The recent breakthroughs in genomics and molecular diagnostics will not be reflected in health-care systems unless the biogenetic or other nucleic acid-based tests are transferred from the laboratory to clinical market. Developments in microfabrication techniques brought lab-on-a-chip (LOC) into being the best candidate for conducting sample preparation for such clinical devices, or point-of-care testing set-ups. Sample preparation procedure consists of several stages including cell transportation, separation, cell lysis and nucleic acid purification and detection. LOC, as a subset of Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), refers to a tiny, compact, portable, automated and easy-to-use microchip capable of performing the sample-preparation stages together. Complexity in micro-fabrications and inconsistency of the stages oppose integration of them into one chip. Among the variety of mechanisms utilized in LOC for cell lysis, electrical methods have the highest potential to be integrated with other microchip-based mechanisms. There are, however, major limitations in electrical cell lysis methods: the difficulty and high-cost fabrication of microfluidic chips and the high voltage requirements for cell lysis. Addressing these limitations, the focus of this thesis is on realization of cell lysis microchips suitable for LOC applications. We have developed a new methodology of fabricating microfluidic chips with electrical functionality. Traditional lithography of microchannel with electrode, needed for making electro-microfluidic chips, is considerably complicated. We have combined several easy-to-implement techniques to realize electro-microchannel with laser-ablated polyimide. The current techniques for etching polyimide are by excimer lasers in bulky set-ups and with involvement of toxic gas. We present a method of ablating microfluidic channels in polyimide using a 30W CO2 laser. Although this technique has poorer resolution, this approach is more cost effective, safer and easier to handle. We have verified the performance of the fabricated electro-microfluidic chips on electroporation of mammalian cells. Electrical cell lysis mechanisms need an operational voltage that is relatively high compared to other cell manipulation techniques, especially for lysing bacteria. Microelectro-devices have dealt with this limitation mostly by reducing the inter-distance of electrodes. The technique has been realized in tiny flow-through microchips with built-in electrodes in a distance of a few micrometers which is in the scale of cell size. In addition to the low throughput of such devices, high probability of blocking cells in such tiny channels is a serious challenge. We have developed a cell lysis device featured with aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) to reduce the high voltage requirement and to improve the throughput. The vertically aligned CNT on an electrode inside a MEMS device provides highly strengthened electric field near the tip. The concept of strengthened electric field by means of CNT has been applied in field electron emission but not in cell lysis. The results show that the incorporation of CNT in lysing bacteria reduces the required operational voltage and improves throughput. This achievement is a significant progress toward integration of cell lysis in a low-voltage, high-throughput LOC. We further developed the proposed fabrication methodology of micro-electro-fluidic chips, described earlier, to perform electroporation of single mammalian cell. We have advanced the method of embedding CNT in microchannel so that on-chip fluorescent microscopy is also feasible. The results verify the enhancement of electroporation by incorporating CNT into electrical cell lysis. In addition, a novel methodology of making CNT-embedded microfluidic devices has been presented. The embedding methodology is an opening toward fabrication of a CNT-featured LOC for other applications.

