1
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Lampinen V, Gröhn S, Lehmler N, Jartti M, Hytönen VP, Schubert M, Hankaniemi MM. Production of norovirus-, rotavirus-, and enterovirus-like particles in insect cells is simplified by plasmid-based expression. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14874. [PMID: 38937523 PMCID: PMC11211442 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65316-6] [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: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Insect cells have long been the main expression host of many virus-like particles (VLP). VLPs resemble the respective viruses but are non-infectious. They are important in vaccine development and serve as safe model systems in virus research. Commonly, baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is used for VLP production. Here, we present an alternative, plasmid-based system for VLP expression, which offers distinct advantages: in contrast to BEVS, it avoids contamination by baculoviral particles and proteins, can maintain cell viability over the whole process, production of alphanodaviral particles will not be induced, and optimization of expression vectors and their ratios is simple. We compared the production of noro-, rota- and entero-VLP in the plasmid-based system to the standard process in BEVS. For noro- and entero-VLPs, similar yields could be achieved, whereas production of rota-VLP requires some further optimization. Nevertheless, in all cases, particles were formed, the expression process was simplified compared to BEVS and potential for the plasmid-based system was validated. This study demonstrates that plasmid-based transfection offers a viable option for production of noro-, rota- and entero-VLPs in insect cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vili Lampinen
- Virology and Vaccine Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Protein Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Stina Gröhn
- Virology and Vaccine Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Nina Lehmler
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Minne Jartti
- Virology and Vaccine Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Vesa P Hytönen
- Protein Dynamics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Maren Schubert
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Minna M Hankaniemi
- Virology and Vaccine Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
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2
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Schütz A, Bernhard F, Berrow N, Buyel JF, Ferreira-da-Silva F, Haustraete J, van den Heuvel J, Hoffmann JE, de Marco A, Peleg Y, Suppmann S, Unger T, Vanhoucke M, Witt S, Remans K. A concise guide to choosing suitable gene expression systems for recombinant protein production. STAR Protoc 2023; 4:102572. [PMID: 37917580 PMCID: PMC10643540 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2023.102572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This overview guides both novices and experienced researchers facing challenging targets to select the most appropriate gene expression system for producing a particular protein. By answering four key questions, readers can determine the most suitable gene expression system following a decision scheme. This guide addresses the most commonly used and accessible systems and provides brief descriptions of the main gene expression systems' key characteristics to assist decision making. Additionally, information has been included for selected less frequently used "exotic" gene expression systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Schütz
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Technology Platform for Protein Production & Characterization, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Bernhard
- Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, Centre of Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance, Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Nick Berrow
- Protein Expression Core Facility, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Johannes F Buyel
- Univeristy of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering (IBSE), Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Frederico Ferreira-da-Silva
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC) and Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Jurgen Haustraete
- VIB, Center for Inflammation Research & Ugent, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Department of Structure and Function of Proteins, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jan-Erik Hoffmann
- Protein Chemistry Facility, Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Ario de Marco
- Laboratory of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Nova Gorica, Vipavska Cesta 13, 5000 Nova Gorica, Slovenia
| | - Yoav Peleg
- Structural Proteomics Unit (SPU), Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities (LSCF), Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sabine Suppmann
- Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Tamar Unger
- Structural Proteomics Unit (SPU), Department of Life Sciences Core Facilities (LSCF), Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Martine Vanhoucke
- BCCM/GeneCorner Plasmid Collection, Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 71, 9052 Gent, Belgium
| | - Susanne Witt
- Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kim Remans
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Protein Expression and Purification Core Facility, Meyerhofstrasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
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3
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Schwanke H, Gonçalves Magalhães V, Schmelz S, Wyler E, Hennig T, Günther T, Grundhoff A, Dölken L, Landthaler M, van Ham M, Jänsch L, Büssow K, van den Heuvel J, Blankenfeldt W, Friedel CC, Erhard F, Brinkmann MM. The Cytomegalovirus M35 Protein Directly Binds to the Interferon-β Enhancer and Modulates Transcription of Ifnb1 and Other IRF3-Driven Genes. J Virol 2023; 97:e0040023. [PMID: 37289084 PMCID: PMC10308904 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00400-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Induction of type I interferon (IFN) gene expression is among the first lines of cellular defense a virus encounters during primary infection. We previously identified the tegument protein M35 of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) as an essential antagonist of this antiviral system, showing that M35 interferes with type I IFN induction downstream of pattern-recognition receptor (PRR) activation. Here, we report structural and mechanistic details of M35's function. Determination of M35's crystal structure combined with reverse genetics revealed that homodimerization is a key feature for M35's immunomodulatory activity. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), purified M35 protein specifically bound to the regulatory DNA element that governs transcription of the first type I IFN gene induced in nonimmune cells, Ifnb1. DNA-binding sites of M35 overlapped with the recognition elements of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a key transcription factor activated by PRR signaling. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) showed reduced binding of IRF3 to the host Ifnb1 promoter in the presence of M35. We furthermore defined the IRF3-dependent and the type I IFN signaling-responsive genes in murine fibroblasts by RNA sequencing of metabolically labeled transcripts (SLAM-seq) and assessed M35's global effect on gene expression. Stable expression of M35 broadly influenced the transcriptome in untreated cells and specifically downregulated basal expression of IRF3-dependent genes. During MCMV infection, M35 impaired expression of IRF3-responsive genes aside of Ifnb1. Our results suggest that M35-DNA binding directly antagonizes gene induction mediated by IRF3 and impairs the antiviral response more broadly than formerly recognized. IMPORTANCE Replication of the ubiquitous human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in healthy individuals mostly goes unnoticed but can impair fetal development or cause life-threatening symptoms in immunosuppressed or -deficient patients. Like other herpesviruses, CMV extensively manipulates its hosts and establishes lifelong latent infections. Murine CMV (MCMV) presents an important model system as it allows the study of CMV infection in the host organism. We previously showed that during entry into host cells, MCMV virions release the evolutionary conserved protein M35 protein to immediately dampen the antiviral type I interferon (IFN) response induced by pathogen detection. Here, we show that M35 dimers bind to regulatory DNA elements and interfere with recruitment of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a key cellular factor for antiviral gene expression. Thereby, M35 interferes with expression of type I IFNs and other IRF3-dependent genes, reflecting the importance for herpesviruses to avoid IRF3-mediated gene induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hella Schwanke
