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Calow J, Behrens AJ, Mader S, Bockau U, Struwe WB, Harvey DJ, Cormann KU, Nowaczyk MM, Loser K, Schinor D, Hartmann MWW, Crispin M. Antibody production using a ciliate generates unusual antibody glycoforms displaying enhanced cell-killing activity. MAbs 2016; 8:1498-1511. [PMID: 27594301 PMCID: PMC5098438 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2016.1228504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Antibody glycosylation is a key parameter in the optimization of antibody therapeutics. Here, we describe the production of the anti-cancer monoclonal antibody rituximab in the unicellular ciliate, Tetrahymena thermophila. The resulting antibody demonstrated enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, which we attribute to unusual N-linked glycosylation. Detailed chromatographic and mass spectrometric analysis revealed afucosylated, oligomannose-type glycans, which, as a whole, displayed isomeric structures that deviate from the typical human counterparts, but whose branches were equivalent to fragments of metabolic intermediates observed in human glycoproteins. From the analysis of deposited crystal structures, we predict that the ciliate glycans adopt protein-carbohydrate interactions with the Fc domain that closely mimic those of native complex-type glycans. In addition, terminal glucose structures were identified that match biosynthetic precursors of human glycosylation. Our results suggest that ciliate-based expression systems offer a route to large-scale production of monoclonal antibodies exhibiting glycosylation that imparts enhanced cell killing activity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anna-Janina Behrens
- b Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| | | | | | - Weston B Struwe
- b Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| | - David J Harvey
- b Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
| | - Kai U Cormann
- c Plant Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum , Bochum , Germany
| | - Marc M Nowaczyk
- c Plant Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum , Bochum , Germany
| | - Karin Loser
- d Department of Dermatology , University of Münster , Münster , Germany
| | - Daniel Schinor
- e Wessling GmbH, Pharmaanalytik Münster , Münster , Germany
| | | | - Max Crispin
- b Oxford Glycobiology Institute, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
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Cowan GJM, Bockau U, Eleni-Muus J, Aldag I, Samuel K, Creasey AM, Hartmann MWW, Cavanagh DR. A novel malaria vaccine candidate antigen expressed in Tetrahymena thermophila. PLoS One 2014; 9:e87198. [PMID: 24489871 PMCID: PMC3906136 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2013] [Accepted: 12/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Development of effective malaria vaccines is hampered by the problem of producing correctly folded Plasmodium proteins for use as vaccine components. We have investigated the use of a novel ciliate expression system, Tetrahymena thermophila, as a P. falciparum vaccine antigen platform. A synthetic vaccine antigen composed of N-terminal and C-terminal regions of merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) was expressed in Tetrahymena thermophila. The recombinant antigen was secreted into the culture medium and purified by monoclonal antibody (mAb) affinity chromatography. The vaccine was immunogenic in MF1 mice, eliciting high antibody titers against both N- and C-terminal components. Sera from immunized animals reacted strongly with P. falciparum parasites from three antigenically different strains by immunofluorescence assays, confirming that the antibodies produced are able to recognize parasite antigens in their native form. Epitope mapping of serum reactivity with a peptide library derived from all three MSP-1 Block 2 serotypes confirmed that the MSP-1 Block 2 hybrid component of the vaccine had effectively targeted all three serotypes of this polymorphic region of MSP-1. This study has successfully demonstrated the use of Tetrahymena thermophila as a recombinant protein expression platform for the production of malaria vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graeme J. M. Cowan
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | - Kay Samuel
- Cell Therapy Group, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Alison M. Creasey
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | | | - David R. Cavanagh
- Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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Aldag I, Bockau U, Rossdorf J, Laarmann S, Raaben W, Herrmann L, Weide T, Hartmann MWW. Expression, secretion and surface display of a human alkaline phosphatase by the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. BMC Biotechnol 2011; 11:11. [PMID: 21281462 PMCID: PMC3042934 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6750-11-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Accepted: 01/31/2011] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Tetrahymena thermophila possesses many attributes that render it an attractive host for the expression of recombinant proteins. Surface proteins from the parasites Ichthyophthirius multifiliis and Plasmodium falciparum and avian influenza virus antigen H5N1 were displayed on the cell membrane of this ciliate. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that T. thermophila is also able to produce a functional human DNase I. The present study investigates the heterologous expression of the functional human intestinal alkaline phosphatase (hiAP) using T. thermophila and thereby presents a powerful tool for the optimization of the ciliate-based expression system. Results Functional and full length human intestinal alkaline phosphatase was expressed by T. thermophila using a codon-adapted gene containing the native signal-peptide and GPI (Glycosylphosphatidylinositol) anchor attachment signal. HiAP activity in the cell extract of transformants suggested that the hiAP gene was successfully expressed. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the enzyme was modified with N-glycosylation and localized on the surface membrane by the C-terminal GPI anchor. A C-terminally truncated version of hiAP lacking the GPI anchor signal peptide was secreted into the medium as an active enzyme. In a first approach to establish a high level expression system up to 14,000 U/liter were produced in a time frame of two days, which exceeds the production rate of other published expression systems for this enzyme. Conclusions With the expression of hiAP, not only a protein of commercial interest could be produced, but also a reporter enzyme that offers the possibility to analyze T. thermophila genes that play a role in the regulation of protein secretion. Additionally, the fact that ciliates do not secrete an endogenous alkaline phosphatase provides the possibility to use the truncated hiAP as a reporter enzyme, allowing the quantification of measures that will be necessary for further optimization of the host strains and the fermentation processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Aldag
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, Münster, Germany
