Retention of the developmental pluripotency in medaka embryonic stem cells after gene transfer and long-term drug selection for gene targeting in fish

Embryonic stem (ES) cells provide a unique tool for introducing random or targeted genetic alterations, because it is possible that the desired, but extremely rare recombinant genotypes can be screened by drug selection. ES cell-mediated transgenesis has so far been limited to the mouse. In the fish medaka (Oryzias latipes) several ES cell lines have been made available. Here we report the optimized conditions for gene transfer and drug selection in the medaka ES cell line MES1 as a prelude for gene targeting in fish. MES1 cells gave rise to a moderate to high transfection efficiency by the calcium phosphate co-precipitation (5%), commercial reagents Fugene (11%), GeneJuice (21%) and electroporation (>30%). Transient gene transfer and CAT reporter assay revealed that several enhancers/promoters and their combinations including CMV, RSV and ST (the SV40 virus early gene enhancer linked to the thymidine kinase promoter) were suitable regulatory sequences to drive transgene expression in the MES1 cells. We show that neo, hyg or pac conferred resistance to G418, hygromycin or puromycin for positive selection, while the HSV-tk generated sensitivity to ganciclovir for negative selection. The positive-negative selection procedure that is widely used for gene targeting in mouse ES cells was found to be effective also in MES1 cells. Importantly, we demonstrate that MES1 cells after gene transfer and long-term drug selection retained the developmental pluripotency, as they were able to undergo induced differentiation in vitro and to contribute to various tissues and organs during chimeric embryogenesis.

Introduction of the human lactoferrin gene into grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) to increase resistance against GCH virus

Haemorrhage can be an epidemic and fatal condition in grass carp. It is known now that the Grass Carp Haemorrhage Virus (GCHV) triggers haemorrhage. Human lactoferrin (hLF) plays an important role in the non-specific immune system, making some organisms more resistant to some viruses. Sperm of grass carp was mixed with linearized pCAhLFc, which is a DNA construct containing an hLF cDNA and the promoter of common carp beta-actin gene, and then electroporated. Then, mature eggs were fertilized in vitro with the treated sperm cells. The fry were sampled and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results indicated that the foreign gene had been transferred successfully into the cells of some fry. Under optimal electroporation conditions, the efficiency of gene transfer was as high as 46.8%. About 35.7% of treated 5-month-old grass carp contained foreign genes. Most transgenic fry demonstrated significant delays in onset of symptoms of haemerrhage after injection of GCHV, suggesting a significant positive relationship between hLF cDNA and levels of disease resistance (P < 0.01). Results suggest that transgenic grass carp could be bred for increased resistance to haemorrhage. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

