• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.648-656
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to establish conditions for transfection of a foreign gene into somatic cells using cationic lipid reagents and to evaluate the effects of transfection on in vitro development of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was used as a foreign gene and a non-transfected somatic cell was utilized as a control karyoplast. Monolayers of porcine cells were established and subsequently transfected with a GFP-expressing gene (pEGFP-N1) using three types of transfection reagents (LipofectAMINE PLUS, FuGENE 6 or ExGen500). Donor cells used for SCNT included transfected fetal or adult fibroblasts and oviduct epithelial cells, either serum-fed or serum-starved. Oocytes matured in vitro for 42 h were reconstructed with either transfected or non-transfected porcine somatic cells by electric fusion and activation using a single DC pulse of 1.8 kV/cm for $30{\mu}s$ in $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}-containing$ 0.26 M mannitol solution. Reconstructed oocytes were subsequently cultured in NCSU-23 medium for 168 h and the developmental competence and cell number in blastocyst were compared. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in fusion, cleavage rates or development to the blastocyst stage between non-transfected, transfected, serum-fed and serum-starved cells. However, the rates of GFP-expressing blastocysts were higher in the FuGENE 6 group (71.4%) among transfection reagents and in the fetal fibroblasts group (70.4%) for donor cells. These results indicate that fetal fibroblasts transfected with FuGENE 6 can be used as donor cells for porcine SCNT and that GFP gene can be safely used as a marker of foreign genes in porcine transgenesis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.358-363
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• 2008

The intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure has recently been utilized to produce transgenic animals and may serve as an alternative to the conventional pronuclear microinjection in species such as pigs whose ooplasm is opaque and pronuclei are often invisible. In this study, the effects of sperm membrane disruption and electrical activation of oocytes on in vitro development and expression of transgene green fluorescent protein (GFP) in ICSI embryos were tested to refine this recently developed procedure. Prior to ICSI, sperm heads were treated with Triton X-100+NaCl or Triton X-100+NaCl+NaOH, to disrupt membrane to be permeable to exogenous DNA, and incubated with linearized pEGFP-N1 vector. To induce activation of oocytes, a single DC pulse of 1.3 kV/cm was applied to oocytes for $30{\mu}sec$. After ICSI was performed with the aid of a micromanipulator, in vitro development of embryos and GFP expression were monitored. The chemical treatment to disrupt sperm membrane did not affect the developmental competence of embryos. 40 to 60% of oocytes were cleaved after injection of sperm heads with disrupted membrane, whereas 48.6% (34/70) were cleaved without chemical treatment. Regardless of electrical stimulation to induce activation, oocytes were cleaved after ICSI, reflecting that, despite sperm membrane disruption, the perinuclear soluble sperm factor known to mediate oocyte activation remained intact. After development to the 4-cell stage, 11.8 (2/17, Triton X-100+NaCl+NaOH) to 58.8% (10/17, Triton X-100+NaCl) of embryos expressed GFP. The expression of GFP beyond the stage of embryonic genome activation (4-cell stage in the pig) indicates that the exogenous DNA might have been integrated into the porcine genome. When sperm heads were co-incubated with exogenous DNA following the treatment of Triton X-100+NaCl, GFP expression was observed in high percentage (58.8%) of embryos, suggesting that transgenic pigs may efficiently be produced using ICSI.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2015

This peptide has antibacterial activity against several Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Bombyx mori cecropinB1(BmCecB1) is antimicrobial peptides from Bombyx mori and belongs to cecropin family. Antimicrobial peptides are important components of the innate immune systems in all living organism. To produce the BmCecB1 antimicrobial peptide, we constructed transgenic silkworm that expressed BmCecB1 gene under the control BmA3 promoter using piggyBac vector. The use of the 3xP3-driven EGFP cDNA as a marker allowed us to rapidly distinguish transgenic silkworm. Mixtures of the donor vector and helper vector were micro-injected into 600 eggs of bivoltin silkworms, Baegokjam. In total, 49 larvae (G0) were hatched and allowed to develop into moths. The resulting G1 generation consisted of 22 broods, and we selected 2 broods containing at least 1 EGFP-positive embryo. The rate of successful transgenesis for the G1 broods was 9%. We identified 9 EGFP-positive G1 moths and these were backcrossed with wild-type moths. With the aim of identifying a BmCecB1 as antimicrobial peptide, we investigated the Radical diffusion Assay (RDA) and then demonstrated that BmCecB1 possesses high antibacterial activities against Gram-negative bacteria.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2004