- Institute of Genetics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- Virology and Innate Immunity Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Schmelz
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Emanuel Wyler
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Hennig
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Lars Dölken
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Landthaler
- Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Marco van Ham
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lothar Jänsch
- Cellular Proteome Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Microbiology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Konrad Büssow
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Wulf Blankenfeldt
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Caroline C. Friedel
- Institute of Informatics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Erhard
- Institute for Virology and Immunobiology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Melanie M. Brinkmann
- Institute of Genetics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- Virology and Innate Immunity Research Group, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
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4
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Kaipa JM, Krasnoselska G, Owens RJ, van den Heuvel J. Screening of Membrane Protein Production by Comparison of Transient Expression in Insect and Mammalian Cells. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050817. [PMID: 37238687 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050817] [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: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins are difficult biomolecules to express and purify. In this paper, we compare the small-scale production of six selected eukaryotic integral membrane proteins in insect and mammalian cell expression systems using different techniques for gene delivery. The target proteins were C terminally fused to the green fluorescent marker protein GFP to enable sensitive monitoring. We show that the choice of expression systems makes a considerable difference to the yield and quality of the six selected membrane proteins. Virus-free transient gene expression (TGE) in insect High Five cells combined with solubilization in dodecylmaltoside plus cholesteryl hemisuccinate generated the most homogeneous samples for all six targets. Further, the affinity purification of the solubilized proteins using the Twin-Strep® tag improved protein quality in terms of yield and homogeneity compared to His-tag purification. TGE in High Five insect cells offers a fast and economically attractive alternative to the established methods that require either baculovirus construction and the infection of the insect cells or relatively expensive transient gene expression in mammalian cells for the production of integral membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ganna Krasnoselska
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 18.5, 42, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Raymond J Owens
- Structural Biology Division, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK
- Rosalind Franklin Institute, Harwell Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Helmholtz Center for Infection Research, Department of Structure and Function of Proteins, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
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5
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Hu D, Xie X, Zhang T, Yu Y, Xu Z, Zhang Y, Liu Q. A lef5-deficient baculovirus expression system with no virion contamination and promoting secretion. J Biotechnol 2023; 365:20-28. [PMID: 36709001 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2023.01.013] [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: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The baculovirus expression system (BEVS) is widely used in biomanufacturing. However, massive late and very late genes are expressed during baculovirus infection of the host cell, and the protein aggregation has a significant negative impact on the intercellular environment of cells and organelle function. Baculovirus particle contamination also hinders the purification of particulate products. In this study, a novel baculovirus vector of deficient-lef5 (Ac-Δlef5) was established to prevent the production of baculovirus particles. It could transduce cells and replicate viral DNA but the expression of the late and very late genes was reduced so that no virus was packed and budded. The Ac-Δlef5 expression system was successfully used to express a secreted protein, thyroid peroxidase (TPO). Compared to wild-type baculovirus (Ac-wt), Ac-Δlef5 delayed the decline in cell viability and prolonged the harvest period from 4 to 6 days after infection. When expressed in the Ac-Δlef5 system, 98% of TPO was secreted extracellularly, which was about 1.8 times that of the Ac-wt system. Meanwhile, the transcription levels of protein folding-related genes were significantly increased. The results show that the Ac-Δlef5 system is a potential novel viral-free baculovirus expression system, which omits the virion removal operation in biomanufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Die Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xueman Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yue Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhenhe Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Yuanxing Zhang
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Qin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Optogenetic Techniques for Cell Metabolism, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Biomanufacturing, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237, China.
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6
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Jaron M, Lehky M, Zarà M, Zaydowicz CN, Lak A, Ballmann R, Heine PA, Wenzel EV, Schneider KT, Bertoglio F, Kempter S, Köster RW, Barbieri SS, van den Heuvel J, Hust M, Dübel S, Schubert M. Baculovirus-Free SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Production in Insect Cells for Rapid Neutralization Assessment. Viruses 2022. [PMID: 36298643 DOI: 10.3390/v14102087/s1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) resemble authentic virus while not containing any genomic information. Here, we present a fast and powerful method for the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLP in insect cells and the application of these VLPs to evaluate the inhibition capacity of monoclonal antibodies and sera of vaccinated donors. Our method avoids the baculovirus-based approaches commonly used in insect cells by employing direct plasmid transfection to co-express SARS-CoV-2 envelope, membrane, and spike protein that self-assemble into VLPs. After optimization of the expression plasmids and vector ratios, VLPs with an ~145 nm diameter and the typical "Corona" aura were obtained, as confirmed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fusion of the membrane protein to GFP allowed direct quantification of binding inhibition to angiotensin II-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on cells by therapeutic antibody candidates or sera from vaccinated individuals. Neither VLP purification nor fluorescent labeling by secondary antibodies are required to perform these flow cytometric assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Jaron
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Lehky
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marta Zarà
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Chris Nicole Zaydowicz
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Aidin Lak
- Institute for Electrical Measurement Science and Fundamental Electrical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rico Ballmann
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Kai-Thomas Schneider
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Susanne Kempter
- Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Reinhard Wolfgang Köster
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silvia Stella Barbieri
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Schubert
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
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7
