The pCS2+CB-Myc6 vector was a gift from Marshall Horwitz (University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA). The HEI-OC1 cells were kindly provided by Fedrico Kalinec (David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA). Technical support was provided by the UNMC Mouse Genome Engineering Core (C.B. Gurumurthy, Don Harms, Rolen Quadros) and the Creighton University Integrated Biomedical Imaging Facility (Richard Hallworth, John Billheimer). The UNMC Mouse Genome Engineering was supported by an Institutional Development Award (IDea) from the NIH/NIGMS, grant number P20 GM103471. The Integrated Biomedical Imaging Facility was supported by the Creighton University School of Medicine and grants GM103427 and GM110768 from the NIH/NIGMS. The facility was constructed with support from grants from the National Center for Research Resources (RR016469) and the NIGMS (GM103427). The mouse lines generated in this study were maintained at Creighton University's Animal Resource Facility, whose infrastructure was improved through a grant by NIH/NCRR G20RR024001. This work received past support through an NIH/NCRR 5P20RR018788-/NIH/NIGMS 8P20GM103471 COBRE grant (to Shelley D. Smith), NIH/ORIP R21OD019745-01A1 (S.M.R.-S.), and an emerging research grant from the Hearing Health Foundation (to S. Tarang). The content of this research is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Generation of the transgenic CBRb mouse and all animal care and experiments associated with the study were approved by the Creighton University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and performed by their guidelines.
1. Transgenic CB-Myc6-Rb1 Construct
NOTE: The cloning of CBRb into a pTet_Splice vector was done in a multi-step process (Figure&#160;1A and 1B).
<ol>
	<li>Perform the first stage cloning into the pCS2+CB-Myc6 vector.
	<ol>
		<li>To create the CBRb transgene construct, amplify a 1583-bp-long Rb1 cDNA fragment (528 amino acids corresponding to the amino acid region 369&#8211;896) of the RB1 protein using the following primer set: for EcoRI+RB 1243F, use GGGGAATTCATTAAATTCAGCAAGTGATCAACCTTC, and for XbaI+EcoRV+RB 2826R, use CCCTCTAGATATCTATTTGGACTCTCCTGGGAGATGTTTACTTCC.</li>
		<li>Clone the fragment generated (1546 bp) between the EcoR1 and XbaI restriction sites of the pCS2+CB-Myc6 vector as previously described1,12. 
		NOTE: The 1012-bp-long CB-Myc6 construct (337 amino acids) fused to the Rb1 fragment resulted in a protein of approximately 865 amino acids (about 108 kDa), which is slightly smaller than the endogenous RB1 protein (~110 kDa) (Figure 1A), with a CB-Myc6 tag at the N-terminus and Rb1 at the C-terminus.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Perform the second stage subcloning into the pTet-Splice vector.
	<ol>
		<li>To amplify the CB-RB-Myc6 fusion fragment and to gain the Tet-promoter, amplify the cassette, consisting of the CB-myc6-Rb1 using primers containing the EcoRV (XbaI+EcoRV+RB 2826R) and SalI sites: for SalI+CBF, use CCAGTCGACAGGATGTGGTGGTCCTTGATCCTTC.</li>
		<li>Subclone the fragment generated (2567 bp) into the pTet-Splice vector, between the SalI and EcoRV restriction sites, in such a way that the entire TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 transgene, including the SV40 intron and the PolyA signal, can be isolated through a single digestion with NotI (Figure 1B). 
		NOTE: The NotI fragment was used to generate the transgenic funders.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
2. In Vitro Testing of the TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 Transgene
<ol>
	<li>Dox-regulation: NIH3T3 cell line 
	NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, all volumes have been adjusted for a 6-well plate.
	<ol>
		<li>Grow NIH3T3 cells following the vendor&#39;s specifications, using the recommended cell culture media containing 10% fetal bovine serum at 37 &#176;C with 10% CO2.</li>
		<li>Cotransfect the cells with pTet-Splice and pCMV-Tet3G vectors (from step 1) for 24 h. Follow the steps mentioned below for cotransfection.
		<ol>
			<li>Mix 2&#8211;4 &#181;L of the lipid-based transfection reagent/well and 1 mL of incomplete (without serum) Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) for 5 min at room temperature. For a 12- or 24-well plate, use 250 or 500 &#181;L of culture media, respectively, and adjust the transfection reagent volume accordingly.</li>
			<li>Add 2&#8211;3 &#181;g of plasmid DNA/well to the transfection reagent-DMEM and incubate for 20 min at room temperature.</li>
			<li>Add the mix containing DNA and the transfection reagent in DMEM to each well. After 3&#8211;4 h of incubation, add 1 mL of complete media (so that the final volume is 2 mL/well). Keep aliquots of Dox stock (1 mg/mL) and add 2 &#181;L in each of the wells (+ Dox). Incubate the cells at 37 &#176;C with 5% CO2. 
			NOTE: Control samples should consist of cotransfected cells not treated with Dox (- Dox), as well as NIH3T3 cells transfected only with the transactivator pCMV-Tet3G vector and treated with Dox for a 24 h period. For pCMV-Tet3G, concentrations of 0.1&#8211;1 &#181;g/mL Dox should be sufficient to induce the transgene expression.</li>
		</ol>
		</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>Test the reversibility of the construct using the HEK293 cell line.
	<ol>
		<li>To test the reversibility of the TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 transgene, culture HEK293 cells in Eagle&#39;s Minimum Essential Medium (EMEM) following the vendor&#39;s specifications and cotransfect with both pTet-Splice and pCMV-Tet3G vectors for 24 h, as described above (step 2.1.2).</li>
		<li>For the transgene inactivation, remove the Dox-containing media after 24 h, wash the cells 2x&#8211;3x with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and incubate them in Dox-free media for an additional 24 h. 
		NOTE: Upon Dox-removal, the transgene inactivation and regular protein expression should be resumed within that 24 h period.</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
