Aim: To subclone the V(L) gene and V(H) genes of anti-HBsAg and construct the single-chain Fv gene and to analyse the expression of the constructed gene in COS-7 cells.
Methods: A set of oligonucleotide primers were designed and used to amplify the V(H) and V(L) genes from Fab antibodies screened from phage antibody library. The products were cloned into pUC19 vector and their sequences were analysed. The V(H) and V(L) gene fragments were linked up by a peptide linker and a leader sequence added at 5' terminus of each gene (L-V(H)-Linker-V(L)) and designated as L-ScFv. The L-ScFv genes were inserted into the eukaryotic fusion protein expression vector pEGFP-N3 and transfected into COS-7 cells to express respectively.
Results: The coding sequences of V(H),V(L), linker and leader in all constructs were all correct. The expression of ScFv fusion protein was detectable by fluorescence microscope after transient expression in COS-7. The secretive expression of L-ScFv was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. And the binding specificity of the ScFvs with HBsAg were proved by indirect ELISA.
Conclusions: Anti-HBsAg ScFv genes have been successfully constructed and expressed in COS-7 cells.