Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors

Bicistronic vectors are useful tools for exogenous expression of two gene products from a single promoter element; however, reduced expression of protein from the second cistron compared with the first cistron is a common limitation to this approach. To overcome this limitation, we explored use of d...

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Main Authors: Prasun J. Mishra, Lata G. Menon, Pravin J. Mishra, Philipp Mayer-Kuckuk, Joseph R. Bertino, Debabrata Banerjee
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2009-11-01
Series:Molecular Imaging
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.2310/7290.2009.00028
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author Prasun J. Mishra
Lata G. Menon
Pravin J. Mishra
Philipp Mayer-Kuckuk
Joseph R. Bertino
Debabrata Banerjee
author_facet Prasun J. Mishra
Lata G. Menon
Pravin J. Mishra
Philipp Mayer-Kuckuk
Joseph R. Bertino
Debabrata Banerjee
author_sort Prasun J. Mishra
collection DOAJ
description Bicistronic vectors are useful tools for exogenous expression of two gene products from a single promoter element; however, reduced expression of protein from the second cistron compared with the first cistron is a common limitation to this approach. To overcome this limitation, we explored use of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) complementary DNA encoded in bicistronic vectors to induce a second protein of interest by methotrexate (MTX) treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated that levels of DHFR protein and DHFR fusion protein can be induced translationally following MTX treatment of cells. We demonstrated that in response to MTX treatment, DHFR partner protein in a bicistronic construct is induced for longer periods of time when compared with endogenous DHFR and DHFR fusion protein, in vitro and in vivo. Using rapamycin pretreatment followed by MTX treatment, we also devised a strategy to modulate levels of two proteins expressed from a bicistronic construct in a cap-independent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that levels of proteins in DHFR-based bicistronic constructs can be induced and modulated using MTX and rapamycin treatment.
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spelling doaj-art-a4834a95b5b447f4984560dd52c53d8c2025-02-03T10:07:59ZengSAGE PublishingMolecular Imaging1536-01212009-11-01810.2310/7290.2009.0002810.2310_7290.2009.00028Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic VectorsPrasun J. MishraLata G. MenonPravin J. MishraPhilipp Mayer-KuckukJoseph R. BertinoDebabrata BanerjeeBicistronic vectors are useful tools for exogenous expression of two gene products from a single promoter element; however, reduced expression of protein from the second cistron compared with the first cistron is a common limitation to this approach. To overcome this limitation, we explored use of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) complementary DNA encoded in bicistronic vectors to induce a second protein of interest by methotrexate (MTX) treatment. Previous studies have demonstrated that levels of DHFR protein and DHFR fusion protein can be induced translationally following MTX treatment of cells. We demonstrated that in response to MTX treatment, DHFR partner protein in a bicistronic construct is induced for longer periods of time when compared with endogenous DHFR and DHFR fusion protein, in vitro and in vivo. Using rapamycin pretreatment followed by MTX treatment, we also devised a strategy to modulate levels of two proteins expressed from a bicistronic construct in a cap-independent manner. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that levels of proteins in DHFR-based bicistronic constructs can be induced and modulated using MTX and rapamycin treatment.https://doi.org/10.2310/7290.2009.00028
spellingShingle Prasun J. Mishra
Lata G. Menon
Pravin J. Mishra
Philipp Mayer-Kuckuk
Joseph R. Bertino
Debabrata Banerjee
Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors
Molecular Imaging
title Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors
title_full Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors
title_fullStr Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors
title_full_unstemmed Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors
title_short Translational Modulation of Proteins Expressed from Bicistronic Vectors
title_sort translational modulation of proteins expressed from bicistronic vectors
url https://doi.org/10.2310/7290.2009.00028
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AT philippmayerkuckuk translationalmodulationofproteinsexpressedfrombicistronicvectors
AT josephrbertino translationalmodulationofproteinsexpressedfrombicistronicvectors
AT debabratabanerjee translationalmodulationofproteinsexpressedfrombicistronicvectors