Replicative Minicircle Vectors With Improved Expression

Abstract

A eukaryotic replicative pUC-free minicircle expression vector is provided. The eukaryotic replicative pUC-free minicircle expression vector includes a pUC-free eukaryotic region sequence encoding a transgene of interest and comprising 5′ and 3′ ends and a ii) pUC-free spacer region of less than 500 basepairs in length linking the 5′ and 3′ ends of the eukaryotic region sequences and comprising a bacterial R6K replication origin having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 11 and SEQ ID NO: 12 and a RNA selectable marker, the RNA selectable marker being an RNA-IN regulating RNA-OUT functional variant having at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 20 or SEQ ID NO: 22.

Claims

1. A eukaryotic replicative pUC-free minicircle expression vector comprising: i) a eukaryotic region sequence encoding a gene of interest and comprising 5′ and 3′ ends; and ii) a spacer region having a length of less than 500 basepairs that links the 5′ and 3′ ends of the eukaryotic region sequence and that comprises a R6K bacterial replication origin and a RNA selectable marker.

2. The vector of claim 1, wherein said RNA selectable marker is a functional RNA-OUT with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20 and SEQ ID NO: 22.

3. The vector of claim 1, wherein said bacterial replication origin has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 11 and SEQ ID NO: 12.

4. The vector of claim 1, wherein the RNA selectable marker is a functional RNA-OUT.

5. The vector of claim 1, wherein said RNA selectable marker is a functional RNA-OUT with at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 20 and SEQ ID NO: 22, and wherein said bacterial replication origin has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 11 and SEQ ID NO: 12.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0083] FIG. 1 depicts the NTC8485 pUC origin expression vector;

[0084] FIG. 2 depicts bioinformatics analysis of an intron containing the gWIZ bacterial region (GBR) encoded kanR selection marker-pUC origin;

[0085] FIG. 3 depicts bioinformatics analysis of introns containing the NTC9385P2 bacterial region (P2) encoded RNA-OUT selectable marker-pUC origin in both orientations;

[0086] FIG. 4 depicts the NTC9385P2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385P2a-O2-EGFP intronic pUC origin-RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors;

[0087] FIG. 5 shows plasmid quality from intronic pUC origin-RNA-OUT expression vectors NTC9385P2a-O1-EGFP, NTC9385P2a-O2-EGFP, NTC9385P2-O1-EGFP and NTC9385P2-O2-EGFP vectors versus a comparator spacer region encoded pUC origin-RNA-OUT expression vector NTC8385-EGFP;

[0088] FIG. 6 depicts the NTC9385R2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385R2a-O2-EGFP intronic R6K origin-RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors;

[0089] FIG. 7 depicts the NTC9385C2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385C2a-O2-EGFP intronic ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors;

[0090] FIG. 8 shows plasmid quality from Table 7 fermentations of intronic R6K origin-RNA-OUT expression vectors NTC9385R2-O1-EGFP, NTC9385R2-O2-EGFP, NTC9385R2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385R2a-O2-EGFP vectors, versus a comparator spacer region encoded R6K origin-RNA-OUT expression vector NTC9385R-EGFP;

[0091] FIG. 9 depicts the NTC9385R2b-O2-EGFP intronic R6K origin-spacer region RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors;

[0092] FIG. 10 depicts a pMB1 and ColE1 RNA I RNA selectable marker;

[0093] FIG. 11 depicts a IncB RNAI based RNA selectable marker;

[0094] FIG. 12 depicts a designed synthetic CpG free RNA selectable marker; and

[0095] FIG. 13 depicts the NTC9385RbF-EGFP 3′ UTR R6K, intronic RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vector.

[0096] Table 1: gWIZ, NTC9385C and NTC9385R Nanoplasmid expression compared to NTC8685
Table 2: Intron encoded RNA-OUT selection/replication origin does not prevent transgene expression;
Table 3: Improved expression with intron encoded RNA-OUT selection/replication origin;
Table 4: Intron functional analysis—Splicing accuracy and export efficiency;
Table 5: Intron vector expression efficiency;
Table 6: Replicative minicircle vector expression in vitro (lipofectamine) and in vivo (intradermal delivery with electroporation);
Table 7: Intronic RNA-OUT AF selection plasmid fermentation yields;
Table 8: High level expression with vectors with pMB1 RNAI encoded in the spacer region or intron;
Table 9: Accurate splicing with replicative minicircle vectors with pMB1 RNAI and minimal pUC origin encoded in the intron;
Table 10: SR vector expression in vitro and in vivo;
Table 11: Robust expression with P2 (0.85) replicative minicircles;
Table 12: High level expression with R6K replication origin and/or RNA-OUT encoded in the 3′ UTR;
Table 13: High level expression with R6K replication origin encoded in the 3′ UTR;
Table 14: High level expression with RNAI encoded in the 3′ UTR;
Table 15: Spacer region, intron or 3′ UTR encoded RSM selection/replication origin short spacer region replicative minicircle vector configurations; and
Table 16: Spacer region, intron or 3′ UTR encoded separated RSM selection/replication origin short spacer region replicative minicircle vector configurations.
SEQ ID NO:1: HTLV-IR-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron
SEQ ID NO:2: HTLV-IR CMV hybrid intron
SEQ ID NO:3: CMV intron
SEQ ID NO:4: CpG free intron I 140
SEQ ID NO:5: Human β globin Murine IgG chimeric intron
SEQ ID NO:6: Adenovirus leader-Murine IgG chimeric intron
SEQ ID NO:7: Rabbit β globin intron
SEQ ID NO:8: Truncated CMV intron
SEQ ID NO:9: CAG (Chicken β Actin-rabbit β globin) intron
SEQ ID NO:10: CMV-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron
SEQ ID NO:11: R6K gamma origin
SEQ ID NO:12: CpG free R6K gamma origin

SEQ ID NO:13: ColE2 Origin (+7)

SEQ ID NO:14: ColE2 Origin (Min)

[0097] SEQ ID NO:15: ColE2 origin (Core)
SEQ ID NO:16: CpG free ColE2 Origin (+7, CpG free)
SEQ ID NO:17: CpG free ssiA [from plasmid R6K]
SEQ ID NO:18: +7(CpG free) ColE2 origin-CpG free ssiA
SEQ ID NO:19: +7(CpG free) ColE2 origin-CpG free ssiA-flanked by SphI and KpnI restriction sites

SEQ ID NO:20: RNA-OUT Selectable Marker

[0098] SEQ ID NO:21: RNA-OUT antisense repressor RNA
SEQ ID NO:22: CpG free RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker
SEQ ID NO:23: RNA-OUT-ColE2 origin bacterial region. [NheI site-ssiA-ColE2 Origin (+7)-RNA-OUT-KpnI site]
SEQ ID NO:24: NTC9385C2 and NTC9385C2a intronic bacterial region. [filled NheI site-ssiA-ColE2 Origin (+7)-RNA-OUT-chewed KpnI site] Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:25: CpG free ColE2 RNA-OUT bacterial region. (CpG free ssiA-CpG free ColE2 origin-CpG free RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker)—flanked by SphI and BglII restriction sites
SEQ ID NO:26: RNA-OUT-R6K gamma origin bacterial region. [NheI site-trpA terminator-R6K Origin-RNA-OUT-KpnI site]
SEQ ID NO:27: NTC9385R2 and NTC9385R2a intronic R6K gamma origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region. [filled NheI site-trpA terminator-R6K Origin-RNA-OUT-chewed KpnI site] Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:28: CpG free R6K gamma origin RNA-OUT bacterial region. Flanked by SphI and BglII restriction sites
SEQ ID NO:29: NTC9385P2 and NTC9385P2a intronic pUC origin-RNA-OUT Bacterial region. [filled NheI site-trpA terminator-pUC Origin-RNA-OUT-chewed KpnI site] Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:30: NTC9385C2, NTC9385R2, NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2(0.85) Eukaryotic region. Bp 1 is start of CMV enhancer, bp 1196 is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites. Intron encoded HpaI (GTTAAC) bacterial region cloning site
SEQ ID NO:31: NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2a, NTC9385P2a and NTC9385P2a(0.85) Eukaryotic region. Bp 1 is start of CMV enhancer encoded boundary region, bp 1292 is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites. Intron encoded HpaI (GTTAAC) bacterial region cloning site
SEQ ID NO:32: CpG free HTLV-IR-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron
SEQ ID NO:33: RNAI antisense repressor RNA (pMB1 plasmid origin RNAII antisense partner)
SEQ ID NO:34: RNAI selectable Marker
SEQ ID NO:35: IncB RNAI antisense repressor RNA (IncB plasmid origin RNAII antisense partner)
SEQ ID NO:36: IncB RNAI selectable Marker, RNAI RNA
SEQ ID NO:37: IncB RNAII-SacB, PstI-MamI restriction fragment
SEQ ID NO:38: RNA selectable marker (RSM) antisense repressor RNA
SEQ ID NO:39: RNA selectable marker (RSM)
SEQ ID NO:40: RSM complement
SEQ ID NO:41: RNA selection-sacB (P5/6 4/6)
SEQ ID NO:42: RNA selection-sacB (P5/6 5/6)
SEQ ID NO:43: pINT-RNAS integration vector (P5/6 4/6)
SEQ ID NO:44: pINT-RNAS integration vector (P5/6 5/6)
SEQ ID NO:45: pUC replication origin (minimal)
SEQ ID NO:46: NTC9385P2(0.85) and NTC9385P2a(0.85) intronic pUC (0.85) Bacterial region [[filled NheI site-trpA terminator-P.sub.min pUC replication origin-RNA-OUT-chewed KpnI site] Sequence shown is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:47: NTC9385RbF vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of CMV enhancer, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:48: NTC9385RbF-RSM vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of CMV enhancer, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:49: NTC9385RbF-RNAI vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of CMV enhancer, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:50: NTC9385Ra-O1 vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:51: NTC9385Ra-O2 vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:52: NTC9385Ra-O1-RSM vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:53: NTC9385Ra-O2-RSM vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:54: NTC9385Ra-O1-RNAI vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:55: NTC9385Ra-O2-RNAI vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:56: NTC9385RaF vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:57: NTC9385RaF-RSM vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:58: NTC9385RaF-RNAI vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed

SEQ ID NO:59: Anti-RNAI (10-108)

[0099] SEQ ID NO:60: Anti-RNAI (10-108)-weak RBS-ATG
SEQ ID NO:61: Anti-RNAI (10-108)-strong RBS-ATG
SEQ ID NO:62: NTC9385R vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:63: NTC9385C vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of ssiA upstream of ColE2 origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:64: NTC9385R-intron vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:65: NTC9385R-intron RSM vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:66: NTC9385R-intron RNAI vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of trpA terminator upstream of R6K origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:67: NTC9385C-intron vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of ssiA upstream of ColE2 origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:68: NTC9385C-intron RSM vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of ssiA upstream of ColE2 origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:69: NTC9385C-intron RNAI vector backbone. Bp 1 is start of ssiA upstream of ColE2 origin, last bp is end of polyadenylation signal. Exon 2 encoded SalI (GTCGAC) and BglII (AGATCT) transgene cloning sites are juxtaposed
SEQ ID NO:70: RSM-R6K gamma origin bacterial region. [NheI site-trpA terminator-R6K Origin-RSM-KpnI site]
SEQ ID NO:71: RNAI-R6K gamma origin bacterial region. [NheI site-trpA terminator-R6K Origin-RNAI-KpnI site]
SEQ ID NO:72: NTC9385R2 and NTC9385R2a intronic R6K gamma origin-RSM bacterial region. Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:73: NTC9385R2 and NTC9385R2a intronic R6K gamma origin-RNAI bacterial region. Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:74: RSM-ColE2 origin bacterial region. [NheI site-ssiA-ColE2 Origin-RSM-KpnI site]
SEQ ID NO:75: RNAI-ColE2 origin bacterial region. [NheI site-ssiA-ColE2 Origin-RNAI-KpnI site]
SEQ ID NO:76: NTC9385C2 and NTC9385C2a intronic C2 origin-RSM bacterial region. Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement
SEQ ID NO:77: NTC9385C2 and NTC9385C2a intronic C2 origin-RNAI bacterial region. Sequence show is O1; O2 is reverse complement

