• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.438-441
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• 2008

A novel lactobacilli replicon from plasmids of Lactobacillus reuteri KCTC 3678 was isolated. Eight L. reuteri strains from Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC) and Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) were screened for cryptic plasmids and most strains harbored 1 or 2 plasm ids. Particularly, L. reuteri KCTC 3678 contained 6 plasm ids which all were used for screening of lactobacilli replicon. EcoRI digests of the plasmid DNA prep from L. reuteri KCTC 3678 were ligated with pUC19 and the recombinant DNAs were serially named from pLR1 to pLR7. A cat (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase; $Cm^r$) gene originated from pC194 was introduced into pLR1-7, resulting in pLR1cat-pLR7cat, respectively. The recombinant plasmids were introduced into L. reuteri KCTC 3679, and only transformants harboring pLR5cat were obtained, indicating that the insert in pLR5 functioned as a lactobacilli replicon.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2024

The advantages of replicon vectors of RNA viruses include a high ability to stimulate innate immunity and exponential amplification of target mRNA leading to high expression of foreign antigens. The present study aimed to construct a DNA-layered nervous necrosis virus (NNV) replicon vector system in which the capsid protein gene was replaced with a foreign antigen gene and to compare the efficiency of foreign antigen expression between the conventional DNA vaccine vector and the present replicon vector. We presented the first report of a nodavirus DNA replicon-based foreign antigen expression system. Instead of a two-vector system, we devised a one-vector system containing both an NNV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase cassette and a foreign antigen-expressing cassette. This single-vector approach circumvents the issue of low foreign protein expression associated with the low co-transfection efficiency of a two-vector system. Cells transfected with a vector harboring hammerhead ribozyme-fused RNA1 and RNA2 (with the capsid gene ORF replaced with VHSV glycoprotein ORF) exhibited significantly higher transcription of the VHSV glycoprotein gene compared to cells transfected with either a vector without hammerhead ribozyme or a conventional DNA vaccine vector expressing the VHSV glycoprotein. Furthermore, the transcription level of the VHSV glycoprotein in cells transfected with a vector harboring hammerhead ribozyme-fused RNA1 and RNA2 showed a significant increase over time. These results suggest that NNV genome-based DNA replicon vectors have the potential to induce stronger and longer expression of target antigens compared to conventional DNA vaccine vectors.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.805-813
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• 2007

Although MCM2 is obviously important for the initiation of eukaryotic DNA replication, its role in $O_2$ dependent regulation of replicon initiation is poorly understood. In this report, I analysed the changes of MCM2 during the transition from hypoxically suppressed replicon initiation to the burst of initiation triggered by reoxygenation in T24 cells. A high level of chromatin bound and nucleosolic MCM2 was found under the hypoxic replicon arrest. In contrast low cytosolic MCM2 was noticed. Recovery of $O_2$ induced phosphorylation and diminution of chromatin bound MCM2, whereas cytosolic MCM2 increased. The level of chromatin bound Cdc7 did not change significantly upon reoxygenation. However, after reoxygenation, significant phosphorylation of Cdc7 and an increase of coimmunoprecipitation with its substrate (MCM2) were observed. This provides a hint that reoxygenation may promote the kinase activity of Cdc7. These changes might be the critical factors in $O_2$ dependent regulation of replicon initiation. Moreover, phosphorylation of Cdc7 by Cdk2 can be observed in vitro, but seems to fail to regulate the level of chromatin bound Cdc7 as well as the changes of MCM2 in response to reoxygenation of hypoxically suppressed cells.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.11.1-11.5
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• 2021

To evaluate avian hepatitis E virus (aHEV) as an RNA vaccine platform, ORF2 of aHEV was replaced by heterologous genes, such as eGFP and HA-tag, in aHEV infectious cDNA clones. eGFP and HA-tag replicons were expressed in LMH cells. To confirm expression of the heterologous protein, ORF2 was replaced with the antigenic S1 gene of IBV. The IBVS1 replicon was expressed in LMH cells. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation showing the potential as a RNA vaccine platform using an aHEV. In the future, it may be used in the development of RNA vaccines against various pathogens.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.86-95
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• 2002

