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Qureshi A, Connolly JB. Bioinformatic and literature assessment of toxicity and allergenicity of a CRISPR-Cas9 engineered gene drive to control Anopheles gambiae the mosquito vector of human malaria. Malar J 2023; 22:234. [PMID: 37580703 PMCID: PMC10426224 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04665-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population suppression gene drive is currently being evaluated, including via environmental risk assessment (ERA), for malaria vector control. One such gene drive involves the dsxFCRISPRh transgene encoding (i) hCas9 endonuclease, (ii) T1 guide RNA (gRNA) targeting the doublesex locus, and (iii) DsRed fluorescent marker protein, in genetically-modified mosquitoes (GMMs). Problem formulation, the first stage of ERA, for environmental releases of dsxFCRISPRh previously identified nine potential harms to the environment or health that could occur, should expressed products of the transgene cause allergenicity or toxicity. METHODS Amino acid sequences of hCas9 and DsRed were interrogated against those of toxins or allergens from NCBI, UniProt, COMPARE and AllergenOnline bioinformatic databases and the gRNA was compared with microRNAs from the miRBase database for potential impacts on gene expression associated with toxicity or allergenicity. PubMed was also searched for any evidence of toxicity or allergenicity of Cas9 or DsRed, or of the donor organisms from which these products were originally derived. RESULTS While Cas9 nuclease activity can be toxic to some cell types in vitro and hCas9 was found to share homology with the prokaryotic toxin VapC, there was no evidence from previous studies of a risk of toxicity to humans and other animals from hCas9. Although hCas9 did contain an 8-mer epitope found in the latex allergen Hev b 9, the full amino acid sequence of hCas9 was not homologous to any known allergens. Combined with a lack of evidence in the literature of Cas9 allergenicity, this indicated negligible risk to humans of allergenicity from hCas9. No matches were found between the gRNA and microRNAs from either Anopheles or humans. Moreover, potential exposure to dsxFCRISPRh transgenic proteins from environmental releases was assessed as negligible. CONCLUSIONS Bioinformatic and literature assessments found no convincing evidence to suggest that transgenic products expressed from dsxFCRISPRh were allergens or toxins, indicating that environmental releases of this population suppression gene drive for malaria vector control should not result in any increased allergenicity or toxicity in humans or animals. These results should also inform evaluations of other GMMs being developed for vector control and in vivo clinical applications of CRISPR-Cas9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alima Qureshi
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Sunninghill, Ascot, UK
| | - John B Connolly
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Sunninghill, Ascot, UK.
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Raja KKB, Bachman EA, Fernholz CE, Trine DS, Hobmeier RE, Maki NJ, Massoglia TJ, Werner T. The Genetic Mechanisms Underlying the Concerted Expression of the yellow and tan Genes in Complex Patterns on the Abdomen and Wings of Drosophila guttifera. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14. [PMID: 36833231 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
How complex morphological patterns form is an intriguing question in developmental biology. However, the mechanisms that generate complex patterns remain largely unknown. Here, we sought to identify the genetic mechanisms that regulate the tan (t) gene in a multi-spotted pigmentation pattern on the abdomen and wings of Drosophila guttifera. Previously, we showed that yellow (y) gene expression completely prefigures the abdominal and wing pigment patterns of this species. In the current study, we demonstrate that the t gene is co-expressed with the y gene in nearly identical patterns, both transcripts foreshadowing the adult abdominal and wing melanin spot patterns. We identified cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) of t, one of which drives reporter expression in six longitudinal rows of spots on the developing pupal abdomen, while the second CRM activates the reporter gene in a spotted wing pattern. Comparing the abdominal spot CRMs of y and t, we found a similar composition of putative transcription factor binding sites that are thought to regulate the complex expression patterns of both terminal pigmentation genes y and t. In contrast, the y and t wing spots appear to be regulated by distinct upstream factors. Our results suggest that the D. guttifera abdominal and wing melanin spot patterns have been established through the co-regulation of y and t, shedding light on how complex morphological traits may be regulated through the parallel coordination of downstream target genes.
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3
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Lao K, Xiao Y, Huang Q, Mo B, Dong X, Wang X. Establishment of an efficient early flowering-assisted CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Rep 2023; 42:211-214. [PMID: 36326850 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-022-02944-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Ectopic expression of the florigen FT gene along with the Cas9 cassette promotes fast reproduction of the T1 transgenic plants, and the late-flowering phenotype serves as a convenient marker for transgene-free plants screening in T2 segregation population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangwen Lao
- Center for Biological Science and Technology, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Yinlin Xiao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Qing Huang
- Center for Biological Science and Technology, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China
| | - Beixin Mo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China
| | - Xianxin Dong
- Instrumentation and Service Center for Science and Technology, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China.
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Center for Biological Science and Technology, Advanced Institute of Natural Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Zhuhai, 519087, China.
