In dieser Arbeit wird die Eignung eines Haarwurzelsystems (HR) aus transgenen Sonnenblumen-hairy roots zur biotechnologischen Produktion von α-Tocopherol untersucht. Es wurden hairy roots mit und ohne Transgene erzeugt. Transgene HR exprimieren Tocopherolbiosynthesegene aus Arabidopsis thaliana. Die HR wurden unterschiedlichen Stressoren unterworfen, um die α-Tocopherolproduktion binnen eines Zeitraums zu überprüfen. Stressoren waren verringerte Kohlenstoffquelle, Beleuchtung und der Zusatz von Zytokininen. Die Produktionsleistung des Systems ist schlussendlich ungenügend zur kostengünstigen Produktion von α-Tocopherol.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:38:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:00:11Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 06041.pdf: 4212913 bytes, checksum: fd1c8026a141fe44d8a936d7cfcd904d (MD5) / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN/CNEN-SP

Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-01-08T14:33:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 gustavotorresdesouza.pdf: 5085443 bytes, checksum: eada917698a8738ea1947743e940692c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-01-23T11:05:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gustavotorresdesouza.pdf: 5085443 bytes, checksum: eada917698a8738ea1947743e940692c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-01-23T11:05:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gustavotorresdesouza.pdf: 5085443 bytes, checksum: eada917698a8738ea1947743e940692c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-08-08 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O advento sistema CRISPR/Cas9 tornou o processo de edição gênica consideravelmente mais fácil e direto, uma vez que retirou empecilhos técnicos relacionados aos sistemas já disponíveis. Desta forma, foram permitidos diversos avanços no entendimento da função de elementos genômicos, assim como a produção de embriões geneticamente modificados com diversas finalidades. O atual trabalho objetivou a edição gênica no gene da beta-lactoglobulina em células somáticas bovinas objetivando a produção futura de embriões da espécie geneticamente modificados. Considerando-se que a hipersensibilidade a essa proteína responde pela maior parte das alergias ao leite bovino, a produção de animais cujo leite não contenha essa molécula é de grande interesse para a indústria de laticínios. Durante os experimentos, foi possível obter uma linhagem de células bovinas MDBK expressando a enzima Cas9 (MDBK-Cas). Usando células MDBK e as células MBDK-Cas foi possível se obter com sucesso edições gênicas no locus beta-lactoglobulina utilizando-se os componentes do sistema CRISPR/Cas9 na forma de mRNA da proteína Cas9 e sgRNAs. Conclui-se que o sistema CRISPR/Cas9 pode ser usado com os sgRNA desenhados neste estudo para editar o gene da betalactoglobulina em células MDBK. Assim, células MDBK podem ser utilizadas como alvo o locus em estudo. Modelos de estudos para edição do genoma bovino. Em vista da escassa literatura constando de trabalhos em que tenha sido feita a edição gênica em embriões bovinos, os dados gerados por esse trabalho colaborarão para o avanço do estado da arte no que diz respeito a engenharia gênica de bovinos e no conhecimento do funcionamento do sistema CRISPR/Cas9. / The advent of the CRISPR / Cas9 system made the process of gene editing considerably easier and more straightforward, since it removed technical impediments related to the systems already available. In this way, several advances were made in the understanding of the function of genomic elements, as well as the production of genetically modified embryos for various purposes. The present work aimed at the genetic editing of the beta-lactoglobulin gene in bovine somatic cells aiming at the future production of genetically modified embryos of the species. Considering that hypersensitivity to this protein accounts for most of the allergies to bovine milk, the production of animals whose milk does not contain this molecule is of great interest to the dairy industry. During the experiments, it was possible to obtain a lineage of bovine MDBK cells expressing the Cas9 enzyme (MDBK-Cas). Using MDBK cells and MBDKCas cells it was possible to successfully obtain gene editions at the beta-lactoglobulin locus using the components of the CRISPR / Cas9 system as mRNA of the Cas9 protein and sgRNAs. It is concluded that the CRISPR / Cas9 system can be used with the sgRNAs designed in this study to edit the beta-lactoglobulin gene in MDBK cells. Thus, MDBK cells can be targeted as the locus under study. Models of studies for editing the bovine genome. In view of the scarce literature consisting of studies in which bovine embryos have been genetically engineered, the data generated by this work will contribute to the advancement of the state of the art regarding the genetic engineering of cattle and the knowledge of the functioning of the system CRISPR / Cas9.

