Cloning and Characterization of a Human Genomic Sequence that Alleviates Repeat-Induced Gene Silencing

PLoS One. 2016 Apr 14;11(4):e0153338. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153338. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Plasmids bearing a mammalian replication initiation region (IR) and a nuclear matrix attachment region (MAR) are spontaneously amplified in transfected mammalian cells, and such amplification generates chromosomal homogeneously staining regions (HSRs) or extrachromosomal double minutes (DMs). This method provides a novel, efficient, and rapid way to establish cells that stably produce high levels of recombinant proteins. However, because IR/MAR plasmids are amplified as repeats, they are frequently targeted by repeat-induced gene silencing (RIGS), which silences a variety of repeated sequences in transgenes and the genome. To address this problem, we developed a novel screening system using the IR/MAR plasmid to isolate human genome sequences that alleviate RIGS. The screen identified a 3,271 bp sequence (B-3-31) that elevated transgene expression without affecting the amplification process. Neither non-B structure (i.e., the inverted repeats or bending) nor known epigenetic modifier elements such as MARs, insulators, UCOEs, or STARs could explain the anti-silencing activity of B-3-31. Instead, the activity was distributed throughout the entire B-3-31 sequence, which was extremely A/T-rich and CpG-poor. Because B-3-31 effectively and reproducibly alleviated RIGS of repeated genes, it could be used to increase recombinant protein production.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • CHO Cells
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Gene Library
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Genome, Human*
  • Humans
  • Matrix Attachment Regions / genetics*
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Recombinant Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins

Grants and funding

This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) (23380203) and a Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research (24658290, 26660293), both from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (to NS). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.