Apie vėžį yra žinoma jau daug ir įvairios informacijos, taip pat netrūksta žinių ir kokiais būdais bei vaistais galima kovoti su šia liga. Farmacijoje yra atrasta ir sukurta nemažai aktyvių antivėžinių chemoterapinių preparatų vėžiui gydyti ar skirtų bent šios ligos slopinimui ir gyvenimo trukmės prailginimui. Todėl kita svarbi ir aktuali problema yra vaistų patekimas į reikiamą vietą – taikinį, kaip padėti vaistui patektį būtent į vėžines ląsteles ar audinį ir sumažinti riziką, kad vaistas pažeis normalius, sveikus audinius ir organus ir nepakenks jų funkcionavimui. Šiame tiriamajame darbe ir stengiamasi atsakyti į šią problemą, pasitelkus du metodus, kurie palengvina medžiagų patekimą į ląsteles – elektroporaciją ir sonoporaciją. Šių metodų funkcija yra panaši, tiek elektroporacijos, tiek sonoporacijos metu ląstelių plazminėse membranose susiformuoja poros, pro kurias gali patekti įvairios medžiagos (vaistai, dažai, baltymai, genai), kurios natūraliu būdu į ląstelę nepatenka arba patenka labai maži jų kiekiai, jei pernašoje dalyvauja ląstelės membranoje esantys baltymai nešikliai. Šiame darbe naudojami šie du, jau minėti metodai siekiant palengvinti chemoterapijoje naudojamo vaisto bleomicino patekimą į vėžines ląsteles in vivo. Tyrimams in vivo objektu buvo pasirinktos CBA – klono linijos pelės, kurioms į viršutinę nugaros dalį buvo įskiepyta MH22A hepatoma. Eksperimento duomenys rodo, kad tiek elektroporacija, tiek sonoporacija ir suminis abiejų metodų poveikis yra... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / There is a lot of various information about cancer as well as plenty of knowledge and types of drugs to treat this disease. Pharmacy has discovered and developed a number of active anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents for cancer treatment, or at least useful for reducing the spread of cancer. Therefore, another important and urgent problem is development of new method that would help to deliver directly into cancer cells or tissue. This in turn would allow to reduce side effects of the drug and preserve healthy tissues and organs. In this experimental work we attempted to answer this problem, using two methods that facilitate the transfer of materials into the cells - electroporation and sonoporation. These methods are based on similar principle: both electroporation and sonoporation affects the cell membranes to form pores that allow for various products (medicines, dyes, proteins, genes) to get access into the cell. The cell naturally is not accessible for those materials or the permeability is very small, in case special or nonspecific transport systems exist for this specific molecule. In this study we used the following two methods in order to facilitate the anticancer drug bleomycin delivery into cancer cells in vivo. The subject of these experiments in vivo is CBA – line clone mice bearing MH22A hepatoma tumors, transplanted on upper part of the flank. Experimental data showed that both electroporation and sonoporation and combination of both methods are effective in... [to full text]

Automated and continuous processes are the future trends in downstream protein purification. A functionalized nanometer-scale membrane electrode system, mimicking the function of cell wall transporters, can selectively capture genetically modified proteins and subsequently pump them through the system under programmed voltage pulses. Numerical study of the two-step pulse pumping cycles coupled with experimental His-GFP releasing study reveals the optimal 14s/1s pumping/repel pulse pumping condition at 10 mM bulk imidazole concentration in the permeate side. A separation factor for GFP: BSA of 9.7 was achieved with observed GFP electrophoretic mobility of 3.1×10-6 cm2 s-1 V-1 at 10 mM bulk imidazole concentration and 14 s/1 s pumping/repel duration. The purification of His6-OleD Loki variant directly from crude E. coli extracts expression broth was demonstrated using the pulse pumping process, simplifying the separation process as well as reducing biopharmaceutical production costs. The enzymatic reactions showed that His6-OleD Loki was still active after purification. A nanoporous membrane/electrode system with directed flow carrying reagents to sequentially attached enzymes to mimic nature’s enzymes-complex system was demonstrated. The substrates residence time on the immobilized enzyme can be precisely controlled by changing the pumping rate and thereby prevent a secondary hydrolysis reaction. Immobilized enzyme showed long term storage longevity with activity half-life of 50 days at 4℃ and the ability to be regenerated. One-step immobilization and purification of His-tagged OleD Loki variant directly from expression broth, yielded 98% Uridine Diphosphate glycosylation and 80% 4-methylumbelliferone glycosylation conversion efficiency for the sequential reaction. A flow-through electroporation system, based on a novel membrane/electrode design, for the delivery of membrane-impermeant molecules into Model Leukocyte cells was demonstrated. The ability to apply low voltage between two short distance electrodes contributes to high cell viability. The flow-through system can be easily scaled-up by varying the micro-fluidic channel geometry and/or the applied voltage pulse frequency. More importantly, the system allows the electrophoretical pumping of molecules from the reservoir across the membrane/electrode system to the micro-fluidic channel for transfection, which reduces large amount of reagents used.

