1
|
Niederau PA, Eglé P, Willig S, Parsons J, Hoernstein SNW, Decker EL, Reski R. Multifactorial analysis of terminator performance on heterologous gene expression in Physcomitrella. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:43. [PMID: 38246952 PMCID: PMC10800305 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-023-03088-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Characterization of Physcomitrella 3'UTRs across different promoters yields endogenous single and double terminators for usage in molecular pharming. The production of recombinant proteins for health applications accounts for a large share of the biopharmaceutical market. While many drugs are produced in microbial and mammalian systems, plants gain more attention as expression hosts to produce eukaryotic proteins. In particular, the good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant moss Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens) has outstanding features, such as excellent genetic amenability, reproducible bioreactor cultivation, and humanized protein glycosylation patterns. In this study, we selected and characterized novel terminators for their effects on heterologous gene expression. The Physcomitrella genome contains 53,346 unique 3'UTRs (untranslated regions) of which 7964 transcripts contain at least one intron. Over 91% of 3'UTRs exhibit more than one polyadenylation site, indicating the prevalence of alternative polyadenylation in Physcomitrella. Out of all 3'UTRs, 14 terminator candidates were selected and characterized via transient Dual-Luciferase assays, yielding a collection of endogenous terminators performing equally high as established heterologous terminators CaMV35S, AtHSP90, and NOS. High performing candidates were selected for testing as double terminators which impact reporter levels, dependent on terminator identity and positioning. Testing of 3'UTRs among the different promoters NOS, CaMV35S, and PpActin5 showed an increase of more than 1000-fold between promoters PpActin5 and NOS, whereas terminators increased reporter levels by less than tenfold, demonstrating the stronger effect promoters play as compared to terminators. Among selected terminator attributes, the number of polyadenylation sites as well as polyadenylation signals were found to influence terminator performance the most. Our results improve the biotechnology platform Physcomitrella and further our understanding of how terminators influence gene expression in plants in general.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pauline Eglé
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sandro Willig
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Juliana Parsons
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Eva L Decker
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
- Signalling Research Centre BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Strasser R. Plant glycoengineering for designing next-generation vaccines and therapeutic proteins. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 67:108197. [PMID: 37315875 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Protein glycosylation has a huge impact on biological processes in all domains of life. The type of glycan present on a recombinant glycoprotein depends on protein intrinsic features and the glycosylation repertoire of the cell type used for expression. Glycoengineering approaches are used to eliminate unwanted glycan modifications and to facilitate the coordinated expression of glycosylation enzymes or whole metabolic pathways to furnish glycans with distinct modifications. The formation of tailored glycans enables structure-function studies and optimization of therapeutic proteins used in different applications. While recombinant proteins or proteins from natural sources can be in vitro glycoengineered using glycosyltransferases or chemoenzymatic synthesis, many approaches use genetic engineering involving the elimination of endogenous genes and introduction of heterologous genes to cell-based production systems. Plant glycoengineering enables the in planta production of recombinant glycoproteins with human or animal-type glycans that resemble natural glycosylation or contain novel glycan structures. This review summarizes key achievements in glycoengineering of plants and highlights current developments aiming to make plants more suitable for the production of a diverse range of recombinant glycoproteins for innovative therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Strasser
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Lüth VM, Rempfer C, van Gessel N, Herzog O, Hanser M, Braun M, Decker EL, Reski R. A Physcomitrella PIN protein acts in spermatogenesis and sporophyte retention. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 237:2118-2135. [PMID: 36696950 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The auxin efflux PIN-FORMED (PIN) proteins are conserved in all land plants and important players in plant development. In the moss Physcomitrella (Physcomitrium patens), three canonical PINs (PpPINA-C) are expressed in the leafy shoot (gametophore). PpPINA and PpPINB show functional activity in vegetative growth and sporophyte development. Here, we examined the role of PpPINC in the life cycle of Physcomitrella. We established reporter and knockout lines for PpPINC and analysed vegetative and reproductive tissues using microscopy and transcriptomic sequencing of moss gametangia. PpPINC is expressed in immature leaves, mature gametangia and during sporophyte development. The sperm cells (spermatozoids) of pinC knockout mutants exhibit increased motility and an altered flagella phenotype. Furthermore, the pinC mutants have a higher portion of differentially expressed genes related to spermatogenesis, increased fertility and an increased abortion rate of premeiotic sporophytes. Here, we show that PpPINC is important for spermatogenesis and sporophyte retention. We propose an evolutionary conserved way of polar growth during early moss embryo development and sporophyte attachment to the gametophore while suggesting the mechanical function in sporophyte retention of a ring structure, the Lorch ring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Volker M Lüth
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Christine Rempfer
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Nico van Gessel
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Oliver Herzog
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Hanser
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marion Braun
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Eva L Decker
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Reski
- Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine (SGBM), University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence livMatS @ FIT - Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies, University of Freiburg, 79110, Freiburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|