Dissertationen zum Thema „Genetic vectors“

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), a group of generally recognized as safe (GRAS) organisms that metabolize sugars into primarily lactic acid, have traditionally been used for the fermentation and preservation of various foods and beverages. There is increasing interest in the genetic manipulation of LAB to improve existing characteristics or introduce novel, industrially pertinent phenotypes. However, because these bacteria have food-related applications, their genetic modification requires the use of food-grade genetic engineering tools. LAB plasmids, self-replicating extrachromosomal DNA molecules, can be used to derive food-grade cloning vectors. The rationale of this research was to develop a food-grade cloning vector using a lactobacilli cryptic plasmid and to investigate its cloning and expression properties. The main objectives were to (i) screen Lactobacillus spp. for plasmids, (ii) isolate and characterize a plasmid, and (iii) use the plasmid replicon to construct a cloning vector and express heterologous genes in various hosts. This is the first step in the development of a new family of food-grade cloning vectors for the genetic modification of lactobacilli.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The genetic information of plants is found in the nucleus, the mitochondria, and the plastids. The DNA of plastids is comprised of multiple copies of a double-stranded, circular, prokaryoticallyderived genome of -150 kb. The genome equivalents of plastid organelles in higher plant cells are an attractive target for genetic engineering as high protein expression levels are readily obtained due to the high genome copy number per organelle. The resultant proteins are contained within the plastid organelle and the corresponding transgenes are inherited, in most crop plants, uniparentally, preventing pollen transmission of DNA. Plastid transformation involves the uniform modification of all the plastid genome copies, a process facilitated by homologous recombination and the non-Mendelian segregation of plastids upon cell division. The plastid genomes are in a continuous state of inter- and intra-molecular exchange due to their common genetic complement. This enables the site-specific integration of any piece of DNA flanked by plastid targeting sequences, via homologous recombination. The attainment of homoplasmy, where all genomes are transformed, requires the inclusion of a plastid-specific selectable marker. Selective pressure favouring the propagation of the transformed genome copies, as well as the random segregation of plastids upon cell division, make it feasible to acquire uniformity and hence genetic stability. From this, a complete transplastomie line is obtained where all plastid genome copies present are transgenic, having eliminated all wild-type genome copies. The prokaryotic nature of the chloroplast genetic system enables expression of multiple proteins from polycistronic mRNAs, allowing the introduction of entire operons in a single transformation. Expression cassettes in vectors thus include single regulatory elements of plastid origin, and harbour genes encoding selectable and screenable markers, as well as one or more genes of interest. Each coding region is preceded by an appropriate translation control region to ensure efficient translation from the polycistronic mRNA. The function of a plastid transformation vector is to enable transfer and stable integration of foreign genes into the chloroplast genomes of higher plants. The expression vector constructed in this research is specific for the transformation of the grape chloroplast genome. Vitis vinifera L., from the family, Vitaceae, is the choice species for the production of wine and therefore our target for plastid transformation. All chloroplast derived regulatory elements and sequences included in the vector thus originated from this species.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die genetiese inligting van plante word gevind in die kern, die mitochondria, en die plastiede. Die DNA van plastiede bestaan uit veelvuldige kopieë van 'n ~ 150 kb dubbelstring, sirkulêre genoom van prokariotiese oorsprong. Die genoomekwivalente van plastiede in hoër plante is 'n aantreklike teiken vir genetiese manipulering, aangesien die hoë genoom kopiegetal per organel dit moontlik maak om gereeld hoë vlakke van proteïenuitdrukking te verkry. Hierdie proteïene word tot die plastied beperk, en die ooreenstemmende transgene word in die meeste plante sitoplasmies oorgeërf, sonder die oordrag van DNA deur die stuifmeel. Plastied transformasie behels die uniforme modifikasie van al die plastied genoomkopieë, 'n proses wat deur homoloë rekombinasie en die nie-Mendeliese segregasie van plastiede tydens seldeling gefasiliteer word. As gevolg van die gemeenskaplike genetiese komplement, vind aanhoudende interen intra-molekulêre uitruiling van plastiedgenome plaas. Dit maak die setel-spesifieke integrasie, via homoloë rekombinasie, van enige stuk DNA wat deur plastied teikenvolgordes begrens word, moontlik. Vir die verkrying van homoplasmie, waar alle genome getransformeer is, word die insluiting van 'n plastiedspesifieke selekteerbare merker benodig. Seleksiedruk wat die vermeerdering van die getransformeerde genoomkopieë bevoordeel, en die lukrake segregasie van plastiede tydens seldeling, maak dit moontlik om genetiese stabiliteit en uniformiteit van die genoom te verkry. Dit kan op sy beurt tot die verkryging van 'n volledige transplastomiese lyn lei, waar alle aanwesige plastiedgenome transgenies is, en wilde tipe genoomkopieë geëlimineer is. Die prokariotiese aard van die chloroplas genetiese sisteem maak die uitdrukking van veelvuldige proteïene vanaf polisistroniese mRNAs moontlik, wat die toevoeging van volledige operons in 'n enkele transformasie toelaat. Uitdrukkingskassette in vektore bevat dus enkel regulatoriese elemente van plastied oorsprong, gene wat kodeer vir selekteerbare en sifbare merkers, asook een of meer gene van belang (teikengene). Voor elke koderingsstreek, is daar ook 'n toepaslike translasie beheerstreek om doeltreffende translasie vanaf die polisistroniese mRNA te verseker. Die funksie van 'n plastied transformasie vektor is om die oordrag en stabiele integrasie van transgene in chloroplasgenome van hoër plante moontlik te maak. Die uitdrukkingsvektor wat in hierdie studie gekonstrueer is, is spesifiek vir die transformasie van die druif chloroplasgenoom. Vitis vinifera L., van die familie Vitaceae, is die voorkeur species vir die produksie van wyn, en daarom die teiken vir plastied transformasie. Alle chloroplast-afgeleide regulatoriese elemente en volgordes wat in hierdie vektor ingesluit is, het huloorsprong vanaf VUis vinifera L.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007.
The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Vita. "December 2007" Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Viruses are some of the most important pathogens of grapevines. There are no effective chemical treatments, and no grapevine- or other natural resistance genes have been discovered against grapevine infecting viruses. The primary method of grapevine virus control is prevention by biological indexing and molecular- and serological screening of rootstocks and scions before propagation. Due to the spread of grapevine viruses through insect vectors, and in the case of GRSPaV the absence of serological screening, these methods of virus control are not always effective. In the past several methods, from cross-protection to pathogen derived resistance (PDR), have been applied to induce plant virus resistance, but with inconsistent results. In recent years the application of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS), a naturally occurring plant defense mechanism, to induce targeted virus resistance has achieved great success. The Waterhouse research group has designed plant transformation vectors that facilitate specific virus resistance through PTGS. The primary focus of this study was the production of virus specific transformation vectors for the introduction of grapevine virus resistance. The Waterhouse system has been successfully utilised for the construction of three transformation vectors with the pHannibal vector as backbone. Each vector contains homologous virus coat protein (CP) gene segments, cloned in a complementary conformation upstream and downstream of an intron sequence. The primary vector (pHann-SAScon) contains complementary CP gene segments of both GRSPaV and GLRaV-3 and was designed for the introduction of multiple-virus resistance. For the construction of the primary vector the GRSPaV CP gene was isolated from RSP infected grapevines. A clone of the GLRaV-3 CP gene was acquired. The second vector (pHann- LR3CPsas) contains complementary CP gene segments of GLRaV-3. The third vector (pHann-LR2CPsas) contains complementary CP gene segments of GLRaV-2. The cassette containing the complementary CP gene segments of both GRSPaV and GLRaV-3 was cloned into pART27 (pART27-HSAScon), and used to transform N tabacum cv. Petit Havana (SRI), through A. tumefaciens mediated transformation. Unfortunately potential transformants failed to regenerate on rooting media; hence no molecular tests were performed to confirm transformation. Once successful transformants are generated, infection with a recombinant virus vector (consisting of PYX, the GFP gene as screenable marker and the complementary CP gene segments of both GRSPaV and GLRaV-3) will be used to test for the efficacy of the vectors to induce resistance. A secondary aim was added to this project when a need was identified within the South African viticulture industry for GRSPaV specific antibodies to be used in serological screening. To facilitate future serological detection of GRSPaV, the CP gene was isolated and expressed with a bacterial expression system (pETI4b) within the E. coli BL2I(DE3)pLysS cell line. The expressed protein will be used to generate GRSPaV CP specific antibodies.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Virusse is van die belangrikste patogene by wingerd. Daar bestaan geen effektiewe chemiese beheer nie, en geen wingerd- of ander natuurlike weerstandsgene teen wingerdvirusse is al ontdek nie. Die primêre metode van beheer t.o.v. wingerdvirusse is voorkoming deur biologiese indeksering, en molekulêre- en serologiese toetsing van onderstokke en entlote voor verspreiding. As gevolg van die verspreiding van wingerdvirusse deur insekvektore, en in die geval van GRSPa V die tekort aan serologiese toetsing, is dié metodes van virusbeheer nie altyd effektief nie. In die verlede is metodes soos kruis-beskerming en patogeen-afgeleide weerstand (PDR) gebruik om virusweerstand te induseer, maar met inkonsekwente resultate. In onlangse jare is post-transkripsionele geenonderdrukking (PTGS), 'n natuurlike plantbeskermingsmeganisme, met groot sukses toegepas om geteikende virusweerstand te induseer. Die Waterhouse-navorsingsgroep het planttransformasievektore ontwerp wat spesifieke virusweerstand induseer d.m.v. PTGS. Die vervaardiging van virus spesifieke tranformasievektore vir die indusering van wingerdvirusweerstand was die primêre doelwit van hierdie studie. Die Waterhouse-sisteem was gebruik vir die konstruksie van drie transformasievektore, met die pHannibal vektor as basis. Elke vektor bevat homoloë virus kapsiedproteïen (CP) geensegmente, gekloneer in 'n komplementêre vorm stroom-op en stroom-af van 'n intronvolgorde. Die primêre vektor (pHann-SAScon) bevat komplementêre CP geensegmente van beide GRSPaV en GLRaV-3, en was ontwerp vir die indusering van veelvoudige-virusweerstand. Die CP-geen van GRSPa V was vanuit RSP-geïnfekteerde wingerd geïsoleer, vir die konstruksie van die primêre vektor. 'n Kloon van die GLRa V-3 CP-geen was verkry. Die tweede vektor (pHann-LR3CPsas) bevat komplementêre CP geensegmente van GLRaV-3. Die derde vektor (pHann-LR2CPsas) bevat komplementêre CP geensegmente van GLRa V-2. Die kasset bestaande uit die komplementêre CP geensegmente van beide GRSPaV en GLRaV-3, was gekloneer in pART27 (pART27-HSAScon), en gebruik om N tabacum cv. Petit Havana (SRI) te transformeer d.m.v. A. tumefaciens bemiddelde transformasie. Ongelukkig het potensiële transformante nie geregenereer op bewortelingsmedia nie; gevolglik was geen molekulêre toetse gedoen om transformasie te bevestig nie. Na suksesvolle transformante gegenereer is, sal infeksie met 'n rekombinante-virusvektor (bestaande uit PYX, die GFP geen as waarneembare merker en die komplementêre CP geensegmente van beide GRSPa V en GLRa V-3) gebruik word om die effektiwiteit van die vektore as weerstandsinduseerders te toets. 'n Sekondêre doelwit is by die projek gevoeg toe 'n behoefte aan GRSPaV spesifieke teenliggame binne die Suid-Afrikaanse wynbedryf geïdentifiseer is, vir gebruik in serologiese toetsing. Om toekomstige serologiese toetsing van GRSPa V te bemiddel, was die CP-geen geïsoleer en in 'n bakteriële uitdrukkingsisteem (PETI4b) uitgedruk, in die E. coli BL21(DE3)pLysS sellyn. Die uitgedrukte proteïne sal gebruik word vir die vervaardiging van GRSPa V CP spesifieke antiliggame.

