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Expression of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen in Drosophila S2 cells

  • SI: Heterologous GEne Expression
  • Published:
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Abstract

Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells were transfected with a plasmid vector (pAcHBsAgHy) containing the S gene, coding for the hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg), under control of the constitutive drosophila actin promoter (pAc), and the hygromycin B (Hy) selection gene. The vector was introduced into Schneider 2 (S2) Drosophila cells by DNA transfection and a cell population (S2AcHBsAgHy) was selected by its resistance to hygromycin B. The pAcHBsAgHy vector integrated in transfected S2 cell genome and approximately 1,000 copies per cell were found in a higher HBsAg producer cell subpopulation. The HBsAg production varied in different subpopulations, but did not when a given subpopulation was cultivated in different culture flasks. Higher HBsAg expression was found in S2AcHBsAgHy cells cultivated in Insect Xpress medium (13.5 μg/1E7 cells) and SFX medium (7 μg/1E7 cells) in comparison to SF900II medium (0.6 μg/1E7 cells). An increase of HBsAg was observed in culture maintained under hygromycin selection pressure. Data presented in the paper show that S2AcHBsAgHy cells produce efficiently the HBsAg which is mainly found in the cell supernatant, suggesting that HBsAg is secreted from the cells. The data also show that our approach using the Drosophila expression system is suitable for the preparation of other viral protein preparation.

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Abbreviations

HBsAg:

Hepatitis B virus surface antigen

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by grants from the FAPESP (02/09482-3, 05/50565-8), CNPq and Fundação Butantan. We thank Carlos F.M. Menck for collaboration and the Virology Department, Hepatitis Section of Instituto Butantan for supplying the HBsAg reference. C.A. Pereira is recipient of CNPq senior research fellowship. S.A.C. Jorge had scholarships from FAPESP (01/08914-4) during part of this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratório de Imunologia Viral, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brazil, 1500, CEP 05503-900, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Soraia A. C. Jorge, Alexandra S. Santos & Carlos A. Pereira

  2. Laboratório Virologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Av. Dr Arnaldo, 355, CEP 01246-902, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Ângela Spina

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  1. Soraia A. C. Jorge
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  2. Alexandra S. Santos
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  3. Ângela Spina
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  4. Carlos A. Pereira
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Correspondence to Soraia A. C. Jorge.

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Jorge, S.A.C., Santos, A.S., Spina, Â. et al. Expression of the hepatitis B virus surface antigen in Drosophila S2 cells. Cytotechnology 57, 51–59 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-008-9154-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-008-9154-z

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