a challenge. This study reports the CRISPR-Cas9-based highly efficient strategy for targeted chromosomal integration and in-frame expression of a foreign gene in the genome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) by homology-dependent recombination (HDR); our optimized methods show that CRISPR-Cas9-based chromosomal targeted integration of small constructs at multiple target sites of the yeast genome can be achieved with an efficiency of 74%. Our study also suggests that 15 bp microhomology flanked arms are sufficient for 50% targeted knock-in at minimal knock-in construct concentration. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed that there is no off-target effect. This study provides a comprehensive and streamlined protocol that will support the targeted integration of essential genes into the yeast genome for synthetic biology and other industrial purposes.Highlights• CRISPR-Cas9 based in-frame expression of foreign protein in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using Homology arm without a promoter.• As low as 15 base pairs of microhomology (HDR) are sufficient for targeted integration in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.• The methodology is highly efficient and very specific as no off-targeted effects were shown by the whole-genome sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajveer Singh
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Shivani Chandel
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Arijit Ghosh
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India.,Department of Molecular Biology and Gynaecological Oncology, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute, Kolkata, India
| | - Anupam Gautam
- Algorithms in Bioinformatics, Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School "From Molecules to Organisms", Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel H Huson
- Algorithms in Bioinformatics, Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,International Max Planck Research School "From Molecules to Organisms", Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - V Ravichandiran
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
| | - Dipanjan Ghosh
- Department of Natural Products, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India
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5
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Akbaba H, Erel-Akbaba G, Senturk S. Special Focus Issue Part II: Recruitment of solid lipid nanoparticles for the delivery of CRISPR/Cas9: primary evaluation of anticancer gene editing. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2021; 16:963-978. [PMID: 33970666 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2020-0412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a promising gene-editing tool for various anticancer therapies; however, development of a biocompatible, nonviral and efficient delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 expression systems remains a challenge. Materials & methods: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were produced based on pseudo and 3D ternary plots. Obtained SLNs and their complexes with PX458 plasmid DNA were characterized and evaluated in terms of cytotoxicity and transfection efficiency. Results: SLNs were found to be nanosized, monodispersed, stable and nontoxic. Furthermore, they revealed similar transfection efficiency as the positive control. Conclusion: Overall, we have achieved a good SLN basis for CRISPR/Cas9 delivery and have the potential to produce SLNs with targeted anticancer properties by modifying production parameters and components to facilitate translating CRISPR/Cas9 into preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Akbaba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ege University, Izmir, 35100, Turkey
| | - Gulsah Erel-Akbaba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, 35620, Turkey
| | - Serif Senturk
- Izmir Biomedicine & Genome Center, Izmir, 35340, Turkey.,Genome Sciences & Molecular Biotechnology, Izmir International Biomedicine & Genome Institute, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, 35340, Turkey
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6
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Rettman P, Blunt MD, Fulton RJ, Vallejo AF, Bastidas-Legarda LY, España-Serrano L, Polak ME, Al-Shamkhani A, Retiere C, Khakoo SI. Peptide: MHC-based DNA vaccination strategy to activate natural killer cells by targeting killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:e001912. [PMID: 34016721 PMCID: PMC8141441 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Natural killer (NK) cells are increasingly being recognized as agents for cancer immunotherapy. The killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are expressed by NK cells and are immunogenetic determinants of the outcome of cancer. In particular, KIR2DS2 is associated with protective responses to several cancers and also direct recognition of cancer targets in vitro. Due to the high homology between activating and inhibitory KIR genes to date, it has been challenging to target individual KIR for therapeutic benefit. METHODS A novel KIR2DS2-targeting therapeutic