Construction of a fusion protein expression vector pGS/2SS-M4GFP without antibiotic resistance gene and its subcellular localization in different cell lines

Biologicals. 2009 Jan;37(1):37-43. doi: 10.1016/j.biologicals.2008.09.002. Epub 2008 Nov 12.

Abstract

A novel plasmid pGS/2SS-M4GFP was constructed in the present study by recombination of GS/2SS gene and enhanced green fluorescent protein (M4GFP) sequence. The GS/2SS fusion gene encoding two copies of somatostatin genes was firstly introduced into pVAX-asd vector in which the kanamycin resistance cassette was replaced by the asd cassette. The M4GFP gene was then fused into 3' end of GS/2SS gene in the proper reading frame. After purified, plasmid pGS/2SS-M4GFP was transfected into different cell lines derived from pig kidney and human cancer cells. The transcription process of GS/2SS gene was confirmed by RT-PCR, and the localization as well as expression of GS/2SS-M4GFP fusion protein was observed by confocal microscopy and ELISA. Transfection results revealed that sole M4GFP was localized within the cytosol and the nucleus, while fusion protein GS/2SS-M4GFP was localized only in the cytoplasm. Furthermore, it should be noted that subcellular localization of GS/2SS-M4GFP was not specific to one cell line, but appeared to be common across a variety of cell lines. These results provide for the first time valuable evidence that M4GFP is a versatile tool to trace GS/2SS protein and pave the way for further study on its tissue distribution and immunological mechanism in vivo.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line / metabolism*
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Drug Resistance, Microbial / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / chemical synthesis*
  • Genetic Vectors / metabolism*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens / genetics
  • Humans
  • Models, Biological
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Somatostatin / genetics
  • Swine
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Transfection
  • Transgenes*

Substances

  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigens
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Somatostatin