Exocyst positive organelle (EXPO) is a newly discovered double membrane organelle involved in exocytosis and likely other vesicle trafficking processes. EXPO is likely generated from the ER, fused with plasma membrane and released a single membrane vesicle to cell exterior. The Arabidopsis protein Exo70E2 was found to be associated with EXPO and therefore is considered as a marker of EXPO and might play a role in EXPO-mediated vesicle trafficking. Understanding the biological function of AtExo70E2 (abbreviated as E2 in this thesis) will be very helpful in unraveling the function of EXPO. The aim of this work was to use various molecular, genetic and physiological approaches to determine the possible role of Arabidopsis Exo70E2 in biological pathways. By using the Exo70E2pro:GUS line, the expression pattern of Exo70E2 was determined. Exo70E2 was expressed mainly in roots, especially in root tips and epidermal cells in the division and elongation zones of roots. Its expression level was induced when the seedlings were treated with Flg22, a peptide derived from bacterial flagillin protein that induces the plant defense response. The tissue subcellular localization of Exo70E2 was also studied using the 35S:Exo70E2-eYFP and Exo70E2pro:Exo70E2-GFP reporter lines. The GFP fusion protein was found primarily in the epidermal cells of roots even in the 35S:Exo70E2-eYFP lines. For phenotypic analysis resulting from mutations of the Exo70E2 gene, I obtained three T-DNA insertion mutant lines and generated its overexpression lines. The two mutant alleles, e2-2 and e2-3 are in the Columbia ecotype background and further characterized. e2-2 which has a T-DNA insertion in an exon is likely a knock out line as Exo70E2 gene transcript could not be detected. e2-3, which carries a T-DNA insertion in its promoter region, was found to accumulate a higher level of the transcript, suggesting that the insertion causes its enhanced expression of Exo70E2. There was no obvious difference between wild type and e2-2 in their phenotypes under different conditions tested in this study. However, e2-3 had a retarded growth phenotype when grown in soil or on MS medium. The seedlings of e2-3 on MS medium also had a yellowish color although such a phenotype was not obvious when they were grown in soil. When supplementing the MS medium with sucrose, glucose or mannitol, the growth of e2-3 was more reduced compared to wild type under these conditions. However, on the medium with NaCl or under phosphate deficiency, the yellowish phenotype of e2-3 was rescued and the mutant seedlings became relatively healthier than the seedlings under the regular MS medium. A proteomics approach was taken to compare protein secreted from the seedlings of wild type and the mutants. Proteins secreted by seedlings to the liquid medium were collected, concentrated and subjected to MS analysis. Comparison of the profiles of secreted proteins between the wild type and the mutants leaded to identification of candidate proteins whose secretion might be affected by the mutation. My study indicates that Exo70E2 and EXPO are involved in transporting proteins (likely also metabolites) to the exterior of cells and the rhizosphere and might play an important role in stress responses.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

A common problem observed in large-scale cell cultivation is reduced culture performance compared with small-scale processes due to the existence of concentration gradients caused by poor mixing. Small-scale simulations using microbial cell suspensions have shown that circulation of cells through concentration gradients of oxygen, pH and glucose can result in reduction of cell growth and product formation similar to the effects observed in large-scale bioreactors. This study was aimed at using scale-down studies to investigate poor mixing in large-scale bioreactors used for suspended plant and animal cell culture. Two plant cell suspensions and a hybridoma cell line were used in this work. The range of oxygen transfer coefficients achieved in the hybridoma and plant suspensions were about 50???20 h-1 and 12???6 h-1, respectively. One-vessel simulation was developed to induce fluctuations of dissolved oxygen tension in a 2-L bioreactor using intermittent sparging of air and nitrogen. The effect of dissolved oxygen fluctuations on the cells was examined by comparing the performance of the cultures with those operated at constant dissolved oxygen tension. In the hybridoma suspension culture, only slight effects on cell growth were observed at circulation times above 300 s. No effect on the specific glucose uptake rate or antibody production was observed at the circulation times tested. Analysis of gene expression for selected hypoxia-related genes also suggested that the overall effect was limited. In plant cell suspensions, the specific growth rates and biomass yields on total sugar in the cultures under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension were essentially the same as those at constant dissolved oxygen tension for both transgenic Nicotiana tabacum and Thalictrum minus. Under fluctuating dissolved oxygen tension, no effect on antibody accumulation was observed in transgenic N. tabacum suspensions, but a decrease in berberine accumulation was observed in T. minus. From the results, it can be concluded that only minimal effects due to the development of concentration gradients would be expected in large-scale bioreactors used for the cultivation of the hybridoma and plant cell suspensions tested in this work.

