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Cao Z, Jiang Y, Li J, Zheng T, Lin C, Shen Z. Transgenic Soybean for Production of Thermostable α-Amylase. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1539. [PMID: 38891347 PMCID: PMC11174511 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Alpha-amylases are crucial hydrolase enzymes which have been widely used in food, feed, fermentation, and pharmaceutical industries. Methods for low-cost production of α-amylases are highly desirable. Soybean seed, functioning as a bioreactor, offers an excellent platform for the mass production of recombinant proteins for its ability to synthesize substantial quantities of proteins. In this study, we generated and characterized transgenic soybeans expressing the α-amylase AmyS from Bacillus stearothermophilus. The α-amylase expression cassettes were constructed for seed specific expression by utilizing the promoters of three different soybean storage peptides and transformed into soybean via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The event with the highest amylase activity reached 601 U/mg of seed flour (one unit is defined as the amount of enzyme that generates 1 micromole reducing ends per min from starch at 65 °C in pH 5.5 sodium acetate buffer). The optimum pH, optimum temperature, and the enzymatic kinetics of the soybean expressed enzyme are similar to that of the E. coli expressed enzyme. However, the soybean expressed α-amylase is glycosylated, exhibiting enhanced thermostability and storage stability. Soybean AmyS retains over 80% activity after 100 min at 75 °C, and the transgenic seeds exhibit no significant activity loss after one year of storage at room temperature. The accumulated AmyS in the transgenic seeds represents approximately 15% of the total seed protein, or about 4% of the dry seed weight. The specific activity of the transgenic soybean seed flour is comparable to many commercial α-amylase enzyme products in current markets, suggesting that the soybean flour may be directly used for various applications without the need for extraction and purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Ye Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Jiajie Li
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Ting Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
- Zhongyuan Institute, Zhejiang University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
| | - Chaoyang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
| | - Zhicheng Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Insect Sciences, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; (Z.C.); (Y.J.); (J.L.); (T.Z.); (C.L.)
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Zhong V, Archibald BN, Brophy JAN. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional controls for tuning gene expression in plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 71:102315. [PMID: 36462457 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant biotechnologists seek to modify plants through genetic reprogramming, but our ability to precisely control gene expression in plants is still limited. Here, we review transcription and translation in the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana with an eye toward control points that may be used to predictably modify gene expression. We highlight differences in gene expression requirements between these plants and other species, and discuss the ways in which our understanding of gene expression has been used to engineer plants. This review is intended to serve as a resource for plant scientists looking to achieve precise control over gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Zhong
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bella N Archibald
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Feng Z, Li X, Fan B, Zhu C, Chen Z. Maximizing the Production of Recombinant Proteins in Plants: From Transcription to Protein Stability. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13516. [PMID: 36362299 PMCID: PMC9659199 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of therapeutic and industrial recombinant proteins in plants has advantages over established bacterial and mammalian systems in terms of cost, scalability, growth conditions, and product safety. In order to compete with these conventional expression systems, however, plant expression platforms must have additional economic advantages by demonstrating a high protein production yield with consistent quality. Over the past decades, important progress has been made in developing strategies to increase the yield of recombinant proteins in plants by enhancing their expression and reducing their degradation. Unlike bacterial and animal systems, plant expression systems can utilize not only cell cultures but also whole plants for the production of recombinant proteins. The development of viral vectors and chloroplast transformation has opened new strategies to drastically increase the yield of recombinant proteins from plants. The identification of promoters for strong, constitutive, and inducible promoters or the tissue-specific expression of transgenes allows for the production of recombinant proteins at high levels and for special purposes. Advances in the understanding of RNAi have led to effective strategies for reducing gene silencing and increasing recombinant protein production. An increased understanding of protein translation, quality control, trafficking, and degradation has also helped with the development of approaches to enhance the synthesis and stability of recombinant proteins in plants. In this review, we discuss the progress in understanding the processes that control the synthesis and degradation of gene transcripts and proteins, which underlie a variety of developed strategies aimed at maximizing recombinant protein production in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziru Feng
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xifeng Li
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Baofang Fan
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
| | - Cheng Zhu
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Zhixiang Chen
- College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue Center for Plant Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2054, USA
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Ceballo Y, López A, González CE, Ramos O, Andújar I, Martínez RU, Hernández A. Transient production of receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants induces specific antibodies in immunized mice. Mol Biol Rep 2022; 49:6113-6123. [PMID: 35526244 PMCID: PMC9079970 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-022-07402-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has currently affected millions of people around the world. To combat the rapid spread of COVID-19 there is an urgent need to implement technological platforms for the production of vaccines, drugs and diagnostic systems by the scientific community and pharmaceutical companies. The SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the cells by the interaction between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) present in the viral surface spike protein and its human receptor ACE2. The RBD protein is therefore considered as the target for potential subunit-based vaccines. METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluate the use of Nicotiana benthamiana plants as the host to transiently-producing recombinant RBD (RBDr) protein. The identity of the plant-produced RBDr was confirmed by immune assays and mass spectrometry. Immunogenicity was confirmed through the specific antibodies generated in all of the immunized mice compared to the PBS treated group. CONCLUSIONS In conclusions, the immunogenicity of the RBDr produced in N. benthamiana was confirmed. These findings support the use of plants as an antigen expression system for the rapid development of vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanaysi Ceballo
- Bioreactors Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba.
- Plant Biotechnology Department, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, PO Box 6162, 10600, Havana, Cuba.
| | - Alina López
- Bioreactors Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Carlos E González
- Bioreactors Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Osmany Ramos
- Bioreactors Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Iván Andújar
- Proteomic Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Ricardo U Martínez
- Diagnostic Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
| | - Abel Hernández
- Bioreactors Laboratory, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba
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Kurbidaeva A, Purugganan M. Insulators in Plants: Progress and Open Questions. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12091422. [PMID: 34573404 PMCID: PMC8470105 DOI: 10.3390/genes12091422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of higher eukaryotes are partitioned into topologically associated domains or TADs, and insulators (also known as boundary elements) are the key elements responsible for their formation and maintenance. Insulators were first identified and extensively studied in Drosophila as well as mammalian genomes, and have also been described in yeast and plants. In addition, many insulator proteins are known in Drosophila, and some have been investigated in mammals. However, much less is known about this important class of non-coding DNA elements in plant genomes. In this review, we take a detailed look at known plant insulators across different species and provide an overview of potential determinants of plant insulator functions, including cis-elements and boundary proteins. We also discuss methods previously used in attempts to identify plant insulators, provide a perspective on their importance for research and biotechnology, and discuss areas of potential future research.
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