DEFINITION OF TERMS

[0100] A.sub.405: Absorbance at 405 nanometers

AF: Antibiotic-free

[0101] APC: Antigen Processing Cell, for example, langerhans cells, plasmacytoid or conventional dendritic cells
Approximately: As used herein, the term “approximately” or “about,” as applied to one or more values of interest, refers to a value that is the same or similar to a stated reference value
BAC: Bacterial artificial chromosome
Bacterial region: Region of a plasmid vector required for propagation and selection in the bacterial host
BE: Boundary element: Eukaryotic sequence that blocks the interaction between enhancers and promoters. Also referred to as insulator element. An example is the AT-rich unique region upstream of the CMV enhancer (XbaI to SpeI region; FIG. 1) that can function as an insulator/boundary element (Angulo A, Kerry D, Huang H, Borst E M, Razinsky A, Wu J et al. 2000 J Virol 74: 2826-2839)
bp: basepairs

ccc: Covalently Closed Circular

[0102] cI: Lambda repressor
cITs857: Lambda repressor further incorporating a C to T (Ala to Thr) mutation that confers temperature sensitivity. cITs857 is a functional repressor at 28-30° C., but is mostly inactive at 37-42° C. Also called cI857
Cm.sup.R: Chloramphenicol resistance

cmv: Cytomegalovirus

[0103] CMV promoter boundary element: AT-rich region of the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) genome between the UL127 open reading frame and the major immediate-early (MIE) enhancer. Also referred to as unique region (Angulo et al., Supra, 2000)
ColE2-P9 replication origin: a region which is specifically recognized by the ColE2-P9 Rep protein to initiate DNA replication. Includes but not limited to ColE2-P9 replication origin sequences disclosed in SEQ ID NO:13: ColE2 Origin (+7), SEQ ID NO:16: ColE2 Origin (+7, CpG free), SEQ ID NO:14: ColE2 Origin (Min) and SEQ ID NO:15: ColE2 Origin (core) and replication functional mutations as disclosed in Yagura et al., 2006, J Bacteriol 188:999 included herein by reference
ColE2 related replication origin: The ColE2-P9 origin is highly conserved across the ColE2-related plasmid family. Fifteen ColE2 related plasmid members including ColE3 are compared in Hiraga et al., 1994, J Bacteriol. 176:7233 and 53 ColE2 related plasmid members including ColE3 are compared in Yagura et al., Supra, 2006. These sequences are included herein by reference
ColE2-P9 plasmid: a circular duplex DNA molecule of about 7 kb that is maintained at about 10 to 15 copies per host chromosome. The plasmid encodes an initiator protein (Rep protein), which is the only plasmid-specified trans-acting factor essential for ColE2-P9 plasmid replication
ColE2-P9 replication origin RNA-OUT bacterial region: Contains a ColE2-P9 replication origin for propagation and the RNA-OUT selectable marker (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 23; SEQ ID NO: 24; SEQ ID NO: 25). Optionally includes a PAS, for example, the R6K plasmid CpG free ssiA primosomal assembly site (SEQ ID NO:17) or alternative ØX174 type or ABC type primosomal assembly sites, such as those disclosed in Nomura et al., 1991 Gene 108:15
ColE2 plasmid: NTC9385C, NTC9685C, NTC9385C2-O1, NTC9385C2-O2, NTC9385C2a-O1 and NTC9385C2a-O2 vectors, as well as modifications and alternative vectors containing a ColE2-P9 replication origin that were disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference delivery methods: Methods to deliver gene vectors [e.g. poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA), ISCOMs, liposomes, niosomes, virosomes, chitosan, and other biodegradable polymers, electroporation, piezoelectric permeabilization, sonoporation, iontophoresis, ultrasound, corona plasma, plasma facilitated delivery, tissue tolerable plasma, laser microporation, shock wave energy, magnetic fields, contactless magneto-permeabilization, gene gun, microneedles, microdermabrasion, topical DNA application, naked DNA injection, hydrodynamic delivery, high pressure tail vein injection, needle free biojector, liposomes, microparticles, microspheres, nanoparticles, nanocapsules, virosomes, bacterial ghosts, bacteria, attenuated bacteria, etc] as known in the art and included herein by reference
DNA replicon: A genetic element that can replicate under its own control; examples include plasmids, cosmids, bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), bacteriophages, viral vectors and hybrids thereof E. coli: Escherichia coli, a gram negative bacteria
EGFP: Enhanced green fluorescent protein

EP: Electroporation

[0104] Eukaryotic expression vector: A vector for expression of mRNA, protein antigens, protein therapeutics, shRNA, RNA or microRNA genes in a target eukaryotic organism using RNA Polymerase I, II or III promoters
Eukaryotic replicative minicircle: a replicative minicircle eukaryotic expression vector
Eukaryotic replicative pUC-free minicircle: a replicative minicircle eukaryotic expression vector that does not encode the pUC origin
Eukaryotic region: The region of a plasmid that encodes eukaryotic sequences and/or sequences required for plasmid function in the target organism. This includes the region of a plasmid vector required for expression of one or more transgenes in the target organism including RNA Pol II enhancers, promoters, transgenes and polyA sequences. This also includes the region of a plasmid vector required for expression of one or more transgenes in the target organism using RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III promoters, RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III expressed transgenes or RNAs. The eukaryotic region may optionally include other functional sequences, such as eukaryotic transcriptional terminators, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, S/MARs, boundary elements, etc
Exon: A nucleotide sequence encoded by a gene that is transcribed and present within a mature mRNA product after RNA splicing to remove introns has been completed
Expression vector: A vector for expression of mRNA, protein antigens, protein therapeutics, shRNA, RNA or microRNA genes in a target organism.
FU: Fluorescence units
g: Gram, kg for kilogram
gene of interest: gene to be expressed in the target organism. Includes mRNA genes that encode protein or peptide antigens, protein or peptide therapeutics, and mRNA, shRNA, RNA or microRNA that encode RNA therapeutics, and mRNA, shRNA, RNA or microRNA that encode RNA vaccines, etc

Hr(s): Hour(s)

[0105] HTLV-I R: HTLV-I R 5′ untranslated region (UTR). Sequences and compositions were disclosed in Williams, J A 2008 World Patent Application WO2008153733 and included herein by reference

ID: Intradermal

IM: Intramuscular

[0106] immune response: Antigen reactive cellular (e.g. antigen reactive T cells) or antibody (e.g. antigen reactive IgG) responses
IncB RNAI: plasmid pMU720 origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 35) that represses RNA II regulated targets (Wilson I W, Siemering K R, Praszkier J, Pittard A J. 1997. J Bacteriol 179:742)
Intron: A nucleotide sequence encoded by a gene that is transcribed and subsequently removed from a mature mRNA product by RNA splicing

kan: Kanamycin

[0107] kanR: Kanamycin Resistance gene

Kd: Kilodalton

[0108] kozak sequence: Optimized consensus DNA sequence gccRccATG (R=G or A) immediately upstream of an ATG start codon that ensures efficient tranlation initiation. A SalI site (GTCGAC) immediately upstream of the ATG start codon (GTCGACATG) is an effective kozak sequence minicircle: Covalently closed circular plasmid derivatives in which the bacterial region has been removed from the parent plasmid by in vivo or in vitro site specific recombination or in vitro restriction digestion/ligation. Minicircle vectors are replication incompetent in bacterial cells
mRNA: Messenger RNA
mSEAP: Murine secreted alkaline phosphatase
Nanoplasmid vector: Vector combining an RNA selectable marker with a R6K, ColE2 or ColE2 related replication origin. For example, NTC9385C, NTC9685C, NTC9385R, NTC9685R vectors and modifications disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference and the NTC9385C2 NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, NTC9385R2a, NTC9385R2b, NTC9385Ra, NTC9385RaF and NTC9385RbF replicative minicircle vectors of the invention disclosed herein
NTC7382 promoter: A chimeric promoter comprising the CMV enhancer-CMV promoter-HTLV R-synthetic rabbit β globin 3′ intron acceptor-exon 2-SR protein binding site (three copies of GAAGAAGAC)-kozak sequence, with or without an upstream SV40 enhancer. The creation and application of this chimeric promoter is disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008
NTC8385: NTC8385, NTC8485 and NTC8685 plasmids are antibiotic-free vectors that contain a short RNA (RNA-OUT) selectable marker instead of an antibiotic resistance marker such as kanR. The creation and application of these RNA-OUT based antibiotic-free vectors are disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 and included herein by reference
NTC8485: NTC8485 is an antibiotic-free vector that contains a short RNA (RNA-OUT) selectable marker instead of an antibiotic resistance marker such as kanR. The creation and application of NTC8485 is disclosed in Williams, J A 2010 US Patent Application 20100184158 and included herein by reference
NTC8685: NTC8685 is an antibiotic-free vector that contains a short RNA (RNA-OUT) selectable marker instead of an antibiotic resistance marker such as kanR. The creation and application of NTC8685 is disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2010 and included herein by reference
NTC9385C: The NTC9385C vector disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference has a spacer region encoded NheI-ssiA-ColE2 origin (+7) RNA-OUT-KpnI bacterial region (SEQ ID NO:23) linked through the flanking NheI and KpnI sites to the SEQ ID NO: 30 eukaryotic region. Transgenes are cloned into NTC9385C between the SalI and BglII sites as described for the NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2a, NTC9385C2, NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, and NTC9385R2a vectors
NTC9385R: The NTC9385R vector disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference has a spacer region encoded NheI-trpA terminator-R6K origin RNA-OUT-KpnI bacterial region (SEQ ID NO:26) linked through the flanking NheI and KpnI sites to the SEQ ID NO: 30 eukaryotic region. Transgenes are cloned into NTC9385R between the SalI and BglII sites as described for the NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2a, NTC9385C2, NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, and NTC9385R2a vectors
OD.sub.600: optical density at 600 nm
PAS: Primosomal assembly site. Priming of DNA synthesis on a single stranded DNA ssi site. ØX174 type PAS: DNA hairpin sequence that binds priA, which, in turn, recruits the remaining proteins to form the preprimosome [priB, dnaT, recruits dnaB (delivered by dnaG)], which then also recruits primase (dnaG), which then, finally, makes a short RNA substrate for DNA polymerase I. ABC type PAS: DNA hairpin binds dnaA, recruits dnaB (delivered by dnaC) which then also recruits primase (dnaG), which then, finally, makes a short RNA substrate for DNA polymerase I. See Masai et al., 1990 J Biol Chem 265:15134. For example, the R6K plasmid CpG free ssiA primosomal assembly site (SEQ ID NO:17) or alternative ØX174 type or ABC type primosomal assembly sites, such as those disclosed in Nomura et al., Supra, 1991
PAS-BH: Primosomal assembly site on the heavy (leading) strand
PAS-BH region: pBR322 origin region between ROP and PAS-BL (approximately pBR322 2067-2351)
PAS-BL: Primosomal assembly site on the light (lagging) strand
PBS: Phosphate buffered Saline

PCR: Polymerase Chain Reaction

[0109] pDNA: Plasmid DNA
pINT pR pL vector: The pINT pR pL integration expression vector is disclosed in Luke et al., 2011 Mol Biotechnol 47:43 and included herein by reference. The target gene to be expressed is cloned downstream of the pL promoter. The vector encodes the temperature inducible cI857 repressor, allowing heat inducible target gene expression
P.sub.L promoter: Lambda promoter left. P.sub.L is a strong promoter that is repressed by the cI repressor binding to OL1, OL2 and OL3 repressor binding sites. The temperature sensitive cI857 repressor allows control of gene expression by heat induction since at 30° C. the cI857 repressor is functional and it represses gene expression, but at 37-42° C. the repressor is inactivated so expression of the gene ensues
Plasmid: An extra chromosomal DNA molecule separate from the chromosomal DNA which is capable of replicating independently from the chromosomal DNA
pMB1 RNAI: pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 33) and RNA selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) that represses RNAII regulated targets such as those described in Grabherr R, Pfaffenzeller I. 2006 US patent application US20060063232 and Cranenburgh R M. 2009; U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,883
P.sub.min: Minimal 678 bp pUC replication origin SEQ ID NO:45 and functional variants with base substitutions and/or base deletions. Vectors described herein incorporating P.sub.min include NTC9385P2(0.85)-01, NTC9385P2(0.85)-02, NTC9385P2a(0.85)-01, and NTC9385P2a(0.85)-02

Pol: Polymerase

[0110] polyA: Polyadenylation signal or site. Polyadenylation is the addition of a poly(A) tail to an RNA molecule. The polyadenylation signal contains the sequence motif recognized by the RNA cleavage complex. Most human polyadenylation signals contain an AAUAAA motif and conserved sequences 5′ and 3′ to it. Commonly utilized polyA signals are derived from the rabbit β globin (NTC8485; FIG. 1), bovine growth hormone (gWIZ; pVAX1), SV40 early, or SV40 late polyA signals
pUC origin: pBR322-derived replication origin, with G to A transition that increases copy number at elevated temperature and deletion of the ROP negative regulator
pUC free: Plasmid that does not contain the pUC origin. Non replicative fragments of the pUC origin may be included, for example the RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO:34)
pUC plasmid: Plasmid containing the pUC origin
R6K plasmid: NTC9385R, NTC9685R, NTC9385R2-O1, NTC9385R2-O2, NTC9385R2a-O1, NTC9385R2a-O2, NTC9385R2b-O1, NTC9385R2b-O2, NTC9385Ra-O1, NTC9385Ra-O2, NTC9385RaF, and NTC9385RbF vectors as well as modifications and alternative vectors containing a R6K replication origin that were disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference. Alternative R6K vectors known in the art including, but not limited to, pCOR vectors (Gencell), pCpGfree vectors (Invivogen), and CpG free University of Oxford vectors including pGM169
R6K replication origin: a region which is specifically recognized by the R6K Rep protein to initiate DNA replication. Includes but not limited to R6K replication origin sequence disclosed as SEQ ID NO:11, and CpG free versions (e.g. SEQ ID NO:12) as disclosed in Drocou et al., U.S. Pat. No. 7,244,609 and incorporated herein by reference
R6K replication origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region: Contains a R6K replication origin for propagation and the RNA-OUT selectable marker (e.g. SEQ ID NO:26; SEQ ID NO:27; SEQ ID NO:28)

