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Keshvari T, Melnik S, Sun L, Niazi A, Aram F, Moghadam A, Kogelmann B, Wozniak-Knopp G, Kallolimath S, Ramezani A, Steinkellner H. Efficient Expression of Functionally Active Aflibercept with Designed N-glycans. Antibodies (Basel) 2024; 13:29. [PMID: 38651409 PMCID: PMC11036266 DOI: 10.3390/antib13020029] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Aflibercept is a therapeutic recombinant fusion protein comprising extracellular domains of human vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) and IgG1-Fc. It is a highly glycosylated protein with five N-glycosylation sites that might impact it structurally and/or functionally. Aflibercept is produced in mammalian cells and exhibits large glycan heterogeneity, which hampers glycan-associated investigations. Here, we report the expression of aflibercept in a plant-based system with targeted N-glycosylation profiles. Nicotiana benthamiana-based glycoengineering resulted in the production of aflibercept variants carrying designed carbohydrates, namely, N-glycans with terminal GlcNAc and sialic acid residues, herein referred to as AFLIGnGn and AFLISia, respectively. Both variants were transiently expressed in unusually high amounts (2 g/kg fresh leaf material) in leaves and properly assembled to dimers. Mass spectrometric site-specific glycosylation analyses of purified aflibercept showed the presence of two to four glycoforms in a consistent manner. We also demonstrate incomplete occupancy of some glycosites. Both AFLIGnGn and AFLISia displayed similar binding potency to VEGF165, with a tendency of lower binding to variants with increased sialylation. Collectively, we show the expression of functionally active aflibercept in significant amounts with controlled glycosylation. The results provide the basis for further studies in order to generate optimized products in the best-case scenario.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahereh Keshvari
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; (T.K.); (L.S.); (B.K.); (S.K.)
- Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71441-65186, Iran; (A.N.); (F.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Stanislav Melnik
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; (T.K.); (L.S.); (B.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Lin Sun
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; (T.K.); (L.S.); (B.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Ali Niazi
- Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71441-65186, Iran; (A.N.); (F.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Farzaneh Aram
- Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71441-65186, Iran; (A.N.); (F.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Ali Moghadam
- Institute of Biotechnology, Shiraz University, Shiraz 71441-65186, Iran; (A.N.); (F.A.); (A.M.)
| | - Benjamin Kogelmann
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; (T.K.); (L.S.); (B.K.); (S.K.)
- ACIB—Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology, 1190 Vienna, Austria
| | - Gordana Wozniak-Knopp
- Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, Department of Biotechnology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria;
| | - Somanath Kallolimath
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; (T.K.); (L.S.); (B.K.); (S.K.)
| | - Amin Ramezani
- Shiraz Institute for Cancer Research, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 71348-14336, Iran
| | - Herta Steinkellner
- Institute of Plant Biotechnology and Cell Biology, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences BOKU Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria; (T.K.); (L.S.); (B.K.); (S.K.)
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Morgan MF, Diab J, Gilliham M, Mortimer JC. Green horizons: how plant synthetic biology can enable space exploration and drive on Earth sustainability. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2024; 86:103069. [PMID: 38341984 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103069] [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: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
As humanity looks towards expanding activity from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond, resource use efficiency and self-sustainability will be critical to ensuring success in the long term. Furthermore, solutions developed for the stringent requirements of space will be equally valuable in meeting sustainability goals here on Earth. Advances in synthetic biology allow us to harness the complex metabolism of life to produce the materials we need in situ. Translating those lessons learned from microbial systems to more carbon-efficient photosynthetic organisms is an area of growing interest. Plants can be engineered to sustainably meet a range of needs, from fuels to materials and medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Fox Morgan
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia
| | - Jonathan Diab
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia
| | - Matthew Gilliham
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia.
| | - Jenny C Mortimer
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine & Waite Research Institute, University of Adelaide, Glen Osmond, SA 5064, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellent in Plants for Space, Australia; Joint BioEnergy Institute, CA, USA.
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