	<li>To assess the functionality of the TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 construct in promoting unscheduled cell proliferation, perform the functional analyses using an HEI-OC1 cell line, as described below.
	<ol>
		<li>Culture HEI-OC1 cells in 10% DMEM under permissive conditions (33 &#176;C with 10% CO2). For cell proliferation studies, count the cells using a cell counter, and plate 10,000 HEI-OC1 cells on a 96-well plate in a 200 &#181;L volume. Incubate the cells overnight.</li>
		<li>On the following day, perform a transient cotransfection of pTet-Splice and pCMV-Tet3G vectors using a lipid-based transfection reagent (see steps 2.1.2). In a separate well, perform pmR-ZsGreen1 transfection at2-&#181;g using the lipid-based transfection reagent (steps 2.1.2) to calculate the transfection rate. Use non-transfected cells as controls.</li>
		<li>Detect the presence of green fluorescence under a fluorescence microscope (excitation = 485 nm, emission = 530 nm) for the transfected cells 24 h after transfection. Record the presence or absence of green fluorescence and calculate the rate of transfection as the total number of GFP-positive cells (transfected cells) over the cells labeled with DAPI (total cells). 
		NOTE: We estimated a transfection rate of ~70%.</li>
		<li>To induce transgene expression, add 1 &#181;g/mL Dox to a subset of transfected cells while using the other subset as control (-Dox). Use untreated HEI-OC1 cells as additional controls.</li>
		<li>To assess cell proliferation, use a cell proliferation kit according to the manufacturer&#39;s protocol.
		<ol>
			<li>In brief, 48 h after transfection, remove the cell culture medium and add 100 &#181;L of 1x dye-binding solution to each well of the microplate. Incubate for 1 h at 37 &#176;C.</li>
			<li>Thereafter, measure the fluorescence intensity of each sample using a fluorescence microplate reader (excitation = 485 nm, emission = 530 nm).</li>
		</ol>
		</li>
		<li>To further assess cell proliferation using immunocytochemistry, plate the HEI-OC1 cells on a cover glass in a 12-well plate and incubate overnight at 37 &#176;C.
		<ol>
			<li>On the following day, cotransfect with the pTet-Splice and pCMV-Tet3G and perform the Dox treatment (+ Dox). Use untransfected cells as controls. Process HEI-OC1 cells for Ki-67 labeling.</li>
			<li>Fix the cells with 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA) in PBS, pH 7.4, for 10 min at room temperature. Wash the cells 3x with ice-cold PBS and incubate the cells in 0.25% non-ionic detergent in PBS for 10 min.</li>
			<li>Wash the cells again, 3x in PBS for 5 min, and block using 10% serum in a humidified chamber for 1 h at room temperature.</li>
			<li>Incubate the cells in 500 &#181;L of Ki-67 primary antibody (1:200 dilution) for 3 h at room temperature or overnight at 4 &#176;C.</li>
			<li>Wash the cells 3x for 5 min with PBS. After that, incubate the cells with the secondary antibody for 1 h at room temperature in the dark.</li>
			<li>Remove the secondary antibody solution and wash the cells 3x with PBS for 5 min each in the dark.</li>
			<li>For phalloidin labeling, incubate the HEI-OC1 cells in 1:200 phalloidin for 30 min. To label the nuclei of cells, incubate the cells with 5 &#181;g/mL DAPI for 10 min at room temperature. 
			NOTE: Ensure that the phalloidin dye conjugate is different than the secondary antibody conjugate.</li>
		</ol>
		</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>
3. Generation of CBRb+/ROSA-CAG-rtTA+ (CBRb) Transgenic Mice and In Vivo Testing of the DN-CBRb Approach
<ol>
	<li>Upon confirmation of the effective Dox regulation of the TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 transgene, purify the NotI fragment and microinject them into mouse zygotes, which are later transferred into pseudo-pregnant females. 
	NOTE: These procedures were carried out at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Mouse Genome Engineering Core Facility.</li>
	<li>After delivery, genotype the pups using a primer set specific to the CB-Rb1 fusion region: for CBRb F, use 5&#39; CTGTGGCATTGAATCAGAAATTGTGGCTGG 3&#8242;, and for CBRB R, use 5&#8242; GTACTTCTGCTATATGTGGCCATTACAACC 3&#8242;. 
	NOTE: The PCR product size observed on agarose gel is 401 bp (60-bp CB region + 341-bp Rb1 region (Table 1). Ten independent founder lines were identified, based on the presence of the TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 transgene. In five of these lines, progeny inherited the transgene, which confirmed the germline transmission of the transgene. One of the transgenic lines was ultimately used to establish and maintain the line and generate experimental TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 animals for further studies.</li>
	<li>Breed adult TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 mice to the ROSA-CAG-rtTA tetracycline inducer line (Stock #006965) (alternatively, breed to a tTA inducer line) to generate experimental DN-CBRb mice. Genotype the offspring of this cross using the following primer set: for rtTA-WT R, use GGAGCGGGAGAAATGGATATG; for rtTA Mutant R, use GCGAGGAGTTTGTCCTCAACC; and for rtTA Common, use AAAGTCGCTCTGAGTTGTTAT. The PCR product sizes are 340 bp (mutant), 340 bp and 650 bp (heterozygote), and 650 bp (wild-type).</li>
	<li>Generate a dose-response curve of the RB1 protein following the Dox treatment to determine the time and length of the Dox treatment necessary to elicit a transgene expression. 
	NOTE: In this experiment, western blot and qRT-PCR were used to assess tissue-specific transgene activation and RB1 expression.</li>
	<li>Perform fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to confirm the genomic insertion of the transgene. 
	NOTE: This was carried out at the Centre for Applied Genomics of the Hospital for Sick Children (Toronto, Canada). ELISA or western blotting (using protein-specific antibody) can be used to assess transgene activation, tissue-specificity, and changes in the levels of the endogenous POI. For the DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 construct, we used an anti-RB1 antibody.</li>
</ol>

