RNA editing of nuclear transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: RNA editing is a transcript-based layer of gene regulation. To date, no systemic study on RNA editing of plant nuclear genes has been reported. Here, a transcriptome-wide search for editing sites in nuclear transcripts of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) was performed.

Large-scale purification of human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor expressed in Bombyx mori pupae.

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (hGM-CSF) acts on many different kinds of cells, including monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, eosinophils, and multipotential stem cells. To explore further explore pharmaceutical action, we expressed hGM-CSF by the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus expression system in silkworm pupae. However, purifying recombinant proteins from silkworm pupae on a large scale has been a big challenge.

Genetic variation of Chinese PRRSV strains based on ORF5 sequence.

Thirteen isolates of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) from different provinces of China were studied and compared with several PRRSV isolates from other countries. Phylogenetic analysis shows that all Chinese isolates of PRRSV in this study belong to the American genotype, except for one strain, B13, which clustered as a European genotype. Sequence analysis revealed that PRRSV Chinese isolates of the American genotype were highly similar in the ORF5 sequence and could be classified into two subclades.

Computational prediction of microRNA genes in silkworm genome.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute a novel, extensive class of small RNAs (approximately 21 nucleotides), and play important gene-regulation roles during growth and development in various organisms. Here we conducted a homology search to identify homologs of previously validated miRNAs from silkworm genome. We identified 24 potential miRNA genes, and gave each of them a name according to the common criteria.

Expression of cholera toxin B subunit and assembly as functional oligomers in silkworm.

The nontoxic B subunit of cholera toxin (CTB) can significantly increase the ability of proteins to induce immunological tolerance after oral administration, when it was conjugated to various proteins. Recombinant CTB offers great potential for treatment of autoimmune disease. Here we firstly investigated the feasibility of silkworm baculovirus expression vector system for the cost-effective production of CTB under the control of a strong polyhedrin promoter.

[Construction of a fused fpg gene by using TP-PCR method].

TP-PCR,a method developed for fusion gene construction without the use of endonuclease and ligase, was performed to construct a fused fpg gene. The TP-PCR reaction system contained three primers and two templates and resulting PCR product, fused fpg gene, consisted of three sections: pheB gene, which was responsible for catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, gfp gene for GFP protein and the intermediate ligation segment which was designed for the correct expression of the fusion gene. The result in this paper showed that the TP-PCR method is one of rapid and convenient methods for fused gene construction.

Isolation and partial characterization of a novel pollen-specific cDNA with multiple polyadenylation sites from wheat.

A novel pollen-specific full-length cDNA clone PSG076 was isolated using suppression subtractive hybridization and 5'/3' RACE techniques. PSG076 was shown to exhibit multi-site polyadenylation by sequencing the 3' ends of the cDNAs. At least six transcripts with different length were produced from the single gene based on different poly(A) tail attachment sites.

Expression and identification of mutated osteoprotegerin in culture cells and larvae of silkworm.

The mutated osteoprotegerin (OPG-372) gene was inserted into the baculovirus transfer vector pBacPAK8, and the recombinant plasmid was co-transfected with linearized Bm-BacPAK6 virus DNA into BmN cells, then homologous recombination occurred inside the cells. The recombinant virus BmNPV-OPG-372 was screened and identified by Southern blotting. The recombinant human OPG-372 was expressed in cultured cells and the larvae of silkworm by inoculation of recombinant virus.

A novel tri-primer PCR method (TP-PCR) for rapid construction of fpg gene.

A novel tri-primer polymerase chain reaction method (TP-PCR) was developed for the construction of a fused fpg gene, in which no endonuclease and ligase were used. Instead, two templates and three specifically designed primers were applied. Results showed that pheB and gfp genes, which encodes the catechol 2, 3-dioxygenase and the green fluorescent protein (GFP), respectively, were successfully fused into an fpg gene through the rapid TP-PCR system, indicating that TP-PCR method could be a useful tool for DNA fragment fusion in which no proper endonuclease sites were available.

[Expression of polyprotein of infectious bursal disease virus in Bombyx mori].

Segment A of the genome of infectious bursal disease virus(IBDV) encodes structure protein VP2 and VP3 and protease VP4. In this study a polyprotein gene of IBDV was inserted into a Bombyx mori baculovirus transfer vector pAcHLT--C and contransfected into BmN cells with linear genome DNA of virus Bm-BacPAK6. Dot hybridization suggested that the segment A of the virus genome was inserted in the genome of Bm-BacPAK6.

Expression and activity determination of human angiostatin (k1-3) in culture cells and larvae of silkworm.

Angiostatin (k1-3) gene was inserted into Bombyx mori baculovirus transfer vector pBacPAK8 and cotransfected with lineared DNA of Bm-BacPAK6 virus into BmN cells. The homologous recombination occurred inside the cells, and the recombinant virus BacPAK-angiostatin was expressed, as identified by DNA dot blotting. The BmN cells and fifth instars were infected by the recombinant virus BacPAK-angiostatin; expression product was run in the SDS-PAGE, and its immunoreactivity was determined by using ELISA and Western blotting.

Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Structural Protein VP2 Expressed by a Baculovirus Recombinant in Bombyx mori.

VP2 cDNA gene of the infectious bursal disease virus HZ96 strain, encoding a major host-protective antigen, was cloned into baculovirus transfer vector pBacPAK8, resulting in a recombinant transfer vector pBacPAK-VP2. The vector pBacPAK-VP2 and linearized DNA of modified baculovirus Bm-BacPAK6 were co-transfected into the cultured Bombyx mori (Bm) N cells, in which homologous recombination occurred. Then, baculovirus recombinants were screened out.

[Expression of human interleukin-11 in cell culture and larvae of silkworm].

A recombinant transfer vector, pBacIL-11, containing hIL-11 cDNA of 546 nucleotides lacking leader sequence was constructed and co-transfected into BmN cells with linearized BmBacPAK(modified BmNPV) DNA for construction of a recombinant baculovirus carrying the hIL-11 gene. Southern hybridization analysis suggested that the recombinant baculovirus DNA contained hIL-11 cDNA fragment. RNA dot blotting demonstrated that the hIL-11 gene was transcribed.