"16th September 2002." Accompanying CD contains 2 MPEG clips with accompanying text, and a copy in PDF format of: Recovery of airway cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator function in mice with cystic fibrosis after single-dose lentivirus-mediated gene transfer / M. Limberis ... [et al.], published in Human gene therapy vol. 13 (2002). Bibliography: leaves xxix-li. This thesis focuses on modulating the physical barriers of the airway epithelium with mild detergents, so as to enhance gene transfer by a HIV-1 based lentivirus vector in vivo. The efficiency of the gene transfer was evaluated in the nasal airway of C57B1/6 mice using the Lac Z marker gene. This demonstration of lentivirus-mediated in vivo recovery of CFTR function in CF airway epithelium illustrated the potential of combining a pre-conditioning of the airway surface with a simple and brief HIV-1 based gene transfer vector exposure to produce therapeutic gene expression in the intact airway.

Canavan’s Disease is a fatal Central Nervous System disorder caused by genetic defects in the enzyme – aspartoacylase and currently has no effective treatment options. We report additional phenotypes in a stringent preclinical aspartoacylase knockout mouse model. Using this model, we developed a gene therapy strategy with intravenous injections of the aspartoacylase gene packaged in recombinant adeno associated viruses (rAAVs). We first investigated the CNS gene transfer abilities of rAAV vectors that can cross the blood-brain-barrier in neonatal and adult mice and subsequently used different rAAV serotypes such as rAAV9, rAAVrh.8 and rAAVrh.10 for gene replacement therapy. A single intravenous injection rescued lethality, extended survival and corrected several disease phenotypes including motor dysfunctions. For the first time we demonstrated the existence of a therapeutic time window in the mouse model. In order to limit off-target effects of viral delivery we employed a synthetic strategy using microRNA mediated posttranscriptional detargeting to restrict rAAV expression in the CNS. We followed up with another approach to limit peripheral tissue distribution. Strikingly, we demonstrate that intracerebroventricular administration of a 50-fold lower vectors dose can rescue lethality and extend survival but not motor functions. We also study the contributions of several peripheral tissues in a primarily CNS disorder and examine several molecular attributes behind pathogenesis of Canavan’s disease using primary neural cell cultures. In summary, this thesis describes the potential of novel rAAV-mediated gene replacement therapy in Canavan’s disease and the use of rAAVs as a tool to tease out its pathological mechanism.

Canavan’s Disease is a fatal Central Nervous System disorder caused by genetic defects in the enzyme – aspartoacylase and currently has no effective treatment options. We report additional phenotypes in a stringent preclinical aspartoacylase knockout mouse model. Using this model, we developed a gene therapy strategy with intravenous injections of the aspartoacylase gene packaged in recombinant adeno associated viruses (rAAVs). We first investigated the CNS gene transfer abilities of rAAV vectors that can cross the blood-brain-barrier in neonatal and adult mice and subsequently used different rAAV serotypes such as rAAV9, rAAVrh.8 and rAAVrh.10 for gene replacement therapy. A single intravenous injection rescued lethality, extended survival and corrected several disease phenotypes including motor dysfunctions. For the first time we demonstrated the existence of a therapeutic time window in the mouse model. In order to limit off-target effects of viral delivery we employed a synthetic strategy using microRNA mediated posttranscriptional detargeting to restrict rAAV expression in the CNS. We followed up with another approach to limit peripheral tissue distribution. Strikingly, we demonstrate that intracerebroventricular administration of a 50-fold lower vectors dose can rescue lethality and extend survival but not motor functions. We also study the contributions of several peripheral tissues in a primarily CNS disorder and examine several molecular attributes behind pathogenesis of Canavan’s disease using primary neural cell cultures. In summary, this thesis describes the potential of novel rAAV-mediated gene replacement therapy in Canavan’s disease and the use of rAAVs as a tool to tease out its pathological mechanism.

The initial aim of this project was to characterise the integrative recombination mechanism of bacteriophage ÖAR29 , to provide a better understanding for development of the shuttle plasmid pBA as a site-specific Bacteroides integration vector. RT-PCR showed that the previously identified ÖAR29 recombination genes, integrase (Int) and excisionase (Xis), were transcribed from pBA in E. coli SCS110, B. thetaiotaomicron AR29 and B. uniformis AR20. In silico derived amino acid sequences from both genes showed only very low levels of similarity to other known Int and Xis in GenBank. To improve understanding of the phage recombination system, the ÖAR29 genome was sequenced. This revealed a 35,558 bp double-stranded DNA genome with GC content of 39.11%. Bioinformatic analysis identified 53 open reading frames (>30 codons) and gene promoters and terminators that allowed the genome arrangement to be compared with other phages. Comparison of deduced gene products with proteins from other phages identified 6 reading frames, allowed tentative identification of 7 others, but left 40 ORFs unidentified. Those with strong homology to known genes were: large terminase subunit (44.66 kDa), dnaC (27.94 kDa), helix-turn-helix (HTH) transcription regulator (14.69 kDa), cI repressor (26.48 kDa), amidase (18.42kDa) and a novel integrase (54.22 kDa). The integrase gene is located 162 base-pairs downstream of the phage attachment (attP) core site, rather than the previously suggested location upstream of the integration site. The ÖAR29 attP was shown to include a 16-bp att core region, 117 bp upstream of the previously suggested location. Integration of ÖAR29 was found to occur at the 3’end of an arg-tRNA gene on the AR29 genome (attB). Imperfect direct repeats with a consensus sequence (ANGTTGTGCAA) were found surrounding the attP core. A review of pBA sequence showed that only the 5’ end (435 bp) of the newly identified Int gene was cloned in pBA. Despite this, PCR analysis revealed integration of pBA into the AR29 genome. Serial subculturing of pBA transformed AR29 was able to cure AR29 of the ÖAR29 prophage, providing an improved host for integrative plasmids, and for detailed studies of AR29 physiology and ÖAR29 life cycles.