Rep: Replication

[0111] Replicative minicircle: Covalently closed circular plasmid vector with a short spacer region linking the 5′ and 3′ ends of the eukaryotic region sequences in which the replication origin and/or the selection marker are encoded within an intron or 3′ UTR of a eukaryotic region or within the spacer region linking the 5′ and 3′ ends of the eukaryotic region sequences. For dual eukaryotic region vectors, the replication origin and/or the selectable marker may be cloned within an intron or 3′ UTR of either of the eukaryotic regions within the vector. In replicative minicircle vectors of the invention, the spacer region preferably is less than 500 bp and may encode bacterial replication origins or selectable markers, bacterial transcription terminators, bacterial supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures. In replicative minicircle vectors of the invention, the spacer region may optionally encode eukaryotic sequences such as eukaryotic selectable markers, eukaryotic transcription terminators, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, boundary elements, S/MARs, or other functionalities
Rep protein dependent plasmid: A plasmid in which replication is dependent on a replication (Rep) protein provided in Trans. For example, R6K replication origin, ColE2-P9 replication origin and ColE2 related replication origin plasmids in which the Rep protein is expressed from the host strain genome. Numerous additional Rep protein dependent plasmids are known in the art, many of which are summarized in del Solar et al., 1998 Microbiol. Mol. Biol. Rev 62:434-464 which is included herein by reference
RNA-IN: Insertion sequence 10 (IS10) encoded RNA-IN, an RNA complementary and antisense to a portion of RNA RNA-OUT. When RNA-IN is cloned in the untranslated leader of a mRNA, annealing of RNA-IN to RNA-OUT reduces translation of the gene encoded downstream of RNA-IN
RNA-IN regulated selectable marker: A genomically expressed RNA-IN regulated selectable marker. In the presence of plasmid borne RNA-OUT (e.g. SEQ ID NO:21), expression of a protein encoded downstream of RNA-IN is repressed. An RNA-IN regulated selectable marker is configured such that RNA-IN regulates either 1) a protein that is lethal or toxic to said cell per se or by generating a toxic substance (e.g. SacB), or 2) a repressor protein that is lethal or toxic to said bacterial cell by repressing the transcription of a gene that is essential for growth of said cell (e.g. murA essential gene regulated by RNA-IN tetR repressor gene). For example, genomically expressed RNA-IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid propagation are disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 and included herein by reference. Alternative selection markers described in the art may be substituted for SacB
RNA-OUT: Insertion sequence 10 (IS10) encoded RNA-OUT, an antisense RNA that hybridizes to, and reduces translation of, the transposon gene expressed downstream of RNA-IN. The sequence of the RNA-OUT RNA (SEQ ID NO:21) and complementary RNA-IN SacB genomically expressed RNA-IN-SacB cell lines can be modified to incorporate alternative functional RNA-IN/RNA-OUT binding pairs such as those disclosed in Mutalik et al., 2012 Nat Chem Biol 8:447, including, but not limited to, the RNA-OUT A08/RNA-IN S49 pair, the RNA-OUT A08/RNA-IN S08 pair, and CpG free modifications of RNA-OUT A08 that modify the CG in the RNA-OUT 5′ TTCGC SEQ ID NO: 21 sequence to a non-CpG sequence. An example of a CpG free RNA-OUT selection marker, in which the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT RNA (one of which is present in the RNA-IN complementary region) are removed, is given as SEQ ID NO:22. A multitude of alternative substitutions to remove the two CpG motifs (mutating each CpG to either CpA, CpC, CpT, ApG, GpG, or TpG) may be utilized to make a CpG free RNA-OUT
RNA-OUT Selectable marker: An RNA-OUT selectable marker DNA fragment including E. coli transcription promoter and terminator sequences flanking an RNA-OUT RNA. An RNA-OUT selectable marker, utilizing the RNA-OUT promoter and terminator sequences, that is flanked by DraIII and KpnI restriction enzyme sites, and designer genomically expressed RNA-IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid propagation, are disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 (SEQ ID NO:20) and included herein by reference. The RNA-OUT promoter and terminator sequences flanking the RNA-OUT RNA (SEQ ID NO:21) may be replaced with heterologous promoter and terminator sequences. For example, the RNA-OUT promoter may be substituted with a CpG free promoter known in the art, for example the I-EC2K promoter or the P5/6 5/6 or P5/6 6/6 promoters disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 and included herein by reference. An example of a CpG free RNA-OUT transcription unit, in which the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT RNA (one of which is present in the RNA-IN complementary region) and the two CpG motifs in the RNA-OUT promoter are removed is given as SEQ ID NO: 22. The DraIII flanking restriction site contains a CpG, so CpG free RNA-OUT selectable markers are cloned with an alternative flanking restriction site, such as KpnI, BglII or EcoRI (flanking SEQ ID NO: 22). Vectors incorporating the SEQ ID NO:22 CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker may be selected for sucrose resistance using the RNA-IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid propagation disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008. Alternatively, the RNA-IN sequence in these cell lines can be modified to incorporate the 1 bp change needed to perfectly match the CpG free RNA-OUT region complementary to RNA-IN as described in Example 1.
RNA polymerase I promoter: Promoter that recruits RNA Polymerase I to synthesize ribosomal RNA
RNA polymerase II promoter: Promoter that recruits RNA Polymerase II to synthesize mRNAs, most small nuclear RNAs and microRNAs. For example, constitutive promoters such as the human or murine CMV promoter, elongation factor 1 (EF1) promoter, the chicken β-actin promoter, the β-actin promoter from other species, the elongation factor-1 α (EF1 α) promoter, the phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) promoter, the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) promoter, the human serum albumin (SA) promoter, the α-1 antitrypsin (AAT) promoter, the thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) promoter, the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) promoter, etc. The vectors may also utilize combination promoters such as the chicken β-actin/CMV enhancer (CAG) promoter, the human or murine CMV-derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor 1α (EF1α) promoters, CpG free versions of the human or murine CMV-derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor 1α (EF1α) promoters, the albumin promoter combined with an α-fetoprotein MERII enhancer, etc, or the diversity of tissue specific or inducible promoters know in the art such as the muscle specific promoters muscle creatine kinase (MCK), and C5-12 or the liver-specific promoter apolipoprotein A-I (ApoAI), etc.
RNA polymerase III promoter: Promoter that recruits RNA Polymerase III to synthesize tRNAs, 5S ribosomal RNA, and other small RNAs. For example, Class I promoters such as the 5s rRNA promoter, Class II promoter such as tRNA promoters, Class III promoters such as the U6 small nuclear RNA promoter or the H1 nuclear RNase P promoter, etc.
RNA selectable marker: An RNA selectable marker is a plasmid borne expressed non translated RNA that regulates a chromosomally expressed target gene to afford selection. This may be a plasmid borne nonsense suppressing tRNA that regulates a nonsense suppressible selectable chromosomal target as described by Crouzet J and Soubrier F 2005 U.S. Pat. No. 6,977,174 included herein by reference. This may also be a plasmid borne antisense repressor RNA, a non limiting list included herein by reference includes RNA-OUT that represses RNA-IN regulated targets, pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 33; a selectable marker is given SEQ ID NO: 34) that represses RNAII regulated targets (Grabherr and Pfaffenzeller, Supra, 2006; Cranenburgh, Supra, 2009), IncB plasmid pMU720 origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 35; a selectable marker is given SEQ ID NO: 36) that represses RNA II regulated targets (SEQ ID NO: 37; Wilson et al., Supra, 1997), ParB locus Sok of plasmid Rlthat represses Hok regulated targets, Flm locus FlmB of F plasmid that represses flmA regulated targets (Morsey M A, 1999 US patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,922,583). An RNA selectable marker may be another natural antisense repressor RNAs known in the art such as those described in Wagner E G H, Altuvia S, Romby P. 2002. Adv Genet 46:361 and Franch T, and Gerdes K. 2000. Current Opin Microbiol 3:159. An RNA selectable marker may also be an engineered repressor RNAs such as synthetic small RNAs expressed SgrS, MicC or MicF scaffolds as described in Na D, Yoo S M, Chung H, Park H, Park J H, Lee S Y. 2013. Nat Biotechnol 31:170. An RNA selectable marker may also be an engineered repressor RNA such as SEQ ID NO: 38 as part of a selectable marker such as SEQ ID NO: 39 that represses a target RNA such as SEQ ID NO: 40 fused to a target gene to be regulated such as SacB in SEQ ID NO: 41 and SEQ ID NO:42
ROP: Repressor of primer
RSM: RNA selectable marker
SacB: Structural gene encoding Bacillus subtilis levansucrase. Expression of SacB in gram negative bacteria is toxic in the presence of sucrose
SD: Standard deviation
SEAP: Secreted alkaline phosphatase
Selectable marker: A selectable marker, for example a kanamycin resistance gene or a RNA selectable marker
Selection marker: A selectable marker, for example a kanamycin resistance gene or a RNA selectable marker
SIDD: supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures. These sites, when incorporated into a vector, may alter the susceptibility of other sequences within the vector to be destabilized. This can alter function. For example, addition of a SIDD site to a expression vector may reduce the helical destabilization of a promoter. This may increase or decrease promoter activity, depending on the promoter since some promoters have increased expression with promoter helical destabilization, while others will have reduced expression with promoter helical destabilization
shRNA: Short hairpin RNA
S/MAR: Scaffold/matrix attached region. Eukaryotic sequences that mediate DNA attachment to the nuclear matrix
SR: Spacer region.
Spacer region: As used herein, spacer region is the region linking the 5′ and 3′ ends of the eukaryotic region sequences. The eukaryotic region 5′ and 3′ ends are typically separated by the bacterial replication origin and bacterial selectable marker in plasmid vectors. In simple single RNA Pol II promoter vectors this will be between the RNA Pol II promoter region (5′ to either a promoter, enhancer, boundary element, S/MAR) and the RNA Pol II polyA region (3′ to either a polyA sequence, eukaryotic terminator sequence, boundary element, S/MAR). For example, in NTC8485 (FIG. 1) the 1492 bp spacer region is the region between NheI site at 3737 and KpnI site at 1492. In dual RNA Pol II promoter vectors, the eukaryotic sequences separated by the spacer will depend on the orientation of the two transcription elements. For example, with divergent or convergent RNA Pol II transcription units, the spacer region may separate two polyA sequences or two enhancers respectively. In RNA Pol II promoter, RNA Pol III promoter dual expression vectors, the spacer region may separate an RNA Pol II enhancer and a RNA Pol III promoter. In replicative minicircle vectors of the invention, this spacer region preferably is less than 500 bp and may encode bacterial selectable markers, bacterial replication origins, bacterial transcription terminators, bacterial supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures. In replicative minicircle vectors of the invention, this spacer region may optionally encode eukaryotic sequences such as eukaryotic selectable markers, eukaryotic transcription terminators, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, boundary elements, S/MARs, or other functionalities
ssi: Single stranded initiation sequences
SV40 enhancer: Simian Virus 40 genomic DNA that contains the 72 bp and optionally the 21 bp enhancer repeats
target antigen: Immunogenic protein or peptide epitope, or combination of proteins and epitopes, against which an immune response can be mounted. Target antigens may by derived from a pathogen for infectious disease or allergy applications, or derived from a host organism for applications such as cancer, allergy, or autoimmune diseases. Target antigens are well defined in the art. Some examples are disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 and are included herein by reference
TE buffer: A solution containing approximately 10 mM Tris pH 8 and 1 mM EDTA
TetR: Tetracycline repressor
Transcription terminator: Bacterial: A DNA sequence that marks the end of a gene or operon for transcription. This may be an intrinsic transcription terminator or a Rho-dependent transcriptional terminator. For an intrinsic terminator, such as the trpA terminator, a hairpin structure forms within the transcript that disrupts the mRNA-DNA-RNA polymerase ternary complex. Alternatively, Rho-dependent transcriptional terminators require Rho factor, an RNA helicase protein complex, to disrupt the nascent mRNA-DNA-RNA polymerase ternary complex. Eukaryotic: PolyA signals are not ‘terminators’, instead internal cleavage at PolyA sites leaves an uncapped 5′end on the 3′UTR RNA for nuclease digestion. Nuclease catches up to RNA Pol II and causes termination. Termination can be promoted within a short region of the poly A site by introduction of RNA Pol II pause sites (eukaryotic transcription terminator). Pausing of RNA Pol II allows the nuclease introduced into the 3′ UTR mRNA after PolyA cleavage to catch up to RNA Pol II at the pause site. A nonlimiting list of eukaryotic transcription terminators know in the art include the C2x4 terminator (Ashfield R, Patel A J, Bossone S A, Brown H, Campbell R D, Marcu K B, Proudfoot N J. 1994. EMBO J 13:5656) and the gastrin terminator (Sato K, Ito R, Baek K H, Agarwal K, 1986. Mol. Cell. Biol. 6:1032). Eukaryotic transcription terminators may elevate mRNA levels by enhancing proper 3′-end processing of mRNA (Kim D, Kim J D, Baek K, Yoon Y, Yoon J. 2003. Biotechnol Prog 19:1620) Transgene: Gene of interest that is cloned into a vector for expression in a target organism
ts: Temperature sensitive

μg: Microgram

μl: Microliter

[0112] UTR: Untranslated region of a mRNA (5′ or 3′ to the coding region)
VARNA: Adenoviral virus associated RNA, including VARNAI (VAI or VA1) and or VARNAII (VAII or VA2) from any Adenovirus serotype, for example, serotype 2, serotype 5 or hybrids thereof
VARNAI: Adenoviral virus associated RNAI, also referred to as VAI, or VA1, from any Adenovirus serotype, for example, serotype 2, serotype 5 or hybrids thereof
Vector: A gene delivery vehicle, including viral (e.g. alphavirus, poxvirus, lentivirus, retrovirus, adenovirus, adenovirus related virus, etc) and nonviral (e.g. plasmid, MIDGE, transcriptionally active PCR fragment, minicircles, bacteriophage, etc) vectors. These are well known in the art and are included herein by reference
Vector backbone: Eukaryotic region and bacterial region of a vector, without the transgene or target antigen coding region

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0113] The invention relates generally to plasmid DNA vector methods and compositions that improve plasmid manufacture and expression. The invention can be practiced to improve expression and manufacturing of vectors such as eukaryotic expression plasmids useful for gene therapy, genetic immunization and or interferon therapy. Improved plasmid expression is defined herein as improved transgene expression level and/or expression duration in vitro or in vivo compared to a transgene encoding pUC plasmid containing a spacer region encoded pUC replication origin. It is to be understood that all references cited herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0114] According to one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides for method of increasing in vivo expression of transgene from covalently closed super-coiled plasmid DNA, which comprises modifying the plasmid DNA to replace the pMB1, ColE1 or pBR322 derived replication origin and selectable marker with a replication origin selected from the group consisting of an ColE2-P9 replication origin, ColE2 related replication origin, and R6K replication origin and a RNA selectable marker; transforming the modified plasmid DNA into a Rep protein producing bacterial cell line rendered competent for transformation; and isolating the resultant transformed bacterial cells. The modified plasmid produced from these cells has increased transgene expression in the target organism.

[0115] In one preferred embodiment, the spacer region encoded pMB1, ColE1 or pBR322 derived replication origin is replaced with a CpG free ColE2 origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In another preferred embodiment, a primosome assembly site is incorporated into a ColE2 vector backbone to improve plasmid copy number. In yet another preferred embodiment, the spacer region encoded pMB1, ColE1 or pBR322 derived replication origin is replaced with a CpG free R6K origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture.

[0116] According to one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides compositions of short spacer region covalently closed super-coiled plasmid DNA eukaryotic vectors with improved transgene expression and E. coli manufacture, which comprises modifying the plasmid DNA to replace the spacer region encoded replication origin in the vector spacer region with an intronic replication origin selected from the group consisting of an ColE2-P9 replication origin, ColE2 related replication origin, R6K replication origin, pUC replication origin and P.sub.min pUC replication origin; transforming the modified plasmid DNA as necessary into a Rep protein producing bacterial cell line rendered competent for transformation; and isolating the resultant transformed bacterial cells. The modified plasmid produced from these cells is a ‘replicative minicircle’ vector with improved manufacture and transgene expression.