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Q., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preferential+MyoD+homodimer+formation+demonstrated+by+a+general+method+of+dominant+negative+mutation+employing+fusion+with+a+lysosomal+protease.">Preferential MyoD homodimer formation demonstrated by a general method of dominant negative mutation employing fusion with a lysosomal protease.</a> Journal of Cell Biology. 135 (4), 1043-1057 (1996).</li><li>Tarang, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Generation+of+a+retinoblastoma+(rb)1-inducible+dominant-negative+(DN)+mouse+model.">Generation of a retinoblastoma (rb)1-inducible dominant-negative (DN) mouse model.</a> Frontiers Cellular Neuroscience. 9 (52), (2015).</li><li>Kominami, E., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+selective+role+of+cathepsins+B+and+D+in+the+lysosomal+degradation+of+endogenous+and+exogenous+proteins.">The selective role of cathepsins B and D in the lysosomal degradation of endogenous and exogenous proteins.</a> FEBS Letters. 287 (1-2), 189-192 (1991).</li><li>Cortellino, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Defective+ciliogenesis,+embryonic+lethality+and+severe+impairment+of+the+sonic+hedgehog+pathway+caused+by+inactivation+of+the+mouse+complex+A+intraflagellar+transport+gene+Ift122/Wdr10,+partially+overlapping+with+the+DNA+repair+gene+Med1/Mbd4.">Defective ciliogenesis, embryonic lethality and severe impairment of the sonic hedgehog pathway caused by inactivation of the mouse complex A intraflagellar transport gene Ift122/Wdr10, partially overlapping with the DNA repair gene Med1/Mbd4.</a> Developmental Biology. 325 (1), 225-237 (2009).</li><li>Ferreira, C., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Early+embryonic+lethality+of+H+ferritin+gene+deletion+in+mice.">Early embryonic lethality of H ferritin gene deletion in mice.</a> Journal of Biological Chemistry. 275 (5), 3021-3024 (2000).</li><li>Lee, E. Y., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mice+deficient+for+rb+are+nonviable+and+show+defects+in+neurogenesis+and+haematopoiesis.">Mice deficient for rb are nonviable and show defects in neurogenesis and haematopoiesis.</a> Nature. 359 (6393), 288-294 (1992).</li><li>Turlo, K. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