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Binyameen B, Khan Z, Khan SH, Ahmad A, Munawar N, Mubarik MS, Riaz H, Ali Z, Khan AA, Qusmani AT, Abd-Elsalam KA, Qari SH. Using Multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 for Suppression of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212543. [PMID: 34830426 PMCID: PMC8618328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, Pakistan has suffered a decline in cotton production due to several factors, including insect pests, cotton leaf curl disease (CLCuD), and multiple abiotic stresses. CLCuD is a highly damaging plant disease that seriously limits cotton production in Pakistan. Recently, genome editing through CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized plant biology, especially to develop immunity in plants against viral diseases. Here we demonstrate multiplex CRISPR/Cas-mediated genome editing against CLCuD using transient transformation in N. benthamiana plants and cotton seedlings. The genomic sequences of cotton leaf curl viruses (CLCuVs) were obtained from NCBI and the guide RNA (gRNA) were designed to target three regions in the viral genome using CRISPR MultiTargeter. The gRNAs were cloned in pHSE401/pKSE401 containing Cas9 and confirmed through colony PCR, restriction analysis, and sequencing. Confirmed constructs were moved into Agrobacterium and subsequently used for transformation. Agroinfilteration in N. benthamiana revealed delayed symptoms (3–5 days) with improved resistance against CLCuD. In addition, viral titer was also low (20–40%) in infected plants co-infiltrated with Cas9-gRNA, compared to control plants (infected with virus only). Similar results were obtained in cotton seedlings. The results of transient expression in N. benthamiana and cotton seedlings demonstrate the potential of multiplex CRISPR/Cas to develop resistance against CLCuD. Five transgenic plants developed from three experiments showed resistance (60−70%) to CLCuV, out of which two were selected best during evaluation and screening. The technology will help breeding CLCuD-resistant cotton varieties for sustainable cotton production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barkha Binyameen
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Old Shujabad Road, Multan 60000, Pakistan; (B.B.); (Z.A.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Zulqurnain Khan
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Old Shujabad Road, Multan 60000, Pakistan; (B.B.); (Z.A.); (A.A.K.)
- Correspondence: (Z.K.); (S.H.Q.)
| | - Sultan Habibullah Khan
- Cotton Biotechnology Lab, Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.H.K.); (A.A.); (M.S.M.)
- Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Aftab Ahmad
- Cotton Biotechnology Lab, Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.H.K.); (A.A.); (M.S.M.)
| | - Nayla Munawar
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain 15551, United Arab Emirates;
| | - Muhammad Salman Mubarik
- Cotton Biotechnology Lab, Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan; (S.H.K.); (A.A.); (M.S.M.)
- Centre of Agricultural Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Hasan Riaz
- Institute of Plant Protection, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Old Shujabad Road, Multan 60000, Pakistan;
| | - Zulfiqar Ali
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Old Shujabad Road, Multan 60000, Pakistan; (B.B.); (Z.A.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Asif Ali Khan
- Institute of Plant Breeding and Biotechnology, MNS University of Agriculture Multan, Old Shujabad Road, Multan 60000, Pakistan; (B.B.); (Z.A.); (A.A.K.)
| | - Alaa T. Qusmani
- Biology Department, Al-Jumum University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21961, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Kamel A. Abd-Elsalam
- Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), 9-Gamaa Str., Giza 12619, Egypt;
| | - Sameer H. Qari
- Department of Biology, Genetics and Molecular Biology Central Laboratory (GMCL), Aljumum University College, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21961, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (Z.K.); (S.H.Q.)
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Li Y, Zhang H, Fan J, Chen Z, Chen T, Zeng B, Zhang Z. A highly efficient identification of mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 using the non‑functional DsRed assisted selection in Aspergillus oryzae. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:132. [PMID: 34240255 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03100-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system has become a great tool for target gene knock-out in filamentous fungi. It is laborious and time-consuming that identification mutants from a large number of transformants through PCR or enzyme-cut method. Here, we first developed a CRISPR/Cas9 system in Aspergillus oryzae using AMA1-based autonomously replicating plasmid and Cas9 under the control of the Aspergillus nidulans gpdA promoter. By the genome editing technique, we successfully obtained mutations within each target gene in Aspergillus oryzae. Then, we put the protospacer sequence of a target gene and its protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) behind the start codon "ATG" of DsRed, yielding the non‑functional DsRed (nDsRed) reporter gene, and the nDsRed reporter gene could be rescued after successful targeted editing. Moreover, this method was also applied by targeting the kojic acid synthesis gene kojA, and the transformants with DsRed activity were found to harbor targeted mutations in kojA. These results suggest that the nDsRed can be used as a powerful tool to facilitate the identification of mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 in Aspergillus oryzae.