peptide:MHC DNA vaccine was designed and used to immunize mice transgenic for KIR genes (KIR-Tg). NK cells were isolated from the livers and spleens of vaccinated mice and then analyzed for activation by flow cytometry, RNA profiling and cytotoxicity assays. In vivo assays of NK cell function using a syngeneic cancer model (B16 melanoma) and an adoptive transfer model for human hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh7) were performed. RESULTS Injecting KIR-Tg mice with the vaccine construct activated NK cells in both liver and spleens of mice, with preferential activation of KIR2DS2-positive NK cells. KIR-specific activation was most marked on the CD11b+CD27+ mature subset of NK cells. RNA profiling indicated that the DNA vaccine upregulated genes associated with cellular metabolism and downregulated genes related to histone H3 methylation, which are associated with immune cell maturation and NK cell function. Vaccination led to canonical and cross-reactive peptide:MHC-specific NK cell responses. In vivo, DNA vaccination led to enhanced antitumor responses against B16F10 melanoma cells and also enhanced responses against a tumor model expressing the KIR2DS2 ligand HLA-C*0102. CONCLUSION We show the feasibility of a peptide-based KIR-targeting vaccine strategy to activate NK cells and hence generate functional antitumor responses. This approach does not require detailed knowledge of the tumor peptidomes nor HLA matching with the patient. It therefore offers a novel opportunity for targeting NK cells for cancer immunotherapy.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage
- Cancer Vaccines/genetics
- Cancer Vaccines/immunology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Cytotoxicity, Immunologic/drug effects
- HLA-C Antigens/administration & dosage
- HLA-C Antigens/genetics
- HLA-C Antigens/immunology
- Haplotypes
- Humans
- Killer Cells, Natural/drug effects
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism
- Lectins, C-Type/genetics
- Lectins, C-Type/immunology
- Lectins, C-Type/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/genetics
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/drug effects
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/immunology
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/metabolism
- Melanoma, Experimental/drug therapy
- Melanoma, Experimental/genetics
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/metabolism
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Transgenic
- Peptides/administration & dosage
- Peptides/genetics
- Peptides/immunology
- Receptors, Immunologic/genetics
- Receptors, Immunologic/immunology
- Receptors, Immunologic/metabolism
- Receptors, KIR/genetics
- Receptors, KIR/immunology
- Receptors, KIR/metabolism
- Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Skin Neoplasms/genetics
- Skin Neoplasms/immunology
- Skin Neoplasms/metabolism
- Vaccination
- Vaccines, DNA/administration & dosage
- Vaccines, DNA/genetics
- Vaccines, DNA/immunology
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Rettman
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Matthew D Blunt
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Rebecca J Fulton
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Andres F Vallejo
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Leidy Y Bastidas-Legarda
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Laura España-Serrano
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Marta E Polak
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Aymen Al-Shamkhani
- Antibody and Vaccine Group, Centre for Cancer Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | | | - Salim I Khakoo
- School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
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7
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Lee JH, Won HJ, Oh ES, Oh MH, Jung JH. Golden Gate Cloning-Compatible DNA Replicon/2A-Mediated Polycistronic Vectors for Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:559365. [PMID: 33193484 PMCID: PMC7609577 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.559365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The expression of multiple proteins and high-throughput vector assembly system are highly relevant in the field of plant genetic engineering and synthetic biology. Deployment of the self-cleaving 2A peptide that mediates polycistronic gene expression has been an effective strategy for multigene expression, as it minimizes issues in coordinated transgene regulation and trait staking in plants. However, efficient vector assembly systems optimized for 2A peptide-mediated polycistronic expression are currently unavailable. Furthermore, it is unclear whether protein expression levels are influenced by the transgene position in the polycistronic expression cassette. In this article, we present Golden Gate cloning-compatible modular systems allowing rapid and flexible construction of polycistronic expression vectors applicable for plants. The genetic modules comprised 2A peptides (T2A and P2A)-linked tricistron expression cassette and its acceptor backbones, named pGO-DV1 and pGO-DV2. While both acceptor backbones were binary T-DNA vectors, pGO-DV2 was specially designed to function as a DNA replicon enhancing gene expression levels. Using the Golden Gate cloning, a set of six tricistronic vectors was constructed, whereby three transgenes encoding fluorescent proteins (mCherry, eYFP, and eGFP) were combinatorially placed along the expression cassette in each of the binary vectors. Transient expression of the construct in tobacco leaves revealed that the expression levels of three fluorescent proteins were comparable each other regardless of the gene positions in the tricistronic expression cassette. pGO-DV2-based constructs were able to increase protein expression level by up to 71%, as compared to pGO-DV1-based constructs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Hoon Lee