Orientador: Gonçalo Amarante Guimarães Pereira / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-24T00:00:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Prause_AndreRichard_D.pdf: 4277553 bytes, checksum: d91469a30bbec7480bb60a683266a0af (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: Com o aumento da busca por novas fontes renováveis para a substituição do petróleo fóssil como substrato de derivados petroquímicos, as indústrias de plásticos, atualmente um dos ramos mais dependentes da acessibilidade do petróleo, já alcançaram um nível alto de sustentabilidade em linhas de polímeros verdes. Porém, rotas verdes para a obtenção do produto final ainda não foram implantadas industrialmente, sendo que somente precursores dos monômeros desejados são produzidos. A partir desses precursores, o processo é continuado convencionalmente através de operações químicas até a obtenção do monômero. O desenvolvimento de uma rota enzimática para esses monômeros pode ser uma alternativa para os processos praticados na indústria. Enzimas são amplamente utilizadas para a bio-conversão industrial de compostos químicos e a busca por enzimas capazes de catalisar novas reações tem se intensificado, criando uma demanda maior por processos automatizados com aplicação de protocolos de rastreamento de alto desempenho. Para a realização da produção enzimática de alcenos de cadeia curta, uma enzima nativa, apresentando um mecanismo catalítico similar à reação desejada, foi modificada pela aplicação do conceito de "desenho de proteínas", que reúne técnicas de diversificação, recombinação, clonagem, expressão heteróloga e rastreamento, utilizando a "enzima molde" como ponto de partida. A enzima P450BS?, selecionada por apresentar os melhores pré-requisitos para modificações estruturais, foi submetida ao "desenho de proteínas", gerando 5.271 versões mutantes. O rastreamento de alto desempenho automatizado dessas proteínas alteradas, utilizando uma plataforma robótica, possibilitou a obtenção de uma enzima que apresenta a nova ação catalítica da conversão de 100 ?M de ácido octanóico para 2,6 ?M de 1-hepteno. Essa nova enzima abre o caminho para a produção industrial de "bio-alcenos" em micro-organismos, criando um sistema de fermentação que poderia sustentar uma rota verde para os monômeros necessários para a produção de plásticos. / Abstract: With the increased search for renewable resources for substituting fossil petroleum as the raw material for petrochemical products, the plastics industry, currently being one of the branches with the highest dependency on petroleum availability, already reached a high level of sustainability in their green polymer lines. Still, green routes producing the final product have not been implemented industrially and only precursors of the desired are being produced. Using these precursors, the process is continued conventionally, using chemical operations for the production of the monomers. The development of an enzymatic route toward these monomers could be an alternative for current industrial processes. Enzymes are widely used in industrial bioconversion of chemicals and the search for enzymes with the potential of catalyzing new reactions has intensified, creating a higher demand for automatized processes for the application of high-throughput screening protocols. In order to realize the enzymatic production of short-chained alkenes, a native enzyme, presenting a catalytic mechanism similar to the target reaction, was modified, applying the concept of "protein design", which unites diversification, recombination, cloning, heterologous expression and screening techniques, utilizing the "template enzyme" as a starting point. The enzyme P450BS?, selected for possessing the best prerequisites for structural modifications, was submitted to "protein design", creating 5,271 mutant versions. Automatized high-throughput screening of these altered proteins, utilizing a liquid handling platform, enabled the discovery of an enzyme, which presents a new catalytic action: the conversion of 100 ?M butyric acid to 2.6 ?M 1-heptene. This new enzyme opens the way for the industrial production of "bio-alkenes" in microorganisms, creating a fermentation system, which would be able to sustain a green route toward the necessary monomers for the production of plastics. / Doutorado / Bioquimica / Doutor em Biologia Funcional e Molecular