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Poborilova Z, Plchova H, Cerovska N, Gunter CJ, Hitzeroth II, Rybicki EP, Moravec T. Transient protein expression in tobacco BY-2 plant cell packs using single and multi-cassette replicating vectors. Plant Cell Rep 2020; 39:1115-1127. [PMID: 32333151 PMCID: PMC7223956 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-020-02544-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE This is the first evidence that replicating vectors can be successfully used for transient protein expression in BY-2 plant cell packs. Transient recombinant protein expression in plants and recently also plant cell cultures are of increasing interest due to the speed, safety and scalability of the process. Currently, studies are focussing on the design of plant virus-derived vectors to achieve higher amounts of transiently expressed proteins in these systems. Here we designed and tested replicating single and multi-cassette vectors that combine elements for enhanced replication and hypertranslation, and assessed their ability to express and particularly co-express proteins by Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression in tobacco BY-2 plant cell packs. Substantial yields of green and red fluorescent proteins of up to ~ 700 ng/g fresh mass were detected in the plant cells along with position-dependent expression. This is the first evidence of the ability of replicating vectors to transiently express proteins in BY-2 plant cell packs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Poborilova
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Helena Plchova
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Noemi Cerovska
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Cornelius J Gunter
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Inga I Hitzeroth
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Edward P Rybicki
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Tomas Moravec
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
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Zhang K, He J, Liu L, Xie R, Qiu L, Li X, Yuan W, Chen K, Yin Y, Kyaw MMM, San AA, Li S, Tang X, Fu C, Li M. A convenient, rapid and efficient method for establishing transgenic lines of Brassica napus. Plant Methods 2020; 16:43. [PMID: 32256679 PMCID: PMC7106750 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-020-00585-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brassica napus is an important oilseed crop that offers a considerable amount of biomass for global vegetable oil production. The establishment of an efficient genetic transformation system with a convenient transgenic-positive screening method is of great importance for gene functional analysis and molecular breeding. However, to our knowledge, there are few of the aforementioned systems available for efficient application in B. napus. RESULTS Based on the well-established genetic transformation system in B. napus, five vectors carrying the red fluorescence protein encoding gene from Discosoma sp. (DsRed) were constructed and integrated into rapeseed via Agrobacterium-mediated hypocotyl transformation. An average of 59.1% tissues were marked with red fluorescence by the visual screening method in tissue culture medium, 96.1% of which, on average, were amplified with the objective genes from eight different rapeseed varieties. In addition, the final transgenic-positive efficiency of the rooted plantlets reached up to 90.7% from red fluorescence marked tissues, which was much higher than that in previous reports. Additionally, visual screening could be applicable to seedlings via integration of DsRed, including seed coats, roots, hypocotyls and cotyledons during seed germination. These results indicate that the highly efficient genetic transformation system combined with the transgenic-positive visual screening method helps to conveniently and efficiently obtain transgenic-positive rapeseed plantlets. CONCLUSION A rapid, convenient and highly efficient method was developed to obtain transgenic plants, which can help to obtain the largest proportion of transgene-positive regenerated plantlets, thereby avoiding a long period of plant regeneration. The results of this study will benefit gene functional studies especially in high-throughput molecular biology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Jianjie He
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Runda Xie
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Lu Qiu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Xicheng Li
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Wenjue Yuan
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Kang Chen
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Yongtai Yin
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - May Me Me Kyaw
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Aye Aye San
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Shisheng Li
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000 China
| | - Xianying Tang
- College of Life Sciences, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Chunhua Fu
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
| | - Maoteng Li
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074 China
- Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for the Characteristic Resources Exploitation of Dabie Mountains, Huanggang Normal University, Huanggang, 438000 China
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Wan D, Wang X, Nakamura R, Alcocer MJC, Falcone FH. Use of Humanized RBL Reporter Systems for the Detection of Allergen-Specific IgE Sensitization in Human Serum. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2163:145-153. [PMID: 32766972 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0696-4_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Determination of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in human blood samples is an important diagnostic technology for the assessment of allergic sensitization. The presence of specific IgE in human serum samples can be measured by sensitizing humanized rat basophil leukemia (RBL) cell lines with diluted serum and measuring cellular activation after challenge with the suspected allergens. This has been traditionally performed by measuring the levels of β-hexosaminidase released upon RBL degranulation. Here, we describe the use of two recently developed humanized RBL reporter cell lines, which offer higher sensitivity and are amenable to high-throughput scale experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Wan
- University of Nottingham, School of Pharmacy, Nottingham, England, UK
| | - Xiaowei Wang
- University of Nottingham, School of Pharmacy, Nottingham, England, UK
- School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ryosuke Nakamura
- Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Franco H Falcone
- Institute for Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Biomedizinisches Forschungszentrum Seltersberg (BFS), Giessen, Germany.
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Hettiarachchige IK, Ludlow EJ, Ekanayake PN, Brohier ND, Sahab S, Sawbridge TI, Spangenberg GC, Guthridge KM. Generation of Epichloë Strains Expressing Fluorescent Proteins Suitable for Studying Host-Endophyte Interactions and Characterisation of a T-DNA Integration Event. Microorganisms 2019; 8:E54. [PMID: 31892173 PMCID: PMC7023320 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Methods for the identification and localisation of endophytic fungi are required to study the establishment, development, and progression of host-symbiont interactions, as visible reactions or disease symptoms are generally absent from host plants. Fluorescent proteins have proved valuable as reporter gene products, allowing non-invasive detection in living cells. This study reports the introduction of genes for two fluorescent proteins, green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red fluorescent protein, DsRed, into the genomes of two distinct perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)-associated Epichloë endophyte strains using A. tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Comprehensive characterisation of reporter gene-containing endophyte strains was performed using molecular genetic, phenotypic, and bioinformatic tools. A combination of long read and short read sequencing of a selected transformant identified a single complex T-DNA insert of 35,530 bp containing multiple T-DNAs linked together. This approach allowed for comprehensive characterisation of T-DNA integration to single-base resolution, while revealing the unanticipated nature of T-DNA integration in the transformant analysed. These reporter gene endophyte strains were able to establish and maintain stable symbiotum with the host. In addition, the same endophyte strain labelled with two different fluorescent proteins were able to cohabit the same plant. This knowledge can be used to provide the basis to develop strategies to gain new insights into the host-endophyte interaction through independent and simultaneous monitoring in planta throughout its life cycle in greater detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inoka K. Hettiarachchige
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
| | - Emma J. Ludlow
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
| | - Piyumi N. Ekanayake
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
| | - Natasha D. Brohier
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
| | - Sareena Sahab
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
| | - Timothy I. Sawbridge
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - German C. Spangenberg
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia
| | - Kathryn M. Guthridge
- Agriculture Victoria, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, VIC 3083, Australia; (I.K.H.); (E.J.L.); (P.N.E.); (N.D.B.); (S.S.); (T.I.S.); (G.C.S.)