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Jaron M, Lehky M, Zarà M, Zaydowicz CN, Lak A, Ballmann R, Heine PA, Wenzel EV, Schneider KT, Bertoglio F, Kempter S, Köster RW, Barbieri SS, van den Heuvel J, Hust M, Dübel S, Schubert M. Baculovirus-Free SARS-CoV-2 Virus-like Particle Production in Insect Cells for Rapid Neutralization Assessment. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102087. [PMID: 36298643 PMCID: PMC9606917 DOI: 10.3390/v14102087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-like particles (VLPs) resemble authentic virus while not containing any genomic information. Here, we present a fast and powerful method for the production of SARS-CoV-2 VLP in insect cells and the application of these VLPs to evaluate the inhibition capacity of monoclonal antibodies and sera of vaccinated donors. Our method avoids the baculovirus-based approaches commonly used in insect cells by employing direct plasmid transfection to co-express SARS-CoV-2 envelope, membrane, and spike protein that self-assemble into VLPs. After optimization of the expression plasmids and vector ratios, VLPs with an ~145 nm diameter and the typical “Corona” aura were obtained, as confirmed by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Fusion of the membrane protein to GFP allowed direct quantification of binding inhibition to angiotensin II-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on cells by therapeutic antibody candidates or sera from vaccinated individuals. Neither VLP purification nor fluorescent labeling by secondary antibodies are required to perform these flow cytometric assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Jaron
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Lehky
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marta Zarà
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Chris Nicole Zaydowicz
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Aidin Lak
- Institute for Electrical Measurement Science and Fundamental Electrical Engineering, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Straße 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rico Ballmann
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Kai-Thomas Schneider
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Susanne Kempter
- Department of Physics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Geschwister-Scholl-Platz 1, 80539 München, Germany
| | - Reinhard Wolfgang Köster
- Division of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, Zoological Institute, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Silvia Stella Barbieri
- Unit of Brain-Heart Axis, IRCCS Monzino Cardiology Center, Via C. Parea 4, 20138 Milano, Italy
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Recombinant Protein Expression Platform, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Schubert
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
- Correspondence:
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8
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Borovsky D, Breyssens H, Buytaert E, Peeters T, Laroye C, Stoffels K, Rougé P. Cloning and Characterization of Drosophila melanogaster Juvenile Hormone Epoxide Hydrolases (JHEH) and Their Promoters. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070991. [PMID: 35883546 PMCID: PMC9313241 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) plays an important role in the metabolism of JH III in insects. To study the control of JHEH in female Drosophila melanogaster, JHEH 1, 2 and 3 cDNAs were cloned and sequenced. Northern blot analyses showed that the three transcripts are expressed in the head thorax, the gut, the ovaries and the fat body of females. Molecular modeling shows that the enzyme is a homodimer that binds juvenile hormone III acid (JH IIIA) at the catalytic groove better than JH III. Analyses of the three JHEH promoters and expressing short promoter sequences behind a reporter gene (lacZ) in D. melanogaster cell culture identified a JHEH 3 promoter sequence (626 bp) that is 10- and 25-fold more active than the most active promoter sequences of JHEH 2 and JHEH 1, respectively. A transcription factor (TF) Sp1 that is involved in the activation of JHEH 3 promoter sequence was identified. Knocking down Sp1 using dsRNA inhibited the transcriptional activity of this promoter in transfected D. melanogaster cells and JH III and 20HE downregulated the JHEH 3 promoter. On the other hand, JH IIIA and farnesoic acid did not affect the promoter, indicating that JH IIIA is JHEH's preferred substrate. A transgenic D. melanogaster expressing a highly activated JHEH 3 promoter behind a lacZ reporter gene showed promoter transcriptional activity in many D. melanogaster tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dov Borovsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Hilde Breyssens
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Esther Buytaert
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Tom Peeters
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
- Open BioLab Brussels, Erasmushogeschool Brussels, 1210 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Carole Laroye
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Karolien Stoffels
- Zoological Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; (H.B.); (E.B.); (T.P.); (C.L.); (K.S.)
| | - Pierre Rougé
- Faculte des Sciences Pharmaceutiques, 31400 Tolouse, France;
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9
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Schubert M, Bertoglio F, Steinke S, Heine PA, Ynga-Durand MA, Maass H, Sammartino JC, Cassaniti I, Zuo F, Du L, Korn J, Milošević M, Wenzel EV, Krstanović F, Polten S, Pribanić-Matešić M, Brizić I, Baldanti F, Hammarström L, Dübel S, Šustić A, Marcotte H, Strengert M, Protić A, Piralla A, Pan-Hammarström Q, Čičin-Šain L, Hust M. Human serum from SARS-CoV-2-vaccinated and COVID-19 patients shows reduced binding to the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. BMC Med 2022; 20:102. [PMID: 35236358 PMCID: PMC8890955 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02312-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In November 2021, the Omicron variant was discovered and immediately classified as a variant of concern (VOC), since it shows substantially more mutations in the spike protein than any previous variant, especially in the receptor-binding domain (RBD). We analyzed the binding of the Omicron RBD to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor (ACE2) and the ability of human sera from COVID-19 patients or vaccinees in comparison to Wuhan, Beta, or Delta RBD variants. METHODS All RBDs were produced in insect cells. RBD binding to ACE2 was analyzed by ELISA and microscale thermophoresis (MST). Similarly, sera from 27 COVID-19 patients, 81 vaccinated individuals, and 34 booster recipients were titrated by ELISA on RBDs from the original Wuhan strain, Beta, Delta, and Omicron VOCs. In addition, the neutralization efficacy of authentic SARS-CoV-2 wild type (D614G), Delta, and Omicron by sera from 2× or 3× BNT162b2-vaccinated persons was analyzed. RESULTS Surprisingly, the Omicron RBD showed a somewhat weaker binding to ACE2 compared to Beta and Delta, arguing that improved ACE2 binding is not a likely driver of Omicron evolution. Serum antibody titers were significantly lower against Omicron RBD compared to the original Wuhan strain. A 2.6× reduction in Omicron RBD binding was observed for serum of 2× BNT162b2-vaccinated persons. Neutralization of Omicron SARS-CoV-2 was completely diminished in our setup. CONCLUSION These results indicate an immune escape focused on neutralizing antibodies. Nevertheless, a boost vaccination increased the level of anti-RBD antibodies against Omicron, and neutralization of authentic Omicron SARS-CoV-2 was at least partially restored. This study adds evidence that current vaccination protocols may be less efficient against the Omicron variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Schubert
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stephan Steinke
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mario Alberto Ynga-Durand
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department of Viral Immunology, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Henrike Maass
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department of Viral Immunology, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Josè Camilla Sammartino
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Irene Cassaniti
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Fanglei Zuo
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Likun Du
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Janin Korn
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.,Abcalis GmbH, Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marko Milošević
- Department of Anesthesiology, Reanimation, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Esther Veronika Wenzel
