RESUMO
Left-handed Z-DNA is a physiologically unstable DNA conformation, and its existence in vivo can be attributed to localized torsional distress. Despite evidence for the existence of Z-DNA in vivo, its precise role in the control of gene expression is not fully understood. Here, an in vivo probe based on an anti-Z-DNA intrabody is proposed for native Z-DNA detection. The probe was used for chromatin immunoprecipitation of potential Z-DNA-forming sequences in the human genome. One of the isolated putative Z-DNA-forming sequences was cloned upstream of a reporter gene expression cassette under control of the CMV promoter. The reporter gene encoded an antibody fragment fused to GFP. Transient co-transfection of this vector along with the Z-probe coding vector improved reporter gene expression. This improvement was demonstrated by measuring reporter gene mRNA and protein levels and the amount of fluorescence in co-transfected CHO-K1 cells. These results suggest that the presence of the anti-Z-DNA intrabody can interfere with a Z-DNA-containing reporter gene expression. Therefore, this in vivo probe for the detection of Z-DNA could be used for global correlation of Z-DNA-forming sequences and gene expression regulation.
Assuntos
Núcleo Celular/genética , Sondas de DNA/metabolismo , DNA Forma Z/isolamento & purificação , Animais , Células CHO , Linhagem Celular , Imunoprecipitação da Cromatina , Cricetinae , Cricetulus , DNA Forma Z/metabolismo , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Genes Reporter , Humanos , Células MCF-7RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The optimization of protein production is a complex and challenging problem in biotechnology. Different techniques for transcription, translation engineering and the optimization of cell culture conditions have been used to improve protein secretion, but there remain many open problems involving post-translational modifications of the secreted protein and cell line stability. RESULTS: In this work, we focus on the regulation of secreted protein specific productivity (using a recombinant human immunoglobulin G (IgG)) by controlling the expression of the spliced form of human X-box binding protein (XBP-(s)) in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1) under doxycycline (DOX) induction at different temperatures. We observed a four-fold increase in specific IgG productivity by CHO cells under elevated concentrations of DOX at 30°C compared to 37°C, without detectable differences in binding activity in vitro or changes in the structural integrity of IgG. In addition, we found a correlation between the overexpression of human XBP-1(s) (and, as a consequence, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) size expansion) and the specific IgG productivity under DOX induction. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest the T-REx system overexpressing human XBP-1(s) can be successfully used in CHO-K1 cells for human immunoglobulin production.