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Tian X, Chen Y, Li H, Fan Y, Zhou Z, Chen S, Li X, Zhou R. Characterization of a replication-competent vector encoding DsRed based on a human adenovirus type 4 a-like strain. Virus Res 2019; 270:197662. [PMID: 31301331 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2019.197662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Human adenovirus type 4 (HAdV4) is an etiological agent of acute respiratory disease (ARD) in pediatric and adult patients. HAdV4 strains can be divided into two major genomic clusters, namely prototype (p)-like viruses and a-like viruses. Here, the complete genome sequence of HAdV4 strain GZ01, isolated from a child with ARD in southern China, is first reported and analyzed. This strain was determined to be of the 4a1 genome-type based on in silico restriction profiles. Then, a replication-competent rAd4DsRed virus, containing the HAdV4 GZ01 infectious genome and expressing the reporter molecule DsRed, was generated and characterized. Recombinant rAd4DsRed can infect AD293, hamster, and mouse cells in which DsRed protein was expressed. No changes in antigenicity and genome replication were detected for rAd4DsRed and wild-type HAdV4. Mice immunized with rAd4DsRed was elicited a marked antibody response to DsRed. A rapid method of testing neutralizing antibodies against HAdV3 and HAdV4 was also established using a mixture of rAd4DsRed and rAd3EGFP. Our results provide the foundation to develop HAdV4 vaccines, potential vector platforms for vaccine and gene therapy, and rapid methods for serological and antiviral screening.
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Ruiz-Ramón F, Sempere RN, Méndez-López E, Sánchez-Pina MA, Aranda MA. Second generation of pepino mosaic virus vectors: improved stability in tomato and a wide range of reporter genes. Plant Methods 2019; 15:58. [PMID: 31149024 PMCID: PMC6537163 DOI: 10.1186/s13007-019-0446-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Vectors based on plant viruses are important tools for functional genomics, cellular biology, plant genome engineering and molecular farming. We previously reported on the construction of PepGFP2a, a viral vector based on pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) which expressed GFP efficiently and stably in plants of its experimental host Nicotiana benthamiana, but not in its natural host tomato. We have prepared a new set of PepMV-based vectors with improved stability that are able to express a wide range of reporter genes, useful for both N. benthamiana and tomato. RESULTS We first tested PepGFPm1 and PepGFPm2, two variants of PepGFP2a in which we progressively reduced a duplication of nucleotides encoding the N-terminal region of the coat protein. The new vectors had improved GFP expression levels and stability in N. benthamiana but not in tomato plants. Next, we replaced GFP by DsRed or mCherry in the new vectors PepDsRed and PepmCherry, respectively; while PepmCherry behaved similarly to PepGFPm2, PepDsRed expressed the reporter gene efficiently also in tomato plants. We then used PepGFPm2 and PepDsRed to study the PepMV localization in both N. benthamiana and tomato cells. Using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), we observed characteristic fluorescent bodies in PepMV-infected cells; these bodies had a cytoplasmic localization and appeared in close proximity to the cell nucleus. Already at 3 days post-agroinoculation there were fluorescent bodies in almost every cell of agroinoculated tissues of both hosts, and always one body per cell. When markers for the endoplasmic reticulum or the Golgi apparatus were co-expressed with PepGFPm2 or PepDsRed, a reorganisation of these organelles was observed, with images suggesting that both are intimately related but not the main constituents of the PepMV bodies. Altogether, this set of data suggested that the PepMV bodies are similar to the potato virus X (PVX) "X-bodies", which have been described as the PVX viral replication complexes (VRCs). To complete the set of PepMV-based vectors, we constructed a vector expressing the BAR herbicide resistance gene, useful for massive susceptibility screenings. CONCLUSIONS We have significantly expanded the PepMV tool box by producing a set of new vectors with improved stability and efficiency in both N. benthamiana and tomato plants. By using two of these vectors, we have described characteristic cellular bodies induced by PepMV infection; these bodies are likely the PepMV VRCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Ruiz-Ramón
- Present Address: R + D+I Department, Abiopep S.L., Murcia, Spain
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | | | - Eduardo Méndez-López
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | - M. Amelia Sánchez-Pina
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Murcia, Spain
| | - Miguel A. Aranda
- Centro de Edafología y Biología Aplicada del Segura (CEBAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Murcia, Spain
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12
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Böhm I, Gehrke S, Kleb B, Hungerbühler M, Müller R, Klose KJ, Alfke H. Monitoring of tumor burden in vivo by optical imaging in a xenograft SCID mouse model: evaluation of two fluorescent proteins of the GFP-superfamily. Acta Radiol 2019; 60:315-326. [PMID: 29890843 DOI: 10.1177/0284185118780896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mouse models of human-malignant-melanoma (MM) are important tools to study tumor dynamics. The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) is widely used in molecular imaging approaches, together with optical scanners, and fluorescence imaging. PURPOSE Currently, there are no data available as to whether other fluorescent proteins are more suitable. The goal of this preclinical study was to analyze two fluorescent proteins of the GFP superfamily under real-time in vivo conditions using fluorescence reflectance imaging (FRI). MATERIAL AND METHODS The human melanoma cell line MeWo was stable transfected with one plasmid: pEGFP-C1 or pDsRed1-N1. We investigated two severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-mice groups: A (solid xenografts) and B (xenografts as metastases). After three weeks, the animals were weekly imaged by FRI. Afterwards the mice were euthanized and metastases were imaged in situ: to quantify the cutis-dependent reduction of emitted light, we compared signal intensities obtained by metastases in vivo with signal intensities obtained by in situ liver parenchyma preparations. RESULTS More than 90% of cells were stable transfected. EGFP-/DsRed-xenograft tumors had identical growth kinetics. In vivo the emitted light by DsRed tumors/metastases was much brighter than by EGFP. DsRed metastases were earlier (3 vs. 5 weeks) and much more sensitive detectable than EGFP metastases. Cutis-dependent reduction of emitted light was greater in EGFP than in DsRed mice (tenfold). Autofluorescence of DsRed was lower than of EGFP. CONCLUSION We established an in vivo xenograft mouse model (DsRed-MeWo) that is reliable, reproducible, and superior to the EGFP model as a preclinical tool to study innovative therapies by FRI under real-time in vivo conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Böhm