Ecological and genetic factors play a key role in determining the behaviour of mosquito vectors, which in turn influences malaria transmission and epidemiology. Malaria vector control strategies such as long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) rely on the timing and location of mosquito vector feeding behaviour, and their choice of resting habitat (inside houses versus outside). In some settings where these control measures have been intensively used, the major malaria vectors have been reported to change their behaviour to bite more often outdoors and/or earlier in the evening before people are protected by LLINs, and to increasingly rest outdoors. Such shifts in vector behaviour may jeopardize the effectiveness of LLIN and IRS strategies. The potential for such changes to undermine malaria control can only be understood by: (1) developing better, standardized sampling tools for the surveillance of mosquito behaviours, and (2) identifying the environmental and genetic factors that contribute to these behavioural changes as is required to predict how quickly they can occur and spread. This study developed and evaluated a range of novel tools to sample host seeking and resting African malaria vectors. These tools were used to characterize a range of epidemiologically relevant malaria vector behaviours within an endemic area of southern Tanzania, and investigate the role of potential ecological and genetic determinants of behavioural variation. Firstly, a novel mosquito electrocuting trap (MET) was developed and evaluated relative to a commercially available insect electrocuting trap (CA-EG) and the gold standard human landing catch (HLC) technique for measuring the abundance and host seeking behaviour of Anopheles gambiae s.l. and An. funestus s.l. A Latin Square experiment was conducted in a rural setting in the Kilombero Valley of Tanzania where the sampling performance of MET was promising, especially in outdoor sampling where it achieved > 58% sampling performance relative to the HLC. In contrast, the CA-EG had poor performance relative to both the MET and HLC and was considered unlikely to be a viable sampling method. This study showed that electrocuting traps can be developed and used as alternative, realistic and exposure-free sampling tools to the HLC technique. Secondly, a series of new lightweight, portable and standardized sampling traps were developed and compared relative to one another to identify which traps are optimal for measuring African malaria vector resting behaviour. Two existing resting traps, the Resting Bucket (RBU) and Resting Box (RBO) were used along with two modified versions of the RBU designed to test the influence of specific design features to mosquito catchability: a modified entry resting bucket (MERBU) and a sticky resting bucket (SRBU). The performance of all traps for sampling indoor and outdoor resting An. gambiae s.l. and An. funestus s.l. were evaluated relative to one another, and the back-pack aspirator method (BPA, indoor collections only). Mosquito vector densities in all resting traps were relatively low (< 3 per night), but were consistently higher in the RBU and RBO. The SRBU had significantly poorer performance outside than inside, which gave rise to highly biased estimates of exophilic behaviour. The MERBU trap performed consistently poorly inside and outdoors. Based on their relative and consistent sampling performance, the RBO and RBU are recommended as the best choice for wider scale surveillance of vector resting behaviour and its response to control measures. Thirdly, a candidate gene approach was used to test if variation in the host seeking behaviour of An. arabiensis is associated with genetic polymorphisms in their circadian rhythm genes. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 34 loci across 8 circadian genes in An. arabiensis were identified and analyzed for association with the timing (“early=7pm-10pm vs “late” = 4am-7am) and location (indoors vs outdoors) of their host seeking. No associations were found between the host seeking phenotypes and SNP polymorphisms in An. arabiensis. However, a strong genetic population structure was detected within An. arabiensis from the study area, which was correlated with polymorphisms in the Timeless gene (irrespective of the feeding phenotypes or geographical location). The cause of this structuring remains unknown, and further studies to investigate the potential mechanism and epidemiological implications are recommended. Although no association was found in this study, the role of genetics in determining malaria host seeking behaviour cannot be discounted. Other approaches such as transcriptomics and whole genome sequences are recommended in future studies. In combination, results from this study give insights into the optimality of different sampling tools for reliable, ethically conducive monitoring of malaria vector behaviour. Furthermore, they provide baseline assessment of the contribution of some mosquito genetic and environmental factors to mosquito vector behaviour. It is hoped that the most promising sampling tools developed here can be improved and integrated into malaria vector surveillance programmes to obtain reliable information on vector behaviour and how vectors respond to environmental change and wide-scale use of malaria control measures.

Bibliography: leaves 104-130. The aim of this thesis is to characterise subgenomic RNAs of cucumoviruses and the functions of their encoding genes. Strains of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) are classified into two major subgroups (I and II) on the basis of nucleotide sequence homology. The V strain of tomato aspermy virus (V-TAV) and a subgroup I CMV strain (WAII) are chosen to determine whether the 2b genes encoded by these viruses are expressed 'in vivo'. For further investigation of the 2b gene function, cDNA clones of three genomic RNAs of V-TAV are constructed. Using the infectious cDNA clones of V-TAV, a mutant virus containing only one of the two repeats is constructed.

Rhizobia are Gram-negative, rod-shaped, soil bacteria with the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia as symbiont bacteroids within nodules of leguminous plant roots. Here, resident Rhizobium plasmids were studied as possible sources of components for the construction of a cloning vector for Rhizobium species.

Correction of blood genetic disorders requires permanent gene transfer into self renewing, hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), and regulation of transgene expression in specific cell lineages. HIV-derived lentiviral vectors are very effective in transducing rare, non-dividing stem cell populations without altering their long-term repopulation and differentiation capacity. We developed a strategy for transcriptional targeting' of lentiviral vectors based on replacing the viral LTR control elements with cell lineage specific, genomic control elements. An upstream enhancer (HS2) of the erythroidspecific GATA-l gene was cloned in a second-generation lentiviral vector to replace most of the U3 region of the LTR, immediately upstream of the HIV-l promoter. The modified LTR was used to drive the expression of a reporter gene (GFP), while a second gene (~LNGFR) was placed under the control of an internal, constitutive promoter to monitor cell transduction, or immunoselect transduced cells, independently from the expression of the targeted promoter. The vector was used to transduce cell lines, human CD34⁺ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, and murine bone marrow HSCs. Gene expression was analyzed in the differentiated progeny of transduced stem cells in vitro and in vivo, after transplantation into lethally irradiated co-isogenic (for murine cells) or NOD/SCID (for human cells) mice. The transcriptionally targeted HIV LTR allowed very high level of transgene expression specifically in mature erythroblasts, in a tat-independent fashion and with no alteration in titer, infectivity, and genomic stability of the lentiviral vector. Expression from the targeted LTR was higher, better restricted, and showed significantly less position effect variegation than that obtained by the same combination of enhancer/promoter elements placed in the conventional, internal position. Cloning of the woodchuck hepatitis virus post transcriptional regulatory element (WPRE) at a defined position in the targeted vector, allowed selective accumulation of the genomic with respect to the internal RNA transcript, with no loss of cell-type restriction. A critical advantage of this targeting strategy is the use of the spliced, major viral transcript to express a therapeutic gene, and that of an internal, independently regulated promoter to express an additional gene for either cell marking or in vivo selection purposes.