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, South Korea
| | - Hyo Jun Won
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Eun-Seok Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Man-Ho Oh
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, South Korea
| | - Je Hyeong Jung
- Smart Farm Research Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung, South Korea
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8
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Development of a Mouse Reporter Strain for the Purinergic P2X 2 Receptor. eNeuro 2020; 7:ENEURO.0203-20.2020. [PMID: 32669344 PMCID: PMC7418537 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0203-20.2020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The ATP-sensitive P2X2 ionotropic receptor plays a critical role in a number of signal processes including taste and hearing, carotid body detection of hypoxia, the exercise pressor reflex and sensory transduction of mechanical stimuli in the airways and bladder. Elucidation of the role of P2X2 has been hindered by the lack of selective tools. In particular, detection of P2X2 using established pharmacological and biochemical techniques yields dramatically different expression patterns, particularly in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Here, we have developed a knock-in P2X2-cre mouse, which we crossed with a cre-sensitive tdTomato reporter mouse to determine P2X2 expression. P2X2 was found in more than 80% of nodose vagal afferent neurons, but not in jugular vagal afferent neurons. Reporter expression correlated in vagal neurons with sensitivity to α,β methylene ATP (αβmATP). P2X2 was expressed in 75% of petrosal afferents, but only 12% and 4% of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and trigeminal afferents, respectively. P2X2 expression was limited to very few cell types systemically. Together with the central terminals of P2X2-expressing afferents, reporter expression in the CNS was mainly found in brainstem neurons projecting mossy fibers to the cerebellum, with little expression in the hippocampus or cortex. The structure of peripheral terminals of P2X2-expressing afferents was demonstrated in the tongue (taste buds), carotid body, trachea and esophagus. P2X2 was observed in hair cells and support cells in the cochlear, but not in spiral afferent neurons. This mouse strain provides a novel approach to the identification and manipulation of P2X2-expressing cell types.
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9
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Müntjes K, Philipp M, Hüsemann L, Heucken N, Weidtkamp-Peters S, Schipper K, Zurbriggen MD, Feldbrügge M. Establishing Polycistronic Expression in the Model Microorganism Ustilago maydis. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1384. [PMID: 32670239 PMCID: PMC7326815 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic microorganisms use monocistronic mRNAs to encode proteins. For synthetic biological approaches like metabolic engineering, precise co-expression of several proteins in space and time is advantageous. A straightforward approach is the application of viral 2A peptides to design synthetic polycistronic mRNAs in eukaryotes. During translation of these peptides the ribosome stalls, the peptide chain is released and the ribosome resumes translation. Thus, two independent polypeptide chains can be encoded from a single mRNA when a 2A peptide sequence is placed inbetween the two open reading frames. Here, we establish such a system in the well-studied model microorganism Ustilago maydis. Using two fluorescence reporter proteins, we compared the activity of five viral 2A peptides. Their activity was evaluated in vivo using fluorescence microscopy and validated using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Activity ranged from 20 to 100% and the best performing 2A peptide was P2A from porcine teschovirus-1. As proof of principle, we followed regulated gene expression efficiently over time and synthesised a tri-cistronic mRNA encoding biosynthetic enzymes to produce mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs). In essence, we evaluated 2A peptides in vivo and demonstrated the applicability of 2A peptide technology for U. maydis in basic and applied science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kira Müntjes
- Institute for Microbiology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Magnus Philipp