- Department of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Radiology Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Gehrke
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Beate Kleb
- Department of Experimental Ophthalmology, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Martin Hungerbühler
- Department of Diagnostic, Interventional, and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Radiology Laboratory, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Rolf Müller
- Institute of Molecular Tumor Biology and Cancer Gene Therapy (IMT), Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Klaus J Klose
- Deans Office, Faculty of Medicine, Philipps University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Heiko Alfke
- Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Interventional Radiology, Klinikum Lüdenscheid, Lüdenscheid, Germany
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13
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Abstract
Mitochondrial selective autophagy (mitophagy) is a critical cellular process for mitochondrial homeostasis and survival both under basal and stress conditions. Distinct cell types display different requirements for mitochondrial turnover depending on their metabolic status, differentiation state, and environmental cues. This points to the necessity of developing novel tools for real-time, tissue-specific assessment of mitophagy. Caenorhabditis elegans is an invaluable model organism for this kind of analysis providing a platform for simultaneous monitoring of mitophagy in vivo in different tissues and cell types, during development, stress conditions, and/or throughout life span. In this chapter we describe three versatile, noninvasive methods, developed for monitoring in vivo early and late mitophagic events in body wall muscles and neuronal cells of C. elegans. These procedures can be readily used and/or provide insights into the generation of novel imaging methods to investigate further the role of mitophagy at the organismal level under normal and pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Palikaras
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Crete, Greece
| | - Eirini Lionaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Crete, Greece.
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, University of Crete, Crete, Greece.
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14
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Villarino M, Espeso EA, Melgarejo P, Larena I. Transformation of Penicillium rubens 212 and Expression of GFP and DsRED Coding Genes for Visualization of Plant-Biocontrol Agent Interaction. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:1653. [PMID: 30083150 PMCID: PMC6064719 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Strain 212 of Penicillium rubens (PO212) is an effective fungal biological control agent against a broad spectrum of diseases of horticultural plants. A pyrimidine auxotrophic isolate of PO212, PO212_18.2, carrying an inactive pyrG gene, has been used as host for transformation by positive selection of vectors containing the gene complementing the pyrG1 mutation. Both integrative and autonomously replicating plasmids transformed PO212_18.2 with high efficiency. Novel PO212-derived strains expressed green (sGFP) and red (Ds-Red Express) fluorescent reporter proteins, driven by the A. nidulans gpdA promoter. Fluorescence microscopy revealed constitutive expression of the sGFP and Ds-Red Express proteins, homogenously distributed across fungal cells. Transformation with either type of plasmid, did not affect the growth and morphological culture characteristics, and the biocontrol efficacy of either transformed strains compared to the wild-type, PO212. Fluorescent transformants pointed the capacity of PO212 to colonize tomato roots without invading plant root tissues. This work demonstrates susceptibility of the biocontrol agent PO212 to be transformed, showing that the use of GFP and DsRed as markers for PO212 is a useful, fast, reliable and effective approach for studying plant-fungus interactions and tomato root colonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Villarino
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Subdirección General de Investigación y Tecnología (SGIT), Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Eduardo A. Espeso
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Melgarejo
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Subdirección General de Investigación y Tecnología (SGIT), Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
| | - Inmaculada Larena
- Departamento de Protección Vegetal, Subdirección General de Investigación y Tecnología (SGIT), Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), Madrid, Spain
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15