Neurological disorders – disorders of the brain, spine and associated nerves – are a leading contributor to global disease burden with a sizable economic cost. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have emerged as an effective platform for CNS gene therapy and have shown early promise in clinical trials. These trials involve direct infusion into brain parenchyma, an approach that may be suboptimal for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, which often involve more than a single structure in the CNS. However, overall neuronal transduction efficiency of vectors derived from naturally occurring AAV capsids after systemic administration is relatively low. We have developed novel capsids AAV-AS and AAV-B1 that lead to widespread gene delivery throughout the brain and spinal cord, particularly to neuronal populations. Both transduce the adult mouse brain >10-fold more efficiently than the clinical gold standard AAV9 upon intravascular infusion, with gene transfer to multiple neuronal sub-populations. These vectors are also capable of neuronal transduction in a normal cat. We have demonstrated the efficacy of AAV-AS in the context of Huntington's disease by knocking down huntingtin mRNA 33-50% after a single intravenous injection, which is better than what can be achieved by AAV9 at the particular dose. AAVB1 additionally transduces muscle, beta cells, pulmonary alveoli and retinal vasculature at high efficiency, and has reduced sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies in human sera. Generation of this vector toolbox represents a major step towards gaining genetic access to the entire CNS, and provides a platform to develop new gene therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.

Neurological disorders – disorders of the brain, spine and associated nerves – are a leading contributor to global disease burden with a sizable economic cost. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have emerged as an effective platform for CNS gene therapy and have shown early promise in clinical trials. These trials involve direct infusion into brain parenchyma, an approach that may be suboptimal for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders, which often involve more than a single structure in the CNS. However, overall neuronal transduction efficiency of vectors derived from naturally occurring AAV capsids after systemic administration is relatively low. We have developed novel capsids AAV-AS and AAV-B1 that lead to widespread gene delivery throughout the brain and spinal cord, particularly to neuronal populations. Both transduce the adult mouse brain >10-fold more efficiently than the clinical gold standard AAV9 upon intravascular infusion, with gene transfer to multiple neuronal sub-populations. These vectors are also capable of neuronal transduction in a normal cat. We have demonstrated the efficacy of AAV-AS in the context of Huntington's disease by knocking down huntingtin mRNA 33-50% after a single intravenous injection, which is better than what can be achieved by AAV9 at the particular dose. AAVB1 additionally transduces muscle, beta cells, pulmonary alveoli and retinal vasculature at high efficiency, and has reduced sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies in human sera. Generation of this vector toolbox represents a major step towards gaining genetic access to the entire CNS, and provides a platform to develop new gene therapies for neurodegenerative disorders.

Genetic regulatory networks (GRN) offer a useful model for clinical biology. Specifically, such networks capture interactions among genes, proteins, and other metabolic factors. Unfortunately, it is difficult to understand and predict the behavior of networks that are of realistic size and complexity. In this dissertation, behavior refers to the trajectory of a state, through a series of state transitions over time, to an attractor in the network. This project assumes asynchronous Boolean networks, implying that a state may transition to more than one attractor. The goal of this project is to efficiently identify a network's set of attractors and to predict the likelihood with which an arbitrary state leads to each of the network’s attractors. These probabilities will be represented using a fuzzy membership vector. Predicting fuzzy membership vectors using machine learning techniques may address the intractability posed by networks of realistic size and complexity. Modeling and simulation can be used to provide the necessary training sets for machine learning methods to predict fuzzy membership vectors. The experiments comprise several GRNs, each represented by a set of output classes. These classes consist of thresholds τ and ¬τ, where τ = [τlaw,τhigh]; state s belongs to class τ if the probability of its transitioning to attractor 􀜣 belongs to the range [τlaw,τhigh]; otherwise it belongs to class ¬τ. Finally, each machine learning classifier was trained with the training sets that was previously collected. The objective is to explore methods to discover patterns for meaningful classification of states in realistically complex regulatory networks. The research design took a GRN and a machine learning method as input and produced output class < Ατ > and its negation ¬ < Ατ >. For each GRN, attractors were identified, data was collected by sampling each state to create fuzzy membership vectors, and machine learning methods were trained to predict whether a state is in a healthy attractor or not. For T-LGL, SVMs had the highest accuracy in predictions (between 93.6% and 96.9%) and precision (between 94.59% and 97.87%). However, naive Bayesian classifiers had the highest recall (between 94.71% and 97.78%). This study showed that all experiments have extreme significance with pvalue < 0.0001. The contribution this research offers helps clinical biologist to submit genetic states to get an initial result on their outcomes. For future work, this implementation could use other machine learning classifiers such as xgboost or deep learning methods. Other suggestions offered are developing methods that improves the performance of state transition that allow for larger training sets to be sampled.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Florida, 2004.
Typescript. Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 143 pages. Includes Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

A hybrid vector, pBVl, has been constructed which is capable of regulating expression of cloned genes in both Escherichia coli and in cyanobacterium Synechocystis 6803. Vector pBVl contains the powerful rightward promoter of bacteriophage lambda to ensure that cloned genes are transcibed at a high level. In addition, pBV] also contains a gene, cI857, encoding the lambda temperature sensitive repressor protein.The CAT gene coding for chloramphenicol aceyltransferase (CmActase) was cloned into pBV1 downstream of the lambda regulatory features to make plasmid pTC1. The expression of the CAT gene was quantified spectrophotometrically following addition of chloramphenicol and a shift in the growth temperature of the cell culture. The specific activity of CmActase increased from 540 to 5400 units within 30 minutes. Thus, using the newly constructed hybrid vector, pBVl, temperature regulation of gene expression in E. coli was observed.
Department of Biology

The aim of this thesis was to produce DNA expression constructs and use them to investigate the feasibility of recombinantly expression proteins for future interaction studies between human RBBP6 and p53 and pRb proteins.

