• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.211-215
• /
• 2002

The baculovirus/Sf9 cell expression can be employed as a powerful system for producing large amounts of the human erythrocyte glucose transporter, GLUT1 heterologously In order to exploit the system further, it is necessary to develop a convenient method for demonstrating that the transporter expressed in insect cells is biologically active. To achieve this, we have expressed the human CLUT1 in insect cells and photolabelled the expressed protein with [$^3$H] cytochalasin B, a potent inhibitor of the human erythrocyte glucose transporter. Subsequently, the labelled proteins were analysed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Membranes labelled with [$^3$H] cytochalasln B in the presence of L-Glucose yielded a single sharp peak of labelling of apparent $M_r$ 45,000 on SDS/polyacrylamide gels. The mobility of this peak corresponded exactly to that of the band detected by anti-glucose transporter antibodies on Western blots of membranes prepared from insect cells infected with recombinant virus. In addition, the sharpness of the radioactive peak provides further evidence for the conclusion that the expressed protein is much less heavily and heterogeneously glycosylated than its erythrocyte counterpart. No peak of labelling was seen with the membranes prepared from non-infected Sf9 cells. Furthermore, the incorporation of label into this peak was completely inhibited by the presence of 500 mM-D-Glucose during tile photolabelling procedure, showing the stereoselectivity of the labelling. These evidences clearly show that human glucose transporter expressed in insect cells exhibits native-like biological activity, and that photolabelling with [$^3$H] cytochalasin B can be a convenient means for analysing the biological activity of the transport protein expressed in insect cells.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.225-232
• /
• 1998

We have expressed GFP in Sf9 and Bm5 cells or Bombyx mori larvae by using Ac-Bm hybrid virus capable of replicating in both Bm5 and Sf9 cells. Genomic DNA of Ac-Bm hybrid virus expressing ${\beta}$-galactosidase was cotransfected with baculovirus transfer vector containing GFP gene, pBacPAK-GFP in Sf9 cells. The Ac-Bm hybrid virus harboring GFP was named as Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP. The Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP-infected insect cells were easily selected by detecting the emission of GFP from each well of cell culture dish on the UV illuminator. GFP produced by Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP in Sf9 and Bm5 cells or B. mori larvae was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using GFP antibody. In addition, B. mori larvae infected with Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP was apparently appeared fluorescence from the whole body at S days postinoculation. The fluorescence of GFP from the hemolymph and fat body of B. mori larvae infected with Ac-Bm hybrid virus-GFP was also observed by fluorescence microscope. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that in baculovirus expression vector system, use of Ac-Bm hybrid virus have an additional advantage of expanded host range for producing recombinant proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.24 no.12
• /
• pp.1719-1727
• /
• 2014

In the present study, whispovirus immediate early 1 promoter (ie-1) was used to initiate surface expression of the hemagglutinin (HA) protein of Egyptian H5N1 avian influenza virus (AIV) by using the baculovirus expression vector system. The HA gene and whispovirus ie-1 promoter sequence were synthesized as a fused expression cassette (ie1-HA) and successfully cloned into the pFastBac-1 transfer vector. The recombinant vector was transformed into DH10Bac competent cells, and the recombinant bacmid was generated via site-specific transposition. The recombinant bacmid was used for transfection of Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) insect cells to construct the recombinant baculovirus and to induce expression of the HA protein of H5N1 AIV. The recombinant glycoprotein expressed in Sf-9 cells showed hemadsorption activity. Hemagglutination activity was also detected in both extra- and intracellular recombinant HAs. Both the HA and hemadsorption activities were inhibited by reference polyclonal anti-H5 sera. Significant expression of the recombinant protein was observed on the surface of infected insect cells by using immunofluorescence. SDS-PAGE analysis of the expressed protein revealed the presence of a visually distinguishable band of ~63 kDa in size, which was absent in the non-infected cell control. Western blot analysis confirmed that the distinct 63 kDa band corresponded to the recombinant HA glycoprotein of H5N1 AIV. This study reports the successful expression of the HA protein of H5N1 AIV. The expressed protein was displayed on the plasma membrane of infected insect cells under the control of whispovirus ie-1 promoter by using the baculovirus expression vector system.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.281-286
• /
• 1998