[0117] In one preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an intronic R6K replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an intronic pUC replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an intronic P.sub.min pUC replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an intronic ColE2 replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an intronic CpG free ColE2 replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an intronic CpG free R6K replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture.

[0118] In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an 3′ UTR encoded R6K replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an 3′ UTR encoded ColE2 replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an 3′ UTR encoded CpG free ColE2 replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded replication origin is replaced with an 3′ UTR encoded CpG free R6K replication origin to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture.

[0119] In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded selectable marker is replaced with an 3′ UTR encoded RNA selectable marker to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region encoded selectable marker is replaced with an intron encoded RNA selectable marker to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture.

[0120] In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector spacer region directly links the eukaryotic region sequences that are typically separated by the bacterial replication origin and bacterial selectable marker. In yet another preferred embodiment, the vector eukaryotic region polyadenylation signal sequence is covalently linked directly to the enhancer of eukaryotic region promoter. In yet another preferred embodiment, a spacer region is included between the eukaryotic region sequences that are typically separated by the bacterial replication origin and bacterial selectable marker. In yet another preferred embodiment the spacer region between the sequences that are typically separated by the replication origin and selectable marker is 1 to 500 bp. In yet another preferred embodiment the spacer region between the sequences that are typically separated by the replication origin and selectable marker encode bacterial or eukaryotic selectable markers, bacterial transcription terminators, eukaryotic transcription terminators, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, boundary elements, S/MARs, RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III expressed sequences or other functionalities. In yet another preferred embodiment, the spacer region is less than 500 bp and encodes an RNA selectable marker, with an R6K or ColE2 replication origin further encoded within an intron or a 3′ UTR. In yet another preferred embodiment, the spacer region is less than 500 bp and encodes an R6K or ColE2 replication origin, with an RNA selectable marker further encoded within an intron or a 3′ UTR. In yet another preferred embodiment, the spacer region is less than 500 bp and encodes an RNA selectable marker, with an R6K or ColE2 replication origin further encoded within the spacer region.

[0121] The methods of plasmid modification of the present invention have been surprisingly found to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression and manufacture.

[0122] Plasmid encoded transgene expression is preferably improved by employing specific constructs or compositions incorporated in a vector. According to one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for construction of a vector, comprising a RNA selectable marker and a ColE2 origin with at least 90% sequence identity to the sequences set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, or SEQ ID NO: 16, and a plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region, wherein the ColE2 origin is operably linked within an intron of the plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region. The RNA selectable marker may be operably linked within an intron, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region. This novel vector configuration enables high yield manufacture of short spacer region vectors. It has also been surprisingly found that this intronic ColE2 origin improves plasmid encoded transgene expression. According to another preferred embodiment, the eukaryotic region has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 30, SEQ ID NO: 31.

[0123] According to another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for construction of a vector, comprising an RNA selectable marker and a R6K origin with at least 90% sequence identity to the sequences set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11, or SEQ ID NO: 12, and a plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region, wherein the R6K origin is operably linked to an intron within the plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region. The RNA selectable marker may be operably linked within an intron, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region. This novel vector configuration enables high yield manufacture of short spacer region vectors. It has also been surprisingly found that this intronic R6K origin improves plasmid encoded transgene expression. According to another preferred embodiment, the eukaryotic region has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 30, SEQ ID NO: 31.

[0124] According to another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for construction of a vector, comprising an RNA selectable marker and a pUC origin and a plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region, wherein the pUC origin is operably linked to an intron within the plasmid

[0125] DNA encoded eukaryotic region. The RNA selectable marker may be operably linked within an intron, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region. This novel vector configuration enables high yield manufacture of short spacer region vectors. It has also been surprisingly found that this intronic pUC origin improves plasmid encoded transgene expression. According to another preferred embodiment, the eukaryotic region has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 30, SEQ ID NO: 31.

[0126] According to another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for construction of a vector, comprising an RNA selectable marker and a P.sub.min pUC origin with at least 90% sequence identity to the sequence set forth as SEQ ID NO: 45, and a plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region, wherein the P.sub.min pUC origin is operably linked to an intron within the plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region. The RNA selectable marker may be operably linked within an intron, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region. This novel vector configuration enables high yield manufacture of short spacer region vectors. It has also been surprisingly found that this intronic P.sub.min pUC origin improves plasmid encoded transgene expression. According to another preferred embodiment, the eukaryotic region has at least 95% sequence identity to a sequence selected from the group consisting of: SEQ ID NO: 30, SEQ ID NO: 31.

[0127] Plasmid encoded transgene expression is preferably improved by employing specific constructs or compositions incorporated in a vector. According to one preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for construction of a vector, comprising a ColE2 origin with at least 90% sequence identity to the sequences set forth as SEQ ID NO: 13, SEQ ID NO: 14, SEQ ID NO: 15, or SEQ ID NO: 16, and a plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region, wherein the ColE2 origin is operably linked within a 3′ UTR of the plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region. An RNA selectable marker is incorporated into the vector either adjacent to the replication origin or within an intron or within the spacer region.

[0128] According to another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a composition for construction of a vector, comprising a 3′ UTR R6K origin with at least 90% sequence identity to the sequences set forth as SEQ ID NO: 11, or SEQ ID NO: 12, and a plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region, wherein the R6K origin is operably linked to a 3′ UTR within the plasmid DNA encoded eukaryotic region. An RNA selectable marker is incorporated into the vector either adjacent to the replication origin or within an intron or within the spacer region. This novel vector configuration enables high yield manufacture of short spacer region vectors.

[0129] The methods of plasmid modification of the present invention have been surprisingly found to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression in the target organism. Increased expression vectors may find application to improve the magnitude of DNA vaccination mediated antigen reactive B or T cell responses for preventative or therapeutic vaccination, increase RNA and or protein transgene levels to improve gene replacement therapy or gene knockdown therapy, increase plasmid based expression levels of DNA vector expressed therapeutic antibodies that neutralize infectious diseases such as influenza, HIV, malaria, hepatitis C virus, tuberculosis, etc.

[0130] The methods of plasmid modification of the present invention have been surprisingly found to provide a solution to provide short spacer region vectors with efficient high yield manufacture.

[0131] As used herein, the term “sequence identity” refers to the degree of identity between any given query sequence, e.g. SEQ ID NO: 2, and a subject sequence. A subject sequence may, for example, have at least 90 percent, at least 95 percent, or at least 99 percent sequence identity to a given query sequence. To determine percent sequence identity, a query sequence (e.g. a nucleic acid sequence) is aligned to one or more subject sequences using any suitable sequence alignment program that is well known in the art, for instance, the computer program ClustalW (version 1.83, default parameters), which allows alignments of nucleic acid sequences to be carried out across their entire length (global alignment). Chema et al., 2003 Nucleic Acids Res., 31:3497-500. In a preferred method, the sequence alignment program (e.g. ClustalW) calculates the best match between a query and one or more subject sequences, and aligns them so that identities, similarities, and differences can be determined. Gaps of one or more nucleotides can be inserted into a query sequence, a subject sequence, or both, to maximize sequence alignments. For fast pair-wise alignments of nucleic acid sequences, suitable default parameters can be selected that are appropriate for the particular alignment program. The output is a sequence alignment that reflects the relationship between sequences. To further determine percent identity of a subject nucleic acid sequence to a query sequence, the sequences are aligned using the alignment program, the number of identical matches in the alignment is divided by the length of the query sequence, and the result is multiplied by 100. It is noted that the percent identity value can be rounded to the nearest tenth. For example, 78.11, 78.12, 78.13, and 78.14 are rounded down to 78.1, while 78.15, 78.16, 78.17, 78.18, and 78.19 are rounded up to 78.2.

[0132] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1. shows an annotated map of the antibiotic-free NTC8485 pUC origin expression vector with the locations of the pUC origin, PAS-BH primosomal assembly site, SV40 enhancer, HpaI site within the intron and other key elements indicated. The replication origin (PAS-BH and pUC origin) is from bp 32 to the DraIII (1345) site (1313 bp total). The antibiotic-free RNA-OUT selectable marker is between the DraIII (1345) and KpnI (1492) sites (147 bp total). The bacterial region (trpA terminator, replication origin and RNA-OUT selectable marker=spacer region) of this vector is 1492 bp. Below the map an annotated sequence of the vector encoded HTLV-IR-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron (SEQ IND NO:1) is shown. The HTLV-I R derived 5′ intronic splice donor region and the Rabbit β globin 3′ splice acceptor region functionalities are separated by a HpaI site (GTTAAC, bold uppercase). The 5′ HTLV-I R derived splice donor (AGgtaagt; first 2 AG bases are exon 1) and rabbit β globin intron 1 derived 3′ splice acceptor (cagG: last G is exon 2) sites are double underlined. The 3′ splice acceptor poly-pyrimidine tract (starting with cttttttct) is single underlined. This poly-pyrimidine tract sequence was altered from the native rabbit β globin intron 1 sequence by replacing the native uppercase G and A residues in this region with t (ctGtttcA) to increase the poly-pyrimidine tract consensus. The rabbit B globin 3′ acceptor branch site (tgctgac) is single underlined. This intron is 225 bp and is present in the NTC8385, NTC8485, NTC8685, NTC9385C, NTC9685C, NTC9385R, and NTC9685R vectors.

[0133] FIG. 2 shows bioinformatics analysis of an intron containing the gWIZ vector bacterial region (GBR2) encoded kanR selection marker-pUC origin. In this vector the kanR gene is antisense to the CMV promoter; the opposite sense orientation would be unacceptable due to safety concerns regarding the risk of kanR protein expression in the target organism. The kanR gene contains multiple cryptic splice acceptor and splice donor sites and potential sense and antisense promoters (not shown) predicted to interfere with intron function. The location and orientation of an experimentally verified cryptic pUC origin promoter (Lemp N A, Kiraoka K, Kasahara N, Logg C R. 2012. Nucleic Acids Res 40:7280) is shown (cryptic promoter). Splice signals were detected using the NetGene2 (Brunak, S., Engelbrecht, J., and Knudsen, S. 1991 J Mol Biol 220, 49-65) and Splicepredictor (Brendel, V., Xing, L. & Zhu, W. 2004. Bioinformatics 20, 1157-1169) programs while promoters were identified using the Softberry (Mount Kisco, N.Y.) TSSG and FPROM programs.

[0134] FIG. 3 shows bioinformatics analysis of introns containing the NTC9385P2 and NTC9385P2a bacterial region encoded RNA-OUT selectable marker-pUC origin in both orientations (P2-O1; P2-O2). A cryptic 209 bp exon derived from the pUC origin identified in A549 cells transfected with NTC9385P2-O2 [and NTC9385P2(0.85)-O2] is indicated as well as the cryptic splice acceptor and cryptic splice donor used in this cryptic exon. The location and orientation of an experimentally verified cryptic pUC origin promoter (Lemp et al., Supra, 2012) is shown (cryptic promoter). Splice signals and promoters were detected as described in FIG. 2. The location of the regions removed in the NTC9385P2(0.85)-O1, NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O1, NTC9385P2(0.85)-O2 and NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O2 vectors are indicated (0.85 region 1 and 0.85 region 2).

[0135] FIG. 4 shows an annotated map of the NTC9385P2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385P2a-O2-EGFP intronic pUC origin-RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors with the locations and orientations of the intronic RNA-OUT selectable marker, pUC replication origin (pUC origin) trpA terminator (SEQ ID NO: 29) and other key elements indicated. These vectors contain a 1436 bp intron.

[0136] FIG. 5 shows plasmid quality from intronic pUC origin-RNA-OUT expression vectors NTC9385P2a-O1-EGFP, NTC9385P2a-O2-EGFP, NTC9385P2-O1-EGFP and NTC9385P2-O2-EGFP vectors versus a comparator spacer region encoded pUC origin-RNA-OUT expression vector (NTC8385-EGFP). The top gel is a SYBR Green I prestain, the bottom gel is after SYBR Green II poststaining for 2 hrs followed by further electrophoresis to allow detection of shadow band or replication intermediates. SYBR Green I and II were obtained from Invitrogen (Carlsbad, Calif., USA).

[0137] FIG. 6 depicts the NTC9385R2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385R2a-O2-EGFP intronic R6K origin-RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors with the locations and orientations of the intronic RNA-OUT selectable marker, R6K gamma replication origin (R6K mini-origin) trpA terminator (SEQ ID NO: 27) and other key elements indicated. These vectors contain a 685 bp intron.

[0138] FIG. 7 depicts the NTC9385C2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385C2a-O2-EGFP intronic ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors with the locations and orientations of the intronic RNA-OUT selectable marker, ColE2-P9 replication origin (Replication origin) primosomal assembly site (bacterial region is SEQ ID NO: 24) and other key elements indicated. These vectors contain a 499 bp intron.

[0139] FIG. 8 shows plasmid quality from Table 7 fermentations of intronic R6K origin-RNA-OUT expression vectors NTC9385R2-O1-EGFP, NTC9385R2-O2-EGFP, NTC9385R2a-O1-EGFP and NTC9385R2a-O2-EGFP vectors, versus a comparator spacer region encoded R6K origin-RNA-OUT expression vector (NTC9385R-EGFP). The gel is a SYBR Green I prestain. No replication intermediates or shadow band were detected after SYBR Green II poststain for 2 hrs followed by further electrophoresis.

[0140] FIG. 9 depicts the NTC9385R2b-O2-EGFP intronic R6K origin-spacer region RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vectors with the locations and orientations of the spacer region RNA-OUT selectable marker, intronic R6K gamma replication origin (R6K mini-origin SEQ ID NO: 11) trpA terminator and other key elements indicated. This vector contains a 539 bp intron.

[0141] FIG. 10 shows pMB1 and ColE1 RNA I RNA selectable markers. The RNAI promoter (−35 and −10) and RNAI antisense repressor RNA (italics; SEQ ID NO:33) is shown as well the location of the pUC high copy number G to A mutation (RNAI selectable marker: SEQ ID NO: 34)

[0142] FIG. 11 shows an IncB RNAI based RNA selectable marker. A) Genomically expressed target of RNAI RNA selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 37). Plasmid expressed RNAI binding to the pseudoknot in the complementary genomically expressed RNAII target prevents translation of the downstream SacB gene, conferring sucrose resistance. The RNAI −10 and −35 promoter elements are mutated to prevent RNAI expression. B) Structure of plasmid expressed IncB RNAI RNA selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 36) encoding the IncB RNAI antisense repressor (SEQ ID NO: 35).