The 33 kilodalton (kD) manganese stabilizing protein (MSP) is intimately associated with the photolysis of water to molecular oxygen. The two main purposes of this study were: 1) to analyze previously constructed MSP mutants and 2) to subclone, express, and purify the wild-type MSP in Escherichia coli in order to investigate the relationship between structure and function of this protein.Growth rates were compared between bacterial cells harboring only the vector, the vector plus the wild-type MSP gene, and the vector plus a mutant MSP gene. No significant differences were seen. This result implies that the expression of the wild-type MSP or mutant MSP is not toxic to the cells. Plasmid DNA isolation and restriction analyses of several of the mutant clones also confirmed the presence of the correct size inserts in the vector. However, upon sequencing several mutant clones, it appeared that losses and/or rearrangements of sequences was occurring. Thus, it was concluded that MSP was not being stably maintained in E. coli.Expression of the wild-type gene was achieved in E. coli by IPTG induction of the gene in pUC120 cloned under the control of the lac promoter. The expressed protein was identified by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE) and confirmed by western blotting. Purification of the wild-type protein was obtained by membrane fractionation over a DEAE ion exchange column and the expression product was detected by western blotting. However, the expression product was lost in the concentration procedure and therefore is not available for reconstitution experiments.The wild-type MSP gene was also subcloned in a hybrid shuttle vector pTNTV, previously constructed in our laboratory (1). This construct was used to permit constitutive highlevel expression of the cloned gene and may prove to be an alternative vector to better express the MSP and mutant MSP in future investigations.These results demonstrate that it is possible to express the wild-type MSP gene from cyanobacteria in E. coli, but the problems of instability and recombination of the mutant genes in the vector have to be addressed before proper expression of these genes can be obtained.
Department of Biology

Non-viral vectors have been used to deliver therapeutic genes to treat different diseases. There are a variety of non-viral vectors such as liposomes, cationic polymers and peptides. Among all, pH responsive peptides showed excellent DNA transfection efficiency in many types of cell. These peptides are capable of changing their structural conformation as pH decreases, adopting a disordered structure which can destabilize endosomal membrane and therefore enhancing the release of DNA from endosomes into cytosol. Traditional pH responsive histidine-rich peptides showed good DNA transfection efficiency and low toxicity to the cells when compared with other non-viral vectors. However, their low pKa value restricted these peptides to be protonated only at late endosomal stage, in which DNA is extremely susceptible to endosomal degradation. This hindered the DNA to be released to the cytosol efficiently and therefore reduced DNA transfection efficiency. In response to this, it is of great interest to probe into the insertion of either 2,3-diaminopropionic acid (Dap) or methylated-2,3-diaminopropionic acid Dap(Me) to the peptide as alternative pH sensitive components. The pKa values for both Dap and Dap(Me) peptides are higher than that of histidine. It is anticipated that the higher pKa value, the protonation of peptide could be happened at an earlier stage of endosomal maturation. Such protonation of peptide destabilizes the endosome membrane rapidly, causing the release of DNA to the cytosol effectively and hence improving DNA transfection efficiency. In this experiment, LADap(Me)4-L1 peptide was the optimal candidate within the series. It showed good DNA transfection efficiency and cell viability in A549 cells among all Dap and Dap(Me) peptides.
published_or_final_version
Pharmacology and Pharmacy
Master
Master of Medical Sciences