Dunaliella, a genus of unicellular, biflagellate green algae, is one of the most studied microalgae for mass culture and is of commercial importance as a source of natural -carotene. Dunaliella species have the desirable properties of halotolerance and photoautotrophy that makes their large-scale culture simple and cheap using resources unsuitable for conventional agriculture. The ease and cost-effectiveness of culture makes Dunaliella a desirable target for increased production of natural compounds by metabolic engineering or for exploitation as biological factories for the synthesis of novel high-value compounds. However, the lack of efficient genetic transformation systems has been a major limitation in the manipulation of these microalgae. In chapter four we describe the development of a nuclear transformation system for Dunaliella tertiolecta. The gene encoding the phleomycin-binding protein from Streptoalloteichus hindustanus, was chosen as the selectable marker as this protein retains activity at high salt concentrations. To drive expression of the chosen selectable marker, two highly expressed Dunaliella tertiolecta RbcS genes and their associated 5' and 3' regulatory regions were isolated and characterised (chapter three). Dunaliella transformation cassettes containing the RbcS promoter and terminator regions flanking the ble antibiotic resistance gene were constructed. These expression cassettes were tested in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells and found to drive expression of the ble gene in this heterologous system. This study also demonstrated that truncation of both the D. tertiolecta RbcS1 and RbcS2 regulatory regions significantly increases the expression of the ble gene in C. reinhardtii cells. To determine if the foreign DNA could stably integrate into the Dunaliella genome, four transformation methods: microprojectile bombardment, glass bead-mediated transformation, PEG-mediated transformation and electroporation were tested and a number of parameters varied. Southern blot analysis revealed that the plasmid DNA transiently entered the Dunaliella cells following electroporation but was rapidly degraded. Following electroporation, one stably transformed Dunaliella line was recovered. This is the first demonstration of the stable transformation of this alga. Chloroplast transformation is becoming a favoured method for the production of recombinant proteins in plants, as levels of heterologous protein are often higher than those achieved by transforming the nucleus. The Dunaliella chloroplast genome has not been genetically characterised, and thus there were no existing promoter and terminator sequences or sequences of intergenic regions that could be used for vectors in transformation of the chloroplast. Therefore, this study aimed to isolate and characterise promoters of highly expressed genes and matching terminators capable of driving transgene expression, and also to characterise intergenic regions that would be suitable insertion sites for the vector construct (chapter five). The complete gene sequence of two highly expressed Dunaliella chloroplast genes psbB and rbcL including the promoter and terminator regions as well as the coding sequence of the psbA gene were cloned and sequenced. In addition, the psbA gene is useful as a selectable marker as introduced mutations confer resistance to the herbicide 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-1,1-Dimethylurea (DCMU). Two homologous transformation constructs based on mutated psbA genes were developed and tested using microprojectile bombardment. A number of parameters were tested including: the size of the gold microprojectile particle, the distance of the plates from the point of discharge, plating onto membranes or filter paper, helium pressure, addition of an osmoticum to the medium and recovery time. Although no chloroplast transformants were recovered in this study, these homologous recombination constructs should prove useful in the development of a chloroplast transformation protocol. The other major component of this study was to investigate the use of microalgae as an expression system for the production of recombinant proteins. Transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a species related to Dunaliella, is well developed. In chapter six, this study examined the expression of two human proteins, -lactalbumin and IGF-1 in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Plasmids containing the C. reinhardtii RbcS2 promoter upstream of the cDNAs of these two proteins were introduced into C. reinhardtii cells using glass-bead mediated transformation. Transgenic C. reinhardtii lines were generated and shown to contain the transgenes by PCR and Southern hybridisation. RT- PCR and northern hybridisation were subsequently used to demonstrate that the transgenes were transcriptionally active. The transcripts however, could only be detected by RT-PCR indicating that the genes were transcribed at low levels. Accumulation of the -lactalbumin protein could not be demonstrated, suggesting that although the transgenes were transcribed, they were either not translated or translated at levels below the sensitivity of western blot analysis or that any protein produced was rapidly degraded. Previous studies have indicated that in microalgae codon usage is vital in translation of the foreign protein. Codon modification of the IGF-I and -lactalbumin genes should lead to higher levels of protein accumulation. This study reports the first successful stable nuclear transformation of Dunaliella tertiolecta. Therefore it is now feasible that Dunaliella can be examined as a bioreactor for the expression of recombinant proteins. In addition, two chloroplast genes (psbB and rbcL) and their corresponding promoters and terminators have been characterised and a selectable marker cassette based on the mutated psbA gene constructed.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of South Florida, 2006. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-99). Also available online.