Human PTH (parathyroid hormone) is known to be efficacious for curing osteoporesis. In this study, we attempted to construct genetically modified porcine cell lines that can ultimately be used for donor cells in nuclear transfer-mediated transgenesis. By using retrovirus vectors carrying tetracycline-regulatory expression system and WPRE (woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element) sequence, we could control PTH expression with tetracycline and boost the promoter activity. Considering that low or constitutive expression of the transgene has been one of major problems that needs to be solved in transgenic animal studies, our results could be helpful in successful production of transgenic pigs as bioreactors.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.233-241
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• 2002

Background: Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) of rodent origin are produced with ease by hybridoma fusion technique, and have been successfully used as therapeutic reagents for humans after humanization by genetic engineering. However, utilization of these antibodies for therapeutic purpose has been limited by the fact that they act as immunogens in human body causing undesired side effects. So far, there have been several attempts to produce human mAbs for effective in vivo diagnostic or therapeutic reagents including the use of humanized xenomouse that is generated by mating knockout mice which lost Ig heavy and light chain genes by homologous recombination and transgenic mice having both human Ig heavy and light gene loci in their genome. Methods: Genomic DNA fragments of mouse Ig heavy and light chain were obtained from a mouse brain ${\lambda}$ genomic library by PCR screening and cloned into a targeting vector with ultimate goal of generating Ig knockout mouse. Results: Through PCR screening of the genomic library, three heavy chain and three light chain Ig gene fragments were identified, and restriction map of one of the heavy chain gene fragments was determined. Then heavy chain Ig gene fragments were subcloned into a targeting vector. The resulting construct was introduced into embryonic stem cells. Antibiotic selection of transfected cells is under the progress. Conclusion: Generation of xenomouse is particularly important in medical biotechnology. However, this goal is not easily achieved due to the technical difficulties as well as huge financial expenses. Although we are in the early stage of a long-term project, our results, at least, partially contribute the successful generation of humanized xenomouse in Korea.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.41.1-41.7
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• 2016

Background: The transgenic approach using estrogen-responsive regulator in fish has been given much attention as a potential means to detect and/or address estrogen-related aquatic pollutions. In order to address the development stage- and reproduction status-dependent expression patterns of the chgH-rfp transgene (red fluorescent protein transgene driven by choriogenin H promoter) in marine medaka Oryzias dancena, naturally occurring red fluorescent protein (RFP) signals under non-exposed conditions as well as the transgenically induced RFP signals under estrogen-exposed conditions were assayed. Results: Female transgenics begun to show naturally occurring RFP signals from the age of 7 weeks post hatching (WPH) without experimental estrogen exposure. Afterward, these RFP signals in female transgenics became robust with the progress of ovarian maturation. On the other hand, male transgenics did not show any naturally occurring RFP signal under non-exposed conditions irrespective of developmental stages and maturation statue. Upon exposures using estradiol-$17{\beta}$ (E2) and $17{\alpha}$-ethinylestradiol (EE2), RFP signals were significantly induced specifically in the livers of transgenic males. Conclusions: Male chgH-rfp transgenics were able to keep the "off" state of RFP expression during their entire life cycle unless exposed to exogenous estrogens. Owing to their tight regulation capability of estrogen-responsive transgene, transgenesis of chgH-rfp in male marine medaka could offer a useful model system for future ecotoxicogenomic studies regarding estrogenicity-related issues in aquatic and marine environments.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.325-331
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• 2009

To efficiently express a gene of interest in transgenic plants, the choice of promoter is a crucial factor as it directly affects the expression of the transgene that will yield the desired phenotype. The Arabidopsis ${\beta}-carotene$ hydroxylase 1 gene (AtBch1) shows constitutive and ubiquitous expression and was thus selected as one of best candidates for constitutive promoter analysis by both in silico northern blotting and semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. To investigate AtBch1 promoter activity, the 1,981-bp 5'-upstream region of this gene was fused with ${\beta}-glucuronidase$ (GUS) and transformed into Arabidopsis. Through the molecular characterization of transgenic leaf tissues, the AtBch1 promoter generated strong activity that drives 1.8- and 2-fold higher GUS expression than the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (35S) promoter at the transcriptional and translational levels, respectively. Furthermore, the GUS enzyme activity driven by the AtBch1 promoter was 2.8-fold higher than that produced by the 35S promoter. By histochemical GUS staining, the ubiquitous expression of the AtBch1 promoter was observed in all tissues of Arabidopsis. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis with different tissues further showed that this promoter serves as a strong constitutive driver of transgene expression in dicot plants.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2004