Cell cycle-related kinase (CCRK) is a 42 KDa serine/threonine protein kinase homologous to Cdk1, 2 and 7. Previous work has shown that CCRK regulates cell cycle transition by phosphorylating Cdk2 and Rb. More importantly, it was found that CCRK was a candidate oncogene in both glioblastoma multiform (GBM) and human colorectal cancer. However, the mechanistic role of CCRK in tumorigenicity is still not completely understood. In the first part of this thesis, I found that casein kinas II beta (CKIIβ) was one of proteins that interact with CCRK using the high-throughput yeast-two-hybrid analysis. Then I confirmed their interaction by co-immunoprecipitation. CCRK phosphorylated CKIIβ at Ser-209 in a cell cycle-dependent manner. The phosphorylation of CKIIβ by CCRK enhanced the activity of CKII holoenzyme, protected CKIIβ against proteasome degradation, and facilitated CKIIβ translocation into the nucleus in U-87 MG and U-373 MG GBM cells. Importantly, CCRK de-sensitized GBM cells to the cytotoxic effect of three chemotherapy drugs, whereas knockdown of CCRK by siRNA reduced chemoresistance. Functionally, CKIIβ is responsible for CCRK-mediated inhibition of apoptosis, as suppression of CKIIβ by siRNA or CKIIβ inhibitor could re-sensitize cells to the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin in both wild type and CCRK-overexpressing U-87 MG cells. In vivo studies also showed that stable over-expression of CCRK increased tumor growth and decreased the anti-tumor efficacy of cisplatin in a nude mice GBM xenograft model. These results provide the first evidence that phosphorylation of CKIIβ is a new mechanism by which CCRK confers tumor growth and drug resistance to GBM cells. In the second part of this thesis I described a novel polymer, mPPS-FA, synthesized as a potential gene transfer vector. To complete mPPS-FA, folic acid was conjugated to a backbone (named mPPS) consisting of a copolymer of methyl PEG-2000, PEI-600 and sebacoyl chloride. 1H-NMR, FT-IR and UV spectroscopy were used to characterize the structure of mPPS-FA. It was revealed that mPPS-FA holds the ability to bind plasmid DNA yielding positively charged particles (polyplexes). Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and TEM techniques were used to study the size and morphology of the formed mPPS-FA/DNA nanocomplexes. Cytotoxicity of the mPPS-FA/DNA nanoparticles was also evaluated on B16-F0, U87MG, CHO-1 and Ho-8910 cells. The ability of mPPS-FA to deliver EGFP plasmid to melanoma B16-F0, U87, CHO-1, Ho-8910 and A549 cells was investigated in vitro as compared to the lipid-based transfection agent LipofectamineTM2000 and Linear PEI 22KDa (L-PEI 22KDa). I found that mPPS-FA/DNA complexes yielded the highest GFP transfection efficiency in B16-F0, U87, CHO-1 and Ho-8910 cells, which all highly express folate receptors (FR), at an mPPS-FA/DNA ratio (w/w) of 15. Furthermore, the transfection of mPPS-FA/DNA complexes in CHO-1 cells could be significantly competed and blocked by the free folic acid molecules. All together, mPPS-FA showed the highest efficiency in vitro and the potential to be developed as a nonviral gene carrier.
published_or_final_version
Chemistry
Doctoral
Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (PhD (Genetics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a very important agricultural commodity that needs to be protected. To achieve this several in vivo tools are needed for the study of this crop and the pathogens that infect it. Recently the grapevine genome has been sequenced and the next important step will be gene annotation and function using these in vivo tools. In this study the use of Grapevine virus A (GVA), genus Vitivirus, family Flexiviridae, as transient expression and VIGS vector for heterologous protein expression and functional genomics in Nicotiana benthamiana and V. vinifera were evaluated. Full-length genomic sequences of three South African variants of the virus (GTR1-1, GTG11-1 and GTR1-2) were generated and used in a molecular sequence comparison study. Results confirmed the separation of GVA variants into three groups, with group III (mild variants) being the most distantly related. It showed the high molecular heterogeneity of the virus and that ORF 2 was the most diverse. The GVA variants GTG11-1, GTR1-2 and GTR1-1 were placed in molecular groups I, II and III respectively. A collaboration study investigating the molecular divergence of GVA variants linked to Shiraz disease (SD), described two interesting GVA variants of group II, namely GTR1-2 and P163-M5 (Goszczynski et al., 2008). The group II variants were found to be closely linked to the expression of SD. GTR1-2 was isolated from a susceptible grapevine plant that never showed SD symptoms (Goszczynski 2007). The P163-M5 variant that resulted in exceedingly severe symptoms in N. benthamiana and is that used as SD positive control by the grapevine industry, was found to contain a 119 nt insert within the native ORF2. Comparative analysis performed on the complete nt and aa sequences of group II GVA variants suggested that the components in the GVA genome that cause pathogenicity in V. vinifera are more complex (or different) to those that cause pathogenicity in N. benthamiana. The three South African variants (GTR1-1, GTG11-1 and GTR1-2) were assembled into fulllength cDNA clones under control of CaMV 35S promoters. After several strategies were attempted, including a population cloning strategy for GTR1-2, none of the clones generated were able to replicate in N. benthamiana plants. A single amino acid substitution at position 13 (Tyr/Y Cys/C) in ORF 5 of the GTR1-2 cDNA clone was shown to abolish or reduce replication of the virus to below a detectable level. Two infectious clones of Israeli variants of GVA (T7-GVA-GR5 and T7-GVA118, obtained from M. Mawassi) were brought under control of a CaMV 35S promoter (35S-GVA-GR5 and 35S-GVA118). Both clones were infectious, able to replicate, move systemically and induce typical GVA symptoms after agroinfiltration in N. benthamiana. These Israeli clones served as backbone for further experiments in characterisation of transient expression and VIGS vectors. The use of GVA as gene insertion vector (35S-GVA118) and gene exchange vector (35S-GVA-GR5- ORF2+sgMP) in N. benthamiana and V. vinifera was compared. The gene insertion vector, 35S-GVA118 was based on the full-length GVA genome. The gene exchange vector, 35SGVA- GR5- ORF2+sgMP, was constructed in this study by elimination of ORF 2 and insertion of a sgMP and unique restriction sites to facilitate transgene insertion. In N. benthamiana both vectors showed similar GUS expression levels and photobleaching symptoms upon virus-induced NbPDS silencing. In V. vinifera limited GUS expression levels and VIGS photobleaching symptoms