The aim of this master thesis was to test and compare two available methods of genetic transformation (biolistics, electroporation) of the plastid genome of green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. For biolistic transformation a wide range of experimental parameters which generally influence ptDNA transformation efficiency was optimized: physiological condition of acceptor cells, type and size of microparticles, pressure of propulsion gas (helium), length of projectile trajectory, transformation of cells directly on selective medium (containing spectinomycin 150 ?g/ml) or on nonselective medium (without spectinomycin) and form of transforming DNA. In contrast to nuclear transformation ptDNA transformation of the experimental object C. reinhardtii by means of electroporation hadn´t been described. Hence a wide range of values of different physical parameters which can significantly influence the transformation efficiency was tested.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae é o agente etiológico da pneumonia enzoótica, enfermidade distribuída mundialmente em rebanhos suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação. A pneumonia enzoótica tem sido considerada uma das mais importantes causas de perdas econômicas na suinocultura mundial. Tendo em vista a disponibilidade dos genomas completos de três linhagens diferentes de M. pneumoniae, sendo duas patogênicas (linhagens 7448 e 232) e outra não patogênica (linhagem J) e a ausência de sistemas genéticos adequados para o estudo destes genomas, é necessidade emergente o desenvolvimento de ferramentas genéticas funcionais neste organismo. Atualmente, cinco espécies de micoplasmas possuem vetores replicativos disponíveis para transformação. No entanto nenhum deles possui a oriC de M. hyopneumoniae, e estudos sugerem que estes vetores são espécie-específicos e não seriam replicados em M. hyopneumoniae. Este trabalho teve como objetivos a construção de um vetor replicativo e o desenvolvimento de um sistema para transformação de M. hyopneumoniae. Os resultados alcançados constituem uma etapa prévia e imprescindível para o estudo de supostas regiões promotoras nesta espécie. O plasmídio replicativo pOSTM construído neste trabalho foi obtido a partir do vetor pUC18, adicionando-se a origem de replicação de M. hyopneumoniae e o cassete de expressão do gene de resistência à tetraciclina (tetM), controlado pelo promotor do gene da espiralina de Spiroplasma citri. A transformação foi realizada através de eletroporação e as células transformantes foram selecionadas pelo fenótipo de resistência à tetraciclina. Os transformantes resistentes à tetraciclina foram confirmados através da amplificação por PCR de porção do vetor inserido nas células. Tal comprovação permite concluir que o M. hyopneumoniae é um organismo susceptível à transformação e que o determinante tetM heterólogo é funcional neste patógeno. / Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the etiological agent of enzootic pneumonia of pigs.The disease has a worldwide distribution in growing and finishing pigs. The enzootic pneumonia has been considered one of the most important causes of economic losses in the worldwide swine breeding. The now available complete sequences of the genomes of two pathogenic (7448 and 232) and one non-pathogenic strain (J) of M. hyopneumoniae and the lack of suitable genetic systems to study these genomes points to the emergent need for the development of functional genetic tools for this organism. Currently, there are replicating vectors available for five species of mycoplasmas. However none of them posses oriC of M. hyopneumoniae, and studies suggest that these vectors are species-specific and they would not be functional in M. hyopneumoniae. The aim of the present study was to construct a replicating vector and the development of a system for transformation of M. hyopneumoniae. These constitute a previous and essential stage for the study of putative promoter regions in this species. To construct the replicating plasmid pOSTM the oriC of M. hyopneumoniae and the expression cassette containing the gene for tetracycline resistance (tetM), controlled by spiralin gene promoter of Spiroplasma citri, were introduced into the vector pUC18. The transformation was achieved by electroporation and transformants were selected for tetracycline resistance. Tetracycline resistance transformants were confirmed through PCR amplification of portion of the inserted vector. Such evidence allows the conclusion that M. hyopneumoniae is amenable to transformation and heterologous tetM determinant is functional in this pathogen.