[0143] FIG. 12 shows a designed synthetic CpG free RNA selectable marker. A) Structure of plasmid expressed engineered CpG free RSM antisense RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) encoding the CpG free antisense repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO: 38). B) Genomically expressed target of engineered CpG free RNA selectable marker, RNA selection-sacB (RNAS). Plasmid expressed engineered CpG free RNA selectable marker binding to the complementary genomically expressed RSM target (SEQ ID NO: 40) prevents translation of the downstream SacB gene, conferring sucrose resistance. Versions of RNA selection-SacB, in which the upstream promoter −35 and −10 promoter elements have either 5/6, 6/6 or 5/6, 5/6 or 5/6, 4/6 basepair match to the TTGACA or TAATAT consensus sequences were made (SEQ ID NO:41; SEQ ID NO: 42) and cloned into the pINT integration vector to create pINT-RNAS (P5/6 6/6), pINT-RNAS (P5/6 4/6) (SEQ ID NO: 43) and pINT-RNAS (P5/6 5/6) (SEQ ID NO: 44).

[0144] FIG. 13 shows the NTC9385RbF-EGFP 3′ UTR R6K, intronic RNA-OUT replicative minicircle expression vector. A) the locations and orientations of the intronic RNA-OUT selectable marker, 3′ UTR R6K gamma Replication origin (R6K mini-origin SEQ ID NO: 11) trpA terminator and other key elements indicated. This NTC9385RbF vector backbone (with EGFP excised, SalI and BglII transgene cloning sites juxtaposed) is presented as SEQ ID NO: 47. An alternative vector backbone, NTC9385RbF-RSM (with EGFP excised, SalI and BglII transgene cloning sites juxtaposed), in which the RNA-OUT selectable marker is substituted with the CpG free RSM antisense RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) is presented as SEQ ID NO: 48. An alternative vector backbone, NTC9385RbF-RNAI (with EGFP excised, SalI and BglII transgene cloning sites juxtaposed), in which the RNA-OUT selectable marker is substituted with the RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) is presented as SEQ ID NO: 49. B) Annotated map of the NTC9385RbF 3′ UTR and polyA region. Open reading frames (cutoff of minimum 20 amino acids) on the complementary strand are indicated with arrowed lines. No open reading frames are present in the sense orientation.

[0145] The invention also relates to compositions and methods for producing short spacer region replicative minicircle plasmids with dramatically improved manufacturing yields and simplified manufacturing compared to alternative short spacer region vectors such as minicircles. The present invention also provides sequences that, when introduced into a vector backbone, increase plasmid encoded transgene expression.

[0146] The invention also relates to compositions and methods for producing high expression level plasmids. The present invention provides sequences that, when introduced into a vector backbone, increase plasmid encoded transgene expression.

[0147] The surprising observation that a ColE2 replication origin-RNA selection marker or R6K replication origin-RNA selectable marker can be utilized as a plasmid encoded transgene expression enhancer is disclosed.

[0148] As described herein, plasmid encoded transgene expression is increased by replacement of the pMB1, ColE1 or pBR322 derived origin-selection marker bacterial region with an R6K origin-RNA selectable marker in the plasmid spacer region. In yet another preferred embodiment, the R6K origin is CpG free. In yet another preferred embodiment, the R6K origin is included with an RNA-OUT selectable marker.

[0149] In yet another preferred embodiment, plasmid encoded transgene expression is increased by replacement of the pMB1, ColE1 or pBR322 derived origin-selection marker bacterial region with a ColE2 origin-RNA selectable marker in the plasmid spacer region. In yet another preferred embodiment, the ColE2 origin is CpG free. In yet another preferred embodiment, the ColE2 origin is included with an RNA-OUT selectable marker. In yet another preferred embodiment, the ColE2 origin is included with a primosome assembly site.

[0150] The surprising observation that a ColE2, R6K, pUC or P.sub.min pUC replication origin can be inserted into an intron of a eukaryotic RNA Pol II transcription unit without decreasing intron efficiency or transgene expression is disclosed.

[0151] The surprising observation that a ColE2 or R6K, replication origin can be inserted into an 3′ UTR of a eukaryotic RNA Pol II transcription unit without decreasing transgene expression is disclosed.

[0152] As described herein, plasmid encoded transgene expression is improved by replacement of the vector spacer region encoded replication origin with an R6K origin in an intron or 3′ UTR of a eukaryotic RNA Pol II transcription unit. In yet another preferred embodiment, the R6K origin is CpG free. In yet another preferred embodiment, the R6K origin is included with an RNA-OUT selectable marker.

[0153] In yet another preferred embodiment, plasmid encoded transgene expression is improved by replacement of the vector spacer region encoded replication origin with a ColE2 origin in an intron or 3′ UTR of a eukaryotic RNA Pol II transcription unit. In yet another preferred embodiment, the ColE2 origin is CpG free. In yet another preferred embodiment, the ColE2 origin is included with an RNA-OUT selectable marker. In yet another preferred embodiment, the ColE2 origin is included with a primosome assembly site.

[0154] In yet another preferred embodiment, plasmid encoded transgene expression is improved by replacement of the vector spacer region encoded replication origin with a pUC origin in an intron of a eukaryotic RNA Pol II transcription unit. In yet another preferred embodiment, the pUC origin is included with an RNA-OUT selectable marker.

[0155] In yet another preferred embodiment, plasmid encoded transgene expression is improved by replacement of the vector spacer region encoded replication origin with a P.sub.min pUC origin in an intron of a eukaryotic RNA Pol II transcription unit. In yet another preferred embodiment, the P.sub.min pUC origin is included with an RNA-OUT selectable marker.

[0156] Improved plasmid encoded transgene expression is defined herein as improved transgene expression level and/or expression duration in vitro or in vivo compared to a transgene encoding pUC plasmid containing a spacer region encoded pUC replication origin.

EXAMPLES

[0157] The methods of the invention are further illustrated by the following examples. These are provided by way of illustration and are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the invention.

Example 1: pUC, R6K and ColE2 Replication Origin Plasmid Replication and Production

[0158] pUC origin vector replication and production background: The vast majority of therapeutic plasmids use the pUC origin which is a high copy derivative of the pMB1 origin (closely related to the ColE1 origin). For pMB1 replication, plasmid DNA synthesis is unidirectional and does not require a plasmid borne initiator protein. The pUC origin is a copy up derivative of the pMB1 origin that deletes the accessory ROP (rom) protein and has an additional temperature sensitive mutation that destabilizes the RNAI/RNAII interaction. Shifting of a culture containing these origins from 30 to 42° C. leads to an increase in plasmid copy number. pUC plasmids can be produced in a multitude of E. coli cell lines. pUC plasmid propagation and fermentations reported herein were performed using cell line NTC48165=DH5α dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB or NTC54208=XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB the creation of which are disclosed in Carnes A E, Luke J M, Vincent J M, Schukar A, Anderson S, Hodgson C P, and Williams J A. 2011 Biotechnol Bioeng 108:354-363.

[0159] R6K origin vector replication and production background: The R6K gamma plasmid replication origin requires a single plasmid replication protein π that binds as a replication initiating monomer to multiple repeated ‘iteron’ sites (seven core repeats containing TGAGNG consensus) and as a replication inhibiting dimer to repressive sites (TGAGNG) and to iterons with reduced affinity. Replication requires multiple host factors including IHF, DnaA, and primosomal assembly proteins DnaB, DnaC, DnaG (Abhyankar et al., 2003 J Biol Chem 278:45476-45484). The R6K core origin contains binding sites for DnaA and IHF that affect plasmid replication since n, IHF and DnaA interact to initiate replication.

[0160] Different versions of the R6K gamma replication origin have been utilized in various eukaryotic expression vectors, for example pCOR vectors (Soubrier et al., 1999, Gene Therapy 6:1482) and a CpG free version in pCpGfree vectors (Invivogen, San Diego Calif.), and pGM169 (University of Oxford). Incorporation of the R6K replication origin per se does not improve transgene expression levels compared to an optimized pUC origin vector (Soubrier et al., Supra, 1999). However, use of a conditional replication origin such as R6K gamma that requires a specialized cell line for propagation adds a safety margin since the vector will not replicate if transferred to a patient's endogenous flora.

[0161] A highly minimalized R6K gamma derived replication origin (SEQ ID NO:11) that contains core sequences required for replication (including the DnaA box and stb 1-3 sites; Wu et al., 1995. J Bacteriol. 177: 6338-6345), but with the upstream π dimer repressor binding sites and downstream π promoter deleted (by removing one copy of the iterons) was disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference. The NTC9385R vector backbone (SEQ ID NO: 62) including this minimalized R6K origin and the RNA-OUT AF selectable marker in the spacer region, was disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference.

[0162] Typical R6K production strains express from the genome the π protein derivative PIR116 that contains a P106L substitution that increases copy number (by reducing π dimerization; π monomers activate while π dimers repress). Fermentation results with pCOR (Soubrier et al., Supra, 1999) and pCpG plasmids (Hebel H L, Cai Y, Davies L A, Hyde S C, Pringle I A, Gill D R. 2008. Mol Ther 16: S110) were low, around 100 mg/L in PIR116 cell lines.

[0163] Mutagenesis of the pir-116 replication protein and selection for increased copy number has been used to make new production strains. For example, the TEX2pir42 strain contains a combination of P106L and P42L. The P42L mutation interferes with DNA looping replication repression. The TEX2pir42 cell line improved copy number and fermentation yields with pCOR plasmids with reported yields of 205 mg/L (Soubrier F. Circular DNA molecule having a conditional origin of replication, process for their preparation and their use in gene therapy. World Patent Application WO2004033664. 2004).

[0164] Other combinations of π copy number mutants that improve copy number include ‘P42L and P113S’ and ‘P42L, P106L and F107S’ (Abhyankar et al., 2004. J Biol Chem 279:6711-6719).

[0165] RNA-OUT selectable marker-R6K plasmid propagation and fermentations reported herein were performed using heat inducible ‘P42L, P106L and F107S’ π copy number mutant cell line NTC711231, the creation of which is disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference. NTC711231=NTC54208-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3−). NTC54208=XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB. Fermentations were additionally performed in the equivalent DH5α host strain NTC711772=NTC48165-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3-). NTC48165=DH5α dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB. Fermentations were also performed using host strain NTC731871, a ‘P42L, P113S’ π copy number mutant cell line which is equivalent to NTC711231 except for use of the alternative ‘P42L, P113S’ π copy number mutant disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’.

[0166] ColE2 origin vector replication and production background: The ColE2 replication origin (for example, ColE2-P9) is highly conserved across the ColE2-related plasmid family. Fifteen members are compared in Hiraga et al., Supra, 1994, and fifty three ColE2 related plasmid members including ColE3 are compared in Yagura et al., Supra, both references are included herein by reference. Plasmids containing this origin are normally 10 copies/cell (low copy number). For gene therapy vector application, ColE2 replication origin vector copy number needs to be improved dramatically.

[0167] Expression of the ColE2-P9 replication (Rep) protein is regulated by antisense RNA (RNAI). Copy number mutations have been identified that interfere with this regulation and raise the copy number to 40/cell (Takechi et al., 1994 Mol Gen Genet 244:49-56).

[0168] RNA-OUT selectable marker-ColE2 plasmid propagation and fermentations were performed using heat inducible ‘G194D’ Rep protein copy number mutant cell line NTC710351 the creation of which is disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference.

[0169] The following vectors including NTC9385C (SEQ ID NO: 63) containing the minimal ColE2-P9 origin (Yagura and Itoh 2006 Biochem Biophys Res Commun 345:872-877) and various origin region modifications were disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference.

[0170] +7-ssiA: This combines the ColE2 origin (+7) (SEQ ID NO:13) with ssiA from plasmid R6K (SEQ ID NO:17). Thus ssiA vectors contain, in addition to the ColE2-P9 origin, a downstream primosome assembly site. Like most plasmid origins, the ColE2 origin contains a primosomal assembly site about 100 bp downstream of the origin (Nomura et al., Supra, 1991). This site primes lagging strand DNA replication (Masai et al., 1990 J Biol Chem 265:15124-15133) which may improve plasmid copy number or plasmid quality. The ColE2 PAS (ssiA) is similar to PAS-BH (ColE1 ssiA=PAS-BL Marians et al., 1982 J Biol Chem 257:5656-5662) and both sites (and PAS-BH) are CpG rich ØX174 type PAS. A CpG free PAS (ssiA from R6K; Nomura et al., Supra, 1991; SEQ ID NO:17) that acts as a dnaA, dnaB dnaC (ABC) primosome on a dnaA box hairpin sequence (Masai et al., Supra, 1990) was selected for inclusion in the +7-ssiA vectors. Alternative ABC or ØX174 type PAS sequences are functionally equivalent to ssiA from R6K, and may be substituted for ssiA in these ColE2 replication origin vectors. NTC9385C incorporates the +7-ssiA origin region.

[0171] +7 CpG free-ssiA (SEQ ID NO:18): This combines the ColE2 replication origin (+7 CpG free) (SEQ ID NO:16) with ssiA from plasmid R6K (SEQ ID NO:17). The single CpG in the ColE2 replication origin was removed from the vector by site directed mutagenesis. A version with flanking SphI and KpnI restriction sites for cloning is disclosed as SEQ ID NO: 19.

[0172] Yagura et al., Supra, 2006 have demonstrated that the Min ColE2 Replication origin (SEQ ID NO:14, which is reverse complement of residues 7-38, in FIG. 1 of Yagura et al., Supra, 2006) can be further deleted without eliminating replication function. Yagura et al., Supra, 2006, demonstrated that the core sequence is residues 8-35, with residues 5-36 are required for full activity. The +7 ColE2 Replication origin (SEQ ID NO:13; which is the reverse complement of residues 0-44 in FIG. 1 of Yagura et al., Supra, 2006) could therefore be reduced to span residues 8-35 or 5-36 of FIG. 1 of Yagura et al., Supra, 2006 (SEQ ID NO:15). Such vectors should replicate similarly to the disclosed vectors. As well, a number of base changes can be made within the core ColE2 origin 8-34 region that do not affect ColE2 replication (see changes to residues that retain function in Table 2; Yagura et al., Supra, 2006).

