Previous studies have shown that proline mutations in the heptad repeat region stabilize the coronavirus spike (S) protein in a pre-fusion state. To understand the impact of proline substitutions on the fusogenicity of the S protein, we engineered the swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) S protein with two proline substitutions (S-PP) and examined its fusogenicity using dual-split-protein based cell-cell fusion assay. Unlike the wild-type S (S-WT), S-PP rarely formed syncytia. Additionally, protein expression of S-PP was impaired compared to S-WT, as previously reported. Our results indicate that pre-fusion stabilized S protein is unable to induce membrane fusion and provide a better understanding of SADS-CoV S and vaccine antigen design.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein mediates virus entry by binding to the host cell receptor, human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), and catalyzing virus–host membrane fusion. The S protein also mediates cell–cell fusion, potentially allowing the virus to spread virion-independently. Here, we compared the fusogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variant S proteins using a cell–cell fusion assay. In cells overexpressing hACE2, cell–cell fusion ability of all tested SARS-CoV-2 variants was similar to that of the Wuhan-Hu-1 strain. However, in cells with endogenous hACE2, SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially the Delta variant, stimulated significantly greater cell–cell fusion than the original strain. Our results showed that the Delta variant S protein is highly fusogenic and can spread rapidly by utilizing small amounts of hACE2.

Many transgenic domestic animals have been developed to produce therapeutic proteins in the mammary gland. However, purification of therapeutic proteins from transgenic milk are very important for productivity of recombinant protein. Development of a knock-in vector system is needed to improve production of therapeutic proteins. In this study, we are develop Knock-in vector to express human Erythropoietin protein (hEPO) using Gluthathione S-transferase (GST) fusion system on mouse β-casein exon 3 locus. The knock-in vector consisted of the 5 homologous arm (1.02 kb), GST, PreScission protease site, hEPO cDNA, BGH polyA signal, CMV-EGFP, and 3homologous arm(1.81 kb). The analysis of nucleotide and amino acid sequence revealed that GST-hEPO mRNA is probably translated with the mouse β-casein sequence and the β-casein-GST-hEPO fusion protein is probably secreted by ER-Golgi pathway. After that, the hEPO protein can be cleaved to remove the GST from the fusion protein by PreScission protease during purification of recombinant protein. This knock-in vector may help to create transgenic mouse expressing human Erythropoietin protein via the endogenous expression system of the mouse β-casein gene in the mammary gland.

To enhance the production efficiency of foreign protein in baculovirus expression system, the effects of polyhedrin fragments were investigated by fusion expression them with the enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP). Recombinant viruses were generated to express EGFP fused with polyhedrin fragments based on the minimal region for self-assembly and the KRKK nuclear localization signal (NLS). The increase of EGFP production by fusion expressions was confirmed through protein and fluorescence intensity analyses. The importance of nuclear localization for enhanced production of EGFP was shown by the mutation of the NLS within the fused polyhedrin fragment. Among the fusion expressed protein in cytoplasm, the most hyper-expression was observed in the fusion of amino acids 32 to 59 of polyhedrin. Polyhedrin fragment fusion expression with classical swine fever virus E2 protein also resulted hyper-enhanced expression of E2 protein. However, the fusion expression of porcine circovirus ORF2 with polyhedrin fragment did not show significant enhance of ORF2 production. These results suggested that the enhancement of foreign protein production when fused with polyhedrin is caused by the enhanced stability of expressed protein.

Polyhedrin is the major component of the nuclear viral occlusions produced during replication of the baculovirus Autographa californica multicapsid nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcMNPV). To enhance the expression level of baculovirus vector system, we constructed several fusion vectors using various fragments of the polyhedrin. The polyhedrin fragments were genetically fused to the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) under the control of polyhedrin promoter, and their expressions were analyzed in Sf21 insect cells. Expression of the fusion protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using anti-GFP and anti-Polyhedrin. The expression level of eGFP was markedly increased by the fusion of partial polyhedrin. Also, the fluorescence intensity of fusion proteins was higher than that of non-fusion protein. Confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that fusion proteins were localized to the cytosol or nucleus of insect cells. In additional, the glycoprotein E2 (gE2) of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) expressed by the these vectors was dramatically increased and its immunogenicity was proofed using experimental animal guinea pigs that were immunized with the partial polyhedrin containing gE2. This study provides a new option for the higher expression of useful foreign recombinant protein by using the partial polyhedrin in BEVS.

The Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) is a member of the Pestivirus genus of the Flaviviridae. The polyprotein composed of eight nonstructural and four structural proteins (nucleocapsid protein C and three envelope glycoprotein E0, E1 and E2). E2, the most immunogenic of the CSFV glycoproteins, induces a protective immune response in swine. The objective of this study was to enhance production of E2 protein by fusion with partial polyhedrin of nucleopolyhedrovirus in insect cells. We generated various E2 form by fusion with different combinations of the partial polyhedrin and deletion of the C-terminal transmembrane region (TMR). Expression of the E2 protein was identified by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis using anti-CSFV E2 monoclonal antibodies. The fusion expression of an E2 protein with the partial polyhedrin markedly increased expression levels. Also, expression of E2 proteinlacking TMR region was higher than that of intact E2 protein. As a result, the fusion expression of E2 protein lacking the C-terminal TMR with partial polyhedrin was significantly increased in insect cells. These suggest that the fusion of target foreign protein with partial polyhedrin could enhance significantly the production of target protein.

Previously, we found that expression by translational fusion of the polyhedrin (Polh)-green fluorescence protein (GFP) led to the formation of granular structures and these fluorescent granules were easily precipitated by high-speed centrifugation. Here, we developed an easy, fast, and mass purification system using this baculovirus expression system (BES). An enhanced GFP (EGFP) fused with Polh gene at the N-terminus including an adaptor and enterokinase (EK) site between Polh and EGFP was expressed in Sf9 cells. The cells infected by AcPolhEKA-EGFP produced fluorescent granules. The EGFP fusion protein was purified from granule-containing cells according to three steps; cell harvest, sonication and EK digestion. Through the final enterokinase digestion, EGFP was presented mainly in the supernatant (93.3%) and the supernatant also showed a pure EGFP band. These results suggest that the combined procedure of Polh fusion expression and enterokinase digestion can used for the rapid and easy purification of other proteins.

Autographa californica 핵다각체병 바이러스(AcNPV)의 다각체 단백질과 초록색 형광 단백질의 융합단백질의 특성을 분석하였다. 초록색 형광 단백질 유전자는 AcNPV의 완전한 다각체 단백질 유전자의 앞쪽과 뒤쪽에 융합하여 다각체 단백질 유전자의 프로모터 조절하에 도입하였다. 이렇게 작성된 재조합 바이러스를 각각 Ac-GFPPOL 또는 Ac-POLGFP이라고 명명하였다. 이들 재조합 바이러스에 의해 감염된 곤충세포주에서는 56kDa의 융합단백질이 발현되었다. 한편, 흥미롭게도 재조합 바이러스 Ac-POLGFP에 의해 감염된 세포주에서는 초록색 형광이 핵내에서만 다각체 유사 granular particle 형태로 관찰되었다. 반면에 Ac-GFPPOP에 의해 감염된 세포도주에서는 대부분 핵내에 존재하였지만, 세포질과 핵 모두에서 초록색 형광을 관찰할 수 있었다. 그러나 발현된 융합단백질은 분명히 다각체단백질을 포함하고 있음에도 다각체는 형성하지 않았다. 이러한 결과들은 융합단백질에서 다각체단백질의 위치와 관련이 있는 것으로 보여진다.

남부지방에서 분리한 곤충병원성곰팡이 Beauveria bassiana GY1-17균주를 이용하여 산림해충인 오리나무잎벌레(Agelastica coerulea), 밤나무혹나방(Meganola melancholica), 회양목명나방(Glyphodes perspectalis), 잔디해충인 등얼룩풍뎅이(Blitopertha orientalis), 채소해충인 배추좀나방(Plutella xylostella) 및 거세미나방(Agrotis segetum)의 생물적 방제 가능성을 알아보기 위하여 실험한 결과, 오리나무잎벌레와 배추좀나방유충은 7.0~2.0 conidia/ml 농도에서 처리 7일과 5일후 100%의 치사율을 나타내었다. 밤나무혹나방유충은 0.03875~3.1 conidia/ml 처리에서 66.7~100%의 높은 치사율을 보였으나 회양목명나방유충은 2.0~2.0conidia/ml 처리에서도 전혀 치사되지 않았다. 등얼룩풍뎅이유충은 3.7 conidia/ml 농도에서 46.7%의 치사율을 보였고, 거세미나방유충은 2.5 conidia/ml 농도에서 63.3% 치사율을 나타내었다.

The effect of growth regulators (NAA, BA and GA_3) and light (blue, red and far-red) on the changes in total protein and thylakoid membrane protein pattern of callus from intergeneric protoplast fusion between Nicotiana tabacum and Solanum nigrum were investigated. When the callus were irradiated with different wavelengths of light, blue and red light accelerated the synthesis of total proteins and thylakoid membrane proteins. Particularly, red light led to an increase in the protein synthesis compared to blue light. When the callus were subjected to various combinations of growth regulators, NAA+GA_3 and NAA-BA treatments induced remarkable increase of total proteins and thylakoid membrane proteins accumulation, particulary in the combination of NAA+GA_3 NAA+GA_3 treatment with irradiation of red light showed highest value in the accumulation of total proteins and thylakoid membrane proteins. We conclude that simultaneous application of red light and NAA+GA_3 treatment may induce synergistic effect in the synthesis of total proteins and thylakoid membrane proteins.