Eukaryotic Vectors in Biotechnology
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Questions and Answers

What role do antibodies play in protein detection and purification?

Antibodies can detect and purify proteins of interest through affinity chromatography or immunoassays.

Identify one factor responsible for the formation of inclusion bodies in protein expression.

Temperature is one factor that can influence the formation of inclusion bodies.

How can modifying the expression vector help reduce inclusion body formation?

Modifying the host cell to over-express a chaperon can help reduce inclusion body formation.

What is the function of a signal sequence in protein export?

<p>A signal sequence facilitates the transport of secreted proteins to the outer membrane or outside the bacterial cell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one method to produce insoluble proteins as soluble forms?

<p>Fusing the protein of interest with certain soluble proteins like MBP or thioredoxin can produce soluble forms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the SnaBI enzyme in the context of Yeast Artificial Chromosomes?

<p>SnaBI is a blunt end cutter, which means that the products meant for integration must also be blunt ended.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one application of Yeast Artificial Chromosomes?

<p>They are used for gene libraries, allowing the insertion of long DNA fragments, potentially up to 1mb.</p> Signup and view all the answers

List two factors that impact expression optimization in gene cloning.

<p>Transcription initiation and termination, and promoter strength.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential consequence of overexpressing unnatural proteins in bacterial growth?

<p>It can have a detrimental effect on bacterial growth due to metabolic load.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the T7 promoter control the expression of target genes in the pET vector?

<p>The T7 RNA polymerase is produced in response to IPTG, which then synthesizes mRNA from the T7 promoter upstream of the target gene.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does the lac repressor play in controlling the T7 RNA polymerase gene expression?

<p>Under un-induced conditions, the lac repressor binds to the promoter region, preventing T7 RNA polymerase expression.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of using regulatory or inducible promoters in gene expression?

<p>They help manage the metabolic load and prevent detrimental effects associated with protein overexpression.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of plasmid stability in expression optimization?

<p>Plasmid stability ensures consistent maintenance of the expression vector within the host cell.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the optimal distance between the Shine-Dalgarno sequence and the initiation codon for efficient translation?

<p>The optimal distance is 8 bases.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which sequences are noted for providing the highest translational efficiency following the Shine-Dalgarno site?

<p>The presence of 4A residues or 4T residues gives the highest translational efficiency.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does codon bias relate to tRNA availability in cells?

<p>Codon bias is correlated with tRNA availability, influencing the choice of codons in the mRNA.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do translation stoppage codons UAA, UAG, and UGA play in gene expression levels?

<p>UAA is favored in highly expressed genes, while UAG and UGA are more frequent in genes expressed at lower levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of adding tags, like GST or His tags, to proteins during purification?

<p>Tags facilitate protein purification using affinity chromatography and help determine the presence and size of the cloned protein.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What advantage does using an intein provide in protein purification?

<p>Inteins can self-digest and remove the tag site, which is useful after protein purification.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where can a His tag be located on a target protein and why is this significant?

<p>A His tag can be located at either the N-terminal or C-terminal of the foreign protein.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the bases UAU and CUU for β-galactosidase mRNA translation?

<p>UAU and CUU are the most favorable combinations for efficient translation of β-galactosidase mRNA.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a vector in the context of genetic engineering?

<p>A vector is a DNA molecule that serves as a vehicle to transfer a gene of interest (GOI) into a host organism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main types of plasmids mentioned for yeast vectors?

<p>The two main types of plasmids for yeast vectors are Yeast Episomal Plasmids (YEp) and Yeast Integrative Plasmids (YIp).</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the selectable marker used in Yeast Integrative Plasmids (YIp)?

<p>The selectable marker used in YIp is Ura3.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the transformation frequency of Yeast Episomal Plasmids (YEp) compared to Yeast Integrative Plasmids (YIp)?

<p>YEp has a transformation frequency of 10,000 to 100,000 per µg, while YIp has a frequency of only about 1,000 per µg.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is the YIp considered to be rarely lost during cell division?

<p>YIp, once integrated into the host genome, is inherited by daughter cells, making it rarely lost during cell division.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the main advantages of using shuttle vectors like YEp?

<p>Shuttle vectors like YEp can replicate in both E. coli and yeast, facilitating easier DNA manipulation and cloning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of FLP protein in the context of 2 µm plasmids?

<p>FLP codes for a protein that can convert the A form of the plasmid to the B form, altering the gene order via intramolecular recombination.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of knowing the copy number of vectors such as YEp and YRp?

<p>The copy number indicates how many plasmid molecules exist in a host cell, affecting the efficiency of gene expression and stability.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Eukaryotic Vectors

  • Vectors are DNA molecules acting as destinations for Gene of Interest (GOI).
  • Vectors transport the gene into a host cell, which acts like a biofactory.
  • Vectors include plasmids, bacteriophages, cosmids/phagemid, transposons, viruses, and artificial chromosomes.

Vectors for Yeast and Fungi

  • 2 µm plasmid is found in eukaryotic organisms (EK!).
  • 2 µm plasmid size is 6kb.
  • Copy number ranges from 70-200.
  • Rep1 and Rep2 facilitate plasmid replication.
  • FLP protein converts one plasmid form (A) to another (B), altering gene order through intramolecular recombination.
  • Selectable markers include methtrexate/Cu tolerance.
  • Auxotrophic hosts like leu- can be converted into Leu+.