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-07-22T20:50:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-03-26. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-11T03:25:42Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 Publico-10645.pdf: 540710 bytes, checksum: 5f5de7e771c848ceae0f6cfc22f8c4e2 (MD5) / A imunização gênica pode contornar alguns problemas encontrados na imunização protéica, quais sejam as dificuldades na obtenção do antígeno purificado e a reatividade da resposta imune (r.i.) com a forma nativa do antígeno. O gene que codifica o antígeno de interesse, carregado por um vetor, é injetado no animal e a proteína é expressa in vivo, com a estrutura tridimensional apropriada, favorecendo a produção de anticorpos específicos. Entretanto, o esquema de imunização gênica pode determinar a eficácia da vacina de DNA. No presente estudo, comparamos quatro protocolos de imunização gênica, usando três antígenos diferentes: dois deles guardam grande homologia na escala filogenética, human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (hVEGF165) e human fibroblast growth factor-2 (hFGF-2), e um de origem vegetal, o inibidor de serina protease extraído de Bauhinia bauhinioides (BbKi). Para tanto, grupos de camundongos Balb/c foram imunizados com DNA plasmideal carregando o gene hVEGF165, hFGF-2 ou BbKi. No primeiro protocolo, imunizamos os animais via intraesplênica (i.s.); no segundo, via intramuscular (i.m.); no terceiro, via i.m. seguida de eletroporação (ep); e no quarto, via i.m. seguida de ep em animais préimunizados com células modificadas para expressar os respectivos antígenos. Soros de animais imunizados foram analisados por ELISA para detecção da presença de anticorpos anti-hVEGF165, anti-hFGF-2 ou anti-BbKi. Os resultados mostraram que a imunização i.s. não provocou r.i. humoral detectável em nossas condições. Por outro lado, análises estatísticas indicaram que a ep melhorou muito a r.i. à imunização i.m. e que três imunizações gênicas seguidas de ep produzem o mesmo efeito que duas da mesma forma em animais pré-imunizados com células transfectadas para expressar o antígeno correspondente. Nossos resultados mostraram que todos os protocolos funcionaram de maneira similar para os três antígenos estudados e que a imunização gênica via i.m. seguida de ep foi o esquema de imunização mais vantajoso. Ainda, a r.i. à imunização i.m. seguida de ep foi comparável à obtida por imunização protéica no caso da proteína vegetal. Finalmente, esses achados permitiram selecionar um protocolo eficiente de imunização gênica que torna possível a obtenção de anticorpos na falta da proteína purificada. / Gene immunization may bypass some difficulties found with protein immunogen, such as the obtainment of purified antigen and the immune response reactivity to its native conformation. Thus, antigen encoding DNA inserted into a vector is inoculated into animal and the protein expressed in vivo with the appropriate three-dimensional structure stimulates the production of specific antibodies. However, the gene immunization methods may determine the efficacy of DNA vaccine. The present study compared four protocols of DNA immunization, using three different antigens: two of them phylogenetically conservative, human vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (hVEGF165) and human fibroblast growth factor-2 (hFGF-2), and other from vegetal origin, Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitor from Bauhinia bauhinioides (BbKi). For this, Balb/c mice were immunized with plasmid DNA encoding hVEGF165, hFGF-2 or BbKi genes. In the first protocol, animals were immunized by intrasplenic (i.s.) pathway; in the second, intramuscularly (i.m.); in the third, i.m. injections were followed by electroporation (ep); and in the fourth, i.m. injections followed by ep were performed in animals pre-immunized with antigen-transfected cells. Sera were analyzed by ELISA to detect the presence of anti-hVEGF165, -hFGF-2 or -BbKi antibodies. Results showed that i.s. immunization did not elicit detectable humoral immune response in our conditions. On the other hand, statistical analyses revealed that the ep improved the