Abstract Excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) is a process linking the electrical excitation of the muscle cell (myocyte) membrane to the contraction of the cell. In this study the possibilities of mathematical modeling were studied in current ECC research. Mathematical modeling was employed in two distinct ECC research areas, the enzymatic regulation of ECC and ECC during cardiac myocyte development. Despite the distinction, both of these are extremely complex biological systems characterized by diverse and partly contradictory reported experimental results, with a large part based on genetically engineered animal models. Novel mathematical models were developed for both of these research areas. The model of ventricular myocyte ECC with calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII)-mediated regulation faithfully reproduced the heart-rate dependent regulation of ECC. This regulation is thought to be the major effect of CaMKII-mediated regulation. The model of the embryonic ventricular myocyte provided the first comprehensive system analysis of how the embryonic heartbeat is generated at the cellular level. A similar type of model was also developed to show the notable differences between neonatal and adult ventricular myocyte ECC. The mathematical models of ECC presented in this study were further used to simulate ECC in genetically engineered myocytes. The cellular mechanisms of genetically engineered animal models could be better understood by employing mathematical modeling in parallel to experimental characterization of the animal model. It was found in simulations that the indirect consequences and the compensatory mechanisms induced by genetic modification may have a more significant effect on ECC than the direct consequences of the modification. To understand the overwhelming complexity of biological systems including ECC, competent system analysis tools, such as mathematical modeling, are required. The purpose of mathematical modeling is not to replace the experimental studies, but to provide a more comprehensive system analysis based on the experimental data. This system analysis will help in planning subsequent experiments needed to gain the most relevant information about the studied biological system.

L'huile de lin est considérée comme une des plus riches en acide linolénique (oméga- 3), avec certaines variétés de lin oléagineux produisant jusqu'à 65% d'acide a-linolénique. Cette huile utilisée depuis longtemps en industrie chimique pour la confection de peintures, vernis, agents tensioactifs, présente aussi des bénéfices pour la santé humaine avec un apport journalier d'environ 2 g.f 1 (diminution de la pression artérielle, prévention de thrombose...). Il parait donc raisonnable aujourd'hui d'augmenter la production de l'huile de lin riche en oméga-3 pour répondre à ces différents besoins. La sélection de cultivars producteurs d'huile de la qualité demandée devient impérative. Pour cela, des connaissances sur les mécanismes de synthèse et d'accumulation AG polyinsaturés (PUFA) dans les graines de lin sont à acquérir. Dans ce contexte, nous avons évalué le rôle des enzymes de type LPAAT dans l'accumulation des PUFA dans le but de sélectionner des isoformes compétitives dans leur accumulation au niveau des TAG. Les gènes Lpaat ont été isolés à partir des graines de lin âgées de 20 JAF, phase active de remplissage en huile. La fonctionnalité des protéines correspondantes a été testée par complémentation dans une souche JC201 d’E. coli déficiente en activité LPAAT. Une caractérisation de ces enzymes a été effectuée par des tests in vitro et in vivo. Les résultats ont montré la présence d'une isoforme, nommée LPAAT2A, dont l'activité LPAAT présente une spécificité et sélectivité élevées vis-à-vis des PUFA. Dans un 2ème temps, nous avons mesuré in vitro et in vivo le potentiel des enzymes LPAAT provenant de litchi et de lin vis-à-vis des AG de type cyclopropanique. Ces AG possèdent des propriétés physico-chimiques intéressantes pour l'industrie des lubrifiants et des cosmétiques et sont produits par une enzyme spécifique « la CFA synthase ». Nous avons généré des lignées d'Arabidopsis exprimant la CFA synthase d’E.coli puis co-exprimé le gène Lpaat de litchi. Une augmentation de la teneur en AGC (AG cycliques) dans les lignées transgéniques obtenues reflète la spécificité de la LPAAT de litchi vis-à-vis des AGC. Nous nous sommes aussi intéressés aux enzymes de types sPLA2a (phospholipase A2). L'isolement du gène correspondant a été effectué à partir des graines de lin pendant la phase active de remplissage en huile. La caractérisation de son activité a été effectuée par des tests in vitro et in vivo. Les résultats ont montré que l'expression du gène sP/a2a de lin dans les graines d' Arabidopsis provoque une augmentation du poids de la graine ainsi qu'une augmentation du contenu en acide linolénique dans les TAG. L'ensemble de ces résultats montre l'existence d'un système enzymatique endogène chez le lin efficace vis-à­vis des PUFA et qui semble stimuler le métabolisme lipidique une fois