To circumvent the limitations associated with traditional transgenic strategies, we sought to generate a mouse model in which an endogenous POI can be conditionally inactivated by overexpressing a DN mutant form of it in a spatiotemporal manner. To abolish the function of endogenous POIs, several options have been proposed15,16,17. We have modified an earlier genetic strategy1 by combining the Dox-depende...

Most approaches aiming at the gene and protein ablations rely on permanent processes, which generally lead to the complete elimination or truncation of the gene, RNA sequences, or protein of interest (POI). The overall goal of this method is to engineer a recombinant protein to abolish the function of endogenous, wild-type protein. We have revisited and revamped an alternative strategy1,2, which allows for the temporary ablation of a POI through DN inhibition. This method works for both multimeric and monomeric peptides but is best suited for proteins that function in a multimeric assembly.
The method consists of fusing the lysosomal protease CB to a subunit of a multimeric POI (CB fusion complex). The resultant CB fusion complex can interact with and proteolytically digest the endogenous protein or divert the entire CB-POI complex to the lysosome to be degraded3. Moreover, a combination of the CB fusion complex with the inducible nature of the tetracycline-controlled transcriptional activation (TetO) system allows for an inducible and controlled expression of the transgene in a reversible fashion2. Although useful in many circumstances, the complete deletion of genes or proteins in vivo can result in lethality4,5,6. Likewise, tissue-specific, conditional deletion of some genes or proteins using the Cre/Lox system may not be straightforward, as it will, ultimately, lead to the permanent loss of critical genomic elements7. Therefore, depending on the gene or POI, neither of these approaches will be effective in providing a useful model for subsequent studies, particularly genes&#39; or proteins&#39; functional studies in late postnatal and adult mice.
To circumvent the problems associated with such approaches and provide proof-of-principle on the effectiveness of the proposed method, we have chosen to test the method presented here by generating a conditional DN version of the Retinoblastoma 1 (RB1) protein. Several options have been proposed8,9,10 to abolish the function of endogenous RB1; however, all of them faced some of the same limitations discussed above: permanent germline deletion of RB1 is embryonically lethal, and, consistent with its tumor suppressor role, permanent RB1 conditional deletion leads to a variety of tumors11. Even though a DN version of RB1 does not seem to occur naturally, a better alternative to the currently available strategies should allow for a temporally controlled inactivation of the endogenous RB1 and provide an alternative mechanism to eventually restore its function. The basis for such a construct was described over two decades ago1. However, due to technological limitations, it lacked a mechanism to control transgene activation, response, and tissue specificity. This study is the first to combine the elegance of the doxycycline (Dox)-dependent transcriptional system with an engineered transgenic construct of lysosomal protease CB and Rb1 proteins. The resulting CBRb mouse model allows for a temporarily regulated Dox-mediated RB1 regulation2. The advantage of using such a proteome-based approach to study gene function is that it can be adopted for any gene of interest, with minimal information on its activity.
The proposed DN transgene strategy offers many advantages over traditional approaches. First, DN protein inhibition leads to only a partial ablation in protein activity, thus preserving a residual endogenous expression. Such an outcome is highly desirable in situations where a complete elimination of protein activity leads to embryonic lethality, greatly limiting any investigation to study gene function in a live mouse. Second, the presence of the TetO system enables transgene activation only in the presence of an antibiotic, which allows for an efficient and reversible control of the transgene activity. Thus, by ceasing the antibiotic administration, the transgenic system can be deactivated, and a normal RB1 expression is back in place. Third, the specificity of the transgene expression can vary depending on the promoter of choice. While we have chosen the ubiquitous ROSA-CAG promoter for proof-of-principle, placing the transgene under a tissue-specific promoter is likely to restrict unwanted transgene expression and facilitate studies on the therapeutic application of this transgene methodology.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:768px;" width="769">
	<colgroup>
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
		<col />
	</colgroup>
	<tbody>
		<tr height="35">
			<td height="35" style="height:35px;width:255px;">Dulbecco&#39;s Modified Eagle&#39;s Medium, DMEM</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">GIBCO-BRL</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11965-084</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">Minimum Essential Medium Eagle, MEME&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">M8042</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;">Fetal bovine serum</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">F2442&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">Lipofectamine&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">DharmaFECT</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">T-2010-03</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">Sal I</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Roche</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">11745622</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">EcoRV-HF</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">New England BioLabs</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">R3195S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">NotI</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Roche</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">13090730</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">CaspaTag&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Millipore</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">APT523</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">DAPI</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D9542</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">Staurosporine</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">S4400</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">CyQuant NF cell proliferation kit&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">C35007</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">Retinoblastoma 1 antibody</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Abcam</td>
			<td>Ab6075</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">c-Myc antibody</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td>M5546</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">b-actin</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Sigma&#160;</td>
			<td>A5316</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">Ki-67&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Thermofisher scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">MA5-14520</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">Phallodin</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">Thermofisher scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A12379</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;">Fluorescence microplate reader</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">FLUOstar OPTIMA, BMG Labtech</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="20">
			<td height="20" style="height:20px;width:255px;">Epifluorescence microscope&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:228px;">NikonEclipse80i</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:601px;">The TetO-DN-CB-myc6-Rb1 (DN-CBRb) mouse line is available from the Jackson Laboratory as JAX#032011.&#160;</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