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.,Abcalis GmbH, Science Campus Braunschweig-Süd, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Fran Krstanović
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Saskia Polten
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Ilija Brizić
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Fausto Baldanti
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lennart Hammarström
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Alan Šustić
- Department of Anesthesiology, Reanimation, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Harold Marcotte
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Monika Strengert
- Department of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Alen Protić
- Department of Anesthesiology, Reanimation, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
| | - Antonio Piralla
- Microbiology and Virology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, 27100, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Paediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Luka Čičin-Šain
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Department of Viral Immunology, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany.,Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CIIM), a joint venture of Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Spielmannstr. 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
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10
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Samantsidis GR, Denecke S, Swevers L, Skavdis G, Geibel S, Vontas J. Identification of Helicoverpa armigera promoters for biotechnological applications. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 142:103725. [PMID: 35093501 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea are highly polyphagous major agricultural pests with a global distribution. Their control is based on insecticides, however, new, effective, and environmentally friendly control tools are required to be developed and validated. In an effort to facilitate the development of advanced biotechnological tools in these species that will take advantage of new powerful molecular biology techniques like CRISPR/Cas9, we used available transcriptomic data and literature resources, in order to identify RNA polymerase II and III promoters active in RP-HzGUT-AW1(MG), a midgut derived cell line from Helicoverpa zea. Following functional analysis in insect cell lines, four RNA polymerase II promoters from the genes HaLabial, HaTsp-2A, HaPtx-I and HaCaudal were found to exhibit high transcriptional activity in vitro. The HaTsp-2A promoter did not exhibit any activity in the non-midgut derived cell lines Sf-9 and Hi-5 despite high sequence conservation among Lepidoptera, suggesting that it may function in a gut specific manner. Furthermore, considering the utility of RNA polymerase III U6 promoters in methodologies such as RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9, we identified and evaluated four different U6 promoters of H. armigera. In vitro experiments based on luciferase and GFP reporter assays, as well as in vivo experiments targeting an essential gene of Helicoverpa, indicate that these U6 promoters are functional and can be used to experimentally silence or knockout target genes through the expression of shRNAs and sgRNAs respectively. Taking our findings together, we provide a set of promoters useful for the genetic manipulation of Helicoverpa species, that can be used in various applications in the context of agricultural biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- George-Rafael Samantsidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Vassilika Vouton, 71409, Heraklion, Crete, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Shane Denecke
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece.
| | - Luc Swevers
- Insect Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, National Centre for Scientific Research Demokritos, Institute of Biosciences and Applications, 15310, Athens, Greece
| | - George Skavdis
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Sven Geibel
- R&D Pest Control, Bayer AG, Crop Science Division, Monheim, Germany
| | - John Vontas
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece; Pesticide Science Lab, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece.
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11
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A Review on Transcriptional Responses of Interactions between Insect Vectors and Plant Viruses. Cells 2022; 11:cells11040693. [PMID: 35203347 PMCID: PMC8870222 DOI: 10.3390/cells11040693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This review provides a synopsis of transcriptional responses pertaining to interactions between plant viruses and the insect vectors that transmit them in diverse modes. In the process, it attempts to catalog differential gene expression pertinent to virus–vector interactions in vectors such as virus reception, virus cell entry, virus tissue tropism, virus multiplication, and vector immune responses. Whiteflies, leafhoppers, planthoppers, and thrips are the main insect groups reviewed, along with aphids and leaf beetles. Much of the focus on gene expression pertinent to vector–virus interactions has centered around whole-body RNA extraction, whereas data on virus-induced tissue-specific gene expression in vectors is limited. This review compares transcriptional responses in different insect groups following the acquisition of non-persistent, semi-persistent, and persistent (non-propagative and propagative) plant viruses and identifies parallels and divergences in gene expression patterns. Understanding virus-induced changes in vectors at a transcriptional level can aid in the identification of candidate genes for targeting with RNAi and/or CRISPR editing in insect vectors for management approaches.
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12
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Grose C, Putman Z, Esposito D. A review of alternative promoters for optimal recombinant protein expression in baculovirus-infected insect cells. Protein Expr Purif 2021; 186:105924. [PMID: 34087362 PMCID: PMC8266756 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2021.105924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Generating recombinant proteins in insect cells has been made possible via the use of the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS). Despite the success of many proteins via this platform, some targets remain a challenge due to issues such as cytopathic effects, the unpredictable nature of co-infection and co-expressions, and baculovirus genome instability. Many promoters have been assayed for the purpose of expressing diverse proteins in insect cells, and yet there remains a lack of implementation of those results when reviewing the landscape of commercially available baculovirus vectors. In advancing the platform to produce a greater variety of proteins and complexes, the development of such constructs cannot be avoided. A better understanding of viral gene regulation and promoter options including viral, synthetic, and insect-derived promoters will be beneficial to researchers looking to utilize BEVS by recruiting these intricate mechanisms of gene regulation for heterologous gene expression. Here we summarize some of the developments that could be utilized to improve the expression of recombinant proteins and multi-protein complexes in insect cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carissa Grose
- Protein Expression Laboratory, NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA.
| | - Zoe Putman
- Protein Expression Laboratory, NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
| | - Dominic Esposito
- Protein Expression Laboratory, NCI RAS Initiative, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, 21702, USA
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13
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Reproducible and Easy Production of Mammalian Proteins by Transient Gene Expression in High Five Insect Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 33950387 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1406-8_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The expression of mammalian recombinant proteins in insect cell lines using transient-plasmid-based gene expression enables the production of high-quality protein samples. Here, the procedure for virus-free transient gene expression (TGE) in High Five insect cells is described in detail. The parameters that determine the efficiency and reproducibility of the method are presented in a robust protocol for easy implementation and set-up of the method. The applicability of the TGE method in High Five cells for proteomic, structural, and functional analysis of the expressed proteins is shown.
