A novel mammalian expression system derived from components coordinating nicotine degradation in arthrobacter nicotinovorans pAO1

We describe the design and detailed characterization of 6-hydroxy-nicotine (6HNic)-adjustable transgene expression (NICE) systems engineered for lentiviral transduction and in vivo modulation of angiogenic responses. Arthrobacter nicotinovorans pAO1 encodes a unique catabolic machinery on its plasmid pAO1, which enables this Gram-positive soil bacterium to use the tobacco alkaloid nicotine as the exclusive carbon source. The 6HNic-responsive repressor-operator (HdnoR-O(NIC)) interaction, controlling 6HNic oxidase production in A.nicotinovorans pAO1, was engineered for generic 6HNic-adjustable transgene expression in mammalian cells. HdnoR fused to different transactivation domains retained its O(NIC)-binding capacity in mammalian cells and reversibly adjusted transgene transcription from chimeric O(NIC)-containing promoters (P(NIC); O(NIC) fused to a minimal eukaryotic promoter [P(min)]) in a 6HNic-responsive manner. The combination of transactivators containing various transactivation domains with promoters differing in the number of operator modules as well as in their relative inter-O(NIC) and/or O(NIC)-P(min) spacing revealed steric constraints influencing overall NICE regulation performance in mammalian cells. Mice implanted with microencapsulated cells engineered for NICE-controlled expression of the human glycoprotein secreted placental alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) showed high SEAP serum levels in the absence of regulating 6HNic. 6HNic was unable to modulate SEAP expression, suggesting that this nicotine derivative exhibits control-incompatible pharmacokinetics in mice. However, chicken embryos transduced with HIV-1-derived self-inactivating lentiviral particles transgenic for NICE-adjustable expression of the human vascular endothelial growth factor 121 (VEGF(121)) showed graded 6HNic response following administration of different 6HNic concentrations. Owing to the clinically inert and highly water-soluble compound 6HNic, NICE-adjustable transgene control systems may become a welcome alternative to available drug-responsive homologs in basic research, therapeutic cell engineering and biopharmaceutical manufacturing

A novel mammalian expression system derived from components coordinating nicotine degradation in arthrobacter nicotinovorans pAO1

We describe the design and detailed characterization of 6-hydroxy-nicotine (6HNic)-adjustable transgene expression (NICE) systems engineered for lentiviral transduction and in vivo modulation of angiogenic responses. Arthrobacter nicotinovorans pAO1 encodes a unique catabolic machinery on its plasmid pAO1, which enables this Gram-positive soil bacterium to use the tobacco alkaloid nicotine as the exclusive carbon source. The 6HNic-responsive repressor-operator (HdnoR-ONIC) interaction, controlling 6HNic oxidase production in A.nicotinovorans pAO1, was engineered for generic 6HNic-adjustable transgene expression in mammalian cells. HdnoR fused to different transactivation domains retained its ONIC-binding capacity in mammalian cells and reversibly adjusted transgene transcription from chimeric ONIC-containing promoters (PNIC; ONIC fused to a minimal eukaryotic promoter [Pmin]) in a 6HNic-responsive manner. The combination of transactivators containing various transactivation domains with promoters differing in the number of operator modules as well as in their relative inter-ONIC and/or ONIC-Pmin spacing revealed steric constraints influencing overall NICE regulation performance in mammalian cells. Mice implanted with microencapsulated cells engineered for NICE-controlled expression of the human glycoprotein secreted placental alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) showed high SEAP serum levels in the absence of regulating 6HNic. 6HNic was unable to modulate SEAP expression, suggesting that this nicotine derivative exhibits control-incompatible pharmacokinetics in mice. However, chicken embryos transduced with HIV-1-derived self-inactivating lentiviral particles transgenic for NICE-adjustable expression of the human vascular endothelial growth factor 121 (VEGF121) showed graded 6HNic response following administration of different 6HNic concentrations. Owing to the clinically inert and highly water-soluble compound 6HNic, NICE-adjustable transgene control systems may become a welcome alternative to available drug-responsive homologs in basic research, therapeutic cell engineering and biopharmaceutical manufacturin

TCTEX1D2 mutations underlie Jeune asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy with impaired retrograde intraflagellar transport

Tiina Paunio on työryhmän UK10K jäsen.The analysis of individuals with ciliary chondrodysplasias can shed light on sensitive mechanisms controlling ciliogenesis and cell signalling that are essential to embryonic development and survival. Here we identify TCTEX1D2 mutations causing Jeune asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy with partially penetrant inheritance. Loss of TCTEX1D2 impairs retrograde intraflagellar transport (IFT) in humans and the protist Chlamydomonas, accompanied by destabilization of the retrograde IFT dynein motor. We thus define TCTEX1D2 as an integral component of the evolutionarily conserved retrograde IFT machinery. In complex with several IFT dynein light chains, it is required for correct vertebrate skeletal formation but may be functionally redundant under certain conditions.Peer reviewe

Impact of NBS for VLCAD deficiency on genetic, enzymatic and clinical outcomes.

Most infants with very-long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (VLCADD) identified by newborn screening (NBS) are asymptomatic at the time of diagnosis and remain asymptomatic. If this outcome is due to prompt diagnosis and initiation of therapy, or because of identification of individuals with biochemical abnormalities who will never develop symptoms, is unclear. A 10 year longitudinal national cohort study of genetically confirmed VLCADD patients born before and after introduction of NBS. Main outcome measures were clinical outcome parameters, ACADVL gene analysis, VLCAD activity and overall capacity of long-chain fatty acid oxidation (LC-FAO flux) in lymphocytes and cultured skin fibroblasts. Median VLCAD activity in lymphocytes of 54 patients, 21 diagnosed pre-NBS and 33 by NBS was respectively 5.4% (95% CI 4.0-8.3%) and 12.6% (95% CI 10.7-17.7%; p10% 7 out of 12 diagnosed pre-NBS versus none by NBS experienced hypoglycemic events. NBS has a clear beneficial effect on the prevention of hypoglycemic events in patients with some residual enzyme activity, but does not prevent hypoglycemia nor cardiac complications in patients with very low residual enzyme activity. The effect of NBS on prevalence and prevention of myopathy-related complications remains unclear

Mutations in a new member of the chromodomain gene family cause CHARGE syndrome.

Contains fulltext : 58659.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)CHARGE syndrome is a common cause of congenital anomalies affecting several tissues in a nonrandom fashion. We report a 2.3-Mb de novo overlapping microdeletion on chromosome 8q12 identified by array comparative genomic hybridization in two individuals with CHARGE syndrome. Sequence analysis of genes located in this region detected mutations in the gene CHD7 in 10 of 17 individuals with CHARGE syndrome without microdeletions, accounting for the disease in most affected individuals