无指盘臭蛙皮肤抗菌肽Odorgrin A和Odorgrin C基因表达载体的构建及其在毕赤酵母中的表达

研究背景与目的：近二十年来，抗生素的广泛使用以及一些不当应用导致临床上出现大量的耐药性病原菌，所以不易产生耐药性的抗菌肽就成为目前研究的热点。本课题组此前的研究表明无指盘臭蛙（Odorrana grahami）皮肤抗菌肽具有广谱抗菌活性，但对真核细胞没有毒性，因此有成为新型药物的潜力。本研究采用毕赤酵母真核表达系统来生物合成抗菌肽Odorgrin A和Odorgrin C，为大量获取抗菌肽资源提供技术支撑。 方法：依照Odorgrin A和C的氨基酸序列、采用酵母偏爱密码子分别设计并化学合成了相应的目的基因序列。目的片段从合成质粒上用Xho Ι和EcoR Ι双酶切下后，与经同样限制酶完全酶切pPIC9K载体所获得的两个大片段直接连接，并转化至大肠杆菌DH5α。用PCR扩增、酶切及测序检测，鉴定正确的重组质粒。提取大量表达载体pPIC9K - Odo A和C并使之线性化后经电击法分别转化毕赤酵母（Pichia pastoris）GS115宿主菌，用营养缺陷型筛选、遗传霉素抗性筛选、PCR扩增和测序检测，鉴定并筛选出对G418具高抗性的Odorgrin A和C重组酵母菌。用甲醇对之进行诱导表达，SDS - PAGE电泳及反相层析检测表达产物，并做抑菌活性检测。 成果：PCR扩增、酶切及测序等结果表明表达载体pPIC9K - Odo A和C构建成功。营养缺陷型筛选、遗传霉素抗性筛选、PCR扩增和测序等证实pPIC9K - Odo A和C已整合入酵母基因组中。SDS - PAGE电泳及反相层析结果表明抗菌肽Odorgrin A和C成功地获得了分泌表达。而抑菌活性实验则检测到部分阳性克隆菌诱导分泌表达的抗菌肽Odorgrin A和C都对测试菌的生长具有较高（>94%）的抑制率。 结论：无指盘臭蛙皮肤抗菌肽Odorgrin A和Odorgrin C基因的表达载体都构建成功，并且都在毕赤酵母系统中获得了成功表达。 Background ＆ Objective: In the recent twenty years, a lot of pathogenic bacteria have come forth in clinic with durable trait derived from making use of and abusing the traditional antibiotics. Therefore, studying antimicrobial peptides, not be easy to be invalidated by durable bacteria, are becomimg popular and important. The skin antimicrobial peptides of Odorrana grahami with broad spectrum antibacterial activity and no toxicity to eukaryotic cell, discovered by previous research work of our workgroup, are looked forward to being potential medication. Pichia pastoris expressional system was used for biosynthesis antimicrobial peptides Odorgrin A and Odorgrin C in this study, for producing abundant antimicrobial peptides. Methods: The foreign fragments which included Odorgrin A or Odorgrin C gene according to their amino acid sequence respectively were synthesized based on the biased codon usage of yeast. The DNA fragments, obtained from the plasmids containing them by digested with Xho Ι and EcoR Ι, were directly ligated with the two bigger fragments obtained from the vector pPIC9K by digested with the same restriction enzymes. And then they were transformed into Escherichia coli DH5α to be selected and amplified positive colonies. The recombinants were testified by using PCR amplification, enzymes digestion and sequencing of the foreign fragment. After the expressional vector pPIC9K - Odo A and pPIC9K - Odo C were linearized, they were transformed into Pichia pastoris GS115 strain by the electroporation. Then the positive colonies which were of the highest geneticin resistant were selected through auxotrophic screening, genetic resistant screening, PCR amplification and sequencing of the inserted fragment. Methanol was used to induce the recombinant yeasts to express the foreign gene. SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, reversed phase chromatography and antibacterial activity experiment were used to testify the expressional products. Results: The evidences of PCR, enzymes digestion and sequence analysis confirmed that the expressional vector pPIC9K - Odo A and pPIC9K - Odo C have been constructed correctly. The results of auxotrophic screening, of genetic resistant screening, of PCR and sequencing of the foreign fragment showed that Odorgrin A and Odorgrin C gene have been homologous integrated with the Pichia pastoris genome. And it was also testified that antimicrobial peptides Odorgrin A and Odorgrin C have been expressed successfully by using SDS - PAGE electrophoresis, reversed phase chromatography and antibacterial activity experiment. Conclusion: The expressional vector of the skin antimicrobial peptides Odorgrin A and Odorgrin C gene of Odorrana grahami have been constructed correctly and both of the genes have been expressed successfully in Pichia pastoris system in this study.

Gene transfer into conchospores of Porphyra haitanensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) by glass bead agitation

Genetic transformation by electroporation of protoplasts is a standard procedure for many plants. However, for the genus Porphyra, the method is not effective because of low viability of protoplasts and is a time-consuming and expensive procedure. Based on the life history of Porphyra, a spore-targeted strategy of genetic transformation was developed, that is, using fresh conchospores of Porphyra haitanensis Chang & Zheng transformed by agitation with glass beads. A SV40 promoter-driven lacZ reporter gene was expressed in conchospores 48 h after the agitation. More transformants were obtained by increasing the agitation time from 10 to 25 s. The maximum number of transformants was more than six out of 1 million agitated conchospores. Transfer of a SV40 promoter-driven egfp gene into conchospores resulted in significant green GFP fluorescence. The expression of lacZ and egfp revealed that this strategy of spore-targeted transformation using glass bead agitation is feasible in P. haitanensis and that the SV40 promoter is effective for monitoring expression of foreign genes in this red algal species.