[0173] The +7(CpG free)-ssiA ColE2 origin (SEQ ID NO 18) or +7(CpG free) ColE2 origin (SEQ ID NO 16) are smaller CpG free replication origin alternatives to the 260 bp CpG free R6K replication origins (SEQ ID NO:12). CpG free ColE2 origins may be utilized to construct CpG free plasmid vectors. Combinations of a CpG free ColE2 or R6K replication origin with a CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22) may be utilized to construct antibiotic-free CpG free bacterial regions for CpG free plasmid vectors (e.g. SEQ ID NO:25; SEQ ID NO:28). A CpG free R6K-RNA-OUT bacterial region was created by replacement of the kanR marker in a CpG free R6K replication origin (SEQ ID NO:12) vector with a CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (KpnI-SEQ ID NO: 22-BglII restriction fragment). This CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker encoding R6K origin vector was successfully recovered as sucrose resistant colonies after transformation of R6K production host cell line NTC711231. This vector directly links the reverse complement of CpG free R6K replication origin (SEQ ID NO:12) through the KpnI site to the CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22) in the orientation R6K origin>RNA-OUT> as opposed to the divergent orientation <R6K origin RNA-OUT> composition disclosed as SEQ ID NO:28. Expression of an EGFP transgene expressing version of this vector in A549 cells transfected as described in Example 2 was improved at 48 hrs post transfection compared to the kanR parent vector (4657±593 FU versus 3573±388 FU with the kanR parent vector). This demonstrates that various orientations of RNA-OUT and the replication origin may be utilized to create replicative minicircle vectors with improved expression, and that alternative RNA selectable markers can be utilized. Further, a CpG free ColE2-RNA bacterial region was created by replacement of the RNA-OUT marker and R6K origin in the CpG free R6K replication origin vector above with the +7(CpG free)-ssiA ColE2 origin (SEQ ID NO 19)-CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22) as a SphI BglII restriction fragment (SEQ ID NO: 25). This CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker encoding ColE2 origin vector was successfully recovered as sucrose resistant colonies after transformation of ColE2 production host cell line NTC710351. Expression of an EGFP transgene expressing version of this CpG free ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT vector in A549 cells transfected as described in Example 2 was improved at 48 hrs post transfection compared to the CpG free R6K-RNA-OUT-vector described above (1921±123 FU with the CpG free ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT vector versus 1579±207 FU with the CpG free R6K origin-RNA-OUT vector). The successful construction of these disclosed vectors demonstrate that CpG free ColE2 or R6K replication origins can be combined with a CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker to construct antibiotic-free CpG free bacterial regions for CpG free plasmid vectors. The cell lines for selection (e.g. NTC711231, NTC711772, or NTC731871 for R6K and NTC710351 for ColE2) may be modified to alter the RNA-IN sequence in attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB to match the CpG free RNA-OUT encoded single base change that removes the CpG motif in the RNA-OUT RNA that is present in the RNA-IN complementary region (CpG free RNAIN). For example, robust sucrose selection and high plasmid yields and quality were obtained after transformation of CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22) CpG free R6K origin (SEQ ID NO: 12) vectors into R6K production host NTC791342=XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-CpG free RNA-IN-SacB-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3-) which incorporates the one bp change in RNA-IN needed to perfectly complement the CpG free RNA-OUT. For example, CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22)-CpG free ColE2 origin-CpG free ssiA (SEQ ID NO: 18) (incorporating the CpG free ColE2 RNA-OUT bacterial region; SEQ ID NO: 25) vectors may be propagated in ColE2 production host NTC791381=XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-CpG free RNA-IN-SacB-pR pL (OL 1-G to T) ColE2rep G194D which incorporates the one bp change in RNA-IN needed to perfectly complement the CpG free RNA-OUT.

[0174] An alternative CpG free RNA selectable marker that may be substituted for the CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker in the creation of CpG free plasmid vectors is the RSM selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) with flanking CpG free restriction sites (e.g. KpnI, BglII) replacing the CpG containing DraIII restriction site. Alternatively, the RSM antisense repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO: 38) with flanking CpG free promoter and terminator sequences could be substituted for the CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker in the creation of CpG free plasmid vectors.

[0175] Use of a conditional replication origin such as these ColE2 origins that requires a specialized cell line for propagation adds a safety margin since the vector will not replicate if transferred to a patients endogenous flora.

Example 2: NTC9385R and NTC9385C Vector Construction, Manufacture and Expression

[0176] The NTC9385C and NTC9385R AF eukaryotic expression vectors incorporating novel ColE2-P9 or R6K derived vector origins, respectively were made. To replace the spacer region encoded pUC origin with a ColE2 origin, the ColE2 origin (+7) (SEQ ID NO:13) combined with ssiA from plasmid R6K (SEQ ID NO:17) from Example 1 was used to make NTC9385C (SEQ ID NO: 63). To replace the spacer region encoded pUC origin with a R6K origin the R6K origin (SEQ ID NO:11) from Example 1 was used to make NTC9385R (SEQ ID NO: 62). The R6K gamma origin vector was constructed by swapping in the R6K gamma origin (SEQ ID NO:1) in a NotI-DraIII R6K origin synthetic gene for the corresponding NotI-DraIII pUC origin region. The ColE2 origin vector was constructed in a similar fashion, by swapping in the +7 ssiA ColE2 origin in a NheI-DraIII synthetic gene for the corresponding NheI-DraIII pUC origin region.

[0177] The 466 bp Bacterial region [NheI site-trpA terminator-R6K Origin-RNA-OUT-KpnI site] for NTC9385R and NTC9685R is shown in SEQ ID NO:26. The 281 bp Bacterial region [NheI site-ssiA-ColE2 Origin (+7)-RNA-OUT-KpnI site] for NTC9385C and NTC9685C is shown in SEQ ID NO:23.

[0178] High fermentation yields in HyperGRO media are obtained with these vectors. For example 392 mg/mL with NTC9385R-EGFP in R6K production cell line NTC711231 and 672 mg/L with NTC9385C-EGFP in ColE2 production cell line NTC710351 (Table 7).

[0179] These are just a few possible nonlimiting short spacer region vector configurations. Many alternative vector configurations incorporating the novel R6K or ColE2 origin vector modifications may also be made, including but not limited to vectors with alternative selection markers, alternative promoters, alternative terminators, and different orientations of the various vector-encoded elements or alternative R6K or ColE2 origins as described in Examples 1 to 11.

[0180] An example strategy for cloning into these vectors is outlined below.

TABLE-US-00001 GTCGACATG--------Gene of SalI interest----Stop codon------AGATCT                          BglII

[0181] For the NTC9385C and NTC9385R vectors, the ATG start codon (double underlined) is immediately preceded by a unique SalI site. The SalI site is an effective Kozak sequence for translational initiation.

[0182] EGFP and muSEAP transgene versions of NTC9385C and NTC9385R were constructed by standard restriction fragment swaps. The muSEAP gene is secreted using its endogenous secretion signal, while EGFP is cell associated. Expression levels in vitro were determined using EGFP, while expression levels in vivo were determined using muSEAP. Expression levels were compared to the NTC8685 vector, the gWIZ vector, and a minicircle comparator. NTC8685 and gWIZ are examples of vectors comprising a spacer region greater than 500 basepairs.

[0183] Adherent HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) and A549 (human lung carcinoma), cell lines were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, Va., USA). Cell lines were propagated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium/F12 containing 10% fetal bovine serum and split (0.25% trypsin-EDTA) using Invitrogen (Carlsbad, Calif., USA) reagents and conventional methodologies. For transfections, cells were plated on 24-well tissue culture dishes. plasmids were transfected into cell lines using Lipofectamine 2000 following the manufacturer's instructions (Invitrogen).

[0184] Total cellular lysates for EGFP determination were prepared by resuspending cells in cell lysis buffer (BD Biosciences Pharmingen, San Diego, Calif., USA), lysing cells by incubating for 30 min at 37° C., followed by a freeze-thaw cycle at −80° C. Lysed cells were clarified by centrifugation and the supernatants assayed for EGFP by FLX800 microplate fluorescence reader (Bio-Tek, Winooski, Vt., USA). The results are summarized in Tables 3 and 8.

[0185] Groups of five mice were injected with plasmid DNA in an IACUC-approved study. Five micrograms of muSEAP plasmid in 25 or 50 μL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) was injected intramuscularly (IM) into a tibialis cranialis muscles of female BALB/c mice or ND4 Swiss Webster mice (8 to 10 weeks old) followed by Ichor TriGrid electroporation. SEAP levels in serum were determined using the Phospha-light SEAP Reporter Gene Assay System from Applied Biosystems (Foster City, Calif.) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The results are summarized below.

[0186] The NTC9385C and NTC9385R vectors had similar expression to the NTC8685 vector in vitro, and higher expression than the gWIZ comparator (Table 1). Thus substitution of the R6K or ColE2 replication origin for the pUC origin in the spacer region was not detrimental for eukaryotic cell expression. However, surprisingly, in vivo expression was dramatically improved compared to NTC8685 or gWIZ with the ColE2 and R6K origin vectors (Table 1). For example the NTC9385C vector was unexpectedly improved 1.5 to 3.8× that of NTC8385 or NTC8685 (Table 1) after IM delivery with EP.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 gWIZ, NTC9385C and NTC9385R Nanoplasmid expression compared to NTC8685 % % % % % NTC8685 NTC8685 NTC8685 NTC8685 NTC8685 expression expression expression expression T = 7 T = 7 T = 7 T = 7 expression days days days days Plasmid in vitro .sup.a BALB/c .sup.b ND4 .sup.b BALB/c .sup.b ND4 .sup.b gWIZ 58 59 57 21 57 NTC8385 NA NA 101 NA 101 NTC9385C 92 377 349 150 233 NTC9385R NA NA 154 NA 216 Minicircle .sup.c NA 89 NA 40 NA .sup.a 100 ng/well EGFP transgene vectors transfected with lipofectamine into HEK293 cells .sup.b murine SEAP (muSEAP) transgene vectors in 8-10 week old BALB/c or ND4 Swiss Webster female mice, 5 μg dose with EP intramuscular into one anterior tibialis muscle followed by Ichor TriGrid electroporation. 25 μL dose for ND4 mice, 50 μL dose for BALB/c. .sup.c Minicircle equivalent to NTC9385C or NTC9385R, with NheI-KpnI region containing the replication origin and RNA-OUT selectable marker (bacterial region) removed from NTC8385-muSEAP by SpeI/NheI digestion, gel purification of the eukaryotic region, in vitro ligation and supercoiling with DNA gyrase. The SpeI site is the same site used to trimcate the CMV promoter to make NTC8685, NTC9385C and NTC9385R vectors so the minicircle eukaryotic region is the same as NTC9385C-muSEAP and NTC9385R-muSEAP, the difference being the C2 and RNA-OUT region including the KpnI site is deleted in the minicircle. NA = Not assayed

[0187] This improved in vivo expression was not specific to the CMV promoter. Versions of NTC8685-muSEAP and NTC9385C-muSEAP were constructed in which the murine creatine kinase (MCK) promoter (3 copies of the MCK Enhancer upstream of the MCK promoter and 50 bp of the MCK exon 1 leader sequence; Wang B, Li J, Fu F H, Chen C, Zhu X, Zhou L, Jiang X, Xiao X. 2008. Gene Ther 15:1489) was substituted for the CMV promoter. The swaps replaced the entire CMV enhancer CMV promoter-exon 1 leader (NTC8685: from a XbaI site immediately after the SV40 enhancer to a SacII site in the CMV derived exon 1 leader sequence; NTC9385C: from the KpnI site to a SacII site in the CMV derived exon 1 leader sequence) with the MCK enhancer, MCK promoter-exon 1 leader retaining the HTLV-I R portion of exon 1. Purified plasmid DNA from the resultant vectors, NTC8685-MCK-muSEAP (4847 bp) and NTC9385C-MCK-muSEAP (3203 bp), was injected IM into one anterior tibialis muscle of 8-10 week old BALB/c female mice (5 mice/group), 5 μg dose in 50 μL, followed by Ichor TriGrid electroporation as described in Table 1. SEAP levels in serum was determined on day 28 (T=28) post delivery. The NTC9385C-MCK-muSEAP vector (98.4±55.8) had 4.5× higher average expression than NTC8685-MCK-muSEAP (22.0±10.9). All 5 NTC9385C-MCK-muSEAP injected mice had higher muSEAP levels than any of the NTC8685-muSEAP mice. This demonstrates that improved in vivo expression with the Nanoplasmid vectors of the invention is not specific to the CMV promoter.

Example 3: NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2a, NTC9385C2, NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, and NTC9385R2a Vector Construction

[0188] A series of AF eukaryotic expression vectors incorporating intronic AF-pUC origin, AF-R6K origin or AF-ColE2 replication origins are disclosed.

[0189] FIG. 2 shows bioinformatics analysis of an intron containing the gWIZ vector bacterial region (GBR2) encoded kanR selection marker-pUC origin. This intron is predicted have reduced splicing efficiency and splicing precision due to the presence of numerous splice acceptor sites, splice donor sites, and eukaryotic promoters in the kanR gene. Replacement of the kanR gene with the RNA-OUT antibiotic-free marker results in an improved intron (FIG. 3) since the RNA-OUT sequence is not predicted to contain splice acceptor sites, splice donor sites, or eukaryotic promoters in either orientation.

[0190] However, the pUC origin does contain an experimentally verified cryptic eukaryotic promoter (FIG. 3) which likely would interfere with intron function. In addition, the close proximity of the pUC origin to the CMV enhancer repeats in an intronic vector is predicted to result in aberrant replication termination, resulting in replication intermediates which unacceptably reduce plasmid quality (Levy J. 2004. U.S. Pat. No. 6,709,844). So an intronically located pUC origin would be expected to interfere with eukaryotic intron function, and plasmid production quality.

[0191] The R6K and ColE2 origins do not contain predicted splice acceptor sites, splice donor sites, or eukaryotic promoters in either orientation. Replacement of the pUC origin with the R6K or ColE2 origins results in a improved intron design since the RNA-OUT-R6K and RNA-OUT-ColE2 bacterial region is not predicted to contain splice acceptor sites, splice donor sites, or eukaryotic promoters in either orientation.