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14
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Dias MM, Vidigal J, Sequeira DP, Alves PM, Teixeira AP, Roldão A. Insect High FiveTM cell line development using site-specific flipase recombination technology. G3-GENES GENOMES GENETICS 2021; 11:6274903. [PMID: 33982066 PMCID: PMC8763235 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkab166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Insect Trichoplusia ni High FiveTM (Hi5) cells have been widely explored for production of heterologous proteins, traditionally mostly using the lytic baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS), and more recently using virus-free transient gene expression systems. Stable expression in such host cells would circumvent the drawbacks associated with both systems when it comes to scale-up and implementation of more efficient high-cell density process modes for the manufacturing of biologics. In this work, we combined Flipase (Flp) recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) with fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) for generating a stable master clonal Hi5 cell line with the flexibility to express single or multiple proteins of interest from a tagged genomic locus. The 3-step protocol herein implemented consisted of (i) introducing the RMCE docking cassette into the cell genome by random integration followed by selection in Hygromycin B and FACS (Hi5-tagging population), (ii) eliminating cells tagged in loci with low recombination efficiency by transfecting the tagging population with an eGFP-containing target cassette followed by selection in G418 and FACS (Hi5-RMCE population), and (iii) isolation of pure eGFP-expressing cells by FACS and expansion to suspension cultures (Hi5-RMCE master clone). Exchangeability of the locus in the master clone was demonstrated in small-scale suspension cultures by replacing the target cassette by one containing a single protein (i.e. iCherry, as an intracellular protein model) or two proteins (i.e. influenza HA and M1 for virus-like particles production, as an extracellular protein model). Overall, the stable insect Hi5 cell platform herein assembled has the potential to assist and accelerate biologics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mafalda M Dias
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - João Vidigal
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniela P Sequeira
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Paula M Alves
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana P Teixeira
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 - Basel, Switzerland
| | - António Roldão
- IBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal.,Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
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15
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Bertoglio F, Meier D, Langreder N, Steinke S, Rand U, Simonelli L, Heine PA, Ballmann R, Schneider KT, Roth KDR, Ruschig M, Riese P, Eschke K, Kim Y, Schäckermann D, Pedotti M, Kuhn P, Zock-Emmenthal S, Wöhrle J, Kilb N, Herz T, Becker M, Grasshoff M, Wenzel EV, Russo G, Kröger A, Brunotte L, Ludwig S, Fühner V, Krämer SD, Dübel S, Varani L, Roth G, Čičin-Šain L, Schubert M, Hust M. SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing human recombinant antibodies selected from pre-pandemic healthy donors binding at RBD-ACE2 interface. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1577. [PMID: 33707427 PMCID: PMC7952403 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21609-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 is a severe acute respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a new recently emerged sarbecovirus. This virus uses the human ACE2 enzyme as receptor for cell entry, recognizing it with the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the S1 subunit of the viral spike protein. We present the use of phage display to select anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies from the human naïve antibody gene libraries HAL9/10 and subsequent identification of 309 unique fully human antibodies against S1. 17 antibodies are binding to the RBD, showing inhibition of spike binding to cells expressing ACE2 as scFv-Fc and neutralize active SARS-CoV-2 virus infection of VeroE6 cells. The antibody STE73-2E9 is showing neutralization of active SARS-CoV-2 as IgG and is binding to the ACE2-RBD interface. Thus, universal libraries from healthy human donors offer the advantage that antibodies can be generated quickly and independent from the availability of material from recovering patients in a pandemic situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Bertoglio
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Doris Meier
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Nora Langreder
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stephan Steinke
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Ulfert Rand
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Luca Simonelli
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Philip Alexander Heine
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Rico Ballmann
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kai-Thomas Schneider
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kristian Daniel Ralph Roth
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maximilian Ruschig
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Peggy Riese
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kathrin Eschke
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Yeonsu Kim
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dorina Schäckermann
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Mattia Pedotti
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Marlies Becker
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Martina Grasshoff
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Research Group Innate Immunity and Infection, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Esther Veronika Wenzel
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Giulio Russo
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Andrea Kröger
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Research Group Innate Immunity and Infection, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Linda Brunotte
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Institut für Virologie (IVM), Münster, Germany
| | - Stephan Ludwig
- Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Institut für Virologie (IVM), Münster, Germany
| | - Viola Fühner
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | | | - Stefan Dübel
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Luca Varani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland.
| | | | - Luka Čičin-Šain
- Department of Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany.
- Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CIIM), a joint venture of Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and Medical School Hannover, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Maren Schubert
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany.
| | - Michael Hust
- Technische Universität Braunschweig, Institut für Biochemie, Biotechnologie und Bioinformatik, Abteilung Biotechnologie, Braunschweig, Germany.