inducible and reversible dominant-negative (dn) protein inhibition

Dominant-negative (DN) protein inhibition is a powerful method to manipulate protein function and offers several advantages over other genome-based approaches. For example, although chimeric and Cre-LoxP targeting strategies have been widely used, the intrinsic limitations of these strategies (i.e., leaky promoter activity, mosaic Cre expression, etc.) have significantly restricted their application. Moreover, a complete deletion of many endogenous genes is embryonically lethal, making it impossible to study gene function in postnatal life. To address these challenges, we have made significant changes to an early genetic engineering protocol and combined a short (transgenic) version of the Rb1 gene with a lysosomal protease procathepsin B (CB), to generate a DN mouse model of Rb1 (CBRb). Due to the presence of a lysosomal protease, the entire CB-RB1 fusion protein and its interacting complex are routed for proteasome-mediated degradation. Moreover, the presence of a tetracycline inducer (rtTA) element in the transgenic construct enables an inducible and reversible regulation of the RB1 protein. The presence of a ubiquitous ROSA-CAG promoter in the CBRb mouse model makes it a useful tool to carry out transient and reversible Rb1 gene ablation and provide researchers a resource for understanding its activity in virtually any cell type where RB1 is expressed.

Generally, designing a DN mutation requires a considerable amount of information on the structure and function of the POI. In contrast, the DN strategy presented here is particularly useful when the structural and functional information for the POI is limited. If the POI is a multimeric protein, a fusion of one subunit to a lysosomal protease can dominantly inhibit the assembled multimer and, potentially, other ligands through a combination of proteolysis of the endogenous subunits and su...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Inducible and Reversible Dominant-negative DN Protein Inhibition at JoVE.com

Inducible and Reversible Dominant-negative DN Protein Inhibition

Here we present a protocol to develop a dominant-negative inducible system, in which any protein can be conditionally inactivated by reversibly overexpressing a dominant-negative mutant version of it.

Inducible and Reversible Dominant-negative (DN) Protein Inhibition

Dominant-negative (DN) protein inhibition is a powerful method to manipulate protein function and offers several advantages over other genome-based ...

inducible-and-reversible-dominant-negative-dn-protein-inhibition

Research

JoVE Journal

Genetics

8.3K Views.  Creighton University School of Dentistry. Here we present a protocol to develop a dominant-negative inducible system, in which any protein can be conditionally inactivated by reversibly overexpressing a dominant-negative mutant version of it.

Video: Inducible and Reversible Dominant-negative DN Protein Inhibition

Inducible T7 RNA Polymerase-mediated Multigene Expression System, pMGX

Co-expression of multiple proteins is increasingly essential for synthetic biology, studying protein-protein complexes, and characterizing and harnessing biosynthetic pathways. In this manuscript, the use of a highly effective system for the construction of multigene synthetic operons under the control of an inducible T7 RNA polymerase is described. This system allows many genes to be expressed simultaneously from one plasmid. Here, a set of four related vectors, pMGX-A, pMGX-hisA, pMGX-K, and pMGX-hisK, with either the ampicillin or kanamycin resistance selectable marker (A and K) and either possessing or lacking an N-terminal hexahistidine tag (his) are disclosed. Detailed protocols for the construction of synthetic operons using this vector system are provided along with the corresponding data, showing that a pMGX-based system containing five genes can be readily constructed and used to produce all five encoded proteins in Escherichia coli. This system and protocol enables researchers to routinely express complex multi-component modules and pathways in E. coli.

This study describes methods for the T7-mediated co-expression of multiple genes from a single plasmid in Escherichia coli using the pMGX plasmid system.

Co-expression of multiple proteins is increasingly essential for synthetic biology, studying protein-protein complexes, and characterizing and harnessing ...