[0192] NTC9385P2 and NTC9385P2a pUC origin replicative minicircle vectors: NTC8485-EGFP (FIG. 1) disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2010 contains the CMV enhancer and promoter upstream of a chimeric HTLV-IR rabbit β globin intron (SEQ ID NO: 1). The NTC8485-EGFP vector (FIG. 1) was linearized with HpaI which cuts internally within the intron (FIG. 1; SEQ ID NO: 1) leaving a blunt end. The pUC origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region was excised from NTC8385 by digestion with NheI (4 bp protruding 5′ sticky end was blunted by end filling using klenow enzyme) and KpnI (4 bp recessed 5′ sticky end was blunted by end chewing using T4 DNA polymerase enzyme) (SEQ ID NO: 29). The two fragments were ligated and clones in either orientation (NTC8485P2-O1-EGFP or NTC8485P2-O2-EGFP) identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0193] The NTC8485 encoded bacterial region and CMV enhancer encoded boundary element (NheI site to SpeI site; FIG. 1) was removed by digestion of NTC8485P2-O1-EGFP and NTC8485P2-O2-EGFP with NheI and SpeI and subsequent ligation (NheI and SpeI have compatible 4 bp sticky ends). Recombinant clones (NTC9385P2-O1-EGFP or NTC9385P2-O2-EGFP respectively) were identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0194] The NTC8485 encoded bacterial region (NheI site to XbaI site; FIG. 1) was removed by digestion of NTC8485P2-O1-EGFP and NTC8485P2-O2-EGFP with NheI and XbaI and subsequent ligation (NheI and XbaI have compatible 4 bp sticky ends). Recombinant clones (NTC9385P2a-O1-EGFP or NTC9385P2a-O2-EGFP respectively; FIG. 4) were identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0195] The construction and isolation of these four NTC9385P clones demonstrates that the pUC origin and RNA-OUT selectable marker can both function when located in an intron, in either orientation. Plasmid quality was evaluated by agarose gel analysis of plasmid preps from the four intronic pUC origin-RNA-OUT vectors, and the spacer region encoded pUC-RNA-OUT vector NTC8385. Surprisingly, plasmid quality was high, and no replication intermediates were identified (FIG. 5) despite the close proximity of the pUC origin to the CMV enhancer (Levy, Supra, 2004).

[0196] NTC9385R2 and NTC9385R2a clones: The NTC8485-EGFP vector (FIG. 1) was linearized with HpaI which cuts internally within the intron (FIG. 1; SEQ ID NO: 1) leaving a blunt end. The R6K origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region was excised from NTC9385R by digestion with NheI (4 bp protruding 5′ sticky end was blunted by end filling using klenow enzyme) and KpnI (4 bp recessed 5′ sticky end was blunted by end chewing using T4 DNA polymerase enzyme) (SEQ ID NO: 27). The two fragments were ligated and clones in either orientation (NTC8485R2-O1-EGFP or NTC8485R2-O2-EGFP) identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0197] The NTC8485 encoded bacterial region and CMV enhancer encoded boundary element (NheI site to SpeI site; FIG. 1) was removed by digestion of NTC8485R2-O1-EGFP and NTC8485R2-O2-EGFP with NheI and SpeI and subsequent ligation (NheI and SpeI have compatible 4 bp sticky ends). Recombinant clones (NTC9385R2-O1-EGFP or NTC9385R2-O2-EGFP respectively) were identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0198] The NTC8485 encoded bacterial region (NheI site to XbaI site; FIG. 1) was removed by digestion of NTC8485R2-O1-EGFP and NTC8485R2-O2-EGFP with NheI and XbaI and subsequent ligation (NheI and XbaI have compatible 4 bp sticky ends). Recombinant clones (NTC9385R2a-O1-EGFP or NTC9385R2a-O2-EGFP respectively; FIG. 6) were identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0199] The construction and isolation of these four NTC9385R2 derived clones demonstrates that the R6K origin and RNA-OUT selectable marker can both function when located in an intron, in either orientation. Plasmid quality was evaluated by agarose gel analysis of plasmid preps from the four intronic R6K origin-RNA-OUT vectors. Surprisingly, plasmid quality was high, and no replication intermediates were identified (not shown) despite the close proximity of the origin to the CMV enhancer (Levy, Supra, 2004).

[0200] NTC9385C2 and NTC9385C2a clones: The NTC8485-EGFP vector (FIG. 1) was linearized with HpaI which cuts internally within the intron (FIG. 1; SEQ ID NO: 1) leaving a blunt end. The ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT bacterial region was excised from NTC9385C by digestion with NheI (4 bp protruding 5′ sticky end was blunted by end filling using klenow enzyme) and KpnI (4 bp recessed 5′ sticky end was blunted by end chewing using T4 DNA polymerase enzyme) (SEQ ID NO: 24). The two fragments were ligated and clones in either orientation (NTC8485C2-O1-EGFP or NTC8485C2-O2-EGFP) identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0201] The NTC8485 encoded bacterial region and CMV enhancer encoded boundary element (NheI site to SpeI site; FIG. 1) was removed by digestion of NTC8485C2-O1-EGFP and NTC8485C2-O2-EGFP with NheI and SpeI and subsequent ligation (NheI and SpeI have compatible 4 bp sticky ends). Recombinant clones (NTC9385C2-O1-EGFP or NTC9385C2-O2-EGFP respectively) were identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0202] The NTC8485 encoded bacterial region (NheI site to XbaI site; FIG. 1) was removed by digestion of NTC8485C2-O1-EGFP and NTC8485C2-O2-EGFP with NheI and XbaI and subsequent ligation (NheI and XbaI have compatible 4 bp sticky ends). Recombinant clones (NTC9385C2a-O1-EGFP or NTC9385C2a-O2-EGFP respectively; FIG. 7) were identified by restriction mapping and confirmed by DNA sequencing.

[0203] The construction and isolation of these four NTC9385C clones demonstrates that the ColE2 origin and RNA-OUT selectable marker can both function when located in an intron, in either orientation. Plasmid quality was evaluated by agarose gel analysis of plasmid preps from the four intronic ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT vectors. Surprisingly, plasmid quality was high, and no replication intermediates were identified (not shown) despite the close proximity of the origin to the CMV enhancer (Levy, Supra, 2004).

[0204] Summary: The NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2a, NTC9385C2, NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, and NTC9385R2a replicative minicircle vectors are just a few possible nonlimiting intronic bacterial region replicative minicircle vector configurations. Many alternative vector configurations incorporating the novel intronic pUC, R6K or ColE2 origin vector modifications may also be made, including but not limited to vectors with alternative selection markers, alternative promoters, alternative introns, alternative polyadenylation sequences, a spacer region preferably less than 500 bp between the eukaryotic polyadenylation signal and the eukaryotic promoter, a eukaryotic transcription terminator between the eukaryotic polyadenylation signal and the eukaryotic promoter, S/MAR, SIDD sites, boundary elements, multiple transcription units separated by a spacer region, and different orientations of the various vector-encoded elements or alternative R6K or ColE2 origins as described in Example 1.

[0205] An example strategy for cloning into the NTC9385R, NTC9385C, NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2a, NTC9385C2, NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, and NTC9385R2a etc vectors is outlined below.

TABLE-US-00003 GTCGACATG--------Gene of SalI  interest----Stop codon------AGATCT                          BglII

[0206] The ATG start codon (double underlined) may be immediately preceded by a unique SalI site (GTCGACATG) This SalI-ATG site is an effective kozak sequence for translational initiation. Alternatively, a kozak sequence-ATG (e.g. gccRccATG) may be included downstream of the SalI site.

[0207] Alternatively, the SalI site may be downstream in frame with an optimized secretion sequence such as TPA or an alternative peptide leader such as ubiquitin, etc.

[0208] For precise cloning, genes are copied by PCR amplification from clones, cDNA, or genomic DNA using primers with SalI (5′ end) and BglII (3′ end) sites or Type IIS enzymes that create SalI or BglII compatible termini. Alternatively, genes are synthesized chemically to be compatible with the unique SalI/BglII cloning sites in these vectors.

[0209] For all vectors one or two stop codons (preferably TAA or TGA) may be included after the open reading frame, prior to the BglII site.

Example 4: NTC9385P2, NTC9385P2a, NTC9385C2, NTC9385C2a, NTC9385R2, and NTC9385R2a Vector Expression

[0210] To determine intronic replicative minicircle vector eukaryotic region function, transgene expression levels were determined in vitro using the vector encoded EGFP transgene. EGFP mRNA, EGFP protein (EGFP fluorescence) and mRNA splice junctions were determined after plasmid transfection.

[0211] Adherent HEK293 (human embryonic kidney) and A549 (human lung carcinoma), cell lines were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (Manassas, Va., USA). Cell lines were propagated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium/F12 containing 10% fetal bovine serum and split (0.25% trypsin-EDTA) using Invitrogen (Carlsbad, Calif., USA) reagents and conventional methodologies. For transfections, cells were plated on 24-well tissue culture dishes. Plasmids were transfected into cell lines using Lipofectamine 2000 following the manufacturer's instructions (Invitrogen, Carlsbad Calif.).

[0212] Total cellular lysates for EGFP determination were prepared by resuspending cells in cell lysis buffer (BD Biosciences Pharmingen, San Diego, Calif., USA), lysing cells by incubating for 30 min at 37° C., followed by a freeze-thaw cycle at −80° C. Lysed cell supernatants were assayed for EGFP by FLX800 microplate fluorescence reader (Bio-Tek, Winooski, Vt., USA).

[0213] Cytoplasmic RNA was isolated from transfected HEK293 and A549 cells using the protein and RNA isolation system (PARIS kit, Ambion, Austin Tex.) and quantified by A260. Samples were DNase treated (DNA-free DNase; Ambion, Austin Tex.) prior to reverse transcription using the Agpath-ID One step RT-PCR kit (Ambion, Austin Tex.) with the EGFP transgene specific complementary strand primer EGFPR (FIG. 1). Intron splicing was determined by PCR amplification of the reverse transcribed cytoplasmic RNA with the EGFP5Rseq and CMVF5seq primers (FIG. 1). EGFP mRNA levels in the reverse transcribed cytoplasmic RNA were quantified by quantitative PCR using a TaqMan EGFP transgene 6FAM-probe-MGBNFQ probe and flanking primers EGFPR and EGFPF (FIG. 1) in a TaqMan Gene expression assay using Applied Biosystems (Foster City, Calif.) TaqMan reagents and the Step One Real Time PCR System. Methods and primer and probe sequences are described in Luke J M, Vincent J M, Du S X, Gerdemann U, Leen A M, Whalen R G, Hodgson C P, and Williams J A. 2011. Gene Therapy 18:334-343 included herein by reference. Linearized vector was used for the RT-PCR standard curve.

[0214] The results are summarized in Tables 2-6. In Table 2 EGFP expression in HEK293 and A549 cell lines after transfection with NTC8485-EGFP (spacer region AF-pUC origin) or NTC8485 derivatives further including intronic AF-pUC, AF-ColE2 or AF-R6K origins (also with spacer region AF-pUC origin) is shown. The ColE2 and R6K intronic bacterial regions surprisingly had similar transgene expression levels comparable to the unaltered intron in NTC8485, while expression from the intronic pUC origin was slightly reduced.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 2 Intron encoded RNA-OUT selection/replication origin does not prevent transgene expression NTC8485 NTC8485 A549 FU HEK293 FU Vector Construct vector spacer Vector Intron .sup.a (T = 48 (T = 48 (all EGFP) ID # region .sup.a (intron size) mean ± SD) .sup.b mean ± SD) .sup.b NTC8485 NTC-0200620 T-BH-P-AF HR -β 5886 ± 249 32628 ± 1015 (SV40-BE) (225 bp intron) (1x) (1x) NTC8485C2-O1 073-030-1H T-BH-P-AF HR ←C AF.fwdarw.β 3638 ± 351 25231 ± 2124 (SV40-BE) (499 bp intron) (0.62x) (0.77x) NTC8485C2-O2 073-030-1A T-BH-P-AF HR ←AF C .fwdarw.β 4144 ± 275 26233 ± 1842 (SV40-BE) (499 bp intron) (0.70x) (0.80x) NTC8485R2-O1 073-036-1B T-BH-P-AF HR←T-R AF.fwdarw.β 3656 ± 240 23905 ± 679  (SV40-BE) (685 bp intron) (0.62x) (0.73x) NTC8485R2-O2 073-036-1A T-BH-P-AF HR←AF R-T.fwdarw.β 4062 ± 249 22165 ± 1281 (SV40-BE) (685 bp intron) (0.69x) (0.68x) NTC8485P2-O1 073-041-2L T-BH-P-AF HR← T-P-AF.fwdarw.β 2565 ± 294 20757 ± 1457 (SV40-BE) (1436 bp intron) (0.44x) (0.64x) NTC8485P2-O2 073-041-2E T-BH-P-AF HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.β 2411 ± 320 15333 ± 1145 (SV40-BE) (1436 bp intron) (0.41x) (0.47x) .sup.a trpA term = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT selectable marker = AF; PAS-BH = BH; pUC origin = P; R6K origin = R; ColE2 origin = C; CMV boundary element (XbaI-SpeI fragment) = BE; SV40 enhancer = SV40. Bracketed BE and or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b Fluorescence units = FU ( ) Mean FU standardized to NTC8485