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Weide T, Bockau U, Rave A, Herrmann L, Hartmann MWW. A recombinase system facilitates cloning of expression cassettes in the ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila. BMC Microbiol 2007; 7:12. [PMID: 17328820 PMCID: PMC1839094 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-7-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2006] [Accepted: 03/01/2007] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tetrahymena thermophila is one of the best characterized unicellular eukaryotes and its genome is sequenced in its entirety. However, the AT-richness of the genome and an unusual codon usage cause problems in cloning and expression of the ciliate DNA. To overcome these technical hiatuses we developed a Cre-dependent recombinase system. RESULTS We created novel donor and acceptor vectors that facilitate the transfer of expression cassettes from the donor into novel acceptor plasmid. Expression vectors were used that encode the 19 kDa C-terminus of the MSP1 protein of Plasmodium falciparum and a blasticidin S (bsdR) resistance gene, respectively. The functional expression of these genes was demonstrated by western blot analysis with MSP1 specific antibodies and by a blasticidin growing assay. CONCLUSION The Cre dependent recombinase system in combination with the modular structure of the donor vectors ease cloning and expression of foreign genes in the ciliate system, providing a powerful tool for protistology research in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Weide
- Universitaetskliniken Muenster (UKM), Abteilung für Molekulare Nephrologie, Domagkstr. 3a, D-48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Ulrike Bockau
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Muenster, Germany
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universitaet Muenster, Schloßplatz 5, D-48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Angelika Rave
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Muenster, Germany
| | - Lutz Herrmann
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Muenster, Germany
- Provendis GmbH, Eppinghofer Str. 50, 48468 Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany
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Herrmann L, Bockau U, Tiedtke A, Hartmann MWW, Weide T. The bifunctional dihydrofolate reductase thymidylate synthase of Tetrahymena thermophila provides a tool for molecular and biotechnology applications. BMC Biotechnol 2006; 6:21. [PMID: 16549005 PMCID: PMC1435751 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6750-6-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2005] [Accepted: 03/20/2006] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and thymidylate synthase (TS) are crucial enzymes in DNA synthesis. In alveolata both enzymes are expressed as one bifunctional enzyme. Results Loss of this essential enzyme activities after successful allelic assortment of knock out alleles yields an auxotrophic marker in ciliates. Here the cloning, characterisation and functional analysis of Tetrahymena thermophila's DHFR-TS is presented. A first aspect of the presented work relates to destruction of DHFR-TS enzyme function in an alveolate thereby causing an auxotrophy for thymidine. A second aspect is to knock in an expression cassette encoding for a foreign gene with subsequent expression of the target protein. Conclusion This system avoids the use of antibiotics or other drugs and therefore is of high interest for biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lutz Herrmann
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrike Bockau
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universität Münster, Schloßplatz 5, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Arno Tiedtke
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universität Münster, Schloßplatz 5, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | | | - Thomas Weide
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
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Weide T, Herrmann L, Bockau U, Niebur N, Aldag I, Laroy W, Contreras R, Tiedtke A, Hartmann MWW. Secretion of functional human enzymes by Tetrahymena thermophila. BMC Biotechnol 2006; 6:19. [PMID: 16542419 PMCID: PMC1431531 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6750-6-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2005] [Accepted: 03/16/2006] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The non-pathogenic ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila is one of the best-characterized unicellular eucaryotes used in various research fields. Previous work has shown that this unicellular organism provides many biological features to become a high-quality expression system, like multiplying to high cell densities with short generation times in bioreactors. In addition, the expression of surface antigens from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the ciliate Ichthyophthirius multifiliis suggests that T. thermophila might play an important role in vaccine development. However, the expression of functional mammalian or human enzymes remains so far to be seen. Results We have been able to express a human enzyme in T. thermophila using expression modules that encode a fusion protein consisting of the endogenous phospholipase A1 precursor and mature human DNaseI. The recombinant human enzyme is active, indicating that also disulfide bridges are correctly formed. Furthermore, a detailed N-glycan structure of the recombinant enzyme is presented, illustrating a very consistent glycosylation pattern. Conclusion The ciliate expression system has the potential to become an excellent expression system. However, additional optimisation steps including host strain improvement as wells as measures to increase the yield of expression are necessary to be able to provide an alternative to the common E. coli and yeast-based systems as well as to transformed mammalian cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Weide
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Lutz Herrmann
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrike Bockau
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universität Münster, Schlossplatz 5, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Nadine Niebur
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universität Münster, Schlossplatz 5, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Ingo Aldag
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Wouter Laroy
- Department of Molecular Biology Research, Unit for Fundamental and Applied Molecular Biology, Ghent and Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Roland Contreras
- Department of Molecular Biology Research, Unit for Fundamental and Applied Molecular Biology, Ghent and Flanders Interuniversity Institute for Biotechnology, Technologiepark 927, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Arno Tiedtke
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universität Münster, Schlossplatz 5, D-48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marcus WW Hartmann
- Cilian AG, Johann-Krane-Weg 42, D-48149 Münster, Germany
- Institut für allgemeine Zoologie und Genetik, Universität Münster, Schlossplatz 5, D-48149 Münster, Germany
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