Vectors Based on 2 µm Plasmid (YEp)

  • YEp plasmid size is 10.7kb.
  • Selectable marker is Leu gene.
  • Shuttle vector: replicates in both E. coli and yeast.
  • Can exist as both plasmid and episome, which can be problematic during DNA isolation and sequencing.
  • Selection is done in bacteria then introduced into yeast.

Other Types of Yeast Cloning Vectors

  • Yeast integrative plasmid (Ylps): Ura3 selectable marker, replicates only when integrated.
  • Yeast Replicative plasmid (YRps): Can multiply independently, with Trp1 as the selectable marker.

Transformation Frequency of Vectors

  • YEp has a high transformation frequency of 10,000 to 100,000 per μg.
  • YRps have a transformation frequency of 1,000 to 10,000 per μg.
  • Ylp has a transformation frequency of 1000 per μg, only 1 to 10 without special measures.

Copy Number of Vectors

  • YEp has a copy number of 20-50.
  • YRp has a copy number of 5-100.
  • Ylp typically has only one copy.

Artificial Chromosomes

  • Yeast Artificial Chromosome (YAC)
    • Contains a centromere for accurate chromosome distribution during cell division.
    • Has telomeres to ensure proper replication of chromosome ends and prevent degradation.
    • Includes origins of replication to initiate DNA replication.

Applications of YAC

  • Stable during segregation.
  • Accommodates more DNA than other vectors (up to 1 million base pairs!).
  • Used in gene libraries.

Vectors for Plants

  • Ti plasmid, carried by Agrobacterium tumefaciens, is a tool for plant transformation.
  • It has oncogenic genes, and it regulates auxin and cytokinin production.
  • The T-DNA region of the Ti plasmid is transferred to the plant's genome.
  • Different regions and traits of Ti plasmid are useful in plant transformation like Opine synthesis and its catabolism.

Vectors for Expression

  • Vectors are used for cloning (mapping and sequencing) or for gene expression.

Expression Optimization

  • Optimizing protein expression involves factors such as:
    • Transcription initiation and termination.
    • Promoter strength.
    • Plasmid copy number.
    • Plasmid stability.
    • Host-cell physiology.
    • Translation initiation sequences.
    • Codon choice.
    • mRNA structure.
    • Toxicity and metabolic drain/load.

Metabolic Load

  • Overexpression of unnatural proteins has detrimental effects on bacterial growth.
  • Using regulatory/inducible promoters helps to control protein expression levels. -Promoters like AP, T7, trc, tac, or BAD.

Translation Optimization

  • mRNA must be effectively translated into protein.
  • Ribosome interaction with regions upstream of the initiation codon is crucial.
    • Bacteria use the Shine-Dalgarno sequence(S-D).

Characteristics of the Translation Initiation Sequence

  • The degree of similarity to the consensus sequence, the distance between the S-D sequence and the initiation AUG affects translation efficiency greatly (most optimal length is 8 bases).
  • Presence of certain bases following the S-D site affect translation efficiency.
  • Composition of the triplet immediately preceding the AUG codon affects translation efficiency greatly, especially for important or needed genes.

Codon Choice and Biasness

  • Codon choice and biasness are correlated with tRNA availability in the cell and non-random choices exist between pyrimidine-ending codons.
  • The translation stoppage is also dependent on codon biasness (e.g., UAA is used for high-expression genes, whereas UAG and UGA are more common in low-expression genes).

Protein Purification and Expression Vector

  • Use of Tags: Tags facilitate protein purification through affinity chromatography, determine the presence of the cloned protein, and identify their size. Common tags include GST, MBP, and His tags.
    • Tag removal is necessary after purification, if purification is stringent, otherwise it can interfere with the final protein products. Inteins can be used.
  • Use of Antibody/Immuno-assay: Antibodies can be generated against proteins of interest and then used for detection and purification via affinity chromatography or immuno-assay.
  • Inclusion Bodies: Proteins of interest can form inclusion bodies (aggregates) due to improper folding. factors that encourage inclusion body formation include factors like temperature, pH, and media composition.
    • Modifications in the vector can help prevent inclusion body formation; examples include engineering the host cell to overexpress chaperones or making minor changes to the amino acid sequence of the cloned gene. Adding signal peptide or fusion partner may also be important for producing soluble protein and exporting them into the periplasm of the host cell.

Vector to Promote Protein Export

  • Secreted proteins need transport to outer membranes or outside cells.
  • Signal sequences (peptides) have distinct N-terminal domains: a positively charged region, a hydrophobic core, and a cleavage site for leader peptidase.
  • Signal peptides are usually derived from naturally-occurring proteins.

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L9 - Vectors for Eukaryotes PDF

Description

Explore the fascinating world of eukaryotic vectors used in biotechnology, focusing on their role in transporting genes into host cells. Learn about various types of vectors such as plasmids, bacteriophages, and artificial chromosomes, particularly in yeast and fungi. This quiz will challenge your knowledge on the specifics of these genetic tools and their applications.

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