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Gao F, Hao Z, Sun X, Qin L, Zhao T, Liu W, Luo H, Yao B, Su X. A versatile system for fast screening and isolation of Trichoderma reesei cellulase hyperproducers based on DsRed and fluorescence-assisted cell sorting. Biotechnol Biofuels 2018; 11:261. [PMID: 30258495 PMCID: PMC6151939 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-018-1264-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the biofuel industry, cellulase plays an indispensable role in hydrolyzing cellulose into fermentable glucose. Trichoderma reesei is a popular filamentous fungus with prominent ability to produce cellulase. While classical mutagenesis and modern multiplex genome engineering are both effective ways to improve cellulase production, successful obtaining of strains with improved cellulase-producing ability requires screening a large number of strains, which is time-consuming and labor intensive. RESULTS Herein, we developed a versatile method coupling expression of the red fluorescence protein (DsRed) in T. reesei and fluorescence-assisted cell sorting (FACS) of germinated spores. This method was first established by expressing DsRed intracellularly under the control of the major cellulase cbh1 promoter in T. reesei, which allowed us to rapidly isolate cellulase hyperproducers from T. reesei progenies transformed with a dedicated transcriptional activator ace3 and from an atmospheric and room temperature plasma-created mutant T. reesei library. Since intracellularly expressed DsRed was expected to isolate mutations mainly affecting cellulase transcription, this method was further improved by displaying DsRed on the T. reesei cell surface, enabling isolation of strains with beneficial genetic alterations (overexpressing hac1 and bip1) affecting regulatory stages beyond transcription. Using this method, T. reesei cellulase hyperproducers were also successfully isolated from an Agrobacterium-mediated random insertional mutant library. CONCLUSIONS The coupled DsRed-FACS high-throughput screening method proved to be an effective strategy for fast isolation of T. reesei cellulase hyperproducers and could also be applied in other industrially important filamentous fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Gao
- Key Laboratory for Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 People’s Republic of China
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Zhenzhen Hao
- Key Laboratory for Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xianhua Sun
- Key Laboratory for Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 People’s Republic of China
| | - Lina Qin
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Tong Zhao
- Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101 China
| | - Weiquan Liu
- College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Huiying Luo
- Key Laboratory for Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 People’s Republic of China
| | - Bin Yao
- Key Laboratory for Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyun Su
- Key Laboratory for Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 12 South Zhongguancun Street, Beijing, 100081 People’s Republic of China
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16
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Weng Y, Shi Y, Xia X, Zhou W, Wang H, Wang C. A multi-shRNA vector enhances the silencing efficiency of exogenous and endogenous genes in human cells. Oncol Lett 2017; 13:1553-1562. [PMID: 28454290 PMCID: PMC5403481 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.5672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful technology for suppressing gene function. In most studies, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) consist of one short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and, therefore, are often unable to achieve loss-of-function of their target genes. In the current study, an RNAi vector containing three shRNAs under the control of three RNA polymerase III U6 promoters was constructed. RNAi vectors containing one or two shRNAs were generated for comparisons. A pilot study targeting exogenously expressed DsRed in the HEK293 cell line revealed promising effects and a high selectivity for the multi-shRNA RNAi vector. Akt2 is constitutively expressed in cultured SKOV3 human ovarian cancer cells, and the multi-shRNA RNAi vector showed a strong efficiency for downregulating the expression of Akt2 in these cells, with no apparent interferon response. In addition, the Akt2-3shRNA vector, containing three shRNAs targeting Akt2, showed the best effect of all the shRNA vectors in reversing paclitaxel-induced resistance in SKOV3 cells. This study developed a widely applicable resource for enhancing the efficiency of gene silencing and a novel technique for performing complex loss-of-function screens in mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjie Weng
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Ying Shi
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Xi Xia
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Affiliated Shenzhen Nanshan Hospital, Guangdong Medical College, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518052, P.R. China
| | - Wenjuan Zhou
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Hongyan Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
| | - Changyu Wang
- Cancer Biology Research Center, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, P.R. China
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17
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Abstract
Eukaryotic cells heavily depend on ATP generated by oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) within mitochondria. Besides being the main suppliers of cell's energy, mitochondria also provide an additional compartment for a wide range of cellular processes and metabolic pathways. Mitochondria constantly undergo fusion/fission events and form a mitochondrial network, which is a highly dynamic, tubular structure allowing for rapid and continuous exchange of genetic material, as well as, targeting dysfunctional mitochondria for degradation through mitochondrial selective autophagy (mitophagy). Mitophagy mediates the elimination of damaged and/or superfluous organelles, maintaining mitochondrial and cellular homeostasis. In this chapter, we present two versatile, noninvasive methods, developed for monitoring in vivo mitophagy in C. elegans. These procedures enable the assessment of mitophagy in several cell types during development or under stress conditions. Investigating the role of mitophagy at the organismal level is essential for the development of therapeutic interventions against age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Palikaras
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, 1385, Heraklion, 70013, Crete, Greece
| | - Nektarios Tavernarakis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, 1385, Heraklion, 70013, Crete, Greece.
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, University of Crete, Heraklion, 71003, Crete, Greece.