immune response to i.m. immunization and that three DNA immunizations followed by ep elicited the same effect obtained by two i.m. immunizations followed by ep in pre-immunized animals with antigentransfected cells. Our results showed that all protocols worked similarly for the three studied antigens and that i.m. gene immunization followed by ep was the more advantageous protocol. In addition, the immune response to i.m. immunization followed by ep was comparable to that obtained by protein immunization. Finally, these data allowed us select an efficient DNA immunization protocol that makes possible the antibody obtainment in the lack of purified protein. / TEDE / BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertações

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae é o agente etiológico da pneumonia enzoótica, enfermidade distribuída mundialmente em rebanhos suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação. A pneumonia enzoótica tem sido considerada uma das mais importantes causas de perdas econômicas na suinocultura mundial. Tendo em vista a disponibilidade dos genomas completos de três linhagens diferentes de M. pneumoniae, sendo duas patogênicas (linhagens 7448 e 232) e outra não patogênica (linhagem J) e a ausência de sistemas genéticos adequados para o estudo destes genomas, é necessidade emergente o desenvolvimento de ferramentas genéticas funcionais neste organismo. Atualmente, cinco espécies de micoplasmas possuem vetores replicativos disponíveis para transformação. No entanto nenhum deles possui a oriC de M. hyopneumoniae, e estudos sugerem que estes vetores são espécie-específicos e não seriam replicados em M. hyopneumoniae. Este trabalho teve como objetivos a construção de um vetor replicativo e o desenvolvimento de um sistema para transformação de M. hyopneumoniae. Os resultados alcançados constituem uma etapa prévia e imprescindível para o estudo de supostas regiões promotoras nesta espécie. O plasmídio replicativo pOSTM construído neste trabalho foi obtido a partir do vetor pUC18, adicionando-se a origem de replicação de M. hyopneumoniae e o cassete de expressão do gene de resistência à tetraciclina (tetM), controlado pelo promotor do gene da espiralina de Spiroplasma citri. A transformação foi realizada através de eletroporação e as células transformantes foram selecionadas pelo fenótipo de resistência à tetraciclina. Os transformantes resistentes à tetraciclina foram confirmados através da amplificação por PCR de porção do vetor inserido nas células. Tal comprovação permite concluir que o M. hyopneumoniae é um organismo susceptível à transformação e que o determinante tetM heterólogo é funcional neste patógeno. / Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the etiological agent of enzootic pneumonia of pigs.The disease has a worldwide distribution in growing and finishing pigs. The enzootic pneumonia has been considered one of the most important causes of economic losses in the worldwide swine breeding. The now available complete sequences of the genomes of two pathogenic (7448 and 232) and one non-pathogenic strain (J) of M. hyopneumoniae and the lack of suitable genetic systems to study these genomes points to the emergent need for the development of functional genetic tools for this organism. Currently, there are replicating vectors available for five species of mycoplasmas. However none of them posses oriC of M. hyopneumoniae, and studies suggest that these vectors are species-specific and they would not be functional in M. hyopneumoniae. The aim of the present study was to construct a replicating vector and the development of a system for transformation of M. hyopneumoniae. These constitute a previous and essential stage for the study of putative promoter regions in this species. To construct the replicating plasmid pOSTM the oriC of M. hyopneumoniae and the expression cassette containing the gene for tetracycline resistance (tetM), controlled by spiralin gene promoter of Spiroplasma citri, were introduced into the vector pUC18. The transformation was achieved by electroporation and transformants were selected for tetracycline resistance. Tetracycline resistance transformants were confirmed through PCR amplification of portion of the inserted vector. Such evidence allows the conclusion that M. hyopneumoniae is amenable to transformation and heterologous tetM determinant is functional in this pathogen.

