Name: an electroporation method to transform rickettsia spp. with a fluorescent protein-expressing shuttle vector in tick cell lines
Uploaded: 2022-10-11T14:20:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines at JoVE.com

We thank Timothy J. Kurtti and Benjamin Cull for their insightful discussions and suggestions. This study was financially supported by a grant to U.G.M. from the NIH (2R01AI049424) and a grant to U.G.M. from the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MIN-17-078).

1. Propagation and purification of R. parkeri from tick cell culture
NOTE: All cell culture procedures are to be performed in a class II biosafety cabinet.
<ol>
	<li>Preparing R. parkeri-infected tick cells
	<ol>
		<li>Grow ISE6 cells in 25 cm2 cell culture flasks at 34 &#176;C in 5 mL of L15C300 medium17, supplemented with 5% fetal bovine serum (FBS), 5% tryptose phosphate broth (TPB), and 0.1% lipoprotein concentrate (LP...

<ol>
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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=Development+of+shuttle+vectors+for+transformation+of+diverse+Rickettsia+species.">Development of shuttle vectors for transformation of diverse Rickettsia species.</a> PLoS One. 6 (12), 29511 (2011).</li><li>Welch, M. D., Reed, S. C., Lamason, R. L., Serio, A. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Expression+of+an+epitope-tagged+virulence+protein+in+Rickettsia+parkeri+using+transposon+insertion.">Expression of an epitope-tagged virulence protein in Rickettsia parkeri using transposon insertion.</a> PloS One. 7 (5), 37310 (2012).</li><li>Oliver, J. D., Burkhardt, N. Y., Felsheim, R. F., Kurtti, T. J., Munderloh, U. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Motility+characteristics+are+altered+for+Rickettsia+bellii+transformed+to+overexpress+a+heterologous+rickA+gene.">Motility characteristics are altered for Rickettsia bellii transformed to overexpress a heterologous rickA gene.</a> Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 80 (3), 1170-1176 (2014).</li><li>Kurtti, T. J., Burkhardt, N. Y., Heu, C. C., Munderloh, U. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fluorescent+protein+expressing+Rickettsia+buchneri+and+Rickettsia+peacockii+for+tracking+symbiont-tick+cell+interactions.">Fluorescent protein expressing Rickettsia buchneri and Rickettsia peacockii for tracking symbiont-tick cell interactions.</a> Veterinary Sciences. 3 (4), 34 (2016).</li><li>Oliver, J. D., Ch&#225;vez, A. S., Felsheim, R. F., Kurtti, T. J., Munderloh, U. G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=An+Ixodes+scapularis+cell+line+with+a+predominantly+neuron-like+phenotype.">An Ixodes scapularis cell line with a predominantly neuron-like phenotype.</a> Experimental and Applied Acarology. 66 (3), 427-442 (2015).</li><li>Grabowski, J. M., Gulia-Nuss, M., Kuhn, R. J., Hill, C. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=RNAi+reveals+proteins+for+metabolism+and+protein+processing+associated+with+Langat+virus+infection+in+Ixodes+scapularis+(black-legged+tick)+ISE6+cells.">RNAi reveals proteins for metabolism and protein processing associated with Langat virus infection in Ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick) ISE6 cells.</a> Parasites &amp; Vectors. 10 (1), 1-4 (2017).</li><li>Al-Rofaai, A., Bell-Sakyi, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tick+cell+Lines+in+research+on+tick+control.">Tick cell Lines in research on tick control.</a> Frontiers in Physiology. 11, 152 (2020).</li><li>Wang, X. R., 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=Mitochondrion-dependent+apoptosis+is+essential+for+Rickettsia+parkeri+infection+and+replication+in+vector+cells.">Mitochondrion-dependent apoptosis is essential for Rickettsia parkeri infection and replication in vector cells.</a> mSystems. 6 (2), 01209-01220 (2021).</li><li>Berney, M., Hammes, F., Bosshard, F., Weilenmann, H. U., Egli, T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Assessment+and+interpretation+of+bacterial+viability+by+using+the+LIVE/DEAD+BacLight+Kit+in+combination+with+flow+cytometry.">Assessment and interpretation of bacterial viability by using the LIVE/DEAD BacLight Kit in combination with flow cytometry.</a> Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 73 (10), 3283-3290 (2007).</li><li>Riley, S. P., Macaluso, K. 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Here, we demonstrate a method for introducing exogenous DNA encoded on the shuttle plasmid pRAM18dSFA into rickettsiae using electroporation. In this procedure, cell-free rickettsiae were purified from host cells, transformed with a rickettsial shuttle vector, and released onto tick cells for infection. Also described is a confocal immunofluorescence procedure to detect red fluorescence protein-expressing R. parkeri in tick cells. Similar methods are applicable to other Rickettsia species and with furth...