Generation of Fluorescent Protein Fusions in Candida Species

Candida species, prevalent colonizers of the intestinal and genitourinary tracts, are the cause of the majority of invasive fungal infections in humans. Thus, molecular and genetic tools are needed to facilitate the study of their pathogenesis mechanisms. PCR-mediated gene modification is a straightforward and quick approach to generate epitope-tagged proteins to facilitate their detection. In particular, fluorescent protein (FP) fusions are powerful tools that allow visualization and quantitation of both yeast cells and proteins by fluorescence microscopy and immunoblotting, respectively. Plasmids containing FP encoding sequences, along with nutritional marker genes that facilitate the transformation of Candida species, have been generated for the purpose of FP construction and expression in Candida. Herein, we present a strategy for constructing a FP fusion in a Candida species. Plasmids containing the nourseothricin resistance transformation marker gene (NAT1) along with sequences for either green, yellow, or cherry FPs (GFP, YFP, mCherry) are used along with primers that include gene-specific sequences in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to generate a FP cassette. This gene-specific cassette has the ability to integrate into the 3'-end of the corresponding gene locus via homologous recombination. Successful in-frame fusion of the FP sequence into the gene locus of interest is verified genetically, followed by analysis of fusion protein expression by microscopy and/or immuno-detection methods. In addition, for the case of highly expressed proteins, successful fusions can be screened for primarily by fluorescence imaging techniques.

Generation of Fluorescent Protein Fusions in Candida Species

PCR-mediated gene modification can be used to generate fluorescent protein fusions in Candida species, which facilitates visualization and quantitation of yeast cells and proteins. Herein, we present a strategy for constructing a fluorescent protein fusion (Eno1-FP) in Candida parapsilosis.

Candida species, prevalent colonizers of the intestinal and genitourinary tracts, are the cause of the majority of invasive fungal infections in humans. ...

Controllable Ion Channel Expression through Inducible Transient Transfection

Transfection, the delivery of foreign nucleic acids into a cell, is a powerful tool in protein research. Through this method, ion channels can be investigated through electrophysiological analysis, biochemical characterization, mutational studies, and their effects on cellular processes. Transient transfections offer a simple protocol in which the protein becomes available for analysis within a few hours to days. Although this method presents a relatively straightforward and time efficient protocol, one of the critical components is calibrating the expression of the gene of interest to physiological relevant levels or levels that are suitable for analysis. To this end, many different approaches that offer the ability to control the expression of the gene of interest have emerged. Several stable cell transfection protocols provide a way to permanently introduce a gene of interest into the cellular genome under the regulation of a tetracycline-controlled transcriptional activation. While this technique produces reliable expression levels, each gene of interest requires a few weeks of skilled work including calibration of a killing curve, selection of cell colonies, and overall more resources. Here we present a protocol that uses transient transfection of the Transient Receptor Potential cation channel subfamily V member 1 (TRPV1) gene in an inducible system as an efficient way to express a protein in a controlled manner which is essential in ion channel analysis. We demonstrate that using this technique, we are able to perform calcium imaging, whole cell, and single channel analysis with controlled channel levels required for each type of data collection with a single transfection. Overall, this provides a replicable technique that can be used to study ion channels structure and function.

Studying ion channels through a heterologously expressing system has become a core technique in biomedical research. In this manuscript, we present a time efficient method to achieve tightly controlled ion channel expression by performing transient transfection under the control of an inducible promoter.

Transfection, the delivery of foreign nucleic acids into a cell, is a powerful tool in protein research. Through this method, ion channels can be ...

Microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 Protein into Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Embryos for Gene Editing

The complete genome of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, has been sequenced, leading to greater opportunities for studying channel catfish gene function. Gene knockout has been used to study these gene functions in vivo. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system is a powerful tool used to edit genomic DNA sequences to alter gene function. While the traditional approach has been to introduce CRISPR/Cas9 mRNA into the single cell embryos through microinjection, this can be a slow and inefficient process in catfish. Here, a detailed protocol for microinjection of channel catfish embryos with CRISPR/Cas9 protein is described. Briefly, eggs and sperm were collected and then artificial fertilization performed. Fertilized eggs were transferred to a Petri dish containing Holtfreter's solution. Injection volume was calibrated and then guide RNAs/Cas9 targeting the toll/interleukin 1 receptor domain-containing adapter molecule (TICAM 1) gene and rhamnose binding lectin (RBL) gene were microinjected into the yolk of one-cell embryos. The gene knockout was successful as indels were confirmed by DNA sequencing. The predicted protein sequence alterations due to these mutations included frameshift and truncated protein due to premature stop codons.

Microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 Protein into Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Embryos for Gene Editing

A simple and efficient microinjection protocol for gene editing in channel catfish embryos using the CRISPR/Cas9 system is presented. In this protocol, guide RNAs and Cas9 protein were microinjected into the yolk of one-cell embryos. This protocol has been validated by knocking out two channel catfish immune-related genes.

The complete genome of the channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, has been sequenced, leading to greater opportunities for studying channel catfish gene ...