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18
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Xu Q, Guerrero FD, Palavesam A, Pérez de León AA. Use of electroporation as an option to transform the horn fly, Haematobia irritans: a species recalcitrant to microinjection. Insect Sci 2016; 23:621-629. [PMID: 25645001 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The horn fly, Haematobia irritans, is a serious pest of cattle in North America. The control of horn flies has primarily relied on insecticides. However, the heavy use of insecticides has led to the development of insecticide resistance in horn flies. Novel methods to control horn flies are greatly needed. Transgenic technology is an effective tool to genetically modify insects and may lead to novel methods of pest control based on genomic approaches. Here we report a piggyBac-mediated transformation of the horn fly via electroporation. Transformation with a DsRed fluorescent marker protein coding region was verified by PCR analysis of individual fly bodies and pupal cases and sequencing of PCR products. However, Southern blot analysis failed to indicate the DsRed gene was integrated into the horn fly genome. Thus, the electroporation protocol may have caused the DsRed gene to be integrated into bacterial symbionts of the horn fly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Xu
- Department of Biology, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, TX, 79699, USA
| | - Felix D Guerrero
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
- USDA-ARS Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
| | - Azhahianambi Palavesam
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
| | - Adalberto A Pérez de León
- USDA-ARS Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory, 2700 Fredericksburg Rd., Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
- USDA-ARS Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, Kerrville, TX, 78028, USA
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19
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Boes A, Reimann A, Twyman RM, Fischer R, Schillberg S, Spiegel H. A Plant-Based Transient Expression System for the Rapid Production of Malaria Vaccine Candidates. Methods Mol Biol 2016; 1404:597-619. [PMID: 27076325 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3389-1_39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
There are currently no vaccines that provide sterile immunity against malaria. Various proteins from different stages of the Plasmodium falciparum life cycle have been evaluated as vaccine candidates, but none of them have fulfilled expectations. Therefore, combinations of key antigens from different stages of the parasites life cycle may be essential for the development of efficacious malaria vaccines. Following the identification of promising antigens using bioinformatics, proteomics, and/or immunological approaches, it is necessary to express, purify, and characterize these proteins and explore the potential of fusion constructs combining different antigens or antigen domains before committing to expensive and time-consuming clinical development. Here, using malaria vaccine candidates as an example, we describe how Agrobacterium tumefaciens-based transient expression in plants can be combined with a modular and flexible cloning strategy as a robust and versatile tool for the rapid production of candidate antigens during research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Boes
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andreas Reimann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | | | - Rainer Fischer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringerweg 1, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schillberg
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Holger Spiegel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Forckenbeckstrasse 6, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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20
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Wu TM, Lin KC, Liau WS, Chao YY, Yang LH, Chen SY, Lu CA, Hong CY. A set of GFP-based organelle marker lines combined with DsRed-based gateway vectors for subcellular localization study in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Plant Mol Biol 2016; 90:107-15. [PMID: 26519260 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-015-0397-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/25/2015] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In the post-genomic era, many useful tools have been developed to accelerate the investigation of gene functions. Fluorescent proteins have been widely used as protein tags for studying the subcellular localization of proteins in plants. Several fluorescent organelle marker lines have been generated in dicot plants; however, useful and reliable fluorescent organelle marker lines are lacking in the monocot model rice. Here, we developed eight different GFP-based organelle markers in transgenic rice and created a set of DsRed-based gateway vectors for combining with the marker lines. Two mitochondrial-localized rice ascorbate peroxidase genes fused to DsRed and successfully co-localized with mitochondrial-targeted marker lines verified the practical use of this system. The co-localization of GFP-fusion marker lines and DsRed-fusion proteins provide a convenient platform for in vivo or in vitro analysis of subcellular localization of rice proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Meng Wu
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 91201, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ke-Chun Lin
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wei-Shiang Liau
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yun-Yang Chao
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Plant Industry, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 91201, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ling-Hung Yang
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Szu-Yun Chen
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chung-An Lu
- Department of Life Sciences, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County, 320, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chwan-Yang Hong
- Department of Agricultural Chemistry, College of Bioresources and Agriculture, National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
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21
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Abstract
No plant or cryptogam exists in nature without microorganisms associated with its tissues. Plants as microbial hosts are puzzles of different microhabitats, each of them colonized by specifically adapted microbiomes. The interactions with such microorganisms have drastic effects on the host fitness. Since the last 20 years, the combination of microscopic tools and molecular approaches contributed to new insights into microbe-host interactions. Particularly, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) facilitated the exploration of microbial habitats and allowed the observation of host-associated microorganisms in situ with an unprecedented accuracy. Here I present an overview of the progresses made in the study of the interactions between microorganisms and plants or plant-like organisms, focusing on the role of CLSM for the understanding of their significance. I critically discuss risks of misinterpretation when procedures of CLSM are not properly optimized. I also review approaches for quantitative and statistical analyses of CLSM images, the combination with other molecular and microscopic methods, and suggest the re-evaluation of natural autofluorescence. In this review, technical aspects were coupled with scientific outcomes, to facilitate the readers in identifying possible CLSM applications in their research or to expand their existing potential. The scope of this review is to highlight the importance of confocal microscopy in the study of plant-microbe interactions and also to be an inspiration for integrating microscopy with molecular techniques in future researches of microbial ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Cardinale