were observed for the gene insertion vector, 35SGVA118. No GUS expression was observed for the gene exchange vector 35S-GVA-GR5- ORF2+sgMP in this host. As for silencing, one plant, agroinfiltrated with 35S-GVA-GR5- ORF2-VvPDS+sgMP, developed photobleaching symptoms in 3 systemic infected leaves after 4 months. This study showed that GVA can be used as gene insertion and gene exchange vector for expression and VIGS in N. benthamiana, but in grapevine its use is limited to expression and silencing of genes in the phloem tissue. It is also the first report that ORF 2 of GVA is not needed for long distance movement in grapevine. To investigate the possible role of the P163-M5 119 nt insertion and the GVA ORF 2 (of unknown function), in expression of symptoms in plants, ORF 2 of a 35S-GVA-GR5 cDNA clone was removed and subsequently substituted by the corresponding ORFs of four South African GVA variants. Upon agro-infiltration into N. benthamiana leaves, all chimaeric GVA constructs were able to move systemically through the plant. At this stage no correlation could be found between severity of symptoms, the presence of the P163-M5 insert and the specific GVA ORF 2 present in the chimaeras, indicating that other factors in the viral genome or the host plant probably play a crucial role. This study contributed to the pool of available in vivo tools for study and improvement of the valuable grapevine crop. It also opened several exciting research avenues to pursue in the near future.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Wingerd (Vitis vinifera L.) is ‘n baie belangrike landboukundige gewas wat beskerm moet word. Om die rede word verskeie in vivo gereedskap vir die bestudering van die wingerdplant, en die patogene wat dit infekteer benodig. Die wingerd genoom se volgorde is bepaal en dus is die volgende logiese stap om die gene te annoteer en funksie daaraan toe te skryf. In hierdie studie is die gebruik van Grapevine virus A (GVA), genus Vitivirus, familie Flexiviridae, as tydelike uitdrukking- en virus-geinduseerde geenuitdowingsvektor vir heteroloë proteïen uitdrukking en funksionele genoomstudies in Nicotiana benthamiana en V. Vinifera getoets. Vollengte genoomvolgordes van drie Suid-Afrikaanse variante van die virus (GTR1-1, GTG11-1 en GTR1-2) is gegenereer en in ‘n molekulêre volgorde vergelyking studie gebruik. Resultate het die verdeling van GVA variante in drie groepe, waar groep III die verste verwant is, bevestig. Dit het ook gewys dat die virus ‘n baie hoë molekulêre heterogeniteit het en dat oopleesraam 2 (ORF 2) die mees divers is. ‘n Samewerking studie waar die molekulêre diversiteit van GVA variante, gekoppel aan Shiraz siekte (SD), ondersoek is, is twee interessante variante van groep II beskryf, naamlik GTR1-2 en P163-M5 (Goszczynski et al., 2008). Groep II variante is vooraf gevind om nou verwant te wees aan die ontwikkeling van SD in wingerd. Die GTR1-2 variant is uit ’n vatbare wingerd plant, wat nooit SD-simptome vertoon het nie, geïsoleer (Goszczynski et al., 2007). In die ORF 2 van die P163-M5 variant, wat simptome van die ergste graad in N. benthamiana geïnduseer het, en ook deur die industrie as betroubare SD-positiewe kontrole gebruik word, is ’n 119 nt invoeging gevind. Die vergelykende analise wat uitgevoer is, het daarop gedui dat die determinante van patogenisiteit in die GVA genoom moontlik meer kompleks kan wees in V. vinifera as in N. benthamiana. Die drie Suid-Afrikaanse variante (GTR1-1, GTG11-1 en GTR1-2) is in afsonderlike vollengte cDNA klone, onder beheer van CaMV 35S promotors, aanmekaargesit. Nadat verskeie kloneringstrategieë, insluitend ’n populasie kloneringstrategie vir die GTR1-2 kloon, gebruik is, het geen een van die cDNA klone die vermoë besit om in N. benthamiana te repliseer nie. ’n Enkele aminosuur substitusie in posisie 13 (Tyr/Y Cys/C) in ORF 5 van die GTR1-2 kloon, het die replisering van die virus tot laer as ’n opspoorbare vlak verlaag. Twee infektiewe klone van Israeliese GVA variante (T7-GVAGR5 en T7-GVA118, verkry van M. Mawassi) is onder beheer van ‘n CaMV 35S promotor geplaas (35S-GVA-GR5 and 35S-GVA118). Beide klone het na agro-infiltrasie in N. benthamiana plante gerepliseer, sistemies beweeg en tipiese GVA simptome geinduseer. Hierdie twee klone het as raamwerk gedien vir verdere eksperimente in karakterisering van tydelike uitdrukkings- en VIGS vektore. Die gebruik van GVA as geen-insvoegingsvektor (35S-GVA118) en geen-vervangingsvektor (35S-GVA-GR5- ORF2+sgMP) is in N. benthamiana en V. vinifera vergelyk. Die geen-invoegingsvektor 35S-GVA118, was op die vollengte GVA genoom gebasseer. Die geen-vervangingsvektor 35S-GVA-GR5- ORF2+sgMP, was in hierdie studie gekonstrueer. Dit is gemaak eerstens deur eliminasie van ORF 2 in die 35S-GVA-GR5 kloon, en tweedens deur die invoeging van ’n subgenomiese promotor van die beweginsproteïen (sgMP) en unieke beperkings-ensiemsetels om klonering van transgene te fasiliteer. Beide vektore het in N. benthamiana vergelykbare GUS uitdrukkingsvlakke en fotobleikende simptome getoon na virus-geinduseerde NbPDS uitdowing. In V. Vinifera is beperkte GUS uitdrukkingsvlakke en VIGS fotobleikende simptome opgemerk met die geen-invoegingsvektor, 35S-GVA118. Geen GUS uitdrukking is in hierdie gasheerplant met die geen-vervangingsvektor opgemerk nie. Slegs een wingerdplant het fotobleikende simptome, na 4 maande in 3 sistemies geïnfekteerde blare gewys, na agroinfiltrasie van die 35S-GVA-GR5- ORF2-VvPDS+sgMP konstruk. Hierdie studie het bevestig dat GVA as geen-invoeging en geen-vervangingsvektor, vir heteroloë proteïenuitdrukking en VIGS, in N. benthamiana gebruik kan word, maar dit blyk of die gebruik daarvan in wingerd meer tot die floeëm weefsel beperk is. Hierdie studie wys vir die eerste keer dat ORF 2 nie nodig is vir langafstand beweging van die virus in wingerd nie. Om die moontlike rol van die P163-M5 119 nt invoeging en die GVA ORF 2 (met onbekende funksie), in die uitdrukking van simptome in plante te ondersoek, is ORF 2 van die 35SGVA- GR5 cDNA kloon verwyder en daaropvolgens vervang met die ooreenstemmende ORFs van vier Suid-Afrikaanse GVA variante. Na agro-infiltrasie in N. benthamiana blare, het al die chimeras die vermoë gehad om te repliseer, sistemies te beweeg en simptome te induseer. Geen korrelasie kon gevind word tussen die graad van simptome, die teenwoordigheid van die P163-M5 insersie en die spesifieke GVA ORF 2 teenwoordig in die chimeras nie, wat dus daarop dui dat ander faktore in die virusgenoom of die gasheerplant `n moontlike belangrike rol kan speel. Hierdie studie het bygedrae tot die beskikbare poel van in vivo gereedskap vir die bestudering en verbetering van die kosbare wingerdgewas. Dit het ook talle interessante navorsingsgeleenthede oopgemaak om in die nabye toekoms te betree.