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core proteins from two different isolates (HCV-1 and HCV-RH) were expressed in Spotioptera Jrugiperda (Sf9) insect cells. The RH core consisted of two major species of proteins (21 kDa and 19 kDa). On the other hand, the HCV-1 core was approximately 16 kDa in a SDS-PAGE gel. Both core proteins were phosphorylated in vivo on serine residues. Furthermore, the RH core but not HCV-1 core formed dimers, indicating that the protein conformation of the core in these two isolates is dfferent from one another. Immunofluorescence studies showed that the RH core was present in the cytoplasm, whereas the HCV-1 core was localized predominantly to the nucleus in recombinant baculovirus-infected insect cells. Since the major difference between the two isolates is the codon 9 of the core protein, a single amino acid substitution appears to play a major role in the protein conformation and these properties may reflect the different biological functions of core proteins in HCV-infected cells.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.71-76
• /
• 2009

Salivary lipocalin (SAL1) is a member of the lipocalin protein family that has a property to associate with many lipophilic molecules. The importance of SAL1 during pregnancy in pigs has been suggested by our previous study which has shown that SAL1 is expressed in the uterine endometrium in a cell type- and implantation stage-specific manner and secreted into the uterine lumen. However, function of SAL1 in the uterus during pregnancy in pigs is not known. To understand SAL1 function in the uterus during pregnancy, we generated recombinant porcine SAL1 protein in an insect cell line. Porcine SAL1 cDNA was cloned into a baculovirus expression vector using RT-PCR and total RNA from uterine endometrium on day 12 of pregnancy, and the expression vector was used to generate recombinant Bacmid containing the SAL1 gene. The recombinant Bacmid was then transfected Sf9 cell to produce recombinant baculovirus. By infecting Sf9 cell with recombinant baculovirus, we established a SAL1-expressing insect cell expression system. Immunoblot analysis confirmed SAL1 expression in the infected cells. Recombinant SAL1 produced by the Sf9 cell line will be useful for understanding physiological function of SAL1 during pregnancy in pigs.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.177-181
• /
• 2003

The baculovirus/Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) cell system has become popular for the production of large amounts of the human erythrocyte glucose transporter, GLUT1, heterologously. However, it was not possible to show that the expressed transporter in insect cells could actually transport glucose. The possible reason for this was that the activity of the endogenous insect glucose transporter was extremely high and so rendered transport activity resulting from the expression of exogenous transporter very difficult to detect. Sf21-AE cells are commonly employed as the host permissive cell line to support the baculovirus AcNPV replication and protein synthesis. The cells grow well on TC-100 medium that contains 0.1 % D-glucose as the major carbon source, strongly suggesting the presence of endogenous glucose transporters. However, unlike the human glucose transporter, very little is known about properties of the endogenous sugar transporter(s) in insect cells. Thus, the uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2dGlc) by Sf21-AE cells and the inhibition of 2dGlc transport in the insect cells by fructose and cytochalasin B were investigated in the present work. The binding assay of cytochalasin B was also performed, which could be used as a functional assay for the endogenous glucose transporter(s) in the insect cells. Sf21-AE cells were infected with the recombinant virus AcNPV-GT or no virus, at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 5. Infected cells were resuspended in PBS plus and minus 300 mM fructose, and plus and minus 20 $\mu$M cytochalasin B for use in transport assays. Uptake was measured at 28$^{\circ}C$ for 1 min, with final concentration of 1 mM deoxy-D-glucose, 2-[1,2-$^3$H]- or glucose, L-[l,$^3$H]-, used at a specific radioactivity of 4 Ci/mol. The results obtained demonstrated that the sugar uptake in uninfected cells was stereospecific, and was strongly inhibited by fructose but only poorly inhibitable by cytochalasin B. It is therefore suggested that the Sf21-AE glucose transporter has very low affinity for cytochalasin B, a potent inhibitor of human erythrocyte glucose transporter.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.122-128
• /
• 1992

Post-translational modifications of the nucleocapsid protein of bovine coronavirus (Quebec strain) were investigated. Coronavirions were radiolabelled in vivo with inorganic $[^{32}P]$orthophosphate and analysed by SDS-PAGE, followed by autoradiography. A single polypeptide with a migration rate of 55 KDa was identified by metabolic phosphate labelling, demonstrating that the nucleocapsid protein of bovine coronavirus was a phosphoprotein. A gene encoding the nucleocapsid protein was inserted immediately downstream from the polyhedrin promoter of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis baculovirus. Spodoptera frugiperda cells infected with this recombinant baculovirus synthesized a 55 KDa polypeptide, as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation with anti-nucleocapsid monoclonal antibody. The recombinant nucleocapsid protein synthesized in Spodoptera cells could also be labelled by $[^{32}P]$orthophosphate. Phosphoamino acid analysis showed that both serine and threonine residues were phosphorylated in authentic, as well as in recombinant nucleocapsid proteins, with a relative phosphorylation ratio of 7:3. Our studies demonstrated that the nucleocapsid protein of bovine coronavirus was a serine and threonine-phosphorylated protein and that Spodoptera insect cells were able to properly phosphorylate the relevant foreign proteins.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.453-458
• /
• 1998