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of GrazGraz, Austria
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of TechnologyGraz, Austria
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22
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Meersseman C, Léjard V, Rebours E, Boussaha M, Maftah A, Petit D, Rocha D. Bovine TWINKLE and mitochondrial ribosomal protein L43 genes are regulated by an evolutionary conserved bidirectional promoter. Gene 2013; 537:154-63. [PMID: 24361965 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.11.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2013] [Accepted: 11/30/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
TWINKLE is a mitochondrial DNA helicase playing an important role in mitochondrial DNA replication. In human, mutations in this gene cause progressive external ophtalmoplegia and mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome-7. TWINKLE is well conserved among multicellular eukaryotes and is believed to be a key regulator of mitochondrial DNA copy number in mammals. Despite its involvement in several diseases and its important function in mitochondrial DNA metabolism, nothing is known about the regulation of the expression of TWINKLE. We have analysed the 5'-flanking genomic region of the bovine TWINKLE gene and found it was localised adjacent to the MRPL43 gene in a head-to-head orientation, suggesting that both genes are regulated by a shared bidirectional promoter. The bovine 75-bp long intergenic region shows substantial homology across different species and contains several conserved putative transcription factor binding sites. A TATA box, however, was lacking. Using a dual fluorescent reporter system and transient transfection assays, we have analysed the bovine intergenic region between TWINKLE and MRPL43. This small genomic fragment showed a bidirectional promoter activity. As the TWINKLE/MRPL43 bidirectional promoter tested was highly conserved, it is likely that the results we obtained here in cattle may be extended to the other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Meersseman
- INRA, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; INRA, UMR1061 Génétique Moléculaire Animale, F-87060 Limoges, France; Université de Limoges, UMR1061 Génétique Moléculaire Animale, F-87060 Limoges, France
| | - Véronique Léjard
- INRA, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Emmanuelle Rebours
- INRA, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Mekki Boussaha
- INRA, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Abderrahman Maftah
- INRA, UMR1061 Génétique Moléculaire Animale, F-87060 Limoges, France; Université de Limoges, UMR1061 Génétique Moléculaire Animale, F-87060 Limoges, France
| | - Daniel Petit
- INRA, UMR1061 Génétique Moléculaire Animale, F-87060 Limoges, France; Université de Limoges, UMR1061 Génétique Moléculaire Animale, F-87060 Limoges, France
| | - Dominique Rocha
- INRA, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France; AgroParisTech, UMR1313, Unité Génétique Animale et Biologie Intégrative, Domaine de Vilvert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France.
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Matsuoka H, Sano GI, Hattori R, Tomita H, Yamamoto DS, Hirai M. One Injection of DsRed Followed by Bites from Transgenic Mosquitoes Producing DsRed in the Saliva Elicits a High Titer of Antibody in Mice. Trop Med Health 2012; 40:47-52. [PMID: 23097619 PMCID: PMC3473083 DOI: 10.2149/tmh.2011-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [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] [Received: 12/14/2011] [Accepted: 04/23/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that transgenic mosquitoes can be used as a “flying syringe” for infectious disease control. We succeeded in generating a transgenic (TG) mosquito, Anopheles stephensi, excreting and discharging DsRed in saliva. DsRed was deposited on the membrane where the TG mosquito probed with its proboscis. Repeated feeding by the TG mosquitoes induced anti-DeRed as well as anti-SG antibodies in mice. This indicates that the TG mosquitoes can immunize the animal. Moreover, in this report, we employed a pre-immunization method before exposing mice to the TG mosquitoes. We injected DsRed to mice to prepare memory B cells and exposed the mice to bites by the TG mosquitoes excreting DsRed. The mice produced a higher titer of antibody to DsRed, suggesting that the bites from TG mosquitoes act as a booster and that primary immunization with a vaccine protein and exposure to TG mosquitoes excreting the vaccine protein in the saliva produces a synergistic effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Matsuoka
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Shimotsuke, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
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24
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Terahara K, Yamamoto T, Mitsuki YY, Shibusawa K, Ishige M, Mizukoshi F, Kobayashi K, Tsunetsugu-Yokota Y. Fluorescent Reporter Signals, EGFP, and DsRed, Encoded in HIV-1 Facilitate the Detection of Productively Infected Cells and Cell-Associated Viral Replication Levels. Front Microbiol 2012; 2:280. [PMID: 22291690 PMCID: PMC3265802 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2011.00280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [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] [Received: 11/29/2011] [Accepted: 12/28/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Flow cytometric analysis is a reliable and convenient method for investigating molecules at the single cell level. Previously, recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) strains were constructed that express a fluorescent reporter, either enhanced green fluorescent protein, or DsRed, which allow the monitoring of HIV-1-infected cells by flow cytometry. The present study further investigated the potential of these recombinant viruses in terms of whether the HIV-1 fluorescent reporters would be helpful in evaluating viral replication based on fluorescence intensity. When primary CD4+ T cells were infected with recombinant viruses, the fluorescent reporter intensity measured by flow cytometry was associated with the level of CD4 downmodulation and Gag p24 expression in infected cells. Interestingly, some HIV-1-infected cells, in which CD4 was only moderately downmodulated, were reporter-positive but Gag p24-negative. Furthermore, when the activation status of primary CD4+ T cells was modulated by T cell receptor-mediated stimulation, we confirmed the preferential viral production upon strong stimulation and showed that the intensity of the fluorescent reporter within a proportion of HIV-1-infected cells was correlated with the viral replication level. These findings indicate that a fluorescent reporter encoded within HIV-1 is useful for the sensitive detection of productively infected cells at different stages of infection and for evaluating cell-associated viral replication at the single cell level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazutaka Terahara
- Department of Immunology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases Tokyo, Japan
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