- Institute for Microbiology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lisa Hüsemann
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Nicole Heucken
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Kerstin Schipper
- Institute for Microbiology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Matias D. Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michael Feldbrügge
- Institute for Microbiology, Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences, Bioeconomy Science Centre, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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10
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Zhang Z, Zhang W, Nam YJ. Stoichiometric optimization of Gata4, Hand2, Mef2c, and Tbx5 expression for contractile cardiomyocyte reprogramming. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14970. [PMID: 31628386 PMCID: PMC6800441 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51536-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Reprogramming of fibroblasts to induced cardiomyocyte-like cells (iCMs) offers potential strategies for new cardiomyocyte generation. However, a major challenge of this approach remains its low efficiency for contractile iCMs. Here, we showed that controlled stoichiometric expression of Gata4 (G), Hand2 (H), Mef2c (M), and Tbx5 (T) significantly enhanced contractile cardiomyocyte reprogramming over previously defined stoichiometric expression of GMT or uncontrolled expression of GHMT. We generated quad-cistronic vectors expressing distinct relative protein levels of GHMT within the context of a previously defined splicing order of M-G-T with high Mef2c level. Transduction of the quad-cistronic vector with a splicing order of M-G-T-H (referred to as M-G-T-H) inducing relatively low Hand2 and high Mef2c protein levels not only increased sarcomeric protein induction, but also markedly promoted the development of contractile structures and functions in fibroblasts. The expressed Gata4 and Tbx5 protein levels by M-G-T-H transduction were relatively higher than those by transductions of other quad-cistronic vectors, but lower than those by previously defined M-G-T tri-cistronic vector transduction. Taken together, our results demonstrate the stoichiometric requirement of GHMT expression for structural and functional progresses of cardiomyocyte reprogramming and provide a new basic tool-set for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhentao Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Wenhui Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Young-Jae Nam
- Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. .,Vanderbilt Center for Stem Cell Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.
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11
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Greene A, Pascarelli K, Broccoli D, Perkins E. Engineering Synthetic Chromosomes by Sequential Loading of Multiple Genomic Payloads over 100 Kilobase Pairs in Size. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2019; 13:463-473. [PMID: 31193384 PMCID: PMC6527818 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Gene delivery vehicles currently in the clinic for treatment of monogenic disorders lack sufficient carrying capacity to efficiently address complex polygenic diseases. Thus, to engineer multifaceted genetic circuits for bioengineering human cells as a therapeutic option for polygenic diseases, we require new tools that are currently in their infancy. Mammalian artificial chromosomes, or synthetic chromosomes, represent a viable approach for delivery of large genetic payloads that are mitotically stable and remain independent of the host genome. Previously, we described a mammalian synthetic chromosome platform, termed the ACE system, that requires a single unidirectional integrase for the introduction of multiple genes onto the ACE platform chromosome. In this report, we provide a proof of concept that the ACE synthetic chromosome bioengineering platform is amenable to sequential delivery of off-the-shelf large genomic fragments. Specifically, large genomic clones spanning the human solute carrier family 2, facilitated glucose transporter member 1 (SLC2A1 or GLUT1, 169 kbp), and human monocarboxylate transporter 1 (SLC16A1 or MCT1, 144 kbp) genetic loci were engineered onto the ACE platform and demonstrated to express and correctly splice both gene transcripts. Thus, the ACE system provides a facile and tractable engineering platform for the development of gene-based therapeutic agents targeting polygenic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy Greene
- Department of Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
- SynPloid Biotek, LLC, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
| | | | - Dominique Broccoli
- Department of Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
- SynPloid Biotek, LLC, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
| | - Edward Perkins
- Department of Medical Sciences, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
- SynPloid Biotek, LLC, Savannah, GA 31404, USA
- Corresponding author: Edward Perkins, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA 31404, USA.