Fu Lai Hong. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 106-110). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Thesis/Assessment Committee --- p.ii / Statement --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.iv / Abstract --- p.v / 摘要 --- p.vi / Lists of Figures --- p.x / Lists of Tables --- p.xiii / List of Abbreviations --- p.xiv / Amino acid abbreviation --- p.xvi / Chapter Chapter 1 --- General Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Human α-L-iduronidase (hIDUA) --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Lysosomal storage disease --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Treatments of MPS 1 --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Plant cells as bioreactors --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- The Plant secretary pathway --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Transport of soluble proteins --- p.9 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Transport of integral membrane proteins --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4 --- Differences between plant and human proteins --- p.11 / Chapter 1.5 --- Reducing the differences between plant and human proteins --- p.12 / Chapter 1.6 --- Previous study: Expression of IDUA in transgenic tobacco plant --- p.13 / Chapter 1.7 --- Project objectives --- p.14 / Chapter 1.8 --- Long term significance --- p.14 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.15 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.16 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Chemical --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Plant materials --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Plasmid vectors and bacterial strains --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Human a-iduronidase (hIDUA) cDNA --- p.19 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Primers --- p.20 / Chapter 2.3 --- Methods --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Generation of IDUA antibodies --- p.22 / Chapter 2.3.1.1 --- Synthetic peptide raised IDUA antibodies --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3.1.1.1 --- Design of synthetic peptides --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3.1.1.2 --- Immunization of rabbits --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.1.2 --- E. coli-derived rhIDUA protein --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.1.2.1 --- Cloning and expression of rhIDUA --- p.25 / Chapter 2.3.1.2.2 --- Western analysis of E. coli-derived rhIDUA --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.1.2.3 --- MS/MS analysis of rhIDUA protein --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3.1.2.4 --- Immunization of rabbits --- p.31 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Affinity-purified antibodies --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Characterization of affinity-purified IDUA antibodies --- p.33 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Construction of chimeric gene constructs --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3.5 --- Expression of IDUA in tobacco BY-2 cells --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.5.1 --- Electropoartion of Agrobacteria --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.5.2 --- Agrobacterium-mediated transformation --- p.39 / Chapter 2.3.5.3 --- Screening of positive trans formants --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.6 --- Characterization of transgenic BY-2 cell expressing IDUA fusion --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.6.1 --- Genomic DNA polymerase chain reaction (Genomic DNA PCR) --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.6.1.1 --- Genomic DNA extraction from BY-2 callus --- p.40 / Chapter 2.3.6.1.2 --- Genomic DNA PCR of tobacco BY-2 callus --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3.6.2 --- Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.6.2.1 --- Total RNA extraction from BY-2 cell --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.6.2.2 --- RT-PCR of BY-2 cell --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.6.3 --- Western blot analysis of BY-2 cell and medium --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.6.3.1 --- Protein extraction from tobacco BY-2 cells and culture medium --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.6.3.2 --- Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.6.3.3 --- Immunodetection and Coomassie blue stain --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.7 --- Purification of IDUA from culture media --- p.46 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Results --- p.47 / Chapter 3.1 --- Generation of IDUA antibodies --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Cloning and expression of rhIDUA in E. coli --- p.48 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Characterization of IDUA antibodies --- p.51 / Chapter 3.1.2.1 --- Specificity of IDUA antibodies towards hIDUA protein. --- p.51 / Chapter 3.1.2.2 --- Cross-reactivity of IDUA antibodies with wild type tobacco BY-2 cell --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2 --- Chimeric gene constructs construction and confirmation --- p.58 / Chapter 3.3 --- Screening of transformed tobacco BY-2 callus with kanamycin-resistance --- p.66 / Chapter 3.4 --- Genomic DNA PCR screening of transformed tobacco BY-2 callus . --- p.67 / Chapter 3.5 --- RT-PCR screening of transformed BY-2 cells --- p.70 / Chapter 3.6 --- Western blot analysis of transformed tobacco BY-2 cells and culture media --- p.72 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Tobacco BY-2 cells --- p.72 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Tobacco BY-2 cell culture media --- p.76 / Chapter 3.7 --- Purification of IDUA protein in culture media --- p.81 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Discussion --- p.82 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Summary and Future Perspectives --- p.89 / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary --- p.90 / Chapter 5.2 --- Future perspectives --- p.92 / Appendix Identification and Characterization of an Unknown Protein by 1B Antibody --- p.93 / Chapter 6.1 --- Introduction --- p.94 / Chapter 6.2 --- Objectives --- p.94 / Chapter 6.3 --- Materials and Methods --- p.95 / Chapter 6.3.1 --- Western blot analysis of different plant species --- p.95 / Chapter 6.3.2 --- Subcellular localization of the unknown protein --- p.95 / Chapter 6.3.3 --- Affinity-purification of the unknown protein --- p.95 / Chapter 6.4 --- Results --- p.97 / Chapter 6.4.1 --- Western blot analysis of different plant species --- p.97 / Chapter 6.4.2 --- Subcellular localization of an unknown protein --- p.98 / Chapter 6.4.3 --- Affinity-purification of 1B protein --- p.104 / Chapter 6.5 --- Summary and Future Perspectives --- p.105 / Chapter 6.5.1 --- Summary --- p.105 / Chapter 6.5.2 --- Future Perspectives --- p.105 / References --- p.106