Phage N15-Based Vectors for Gene Cloning and Expression in Bacteria and Mammalian Cells

Yin Cheng Wong, Allan Wee Ren Ng, Qingwen Chen, Pei Sheng Liew, Choon Weng Lee, Edmund Ui Hang Sim, Kumaran Narayanan

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Bacteriophage N15 is the first virus known to deliver linear prophage into Escherichia coli. During its lysogenic cycle, N15 protelomerase (TelN) resolves its telomerase occupancy site (tos) into hairpin telomeres. This protects the N15 prophage from bacterial exonuclease degradation, enabling it to stably replicate as a linear plasmid in E. coli. Interestingly, purely proteinaceous TelN can retain phage DNA linearization and hairpin formation without involving host- or phage-derived intermediates or cofactors in the heterologous environment. This unique feature has led to the advent of synthetic linear DNA vector systems derived from the TelN-tos module for the genetic engineering of bacterial and mammalian cells. This review will focus on the development and advantages of N15-based novel cloning and expression vectors in the bacterial and mammalian environments. To date, N15 is the most widely exploited molecular tool for the development of linear vector systems, especially the production of therapeutically useful miniDNA vectors without a bacterial backbone. Compared to typical circular plasmids, linear N15-based plasmids display remarkable cloning fidelity in propagating unstable repetitive DNA sequences and large genomic fragments. Additionally, TelN-linearized vectors with the relevant origin of replication can replicate extrachromosomally and retain transgenes functionality in bacterial and mammalian cells without compromising host cell viability. Currently, this DNA linearization system has shown robust results in the development of gene delivery vehicles, DNA vaccines and engineering mammalian cells against infectious diseases or cancers, highlighting its multifaceted importance in genetic studies and gene medicine.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)909-921
Number of pages13
JournalACS Synthetic Biology
Volume12
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 21 Apr 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • bacteriophage N15
  • cloning and expression vectors
  • hairpin telomeres
  • protelomerase TelN
  • telomerase occupancy site

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Phage N15-Based Vectors for Gene Cloning and Expression in Bacteria and Mammalian Cells'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this