Very long chain acyl-coA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) is the rate-limiting step in mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. VLCAD deficient mice and patients’ clinical symptoms stem from not only an energy deficiency but also long-chain metabolite accumulations. VLCAD deficient mice were treated systemically with 1x10 12 vector genomes of rAAV9-VLCAD. Expression was detected in the liver, heart and muscle. Also substantial expression of VLCAD was noted in the brain, where it was expressed across different sections of the brain and in different cell types with different morphologies. Biochemical correction was observed in vector-treated mice beginning two weeks post-injection, as characterized by a significant drop in long chain fatty acyl accumulates in whole blood after an overnight fast. Changes persisted through the termination point around 20 weeks post injection. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) revealed normalization of intramuscular lipids in treated animals. Correction was not observed in liver tissue extracts, but cardiac muscle extracts showed significant reduction of long chain metabolites. Disease-specific phenotypes were characterized, including thermoregulation and maintenance of euglycemia after a fasting cold challenge. Internal body temperatures of untreated VLCAD-/- mice dropped below 20°C and the mice became lethargic, requiring euthanasia. In contrast all rAAV9-treated VLCAD-/- mice and the wild-type controls maintained body temperatures. rAAV9-treated VLCAD-/- mice maintained euglycemia, whereas untreated VLCAD-/- mice suffered hypoglycemia following a fasting cold challenge. These promising results suggest rAAV9 gene therapy as a potential treatment for VLCAD deficiency in humans.