Constitutive and Inducible Systems for Genetic In Vivo Modification of Mouse Hepatocytes Using Hydrodynamic Tail Vein Injection

In research models of liver cancer, regeneration, inflammation, and fibrosis, flexible systems for in vivo gene expression and silencing are highly useful. Hydrodynamic tail vein injection of transposon-based constructs is an efficient method for genetic manipulation of hepatocytes in adult mice. In addition to constitutive transgene expression, this system can be used for more advanced applications, such as shRNA-mediated gene knock-down, implication of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to induce gene mutations, or inducible systems. Here, the combination of constitutive CreER expression together with inducible expression of a transgene or miR-shRNA of choice is presented as an example of this technique. We cover the multi-step procedure starting from the preparation of sleeping beauty-transposon constructs, to the injection and treatment of mice, and the preparation of liver tissue for analysis by immunostaining. The system presented is a reliable and efficient approach to achieve complex genetic manipulations in hepatocytes. It is specifically useful in combination with Cre/loxP-based mouse strains and can be applied to a variety of models in the research of liver disease.

Constitutive and Inducible Systems for Genetic In Vivo Modification of Mouse Hepatocytes Using Hydrodynamic Tail Vein Injection

Hydrodynamic tail vein injection of transposon-based integration vectors enables stable transfection of murine hepatocytes in vivo. Here, we present a practical protocol for transfection systems that enables the long-term constitutive expression of a single transgene or combined constitutive and doxycycline-inducible expression of a transgene or miR-shRNA in the liver.

In research models of liver cancer, regeneration, inflammation, and fibrosis, flexible systems for in vivo gene expression and silencing are highly ...

Identification of Homologous Recombination Events in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells Using Southern Blotting and Polymerase Chain Reaction

Relative to the issues of off-target effects and the difficulty of inserting a long DNA fragment in the application of designer nucleases for genome editing, embryonic stem (ES) cell-based gene-targeting technology does not have these shortcomings and is widely used to modify animal/mouse genome ranging from large deletions/insertions to single nucleotide substitutions. Notably, identifying the relatively few homologous recombination (HR) events necessary to obtain desired ES clones is a key step, which demands accurate and reliable methods. Southern blotting and/or conventional PCR are often utilized for this purpose. Here, we describe the detailed procedures of using those two methods to identify HR events that occurred in mouse ES cells in which the endogenous Myh9 gene is intended to be disrupted and replaced by cDNAs encoding other nonmuscle myosin heavy chain IIs (NMHC IIs). The whole procedure of Southern blotting includes the construction of targeting vector(s), electroporation, drug selection, the expansion and storage of ES cells/clones, the preparation, digestion, and blotting of genomic DNA (gDNA), the hybridization and washing of probe(s), and a final step of autoradiography on the X-ray films. PCR can be performed directly with prepared and diluted gDNA. To obtain ideal results, the probes and restriction enzyme (RE) cutting sites for Southern blotting and the primers for PCR should be carefully planned. Though the execution of Southern blotting is time-consuming and labor-intensive and PCR results have false positives, the correct identification by Southern blotting and the rapid screening by PCR allow the sole or combined application of these methods described in this paper to be widely used and consulted by most labs in the identification of genotypes of ES cells and genetically modified animals.

Here, we present a detailed protocol for identifying homologous recombination events that occurred in mouse embryonic stem cells using Southern blotting and/or PCR. This method is exemplified by the generation of nonmuscle myosin II genetic replacement mouse models using traditional embryonic stem cell-based homologous recombination-mediated targeting technology.

Relative to the issues of off-target effects and the difficulty of inserting a long DNA fragment in the application of designer nucleases for genome ...

Inducible, Cell Type-Specific Expression in Arabidopsis thaliana Through LhGR-Mediated Trans-Activation

Inducible, tissue-specific expression is an important and powerful tool to study the spatio-temporal dynamics of genetic perturbation. Combining the flexible and efficient GreenGate cloning system with the proven and benchmarked LhGR system (here termed GR-LhG4) for the inducible expression, we have generated a set of transgenic Arabidopsis lines that can drive the expression of an effector cassette in a range of specific cell types in the three main plant meristems. To this end, we chose the previously developed GR-LhG4 system based on a chimeric transcription factor and a cognate pOp-type promoter ensuring tight control over a wide range of expression levels. In addition, to visualize the expression domain where the synthetic transcription factor is active, an ER-localized mTurquoise2 fluorescent reporter under control of the pOp4 or pOp6 promoter is encoded in driver lines. Here, we describe the steps necessary to generate a driver or effector line and demonstrate how cell type specific expression can be induced and followed in the shoot apical meristem, the root apical meristem and the cambium of Arabidopsis. By using several or all driver lines, the context specific effect of expressing one or multiple factors (effectors) under control of the synthetic pOp promoter can be assessed rapidly, for example in F1 plants of a cross between one effector and multiple driver lines. This approach is exemplified by the ectopic expression of VND7, a NAC transcription factor capable of inducing ectopic secondary cell wall deposition in a cell autonomous manner.