exprimé chez Arabidopsis. / Flaxseed oil contain high amount of oméga-3 and present different industrials applications and human health benefits. ln this work, we aimed to identify enzymes allowing the accumulation of high level of omega-3 in linseed plants. ln this context, we evaluated the role of Lysophophatidic acid acyltransferases (LPAAT) and Phospholipases A2 (PLA2) enzymes in the accumulation of omega-3 by in vitro and in vivo approaches. Results showed the presence of a LPAAT2A isoform into flax genome having a high specificity and selectivity toward omega-3. Expression of Lpaat2A and sPia2a gene in Arabidopsis seeds increase seed weight, oil production and omega-3 content (up to 10% and 11%) in transformant seeds respectively. These results showed the presence in linseed plant of an efficient enzymatic system toward omega-3 accumulation. Furthermore, we have evaluated in vitro and in vivo the potential of Litchi and flax LPAAT enzymes toward the production of cyclopropane fatty acids (CFA). These fatty acids are naturally produced by a specific enzyme «CFA synthase» with physico-chemical properties interesting to lubricant and cosmetics industries. ln this context, we have generated Arabidopsis lines expressing E. coli Cfa synthase with or not co-expression of litchi Lpaat gene. Result showed an increase of 25% in the content of CFA in transgenic line co-expressing Cfa synthase and litchi Lpaat comparing to the transgenic lines expressing the CFA synthase. This increase in the level of CFA in transgenic seeds reflects the specificity of Litchi LPAAT toward CFA.

The thesis is a continuation of my subject, "Why?", Also includes the theme of man and the environment. I started to be interested in the controversial topic of genetically modified organisms, genetic engineering. I found a personal story in it. Now it is difficult to comment on the extent to which these researches are important, but we shouldn’t stop there.

In dieser Arbeit wird die Eignung eines Haarwurzelsystems (HR) aus transgenen Sonnenblumen-hairy roots zur biotechnologischen Produktion von α-Tocopherol untersucht. Es wurden hairy roots mit und ohne Transgene erzeugt. Transgene HR exprimieren Tocopherolbiosynthesegene aus Arabidopsis thaliana. Die HR wurden unterschiedlichen Stressoren unterworfen, um die α-Tocopherolproduktion binnen eines Zeitraums zu überprüfen. Stressoren waren verringerte Kohlenstoffquelle, Beleuchtung und der Zusatz von Zytokininen. Die Produktionsleistung des Systems ist schlussendlich ungenügend zur kostengünstigen Produktion von α-Tocopherol.

Small extracellular vesicles (small EVs) are endogenous membrane-enclosed nanocarriers released from essentially all cells. They have been shown to carry proteins, lipids, nucleic acids to transmit biological signals throughout the body, including to the brain. Some evidence has suggested that small EVs can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), moving from the peripheral circulation to the central nervous system (CNS). The BBB is a dynamic barrier that regulates molecular trafficking between the peripheral circulation and the CNS. As a result, small EVs have attracted attention for their potential as a novel delivery platform for nucleic acid-based therapeutics across the BBB. Silencing RNAs (siRNAs) are a potent drug class but using “naked” siRNA is not feasible due to their short half-life, vulnerability to degradation and low penetration in cells. Despite the excitement for the development of small EV-based therapeutics, their clinical development is hampered by the lack of reliable methods for packing therapeutics into them. Reshke et al. has shown that cells can be genetically engineered to produce customizable small EVs packaged with siRNA against any protein by integrating the siRNA sequence into the pre- miR-451 structure. Mounting evidence has established that in a misfolded state, α-synuclein becomes insoluble and phosphorylated to form intracellular inclusions in neurons (known as Lewy bodies) which leads to Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathogenesis. Given that increased α-synuclein expression causes familial and idiopathic PD, decreasing its synthesis by using siRNA is an attractive therapeutic strategy. Here, we genetically engineered cells to produce small EVs packaged with siRNA against α-synuclein integrated in the pre-miR451 backbone, tested their ability to cross an in vitro BBB, and deliver its cargo to silence endogenous α-synuclein in neuron- like cells. The therapeutic potential of α-synuclein siRNA delivery by these small EVs was demonstrated by the strong mRNA (60-70%) and protein knockdown (43%) of α-synuclein in neuron-like cells. We also demonstrated that approximately at 4% and 