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12
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Souza-Moreira TM, Navarrete C, Chen X, Zanelli CF, Valentini SR, Furlan M, Nielsen J, Krivoruchko A. Screening of 2A peptides for polycistronic gene expression in yeast. FEMS Yeast Res 2018; 18:4956763. [DOI: 10.1093/femsyr/foy036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana M Souza-Moreira
- Department of Organic Chemistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rua Prof. Francisco Degni, 55, Quitandinha, Araraquara 14800-060, Brazil
| | - Clara Navarrete
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Xin Chen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
| | - Cleslei F Zanelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jau km 1, Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
| | - Sandro R Valentini
- Department of Biological Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rod. Araraquara-Jau km 1, Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
| | - Maysa Furlan
- Department of Organic Chemistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Rua Prof. Francisco Degni, 55, Quitandinha, Araraquara 14800-060, Brazil
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Anastasia Krivoruchko
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Kemivägen 10, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
- Biopetrolia AB, Kemivägen 10, Gothenburg 41296, Sweden
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13
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Dormiani K, Mir Mohammad Sadeghi H, Sadeghi-Aliabadi H, Forouzanfar M, Baharvand H, Ghaedi K, Nasr-Esfahani MH. Rational Development of A Polycistronic Plasmid with A CpG-Free Bacterial Backbone as A Potential Tool for Direct Reprogramming. CELL JOURNAL 2016; 18:565-581. [PMID: 28042541 PMCID: PMC5086335 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2016.4723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Objective Induced pluripotent stem cells are generated from somatic cells by direct reprogramming. These reprogrammed pluripotent cells have different applications in biomedical fields such as regenerative medicine. Although viral vectors are widely used for
efficient reprogramming, they have limited applications in the clinic due to the risk for
immunogenicity and insertional mutagenesis. Accordingly, we designed and developed a
small, non-integrating plasmid named pLENSO/Zeo as a 2A-mediated polycistronic expression vector.
Materials and Methods In this experimental study, we developed a single plasmid which
includes a single expression cassette containing open reading frames of human LIN28,
NANOG, SOX2 and OCT4 along with an EGFP reporter gene. Each reprogramming factor is separated by an intervening sequence that encodes a 2A self-processing peptide.
The reprogramming cassette is located downstream of a CMV promoter. The vector is
easily propagated in the E. coli GT115 strain through a CpG-depleted vector backbone.
We evaluated the stability of the constructed vector bioinformatically, and its ability to stoichiometric expression of the reprogramming factors using quantitative molecular methods
analysis after transient transfection into HEK293 cells.
Results In the present study, we developed a nonviral episomal vector named pLENSO/
Zeo. Our results demonstrated the general structural stability of the plasmid DNA. This
relatively small vector showed concomitant, high-level expression of the four reprogramming factors with similar titers, which are considered as the critical parameters for efficient
and consistent reprogramming.
Conclusion According to our experimental results, this stable extrachromosomal plasmid expresses reliable amounts of four reprogramming factors simultaneously. Consequently, these promising results encouraged us to evaluate the capability of pLENSO/Zeo
as a simple and feasible tool for generation of induced pluripotent stem cells from primary
cells in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kianoush Dormiani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hamid Mir Mohammad Sadeghi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hojjat Sadeghi-Aliabadi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mahboobeh Forouzanfar
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran; Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamran Ghaedi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran; Department of Biology, School of Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
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14
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Hartl M. The Quest for Targets Executing MYC-Dependent Cell Transformation. Front Oncol 2016; 6:132. [PMID: 27313991 PMCID: PMC4889588 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2016.00132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 05/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