Inducible, Cell Type-Specific Expression in Arabidopsis thaliana Through LhGR-Mediated Trans-Activation

Here, we describe the generation and application of a set of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines enabling inducible, tissue-specific expression in the three main meristems, the shoot apical meristem, the root apical meristem, and the cambium.

Inducible, tissue-specific expression is an important and powerful tool to study the spatio-temporal dynamics of genetic perturbation. Combining the ...

Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Analyses Using the OpenProt Database to Unveil Novel Proteins Translated from Non-Canonical Open Reading Frames

Genome annotation is central to today's proteomic research as it draws the outlines of the proteomic landscape. Traditional models of open reading frame (ORF) annotation impose two arbitrary criteria: a minimum length of 100 codons and a single ORF per transcript. However, a growing number of studies report expression of proteins from allegedly non-coding regions, challenging the accuracy of current genome annotations. These novel proteins were found encoded either within non-coding RNAs, 5' or 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of mRNAs, or overlapping a known coding sequence (CDS) in an alternative ORF. OpenProt is the first database that enforces a polycistronic model for eukaryotic genomes, allowing annotation of multiple ORFs per transcript. OpenProt is freely accessible and offers custom downloads of protein sequences across 10 species. Using OpenProt database for proteomic experiments enables novel proteins discovery and highlights the polycistronic nature of eukaryotic genes. The size of OpenProt database (all predicted proteins) is substantial and need be taken in account for the analysis. However, with appropriate false discovery rate (FDR) settings or the use of a restricted OpenProt database, users will gain a more realistic view of the proteomic landscape. Overall, OpenProt is a freely available tool that will foster proteomic discoveries.

OpenProt is a freely accessible database that enforces a polycistronic model of eukaryotic genomes. Here, we present a protocol for the use of OpenProt databases when interrogating mass spectrometry datasets. Using OpenProt database for analysis of proteomic experiments allows for discovery of novel and previously undetectable proteins.

Genome annotation is central to today's proteomic research as it draws the outlines of the proteomic landscape. Traditional models of open reading frame ...

An Assay for Quantifying Protein-RNA Binding in Bacteria

In the initiation step of protein translation, the ribosome binds to the initiation region of the mRNA. Translation initiation can be blocked by binding of an RNA binding protein (RBP) to the initiation region of the mRNA, which interferes with ribosome binding. In the presented method, we utilize this blocking phenomenon to quantify the binding affinity of RBPs to their cognate and non-cognate binding sites. To do this, we insert a test binding site in the initiation region of a reporter mRNA and induce the expression of the test RBP. In the case of RBP-RNA binding, we observed a sigmoidal repression of the reporter expression as a function of RBP concentration. In the case of no-affinity or very low affinity between binding site and RBP, no significant repression was observed. The method is carried out in live bacterial cells, and does not require expensive or sophisticated machinery. It is useful for quantifying and comparing between the binding affinities of different RBPs that are functional in bacteria to a set of designed binding sites. This method may be inappropriate for binding sites with high structural complexity. This is due to the possibility of repression of ribosomal initiation by complex mRNA structure in the absence of RBP, which would result in lower basal reporter gene expression, and thus less-observable reporter repression upon RBP binding.

In this method, we quantify the binding affinity of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) to cognate and non-cognate binding sites using a simple, live, reporter assay in bacterial cells. The assay is based on repression of a reporter gene.

In the initiation step of protein translation, the ribosome binds to the initiation region of the mRNA. Translation initiation can be blocked by binding ...

In Vitro Biochemical Assays using Biotin Labels to Study Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions

Protein-nucleic acid interactions play important roles in biological processes such as transcription, recombination, and RNA metabolism. Experimental methods to study protein-nucleic acid interactions require the use of fluorescent tags, radioactive isotopes, or other labels to detect and analyze specific target molecules. Biotin, a non-radioactive nucleic acid label, is commonly used in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) but has not been regularly employed to monitor protein activity during nucleic acid processes. This protocol illustrates the utility of biotin labeling during in vitro enzymatic reactions, demonstrating that this label works well with a range of different biochemical assays. Specifically, in alignment with previous findings using radioisotope 32P-labeled substrates, it is confirmed via biotin-labeled EMSA that MEIOB (a protein specifically involved in the meiotic recombination) is a DNA-binding protein, that MOV10 (an RNA helicase) resolves biotin-labeled RNA duplex structures, and that MEIOB cleaves biotin-labeled single-stranded DNA. This study demonstrates that biotin is capable of substituting 32P in various nucleic acid-related biochemical assays in vitro.&#160;

Presented here are protocols for in vitro biochemical assays using biotin labels that may be widely&#160;applicable for studying protein-nucleic acid interactions.

Protein-nucleic acid interactions play important roles in biological processes such as transcription, recombination, and RNA metabolism. Experimental ...