2%, respectively of small EVs-derived from human brain endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3) and human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) were transported cross the in vitro BBB model. Interestingly, we observed that small EVs-derived from HEK293T deliver their cargo to induced brain endothelial cells (iBECs) (~74% α-synuclein mRNA reduction) but their rate of transport across BBB was lower and did not reduce α-synuclein mRNA expression in neuron-like cells, seeded on the far side of the BBB. Small EVs- derived from hCMEC/D3 reduced α-synuclein mRNA (40%) in neuron-like cells across the BBB model. This finding suggests that small EVs derived from different cell sources can undergo different intracellular trafficking routes, providing various opportunities to influence the efficiency of delivery and fate of intracellular cargo. Using small EVs-derived from hCMEC/D3, two different routes of administration, a single bolus intravenous (IV) or intra-carotid (ICD) injection, showed small EVs largely accumulated in the liver, spleen, small intestines and kidneys; and only a small amount of small EVs were detected in the brain. These results indicate that human brain endothelial cells may serve as a promising cell source for CNS treatments based on small EVs.

La thérapie germinale est une avenue médicale qui est loin de pouvoir être appliquée de manière sécuritaire et responsable car les connaissances médicales actuelles sont insuffisantes. De surcroît, l'encadrement normatif qui l'entoure est unanime et clame la non-acceptabilité de son application humaine. Certains instruments adoptent une approche rigide en la prohibant formellement, d'autres adoptent une approche flexible en demeurant ouverts à une éventuelle application. Il y a donc divergence quant à la légitimité de cette technique. La médecine moderne doit reposer sur des principes directeurs issus de diverses sources, empruntées au droit et à l'éthique. Les principes retenus pour examiner la légitimité de la thérapie germinale sont tirés, d'une part, des droits et libertés fondamentales: ce sont les principes fondamentaux de dignité, de liberté, d'égalité. D'autre part, ils sont issus des règles d'éthique de la recherche: plus particulièrement le principe de bienfaisance (nonmalfaisance) et celui du respect de la personne. La perspective d'une éventuelle application humaine de la thérapie germinale ne porte pas nécessairement atteinte aux principes fondamentaux, dépendamment du genre d'application qui est envisagé. Une application restreinte, appliquée dans des circonstances particulières et en vue de soulager ou d'éliminer certaines formes de détresses et de souffrances, pourrait être conforme aux principes qui soutiennent les droits et libertés fondamentales. La thérapie germinale soulève des questions éthiques difficiles et parfois inédites, notamment l'extension des risques aux générations futures et l'obligation d'un suivi à long terme pour des descendants qui n'auront pas eux-mêmes donné leur consentement à cette «thérapie». La thérapie germinale est présentement non acceptable mais ne devrait pas faire l'objet d'une prohibition totale. / Germ-line therapy is far from being applied in a secure and responsible way because of insufficient medical knowledge. The unanimity against its human application is manifest in the normative frameworks which universally reject it as unacceptable. Certain instruments adopt a rigid approach and formally prohibit it, while others adopt a flexible approach by remaining open to possible applications. There is significant divergence on the legitimacy of this technique. Modem medicine must rest on guiding principles stemming from various sources borrowed from law and from ethics. Framing principles are derived, on one hand, from fundamental rights and freedoms such as the principles of dignity, liberty, and equality, and on the other hand, from the rules of research ethics based on principles such as beneficence and the respect for persons. The prospect of human applications of germ-line therapy does not inevitably infringe on fundamental principles. It depends the application envisaged. A restricted application, used in specific circumstances to relieve or eliminate certain forms of suffering, could respect the principles endorse fundamental rights and freedoms. Germ-line therapy raises difficult and sometimes new ethical questions: notable examples include the extension of the risks to persons other than the treated subject and the obligation of long-term follow-up for the descendants who did not consent to the research. Germ-line therapy is presently unacceptable given the current state ofknowledge; however, it should not be the object of a total prohibition.