Establishment of a Gene Expression System in Rice Chloroplast and Obtainment of PPT-Resistant Rice Plants

In contrast to the situation of random integration of foreign genes in nuclear transformation, the introduction of genes via chloroplast genetic engineering is characterized by site-specific pattern via homologous recombination. To establish an expression system for alien genes in rice chloroplast, the intergenic region of ndhF and trnL was selected as target for sitespecific integration of PPT-resistant bar gene in this study. Two DNA fragments suitable for homologous recombination were cloned from rice chloroplast genome DNA using PCR technique, and the chloroplast-specific expression vector pRB was constructed by fusing a modified 16S rRNA gene promoter to bar gene together with terminator ofpsbA gene 3 sequence. Chloroplast transformation was carried out by biolistic bombardment of sterile rice calli with the pRB construct. Subsequently, the regenerated plantlets and seeds of progeny arising from reciprocal cross to the wild-type lines were obtained. Molecular analysis suggested that the bar gene has been integrated into rice chloroplast genome. Genetic analysis revealed that bar gene could be transmitted and expressed normally in chloroplast genome. Thus, the bar gene conferred not only selection pressure for the transformation of rice chloroplast genome, but PPT-resistant trait for rice plants as well. It is suggested that an efficient gene expression system in the rice chloroplast has been established by chloroplast transformation technique.

铁蛋白与口蹄疫病毒VP1在大肠杆菌中融合表达及纳米颗粒自组装

口蹄疫是由口蹄疫病毒引起的世界上最重要的畜牧疾病之一,严重影响世界畜牧业的发展,而疫苗免疫仍然是对疫情预防和控制的最有效手段。铁蛋白具有自组装和生物修饰的特性,在纳米疫苗等领域具有广阔的应用前景。选用O型口蹄疫病毒的vp1基因和幽门螺杆菌铁蛋白基因,通过融合PCR将vp1基因构建到铁蛋白亚基基因前端,在大肠杆菌中表达后通过His标签进行镍柱亲和层析纯化。将纯化好的重组蛋白进行Western blotting检测、质谱分析和透射电镜观察,发现重组蛋白VP1-Ferritin在大肠杆菌中获得表达,并可自组装成纳米颗粒。