As a result of genome projects, the research to elucidate the function of a protein of interest has recently been well-recognized. In order to facilitate functional genomics, a useful mammalian gene expression vector is required. Using an infectious CDNA clone of BVDV pNADLclns-, we have developed a mammalian gene expression vector. In this study, a replication-competent full-length infectious CDNA clone containing puremycin acetyltransferase (pac) gene (pNADLclns-/pac) was successfully generated. The viral RNA replication and viral protein NS3 synthesis were examined by detecting metabollically $^{32}P$-labelled genomic viral RNA and immunoblotting with a mouse anti-NS3 antibody. To generate viral replicon as an expression vector, we examine if the viral structural genes (C, E0, El, E2) are required for viral replication by deletion analysis. As a result, all of the structural proteins are dispensable for viral replication per se, but essential for infectious viral particle formation. Based on our deletion analysis, we have generated a replication-competent BVDV viral replicon (pNADLclns-/pac/${\Delta}S$), whose structural genes are all deleted. In addition to NADLclns- /pac/${\Delta}S$, NADLclns-/ luc/${\Delta}S$ viral replicon containing luciferase gene as a reporter was constructed and fecund to be replication-compotent in HeLa and BHK cells as well as MDBK cells. Therefore, BVDV viral replicon developed in our study will be a useful tool to express a protein of interest in various mammalian cells.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.816-822
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• 2018

Bifidobacterium is recognized as one of the most beneficial microorganisms in our gut. Many researches on bifidobacteria have been done to understand their roles in the gut. The objective of the present study was to develop a bioluminescent labelling plasmid vector for bifidobacteria to facilitate their visualization in vitro, in situ, and in vivo. A plasmid replicon (2.0 kb) of plasmid pFI2576 previously identified from B. longum FI10564 was amplified by PCR and cloned into pUC19 plasmid vector (2.68 kb). The cloned replicon was subcloned into pTG262 ($luc^+$) recombinant plasmid vector (7.4 kb) where a luciferase gene ($luc^+$) from pLuc2 (8.5 kb), an Escherichia coli and lactobacilli shuttle vector, was inserted into pTG262 plasmid vector. The final recombinant DNA, pTG262::pFI2576 rep ($luc^+$), was transferred into a B. catenulatum strain. This recombinant strain showed 3,024 relative luminescence units at $OD_{600}$ value of 0.352. Thus, this recombinant plasmid construct can be broadly used for labelling bifidobacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1229-1239
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• 2005

Human immunodeficiency virus-like particles (HIVVLPs) with native conformations similar to that of the wild-type virion could be valid candidates for vaccine development. To this end, we used a Semliki Forest Virus (SFV) expression system to produce HIV- VLPs containing high quantities of native envelope proteins. Here, we described a single SFV replicon containing the HIV gagpol and env genes under the control of separate subgenomic promoters. Mature VLPs incorporating the Gag and Env proteins were detected in the supernatant of replicon-expressing cells by Western blot analysis. The HIV-VLPs showed the expected molecular density (1.14-1.18 g/ml) on a $20-60\%$ sucrose gradient; the particles were 100-120 nm in diameter and Env proteins were observed on their surfaces by immunogold electron microscopy. RT-PCR analysis of VLP-associated RNAs in mature HIV-VLPs revealed two SF V-derived RNA species (full-length and subgenomic). Immunization studies in Balb/c mice showed that these HIV-VLPs were capable of inducing both HIV-specific antibodies and cell-mediated immune responses. Taken together, our results indicate that the SFV replicon system is useful for the production of HIV-VLPs, which may be valuable candidates for an HIV vaccine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1634-1639
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• 2006

Hepatitis C virus (HCV)-encoded nonstructural protein 5B (NS5B) possesses RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity, which is considered essential for viral proliferation. Thus, HCV NS5B is a good therapeutic target protein for the development of anti-HCV agents. In this study, we isolated two different kinds of nuclease-resistant RNA aptamers with 2'-fluoro pyrimidines against the HCV NS5B from a combinatorial RNA library with 40 nucleotide random sequences, using SELEX technology. The isolated RNA aptamers were observed to specifically and avidly bind the HCV NS5B with an apparent $K_d$ of 5 nM and 18 nM, respectively, in contrast with the original RNA library that hardly bound the target protein. Moreover, these aptamers could partially inhibit RNA synthesis of the HCV subgenomic replicon when transfected into Huh-7 hepatoma cell lines. These results suggest that the RNA aptamers selected in vitro could be useful not only as therapeutic agents of HCV infection but also as a powerful tool for the study of the HCV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase mechanism.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2001

We have generated a novel baculovirus genome which can be maintained in Escherichia coli that facilitates the rapid and efficient generation of recombinant baculovirus expression vectors. To make $Occ^{+}$ recombinant expression vectors, polyhedrin gene under the control of p10 promoter was inserted to bAcGOZA and this genome was designated bApGOZA. As in bAcGOZA, bApGOZA lacks a portion of the essential ORF1629 gene, but includes a mini-F replicon and selectable kanamycin-resistance marker, This occasion-producing activity of bApGOZA can be used very conveniently for its oral infectivity to insect larvae in mass production of foreign protein and insecticides.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.290-291
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• 2008