Human thrombopoietin (hTPO) was expressed to high levels in insect cells using the baculovirus expression system. Full-length hTPO cDNA containing a native signal peptide sequence was amplified by PCR from a human fetal liver cDNA library and cloned into the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) expression vector. Immunoblot analysis with antiserum against hTPO indicated that an approximately 55 kDa protein was produced in recombinant AcNPV infected insect cells. Recombinant hTPO was produced 4-fold higher in Trichoplusia ni (Tn5) cells than in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) cells. with most of the hTPO produced in Tn5 cells secreted into the culture medium. Addition of tunicamycin in the culture medium resulted in the reduction of the size of hTPO to 35-38 kDa, and most of the protein remained within the cell. These results suggest that N-glycosylation of hTPO is required for the secretion of the protein into the culture medium in insect cells. hTPO produced in insect cells induced proliferation and maturation of megakaryocyte progenitors, indicating that it is in a biologically active form.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.102-107
• /
• 1999

To analysis a promoter strength of Atographa californica nucler polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) IE1 gene, an immediate viral gene, ${\beta}$-glactosidase gene as a reporter gene was introduced under the control of the IE1 promoter. The restriction fragment containing IE1 promoter and ${\beta}$-galctosidase gene from pAcIE1-gal were inserter into pBacPAK9 to yield transfer vector pAcNPV-IE1-gal. The pAcNPV-IE1-gal was cotransfected with AcNPV genomic DNA BacPAK6 into Sf9 cells to produce recombinant baculovirus AcNPV-IE1-gal. In addition, recombinant bacvulovirus AcNPV-gal, which express ${\beta}$-galac-tosidase under the control of the polyhedrin promoter, was constrer, was constructed to compared with AcNPV-IE1-gal. The recombinant viruses were respectively infected into Sf9 cells and characterized by the virus titer and expression of ${\beta}$-galactoxidase in Sf9 cells. The promoter strength of IE1 and polyhedrin promoters was determined by the amount of ${\beta}$-galactosidase secreted into medium by viral infection. The titer of AcNPV-IE1-Gal determined by plaque assays in Sf9 cells was similar to that of AcNPV-gal. However, expression level of ${\beta}$-galactosidase by AcNPV-IE1-gal was significantly lower than that by AcNPV-gal. In conclusion, promoter strength of IE1 was approximately 25-fold lower than that of polyhedrin.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.341-350
• /
• 1997

We have now constructed a novel recombinant baculovirus producing fusion protein with Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) polyhedrin and Bacillus thuringiensis(Bt) cryIA(c) crystal protein. The fusion protein expressed by the recombinant baculovirus in insect cells was characterized. The N-terminal of cryIA(c) gene of Bt subsp. kurstaki HD-73 was introduced under the control of polyhedrin gene promoter of AcNPV, by fusion in the front of intact polyhedrin gene or by insertion into the HindIII site in polyhedrin gene. The recombinant baculoviruses were named as BtrusI or BtrusII, respectively. Although single transcript from the fusion protein gene was apparently observed. BtrusI was produced the two proteins, 92 kDa fusion protein and only polyhedrin. In addition, fusion protein produced by BtrusI did not form polyhedra. Interestingly, however, the cells infected with BtrusII did not show a 33 kDa polyhedrin band as a cells infected with BtrusI. Cells infected with BtrusII were only produced fusion protein, but the polyhedra formed by fusion protein was not observed. To determine the insecticidal toxicity of fusion protein, therefore, Sf9 cells infected with BtrusI were inoculated to Bombyx mori larvae. Sf9 cells infected with BtrusI that expressed the fusion protein caused larval mortality although the insecticidal toxicity was low. In conclusion, our results clearly demonstrated that the fusion protein with polyhedrin and Bt cryIA(c) crystal protein have a insecticida toxicity.