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16
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Aladdin A, Sahly N, Faty R, Youssef MM, Salem TZ. The baculovirus promoter OpIE2 sequence has inhibitory effect on the activity of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter in HeLa and HEK-293 T cells. Gene 2021; 781:145541. [PMID: 33667607 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding how promoters work in non-host cells is complex. Nonetheless, understanding this process is crucial while performing gene expression modulation studies. This study began with the process of constructing a shuttle vector with CMV and OpIE2 promoters in a tandem arrangement to achieve gene expression in both mammalian and insect cells, respectively. In this system, inhibitory regions in the 5' end of the OpIE2 insect viral promoter were found to be blocking the activity of the CMV promoter in mammalian cells. Initially, the OpIE2 promoter was cloned downstream of the CMV promoter and upstream of the EGFP reporter gene. After introducing the constructed shuttle vector to insect and mammalian cells, a significant drop in the CMV promoter activity in mammalian cells was observed. To enhance the CMV promoter activity, several modifications were made to the shuttle vector including site-directed mutagenesis to remove all ATG codons from the downstream promoter (OpIE2), separating the two promoters to eliminate the effect of transcription interference between them, and finally, identifying some inhibitory regions in the OpIE2 promoter sequence. When these inhibitory regions were removed, high expression levels in insect and mammalian cells were maintained. In conclusion, a shuttle vector was constructed that works efficiently in both mammalian and insect cell lines in the absence of baculovirus infection or gene expression. Moreover, the shuttle vector can be used as a platform to further study the reason for this inhibition, which may give new insights about transcription and promoters' mode of action in both insect and mammalian hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Aladdin
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza 12578, Egypt
| | - N Sahly
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza 12578, Egypt
| | - R Faty
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - M M Youssef
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - T Z Salem
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, October Gardens, 6th of October City, Giza 12578, Egypt; Department of Molecular Genetics, AGERI, ARC, Giza 12619, Egypt; National Biotechnology Network of Expertise (NBNE), Academy of Science Research and Technology (ASRT), 11334 Cairo, Egypt.
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17
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Korn J, Schäckermann D, Kirmann T, Bertoglio F, Steinke S, Heisig J, Ruschig M, Rojas G, Langreder N, Wenzel EV, Roth KDR, Becker M, Meier D, van den Heuvel J, Hust M, Dübel S, Schubert M. Baculovirus-free insect cell expression system for high yield antibody and antigen production. Sci Rep 2020; 10:21393. [PMID: 33288836 PMCID: PMC7721901 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78425-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibodies are essential tools for therapy and diagnostics. Yet, production remains expensive as it is mostly done in mammalian expression systems. As most therapeutic IgG require mammalian glycosylation to interact with the human immune system, other expression systems are rarely used for production. However, for neutralizing antibodies that are not required to activate the human immune system as well as antibodies used in diagnostics, a cheaper production system would be advantageous. In our study, we show cost-efficient, easy and high yield production of antibodies as well as various secreted antigens including Interleukins and SARS-CoV-2 related proteins in a baculovirus-free insect cell expression system. To improve yields, we optimized the expression vector, media and feeding strategies. In addition, we showed the feasibility of lyophilization of the insect cell produced antibodies. Furthermore, stability and activity of the antibodies was compared to antibodies produced by Expi293F cells revealing a lower aggregation of antibodies originating from High Five cell production. Finally, the newly established High Five expression system was compared to the Expi293F mammalian expression system in regard of yield and costs. Most interestingly, all tested proteins were producible in our High Five cell expression system what was not the case in the Expi293F system, hinting that the High Five cell system is especially suited to produce difficult-to-express target proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janin Korn
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Dorina Schäckermann
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Toni Kirmann
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Carl Ludwig Institute for Physiology, Universität Leipzig, Liebigstraße 27, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Federico Bertoglio
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stephan Steinke
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Janyn Heisig
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
- Department Vaccinology and Applied Microbiology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maximilian Ruschig
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Gertrudis Rojas
- Center of Molecular Immunology, PO Box 16040, 11300, Havana, Cuba
| | - Nora Langreder
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Esther Veronika Wenzel
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kristian Daniel Ralph Roth
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marlies Becker
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Doris Meier
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Department Structure and Function of Proteins, Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Hust
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Dübel
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Schubert
- Department of Biotechnology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Spielmannstraße 7, 38106, Braunschweig, Germany.
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18
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Chen X, Chereddy SCRR, Gurusamy D, Palli SR. Identification and characterization of highly active promoters from the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 126:103455. [PMID: 32827641 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2020.103455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The cell lines derived from the fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, have been widely used for production of recombinant proteins for applications in both basic research and applications in medicine and agriculture. Promoters from the nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) are commonly used in these expression systems. These promoters have some limitations, which may be overcome by using promoters of genes from S. frugiperda. However, information on these promoters is not available. We identified several highly expressed genes from the transcriptomes of S. frugiperda midgut, fat body, epidermis, ovarian cell line (Sf9), and a midgut cell line (Sf17). The activity of potential promoters of 21 highly expressed genes was evaluated in Sf9 and Sf17 cells. Two of these promoters, SfHSC70-P1780 and SfPub-P2009, showed higher activity than commonly used hr5/ie1 (baculovirus enhancer element, hr5 and immediate early gene 1, ie1) promoter. Interestingly, the activity of these two promoters increased after adding hr5 enhancer element. The hr5/SfPub-P2009 promoter performance was evaluated by expressing an exogenous P450 protein in Sf9 cells using a plasmid-based expression system. The activity of this promoter was also evaluated in the FAW by expressing green fluorescence protein using the baculovirus expression system. In both cases, the hr5/SfPub-P2009 promoter performed better than the commonly used hr5/ie1 promoter. These strong endogenous promoters will be useful for studies in S. frugiperda and other lepidopteran insects for multiple applications, including protein expression, genome editing, and transgenic insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xien Chen
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, United States
| | - Shankar C R R Chereddy
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, United States
| | - Dhandapani Gurusamy
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, United States
| | - Subba Reddy Palli
- Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40546, United States.