Rickettsioses are caused by a broad range of obligate intracellular bacteria that belong to the genus Rickettsia (family Rickettsiaceae, order Rickettsiales). The genus Rickettsia is classified into four major groups based on phylogenetic characteristics1,2: the spotted fever group (SFG), which contains those rickettsiae that cause the most severe and fatal tick-borne rickettsioses (e.g., Rickettsia rickettsii, the causative agent of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever), the typhus group (TG, e.g., Rickettsia prowazekii, the agent of epidemic typhus), the transitional group (TRG, e.g., Rickettsia felis, the causative agent of flea-borne spotted fever), and the ancestral group (AG, e.g., Rickettsia bellii).
Among the oldest known vector-borne diseases, rickettsioses are mainly acquired following transmission of the pathogens through the bites of infected arthropod vectors, including ticks, fleas, lice, and mites3,4. Although the discovery of effective antibiotics improved treatment outcomes, emerging and re-emerging epidemic rickettsioses continue to challenge traditional prevention and control strategies. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of rickettsia/host/vector interactions would ultimately establish a strong foundation for developing new approaches to prevent and cure these ancient diseases.
In nature, horizontal gene transfer (HGT) in bacteria occurs through conjugation, transduction, and transformation5. In vitro bacterial transformation utilizes these HGT concepts, although the intracellular nature of rickettsiae presents some challenges. The restricted growth conditions and poorly understood conjugation and transduction systems in different species of rickettsiae have prevented the application of conjugation and transduction methods in rickettsiae6,7,8. Compared with other obligate intracellular bacterial genera (e.g., Chlamydia, Coxiella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia), the genus Rickettsia differs with regard to the growth and replication strategies within the cell cytoplasm, which imposes specific challenges to the genetic modification of rickettsiae due to their unique lifestyle features9.
The initial hurdle to overcome when attempting the genetic modification of rickettsiae is to achieve successful transformation. Thus, designing a feasible approach with high transformation efficiency would be extremely valuable for developing genetic tools for rickettsiae. Here, we focus on electroporation, a broadly recognized transformation method that has been used to introduce exogenous DNA successfully into several species of rickettsiae, including Rickettsia prowazekii, Rickettsia typhi, Rickettsia conorii, Rickettsia parkeri, Rickettsia montanensis, Rickettsia bellii, Rickettsia peacockii, and Rickettsia buchneri10,11,12,13,14,15,16.
This paper describes a procedure for the electroporation of the R. parkeri strain Tate&#39;s Hell (accession: GCA_000965145.1) with the shuttle vector pRAM18dSFA derived from the Rickettsia amblyommatis strain AaR/SC plasmid pRAM18 engineered to encode mKATE, a far-red fluorescent protein, and aadA, conferring spectinomycin and streptomycin resistance13,15,20. Transformed R. parkeri are viable and stably maintained under antibiotic selection in tick cell lines. In addition, we show that the localization of transformed R. parkeri in live tick cells via confocal microscopy can be used to assess the quality of transformation rates in vector cell lines.

