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Effects of codon modification on human BMP2 gene expression in tobacco plants

  • Genetic Transformation and Hybridization
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Abstract

Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) has great potential in therapeutic applications. We are working on generating transgenic plants as a bioreactor to produce BMP2. We have studied the effects of codon optimization on the expression of human BMP2 (hBMP2) in tobacco plants. Three modified hBMP2 genes were transformed into tobacco under the control of either cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV35S) promoter or double-CaMV35S promoter plus alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) enhancer. The fused β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene was used to facilitate the assay of protein expression. The results indicated that codon optimization could increase the protein expression level obviously under CaMV35S promoter. However, under relatively stronger initiation condition (double-CaMV35S promoter plus AMV enhancer), only the gene with the lowest degree of codon optimization could increase the protein expression level. Our findings suggest that the action of codon optimization may be influenced by the factors of promoter strength and A+T content in tobacco plants.

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Abbreviations

AMV:

Alfalfa mosaic virus

BMP2:

Bone morphogenetic protein-2

CUTG:

Codon Usage Tabulated from GenBank

CAI:

Codon adaptation index

CaMV35S promoter:

Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter

EK:

Enterokinase

GUS :

β-Glucuronidase

h:

Human

M:

Modified

MU:

Metylumbelliferone

N:

Native

Sarcosyl:

Sodium lauroyl sarcosine

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences’ “100 Talented Scholar Program” and supported by grants from Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-SW-205; KSCW2-SW-218), from NSFC (30428017), and from the Chinese 973 Program (2004CB117404; 2005CB522603).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology and the Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100080, People's Republic of China

    Guangli Suo

  2. Center of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 3 Nanyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing, 100080, People's Republic of China

    Bing Chen, Jingyu Zhang, Ziyuan Duan & Jianwu Dai

  3. Biotechnology Research Center, China Three Gorges University, Yichang, 443002, People's Republic of China

    Zhengquan He, Wei Yao & Chaoyin Yue

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  1. Guangli Suo
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  2. Bing Chen
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  3. Jingyu Zhang
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  4. Ziyuan Duan
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  5. Zhengquan He
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  6. Wei Yao
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  7. Chaoyin Yue
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  8. Jianwu Dai
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Correspondence to Jianwu Dai.

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Communicated by K. K. Kamo

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Suo, G., Chen, B., Zhang, J. et al. Effects of codon modification on human BMP2 gene expression in tobacco plants. Plant Cell Rep 25, 689–697 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0133-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00299-006-0133-6

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