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19
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PEI-Mediated Transient Transfection of High Five Cells at Bioreactor Scale for HIV-1 VLP Production. NANOMATERIALS 2020; 10:nano10081580. [PMID: 32806511 PMCID: PMC7466501 DOI: 10.3390/nano10081580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
High Five cells are an excellent host for the production of virus-like particles (VLPs) with the baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS). However, the concurrent production of high titers of baculovirus hinder the purification of these nanoparticles due to similarities in their physicochemical properties. In this study, first a transient gene expression (TGE) method based on the transfection reagent polyethylenimine (PEI) is optimized for the production of HIV-1 VLPs at shake flask level. Furthermore, VLP production by TGE in High Five cells is successfully demonstrated at bioreactor scale, resulting in a higher maximum viable cell concentration (5.1 × 106 cell/mL), the same transfection efficiency and a 1.8-fold increase in Gag-eGFP VLP production compared to shake flasks. Metabolism analysis of High Five cells indicates a reduction in the consumption of the main metabolites with respect to non-transfected cell cultures, and an increase in the uptake rate of several amino acids when asparagine is depleted. Quality assessment by nanoparticle tracking analysis and flow virometry of the VLPs produced shows an average size of 100–200 nm, in agreement with immature HIV-1 viruses reported in the literature. Overall, this work demonstrates that the High Five/TGE system is a suitable approach for the production of VLP-based vaccine candidates and other recombinant proteins.
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20
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Sosa-Gómez DR, Morgado FS, Corrêa RFT, Silva LA, Ardisson-Araújo DMP, Rodrigues BMP, Oliveira EE, Aguiar RWS, Ribeiro BM. Entomopathogenic Viruses in the Neotropics: Current Status and Recently Discovered Species. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2020; 49:315-331. [PMID: 32358711 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-020-00770-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The market for biological control of insect pests in the world and in Brazil has grown in recent years due to the unwanted ecological and human health impacts of chemical insecticides. Therefore, research on biological control agents for pest management has also increased. For instance, insect viruses have been used to protect crops and forests around the world for decades. Among insect viruses, the baculoviruses are the most studied and used viral biocontrol agent. More than 700 species of insects have been found to be naturally infected by baculoviruses, with 90% isolated from lepidopteran insects. In this review, some basic aspects of baculovirus infection in vivo and in vitro infection, gene content, viral replication will be discussed. Furthermore, we provide examples of the use of insect viruses for biological pest control and recently characterized baculoviruses in Brazil.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Sosa-Gómez
- Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Embrapa Soja, Londrina, PR, Brasil
| | - F S Morgado
- Depto de Biologia Celular, Univ of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - R F T Corrêa
- Depto de Biotecnologia, Univ Federal de Tocantins, Gurupi, TO, Brasil
| | - L A Silva
- Depto de Biologia Celular, Univ of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - D M P Ardisson-Araújo
- Depto de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Univ Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil
| | - B M P Rodrigues
- Depto de Biologia Celular, Univ of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brasil
| | - E E Oliveira
- Depto de Entomologia, Univ Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brasil
| | - R W S Aguiar
- Depto de Biotecnologia, Univ Federal de Tocantins, Gurupi, TO, Brasil
| | - B M Ribeiro
- Depto de Biologia Celular, Univ of Brasília, Brasília, DF, Brasil.
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21
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Bleckmann M, Schürig M, Endres M, Samuels A, Gebauer D, Konisch N, van den Heuvel J. Identifying parameters to improve the reproducibility of transient gene expression in High Five cells. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0217878. [PMID: 31170233 PMCID: PMC6553862 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0217878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Virus-free, transient gene expression (TGE) in High Five cells was recently presented as an efficient protein production method. However, published TGE protocols have not been standardized to a general protocol. Therefore, reproducibility and implementation of the method in other labs remains difficult. The aim of this study is to analyse the parameters determining the reproducibility of the TGE in insect cells. Here, we identified that using linear 40 kDa PEI instead of 25 kDa PEI was one of the most important aspects to improve TGE. Furthermore, DNA amount, DNA:PEI ratio, growth phase of the cells before transfection, passage number, the origin of the High-Five cell isolates and the type of cultivation medium were considered. Interestingly, a correlation of the passage number to the DNA content of single cells (ploidy) and to the transfection efficacy could be shown. The optimal conditions for critical parameters were used to establish a robust TGE method. Finally, we compared the achieved product yields in High Five cells using our improved TGE method with both the baculoviral expression system and TGE in the mammalian HEK293-6E cell line. In conclusion, the presented robust TGE protocol in High Five cells is easy to establish and produces ample amounts of high-quality recombinant protein, bridging the gap in expression level of this method to the well-established mammalian TGE in HEK293 cells as well as to the baculoviral expression vector system (BEVS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Bleckmann
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression Facility, Rudolf Virchow Centre, Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Margitta Schürig
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Michelle Endres
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression Facility, Rudolf Virchow Centre, Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany
| | - Anke Samuels
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Daniela Gebauer
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Nadine Konisch
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Department Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
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22
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Morgado FDS, Ardisson-Araújo DMP, Ribeiro BM. Real-Time Expression Analysis of Selected Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus Gene Promoters during Infection of Permissive, Semipermissive and Nonpermissive Cell Lines. Viruses 2017; 9:E132. [PMID: 28587184 PMCID: PMC5490809 DOI: 10.3390/v9060132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2017] [Revised: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 05/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Baculovirus infection follows a transcriptionally controlled sequence of gene expression that occurs by activation of different viral gene promoter sequences during infection. This sequence of promoter activation may be disrupted by cellular defenses against viral infection, which might interfere with viral progeny formation. In this work, the activity of the ie1, gp64, lef-1, vp39, p6.9 and polh promoters of the Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus was assessed during infection of permissive, semipermissive and nonpermissive cell lines by a novel methodology that detects reporter protein luminescence in real-time. This technique allowed us to characterize in rich detail the AgMNPV promoters in permissive cell lines and revealed differential profiles of expression in cells with limited permissivity that correlate well with limitations in viral DNA replication. Semipermissive and nonpermissive cell lines presented delays and restrictions in late and very late promoter expression. Cells undergoing apoptosis did not inhibit late gene expression; however, viral progeny formation is severely affected. This work demonstrates the application of the real-time luminescence detection methodology and how the promoter expression profile may be used to diagnose cellular permissivity to baculovirus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabricio da Silva Morgado
- Laboratory of Baculovirus, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília-DF, Brazil.
| | - Daniel Mendes Pereira Ardisson-Araújo
- Laboratory of Insect Virology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria-RS, Brazil.
| | - Bergmann Morais Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Baculovirus, Cell Biology Department, University of Brasília, 70910-900 Brasília-DF, Brazil.