MYC represents a transcription factor with oncogenic potential converting multiple cellular signals into a broad transcriptional response, thereby controlling the expression of numerous protein-coding and non-coding RNAs important for cell proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis. Constitutive activation of MYC leads to neoplastic cell transformation, and deregulated MYC alleles are frequently observed in many human cancer cell types. Multiple approaches have been performed to isolate genes differentially expressed in cells containing aberrantly activated MYC proteins leading to the identification of thousands of putative targets. Functional analyses of genes differentially expressed in MYC-transformed cells had revealed that so far more than 40 upregulated or downregulated MYC targets are actively involved in cell transformation or tumorigenesis. However, further systematic and selective approaches are required for determination of the known or yet unidentified targets responsible for processing the oncogenic MYC program. The search for critical targets in MYC-dependent tumor cells is exacerbated by the fact that during tumor development, cancer cells progressively evolve in a multistep process, thereby acquiring their characteristic features in an additive manner. Functional expression cloning, combinatorial gene expression, and appropriate in vivo tests could represent adequate tools for dissecting the complex scenario of MYC-specified cell transformation. In this context, the central goal is to identify a minimal set of targets that suffices to phenocopy oncogenic MYC. Recently developed genomic editing tools could be employed to confirm the requirement of crucial transformation-associated targets. Knowledge about essential MYC-regulated genes is beneficial to expedite the development of specific inhibitors to interfere with growth and viability of human tumor cells in which MYC is aberrantly activated. Approaches based on the principle of synthetic lethality using MYC-overexpressing cancer cells and chemical or RNAi libraries have been employed to search for novel anticancer drugs, also leading to the identification of several druggable targets. Targeting oncogenic MYC effector genes instead of MYC may lead to compounds with higher specificities and less side effects. This class of drugs could also display a wider pharmaceutical window because physiological functions of MYC, which are important for normal cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation would be less impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hartl
- Institute of Biochemistry and Center of Molecular Biosciences (CMBI), University of Innsbruck , Innsbruck , Austria
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15
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The herpes virus Fc receptor gE-gI mediates antibody bipolar bridging to clear viral antigens from the cell surface. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1003961. [PMID: 24604090 PMCID: PMC3946383 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein gE-gI is a transmembrane Fc receptor found on the surface of infected cells and virions that binds human immunoglobulin G (hIgG). gE-gI can also participate in antibody bipolar bridging (ABB), a process by which the antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) of the IgG bind a viral antigen while the Fc binds to gE-gI. IgG Fc binds gE-gI at basic, but not acidic, pH, suggesting that IgG bound at extracellular pH by cell surface gE-gI would dissociate and be degraded in acidic endosomes/lysosomes if endocytosed. The fate of viral antigens associated with gE-gI-bound IgG had been unknown: they could remain at the cell surface or be endocytosed with IgG. Here, we developed an in vitro model system for ABB and investigated the trafficking of ABB complexes using 4-D confocal fluorescence imaging of ABB complexes with transferrin or epidermal growth factor, well-characterized intracellular trafficking markers. Our data showed that cells expressing gE-gI and the viral antigen HSV-1 gD endocytosed anti-gD IgG and gD in a gE-gI-dependent process, resulting in lysosomal localization. These results suggest that gE-gI can mediate clearance of infected cell surfaces of anti-viral host IgG and viral antigens to evade IgG-mediated responses, representing a general mechanism for viral Fc receptors in immune evasion and viral pathogenesis.
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16
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Zhang XB. Cellular reprogramming of human peripheral blood cells. GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2013; 11:264-74. [PMID: 24060839 PMCID: PMC4357833 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2013.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Revised: 08/29/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Breakthroughs in cell fate conversion have made it possible to generate large quantities of patient-specific cells for regenerative medicine. Due to multiple advantages of peripheral blood cells over fibroblasts from skin biopsy, the use of blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) instead of skin fibroblasts will expedite reprogramming research and broaden the application of reprogramming technology. This review discusses current progress and challenges of generating induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from peripheral blood MNCs and of in vitro and in vivo conversion of blood cells into cells of therapeutic value, such as mesenchymal stem cells, neural cells and hepatocytes. An optimized design of lentiviral vectors is necessary to achieve high reprogramming efficiency of peripheral blood cells. More recently, non-integrating vectors such as Sendai virus and episomal vectors have been successfully employed in generating integration-free iPSCs and somatic stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Bing Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92354, USA.
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