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	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>0.1 cm gap gene pulser electroporation cuvette</td>
			<td>Bio-Rad</td>
			<td>1652083</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>2 &#956;m pore size filter&#160;</td>
			<td>GE Healthcare Life Sciences Whatman</td>
			<td>6783-2520</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5 mL Luer-lock syringe&#160;</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>309646</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>60-90 silicon carbide grit&#160;</td>
			<td>LORTONE, inc</td>
			<td>&#160;591-056</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>absolute methanol&#160;</td>
			<td>Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A457-4</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Bacto tryptose phosphate broth&#160;</td>
			<td>BD</td>
			<td>260300</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Cytospin centrifuge Cytospin4</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>A78300003</td>
			<td>The rotor is detatchable so the whole rotor can be put into the hood to load infectious samples</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>EndoFree Plasmid Maxi Kit (10)</td>
			<td>QIAGEN</td>
			<td>12362</td>
			<td>used to obtain endotoxin-free pRAM18dSFA plasmid</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>extended fine tip transfer pipet&#160;</td>
			<td>Perfector Scientific</td>
			<td>TP03-5301</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>fetal bovine serum&#160;</td>
			<td>Gemini Bio</td>
			<td>900-108</td>
			<td>The FBS batch has to be tested to make sure ISE6 cells will grow well in it.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Gene Pulser II electroporator with Pulse Controller PLUS</td>
			<td>Bio-Rad</td>
			<td>165-2105 &#38; 165-2110</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>hemocytometer</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>267110</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>HEPES</td>
			<td>Millipore-Sigma</td>
			<td>H4034</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ImageJ Fiji</td>
			<td>National Institute of Health</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>raw image editing</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KaryoMAX Giemsa stain&#160;</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>&#160;2021-10-30</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Leibovitz&#39;s L-15 medium</td>
			<td>Gibco</td>
			<td>41300039</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>lipoprotein concentrate&#160;</td>
			<td>MP Biomedicals</td>
			<td>191476</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Nikon Diaphot</td>
			<td>Nikon</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>epifluorescence microscope</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>NucBlue Live ReadyProbes Reagent&#160;</td>
			<td>Thermo Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td>R37605</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Olympus Disc Scanning Unit (DSU) confocal microscope&#160;</td>
			<td>Olympus</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Petroff-Hausser Counting Chamber</td>
			<td>Hausser Scientific</td>
			<td>&#160;Chamber 3900</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>sodium bicarbonate</td>
			<td>Millipore-Sigma</td>
			<td>S5761</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Vortex</td>
			<td>Fisher Vortex Genie 2</td>
			<td>12-812</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

an electroporation method to transform rickettsia spp. with a fluorescent protein-expressing shuttle vector in tick cell lines

Rickettsioses are caused by a broad range of obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia that can be transmitted to vertebrate hosts through the bite of infected arthropod vectors. To date, emerging or re-emerging epidemic rickettsioses remain a public health risk due to the difficulty in diagnosis, as diagnostic methods are limited and not standardized or universally accessible. Misdiagnosis resulting from a lack of recognition of the signs and symptoms may result in delayed antibiotic treatment and poor health outcomes. A comprehensive understanding of Rickettsia characteristics would ultimately improve clinical diagnosis, assessment, and treatment with improved control and prevention of the disease. 
Functional studies of rickettsial genes are crucial for understanding their role in pathogenesis. This paper describes a procedure for the electroporation of the Rickettsia parkeri strain Tate's Hell with the shuttle vector pRAM18dSFA and the selection of transformed R. parkeri in tick cell culture with antibiotics (spectinomycin and streptomycin). A method is also described for the localization of transformed R. parkeri in tick cells using confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, a useful technique for checking transformation in vector cell lines. Similar approaches are also suitable for the transformation of other rickettsiae.

The morphology of R. parkeri in ISE6 cells under a light microscope after Giemsa staining are shown in Figure 1. In Figure 2, transformed R. parkeri expressing red fluorescence protein in ISE6 cells are shown using confocal microscopy. There is a substantial increase in the infection rate of transformed R. parkeri (red) in ISE6 cells (blue, corresponds to the nuclei) from (A) day 7 to (B) day 10 of inc...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines at JoVE.com

An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines

Electroporation is a rapid, broadly adopted method for introducing exogenous DNA into the genus Rickettsia. This protocol provides a useful electroporation method for the transformation of obligate intracellular bacteria in the genus Rickettsia.

An Electroporation Method to Transform Rickettsia spp. with a Fluorescent Protein-Expressing Shuttle Vector in Tick Cell Lines

Rickettsioses are caused by a broad range of obligate intracellular bacteria belonging to the genus Rickettsia that can be transmitted to vertebrate hosts ...

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