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae é o agente etiológico da pneumonia enzoótica, enfermidade distribuída mundialmente em rebanhos suínos nas fases de crescimento e terminação. A pneumonia enzoótica tem sido considerada uma das mais importantes causas de perdas econômicas na suinocultura mundial. Tendo em vista a disponibilidade dos genomas completos de três linhagens diferentes de M. pneumoniae, sendo duas patogênicas (linhagens 7448 e 232) e outra não patogênica (linhagem J) e a ausência de sistemas genéticos adequados para o estudo destes genomas, é necessidade emergente o desenvolvimento de ferramentas genéticas funcionais neste organismo. Atualmente, cinco espécies de micoplasmas possuem vetores replicativos disponíveis para transformação. No entanto nenhum deles possui a oriC de M. hyopneumoniae, e estudos sugerem que estes vetores são espécie-específicos e não seriam replicados em M. hyopneumoniae. Este trabalho teve como objetivos a construção de um vetor replicativo e o desenvolvimento de um sistema para transformação de M. hyopneumoniae. Os resultados alcançados constituem uma etapa prévia e imprescindível para o estudo de supostas regiões promotoras nesta espécie. O plasmídio replicativo pOSTM construído neste trabalho foi obtido a partir do vetor pUC18, adicionando-se a origem de replicação de M. hyopneumoniae e o cassete de expressão do gene de resistência à tetraciclina (tetM), controlado pelo promotor do gene da espiralina de Spiroplasma citri. A transformação foi realizada através de eletroporação e as células transformantes foram selecionadas pelo fenótipo de resistência à tetraciclina. Os transformantes resistentes à tetraciclina foram confirmados através da amplificação por PCR de porção do vetor inserido nas células. Tal comprovação permite concluir que o M. hyopneumoniae é um organismo susceptível à transformação e que o determinante tetM heterólogo é funcional neste patógeno. / Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the etiological agent of enzootic pneumonia of pigs.The disease has a worldwide distribution in growing and finishing pigs. The enzootic pneumonia has been considered one of the most important causes of economic losses in the worldwide swine breeding. The now available complete sequences of the genomes of two pathogenic (7448 and 232) and one non-pathogenic strain (J) of M. hyopneumoniae and the lack of suitable genetic systems to study these genomes points to the emergent need for the development of functional genetic tools for this organism. Currently, there are replicating vectors available for five species of mycoplasmas. However none of them posses oriC of M. hyopneumoniae, and studies suggest that these vectors are species-specific and they would not be functional in M. hyopneumoniae. The aim of the present study was to construct a replicating vector and the development of a system for transformation of M. hyopneumoniae. These constitute a previous and essential stage for the study of putative promoter regions in this species. To construct the replicating plasmid pOSTM the oriC of M. hyopneumoniae and the expression cassette containing the gene for tetracycline resistance (tetM), controlled by spiralin gene promoter of Spiroplasma citri, were introduced into the vector pUC18. The transformation was achieved by electroporation and transformants were selected for tetracycline resistance. Tetracycline resistance transformants were confirmed through PCR amplification of portion of the inserted vector. Such evidence allows the conclusion that M. hyopneumoniae is amenable to transformation and heterologous tetM determinant is functional in this pathogen.