Gene delivery is one of the keen interests in animal industry as well as research on gene functions. Some of the in vivo gene delivery techniques have been successively used in various tissues for the gene therapy and transgenesis. Despite intensive efforts, it still remains to overcome problems of limited local and regional administration and low transgene expression. To improve the efficiency of gene delivery, a new procedure was tested. We injected exogenous DNA containing LacZ into the female or male gonads and then pulsed electric field. Electroporated gonads showed positive X-gal staining in many seminiferous tubules of the porcine fetal gonads. Exogenously introduced LacZ genes were also expressed in female porcine gonad. In addition, we demonstrated efficient gene delivery in gonad of adult mouse. Furthermore, we succeed to generate genetically modified germline cells showing GFP and positive X-gal signals. The results suggest that the newly developed gene delivery is an effective way of in vivo transfection in mammals. The developed gene delivery procedure should be useful in producing transgenic animals when combined with primary cell culture and nuclear transplantation.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 2000

Unfortunately, there is no technique which is stable and repetitive to produce transgenic chicken, although various ways of gene transfer including PGC-and embryonic cell-mediated gene transfer, DNA microinjection, virus inoculation and sperm cells have been employed. The aims of this study were 세 develop and establish such a stable, repetitive and efficient way of gene transfer giving a faithful gene expression during development after the reconstruction of embryo in an UV-irradiated egg. A dual reporter plasmid (pJJ9), a fusion gene containing lacZ and GFP driven by a CMV promoter was used to exploit either merits of both reporting markers. lacZ with strong signal or GFP with vital marking. Electroporated embryonic blastodermal cells (EBCs) in the presence of the pJJ9 DNA faithfully showed 377 bp PCR product and lacZ or GFP expressions in the identical cells in vitro of in vivo. Furthermore, analyses of expression pattern of the foreign DNA demonstrated that microinjected EBCs cells into the UV-irradiated recipient egg should participate in normal developmental process, for example, proliferation and differentiation into various tissues. Thirty percentages of the manipulated eggs showed lacZ expression in their tissues. These results together with the specific procedures used in this study should facilitate avian transgenesis.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.35-41
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• 2014

Laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LOPU) is a convenient method for collecting oocytes in small ruminants. LOPU has the advantage of being a less invasive means of oocyte collection, thereby allowing for a repeated usage of the oocyte donor animals. A total of 25 Korean black goats were used in the winter season (December to February) and LOPU was applied to the goats which had been treated for superovulation more than two times during the last twelve months. Estrus was synchronized with an intravaginal insert containing 0.3 g progesterone for 10 to 12 days. Ovaries were hyperstimulated with eCG 1,000 IU oneshot, FSH with eCG (50 mg / 1,000 IU; 70 mg / 500 IU; 70 mg / 1,000 IU) oneshot or FSH multiple-shot with eCG oneshot ($20mg{\times}6/300IU$) given intramuscularly 72 h prior to LOPU. For these groups, the number of follicles (mean ${\pm}$ SEM) observed which developed to larger than 2 mm in diameter were $1.6{\pm}2.5$, $4.3{\pm}3.1$, $5.5{\pm}4.2$, $6.6{\pm}2.1$ and $8.8{\pm}7.8$, respectively. Oocytes were aspirated by using OPU needles and a vacuum pump. The overall oocyte retrieval rates were 41.4%. Oocytes were matured in TCM-199 supplemented with 10% (w/v) bovine serum albumin + $10{\mu}g/ml$ FSH + $1{\mu}g/ml$ $17{\beta}$-estradiol for 27 h at $39^{\circ}C$ in 5% $CO_2$ in air. Oocytes were parthenogenetically activated by ionomycin combined with 6-diethylaminopurine (6-DMAP). Total oocyte maturation and cleavage rate were 67.3% and 78.8%, respectively. In summary, LOPU is a useful oocyte collection method in Korean black goats that can provide immature oocytes for transgenesis or nuclear transfer.