Factors effecting expression of vaccines in microalgae.

PhycoBiologics is developing an oral vaccine delivery system using vaccines expressed in the chloroplast of microalgae. Despite many advances in plastid transformation technology, levels of expression remain inconsistent. We have concluded that the main factors affecting the level of recombinant protein expression in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas are: codon optimization, protease activity, protein toxicity and transformation-associated genotypic modification.

Aberrant epigenetic modifications in hepatocarcinogenesis induced by hepatitis B virus X protein.

Background & Aims: The involvement of the hepatitis B virus X (HBx) protein in epigenetic modifications during hepatocarcinogenesis has not been previously characterized. The aim of the present study was to identify the involvement of HBx in regional hypermethylation and global hypomethylation during the formation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Liver cell lines were transiently or stably transfected with an HBx-expressing vector.