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23
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Karste K, Bleckmann M, van den Heuvel J. Not Limited to E. coli: Versatile Expression Vectors for Mammalian Protein Expression. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1586:313-324. [PMID: 28470614 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6887-9_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant protein expression is not limited to E. coli or other prokaryotic systems. It is inevitable to use eukaryotic systems in order to express challenging mammalian proteins. Eukaryotic systems are able to perform complex posttranslational modifications like protein processing, phosphorylation, glycosylation, which are essential for stability and functionality of many proteins. Different eukaryotic protein expression systems employing yeast, insect, or mammalian cell lines are established with each having its own advantages and disadvantages. Often it is quite difficult to decide which will be the most optimal expression system as this depends highly on the protein itself. Expression in stable cell lines requires substantial screening of expressible constructs prior to developing a stable expression cell line. To achieve fast screening by transient expression in multiple hosts, versatile vectors can be applied. In this chapter, we present an overview of the most common multi-host vectors, which allow for fast expression analysis without tedious (re)cloning of the gene of interest in several different protein production systems. The protocols in this chapter describe the latest methods for fast transient expression in insect and mammalian cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Karste
- Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Maren Bleckmann
- Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany.
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24
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Román R, Miret J, Scalia F, Casablancas A, Lecina M, Cairó JJ. Enhancing heterologous protein expression and secretion in HEK293 cells by means of combination of CMV promoter and IFNα2 signal peptide. J Biotechnol 2016; 239:57-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2016.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/06/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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25
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Bleckmann M, Schmelz S, Schinkowski C, Scrima A, van den Heuvel J. Fast plasmid based protein expression analysis in insect cells using an automated SplitGFP screen. Biotechnol Bioeng 2016; 113:1975-83. [PMID: 26913471 PMCID: PMC5069567 DOI: 10.1002/bit.25956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 01/19/2016] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Recombinant protein expression often presents a bottleneck for the production of proteins for use in many areas of animal‐cell biotechnology. Difficult‐to‐express proteins require the generation of numerous expression constructs, where popular prokaryotic screening systems often fail to identify expression of multi domain or full‐length protein constructs. Post‐translational modified mammalian proteins require an alternative host system such as insect cells using the Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS). Unfortunately this is time‐, labor‐, and cost‐intensive. It is clearly desirable to find an automated and miniaturized fast multi‐sample screening method for protein expression in such systems. With this in mind, in this paper a high‐throughput initial expression screening method is described using an automated Microcultivation system in conjunction with fast plasmid based transient transfection in insect cells for the efficient generation of protein constructs. The applicability of the system is demonstrated for the difficult to express Nucleotide‐binding Oligomerization Domain‐containing protein 2 (NOD2). To enable detection of proper protein expression the rather weak plasmid based expression has been improved by a sensitive inline detection system. Here we present the functionality and application of the sensitive SplitGFP (split green fluorescent protein) detection system in insect cells. The successful expression of constructs is monitored by direct measurement of the fluorescence in the BioLector Microcultivation system. Additionally, we show that the results obtained with our plasmid‐based SplitGFP protein expression screen correlate directly to the level of soluble protein produced in BEVS. In conclusion our automated SplitGFP screen outlines a sensitive, fast and reliable method reducing the time and costs required for identifying the optimal expression construct prior to large scale protein production in baculovirus infected insect cells. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 1975–1983. © 2016 The Authors. Biotechnology and Bioengineering Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maren Bleckmann
- Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Stefan Schmelz
- Structural Biology of Autophagy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christian Schinkowski
- Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Andrea Scrima
- Structural Biology of Autophagy, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Joop van den Heuvel
- Recombinant Protein Expression, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Inhoffenstrasse 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.
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26
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Identification of Essential Genetic Baculoviral Elements for Recombinant Protein Expression by Transactivation in Sf21 Insect Cells. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149424. [PMID: 26934632 PMCID: PMC4774975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The Baculovirus Expression Vector System (BEVS) is widely used to produce high amounts of recombinant proteins. Nevertheless, generating recombinant baculovirus in high quality is rather time-consuming and labor-intensive. Alternatively, virus-free expression in insect cells did not achieve similar expression levels for most proteins so far. The transactivation method is a promising approach for protein expression in Sf21 cells. It combines advantages of BEVS and plasmid-based expression by activating strong virus-dependent promoters on a transfected plasmid by baculoviral coinfection. Here, we identified expression elements required for transactivation. Therefore, we designed several vectors comprising different viral promoters or promoter combinations and tested them for eGFP expression using the automated BioLector microcultivation system. Remarkably, only the combination of the very late promoter p10 together with the homologous region 5 (hr5) could boost expression during transactivation. Other elements, like p10 alone or the late viral promoter polH, did not respond to transactivation. A new combination of hr5 and p10 with the strongest immediate early OpMNPV viral promoter OpIE2 improved the yield of eGFP by ~25% in comparison to the previous applied hr5-IE1-p10 expression cassette. Furthermore, we observed a strong influence of the transcription termination sequence and vector backbone on the level of expression. Finally, the expression levels for transactivation, BEVS and solely plasmid-based expression were compared for the marker protein eGFP, underlining the potential of transactivation for fast recombinant protein expression in Sf21 cells. In conclusion, essential elements for transactivation could be identified. The optimal elements were applied to generate an improved vector applicable in virus-free plasmid-based expression, transactivation and BEVS.
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