title: Serum-dependent and cell cycle-dependent expression from a cytomegalovirus-based mammalian expression vector.
abstract: Cytomegalovirus-based mammalian expression vectors are widely used to drive the expression of transfected genes in cultured cells. Immunofluorescent staining of the WT1 protein in 3T3 and 293 cell clones, stably transfected with a cyomegalovirus (CMV) expression vector carrying a cDNA coding for the tumour suppressor protein WT1, showed extreme cell to cell variation in the amount of recombinant protein expressed, indicative of cell cycle dependence. This was investigated further by Western blot and FACS analysis which showed that WT1 protein expression was highest in S phase and almost absent in G0/G1. Northern blot analysis of cell clones expressing sense or antisense WT1 cDNAs regulated by the CMV promoter/enhancer showed that RNA expression was also cell cycle-dependent. Western blotting of cells expressing a luciferase reporter gene driven by the CMV promoter/enhancer also showed apparent cell cycle-dependent expression. We further demonstrated that the expression of these gene constructs was serum responsive with a 10-fold increase in expression occurring 2 h after the addition of serum. These results show that the CMV promoter/enhancer system varied in its response to serum and the cell cycle state. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting any phenotypic alterations (or lack of them) produced in cells transfected with CMV-based expression vectors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Microbilogy, School of Medical Sciences, University Walk, Bristol, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brightwell
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ivins
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D001769:Blood; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002999:Clone Cells; D003470:Culture Media; D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D016162:Genes, Wilms Tumor; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney; D008156:Luciferases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008322:Mammals; D051379:Mice; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D025721:WT1 Proteins
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025721:WT1 Proteins; D008156:Luciferases