[0215] Conversion of the NTC8485C2, NTC8485R2 and NTC8485P2 (pUC origin-AF spacer region) vectors into replicative minicircles by removal of the pUC origin-AF spacer region to create the corresponding NTC9385C2, NTC9385R2 and NTC9385P2 vectors (Example 3) unexpectedly dramatically increased expression compared to the NTC8485C2, NTC8485R2 and NTC8485P2 parent vectors (Table 3). This demonstrates that the replicative minicircles of the invention unexpectedly improve expression through removal of vector spacer region encoded bacterial region.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 3 Improved expression with intron encoded RNA-OUT selection/replication origin A549 FU .sup.b HEK293 FU .sup.b Vector Construct Vector Spacer (T = 48 (T = 48 (all EGFP) ID # Region .sup.a Vector Intron .sup.a mean ± SD) mean ± SD) NTC8485 NTC- T-BH-P-AF HR -β 5886 ± 249 32628 ± 1015 0200620 (SV40-BE) (1x) (1x) NTC9385C 071-020-2D C-AF HR -β 8591 ± 168 35293 ± 1798 (1.46x) (1.08x) NTC8485C2-O1 073-030-1H T-BH-P-AF HR ←C AF.fwdarw.β 3638 ± 351 25231 ± 2124 (SV40-BE) (0.62x) (0.77x) NTC8485C2-O2 073-030-1A T-BH-P-AF HR ←AF C .fwdarw.β 4144 ± 275 26233 ± 1842 (SV40-BE) (0.70x) (0.80x) NTC9385C2-O1 073-032-5A None HR ← C AF.fwdarw. β 6793 ± 521 24762 ± 1498 (1.15x) (0.76x) NTC9385C2-O2 073-032-6A None HR ←AF C .fwdarw.β 7330 ± 692 24811 ± 1256 (1.25x) (0.76x) NTC9385C2a-O1 073-032-7A None (BE) HR ← C AF.fwdarw.β 7515 ± 282 29444 ± 2193 (1.28x) (0.90x) NTC9385C2a-O2 073-032-8A None (BE) HR ←AF C .fwdarw.β 7255 ± 322 27055 ± 1850 (1.23x) (0.83x) NTC9385R 071-025-2C T-R -AF HR -β 5813 ± 949 29822 ± 661  (0.99x) (0.91x) NTC8485R2-O1 073-036-1B T-BH-P-AF HR←T-R AF.fwdarw.β 3656 ± 240 23905 ± 679  (SV40-BE) (0.62x) (0.73x) NTC8485R2-O2 073-036-1A T-BH-P-AF HR←AF R-T.fwdarw.β 4062 ± 249 22165 ± 1281 (SV40-BE) (0.69x) (0.68x) NTC9385R2-O1 073-038-1A None HR← T-R-AF.fwdarw.β 10959 ± 1278 34521 ± 3694 (1.86x) (1.06x) NTC9385R2-O2 073-038-2A None HR←AF R-T .fwdarw.β 10652 ± 567  31586 ± 1121 (1.81x) (0.97x) NTC9385R2a-O1 073-038-3A None (BE) HR← T-R-AF.fwdarw.β 10699 ± 674  37603 ± 2671 (1.82x) (1.15x) NTC9385R2a-O2 073-038-4A None (BE) HR←AF R-T .fwdarw.β 10251 ± 1343 34086 ± 1518 (1.74x) (1.04x) NTC8485P2-O1 073-041-2L T-BH-P-AF HR← T-P-AF.fwdarw.β 2565 ± 294 20757 ± 1457 (SV40-BE) (0.44x) (0.64x) NTC8485P2-O2 073-041-2E T-BH-P-AF HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.β 2411 ± 320 15333 ± 1145 (SV40-BE) (0.41x) (0.47x) NTC9385P2-O2 073-043-1A None HR←AF P-T .fwdarw.β 5561 ± 497 21838 ± 589  (0.94x) (0.67x) NTC9385P2a-O2 073-043-2A None (BE) HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.β 6291 ± 544 23808 ± 2411 (1.07x) (0.73x) .sup.a trpA term = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT selectable marker = AF; PAS-BH = BH; pUC origin = P; R6K origin = R; ColE2 origin = C; CMV boundary element (XbaI-SpeI fragment) = BE; SV40 enhancer = SV40. Bracketed BE and or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b Fluorescence units = FU ( ) Mean FU standardized to NTC8485

[0216] Table 4 demonstrates that mRNA splicing is accurate and spliced mRNA export efficient with the intronic bacterial regions encoded in NTC9385C2, NTC9385R2 and NTC9385P2. A minor amount of a cryptic 209 bp pUC origin derived exon was identified with NTC9385P2-O2 (but not NTC9385P2-O1) in A549 cells but not HEK293 cells (Table 4; 490 bp band). The cryptic exon sequence was determined by sequencing of the PCR product and the cryptic 209 bp exon utilized cryptic splice donor and acceptor sites within the pUC origin (FIG. 3).

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 4 Intron functional analysis - Splicing accuracy and export efficiency % Predicted spliced Actual spliced EGFP mRNA EGFP exon size exon size # Plasmid Cell line RT-PCR (pg) mRNA.sup.c (unspliced) (PCR) 1 NTC8685 HEK293 448.3 ± 38.7 0.74% 279 (514) 279 .sup.a 2 NTC9385C2-O1 HEK293 274.6 ± 10.3 0.44% 279 (788) 279 .sup.a 3 NTC9385C2-O2 HEK293 227.4 ± 4.9  0.41% 279 (788) 279 .sup.a 4 NTC9385R2-O1 HEK293 398.9 ± 14.8 0.64% 279 (974) 279 .sup.a 5 NTC9385R2-O2 HEK293 350.7 ± 5.2  0.57% 279 (974) 279 .sup.a 6 NTC9385P2-O2 HEK293 181.6 ± 5.5  0.30% 279 (974) 279 .sup.a 7 NTC8485P2-O1 HEK293 160.1 ± 12.3 0.27%  279 (1715) 279 .sup.a 8 NTC8685 A549 50.6 ± 4.3 0.128% 279 (514) 279 .sup.a 9 NTC9385C2-O1 A549 29.2 ± 1.2 0.082% 279 (788) 279.sup.  10 NTC9385C2-O2 A549 23.9 ± 1.4 0.074% 279 (788) 279.sup.  11 NTC9385R2-O1 A549 41.9 ± 1.6 0.116% 279 (974) 279.sup.  12 NTC9385R2-O2 A549 35.8 ± 2.2 0.096% 279 (974) 279 .sup.a 13 NTC9385P2-O2 A549 17.4 ± 0.6 0.050%  279 (1715) 279 .sup.b 14 NTC8485P2-O1 A549  7.0 ± 0.2 0.024%  279 (1715) 279.sup.  .sup.a Correct splice junction verified by DNA sequencing of PCR product .sup.b Faint extra bands at 490 and 650 bp, not present in 6 (HEK293 equivalent) or other samples .sup.c% of total cytoplasmic RNA that is EGFP mRNA

[0217] Table 5 further demonstrates unexpectedly robust expression is observed with all NTC9385C2, NTC9385R2 and NTC93 85P2 replicative minicircle vectors (both orientations, with and without CMV boundary region). Overall, the highest expression is obtained with the R6K replicative minicircle vectors (NTC9385R2-O1; NTC9385R2-O2; NTC9385R2a-O1; NTC9385R2a-O2).

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 5 Intron vector expression efficiency Vector A549 FU HEK293 FU Construct Spacer (T = 48 (T = 48 # Vector (all EGFP) ID # Region .sup.a Vector Intron .sup.a mean ± SD) .sup.b mean ± SD) .sup.b 1 NTC9385C2-O1 073-032-5A None HR ←C AF.fwdarw.β  7581 ± 1145 20868 ± 9153 2 NTC9385C2-O2 073-032-6A None HR ←AF C .fwdarw.β 6012 ± 503 12902 ± 2356 3 NTC9385C2a-O1 073-032-7A (BE) HR ←C AF.fwdarw.β 6018 ± 979 13564 ± 799  4 NTC9385C2a-O2 073-032-8A (BE) HR ←AF C .fwdarw.β 6633 ± 136 16119 ± 729  5 NTC9385R2-O1 073-038-1A None HR←T-R AF.fwdarw.β 9626 ± 304 18627 ± 999  6 NTC9385R2-O2 073-038-2A None HR←AF R-T.fwdarw.β 8513 ± 235 12660 ± 348  7 NTC9385R2a-O1 073-038-3A (BE) HR←T-R AF.fwdarw.β 8295 ± 188 15601 ± 2550 8 NTC9385R2a-O2 073-038-4A (BE) HR←AF R-T.fwdarw.β 8724 ± 188 19219 ± 1763 9 NTC9385P2-O1 073-126-1A None HR← T-P-AF.fwdarw.β 6086 ± 704 16967 ± 2237 10 NTC9385P2-O2 073-043-1A None HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.β 4941 ± 283 11604 ± 2580 11 NTC9385P2a-O1 073-126-2A (BE) HR← T-P-AF.fwdarw.β 5277 ± 114 13073 ± 1779 12 NTC9385P2a-O2 073-043-2A (BE) HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.β 5122 ± 608 11182 ± 870  .sup.a trpA term = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT selectable marker = AF; pUC origin = P; R6K origin = R; ColE2 origin = C; CMV boundary element (XbaI-SpeI fragment) = BE. Bracketed BE is spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b Fluorescence units = FU

[0218] Table 6 demonstrates in vivo expression after intradermal delivery with the intronic bacterial region vectors of the invention was improved compared to an optimized plasmid comparator (NTC8685). NTC9385R2a-O2 expression was surprisingly improved 1.9-4.1 fold compared to NTC8685 while NTC9385P2a-O1 was unexpectedly improved 5.0-8.0 fold. NTC9385R2-O2 expression was also improved (1.3-1.5 fold compared to NTC8685) but less than NTC9385R2a-O2 suggesting that the CMV promoter derived boundary element adjacent to the spacer region is beneficial.

[0219] Replicative minicircle expression is surprisingly much higher relative to plasmid comparator in vivo compared to in vitro (Table 6). While not limiting the application of the invention, this may be an unexpected benefit of removal of the large spacer region encoded replication origin and selectable marker, perhaps through rapid spacer region directed heterochromatin formation that is more prevalent in vivo than in vitro.

[0220] The improved transgene expression level after intradermal delivery demonstrates the application of Nanoplasmid and replicative minicircle vectors of the invention for cutaneous DNA vaccination and gene therapy applications. For example, for intradermal DNA vaccination, epidermal DNA vaccination, or transcutaneous DNA vaccination using a variety of antigens. For example, for gene therapy applications such as wound healing, burns, diabetic foot ulcer, critical limb ischemia therapies, or cosmetic treatment for different dermatological conditions, including anti-aging (anti-wrinkle), scar revision, radiation induced lesions, hair growth, surgical skin graft enhancement, or hemangioma, using growth factors such as hypoxia inducible factor, hypoxia inducible factor 1 a, keratinocyte growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1, or acidic FGF), FGF-2 (also known as basic FGF), FGF-4, placental growth factor (P1GF), angiotensin-1 (Ang-1), hepatic growth factor (HGF), Developmentally Regulated Endothelial Locus (Del-1), stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1), etc.

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 6 Replicative minicircle vector expression in vitro (lipofectamine) and in vivo (intradermal delivery with electroporation) ID + EP .sup.c ID + EP .sup.c ID + EP .sup.c (pg/mL) (pg/mL) (pg/mL) muSEAP SR A549 HEK-293 T = 4 day T = 7 day T = 14 day Vector .sup.b SR .sup.a (bp) Intron .sup.a (A.sub.405) .sup.d (A.sub.405) .sup.d mean ± SD mean ± SD mean ± SD NTC8685 T -VA1- 1695 HR- β 0.240 ± 0.029 3.002 ± 0.188 1.9 ± 1.2 6.7 ± 4.1 5.0 ± 3.9 BH-P-AF (1.0x) (1.0x) (1.0x) (1.0x) (1.0x) (SV40) NTC9385P2a-O1 None 0 HR T← 0.467 ± 0.047 2.890 ± 0.085 9.5 ± 6.2 53.4 ± 51.5 34.8 ± 29.6 (BE) P AF.fwdarw.- (2.0x) (1.0x) (5.0x) (8.0x) (7.0x) β NTC9385R2a-O2 None 0 HR←AF 0.409 ± 0.039 2.561 ± 0.038 6.5 ± 6.1 27.6 ± 25.9  9.5 ± 11.2 (BE) R .fwdarw. T - (1.7x) (0.9x) (3.4x) (4.1x) (1.9x) β NTC9385R2-O2 None 0 HR←AF 0.564 ± 0.008 2.999 ± 0.106 2.8 ± 3.8  8.8 ± 15.7 7.0 ± 8.5 R .fwdarw. T - (2.4x) (1.0x) (1.5x) (1.3x) (1.4x) β .sup.a Prokaryotic terminator = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT = AF; pUC origin = P; R6Kγ origin = R; ColE2-P9 origin = C; CMV boundary element (XbaI-SpeI fragment) = BE; SV40 enhancer = SV40; PAS-BH = BH. Bracketed BE or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b P vectors produced in dcm- XL1Blue NTC54208; R vectors produced in dcm- R6K Rep cell line NTC711231; C vectors produced in dcm- ColE2 Rep cell line NTC710351 .sup.c Dose = 50 μg in 50 μL saline injected intradermally (ID) with EP. 6 mice/group. Mean ± SD pg/mL muSEAP on indicated day post EP reported. ( ) Mean muSEAP standardized to NTC8685 .sup.d muSEAP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD 48 hr post transfection A.sub.405 reported. ( ) Mean A.sub.405 standardized to NTC8685

[0221] Reduction of the vector spacer region size as described herein by removal of the bacterial region replication origin and addition of an intronic R6K, ColE2, pUC or P.sub.min pUC origin vectors of the invention will also increase the duration of in vivo expression since expression duration is improved with plasmid vectors in which the bacterial region is removed (minicircle) or replaced with a spacer region of up to at least 500 bp (Lu et al., Supra, 2012). Thus the replicative minicircle vectors of the invention also have additional utility for applications requiring extended duration expression, such as: liver gene therapy using hydrodynamic delivery with transgenes such as α-1 antitrypsin (AAT) for AAT deficiency, Coagulation Factor VIII for Hemophilia A Therapy or Coagulation Factor IX for Hemophilia B Therapy etc: lung gene therapy with transgenes such as Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) for cystic fibrosis etc; muscle gene therapy with transgenes such as the GNE gene for Hereditary inclusion body myopathies (HIBM), or dystrophin or dystrophin minigenes for duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), etc.

[0222] The intronic replicative minicircles of the invention spacer region between the 5′ and 3′ ends of the eukaryotic region may optionally encode up to 500 bp of sequence. This spacer region may include a number of functional sequences such as bacterial or eukaryotic selectable markers, bacterial or eukaryotic replication origins, bacterial transcription terminators, eukaryotic transcription terminators, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, boundary elements, S/MARs, RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III expressed sequences or other functionalities.

Example 5: Replicative Minicircle Vector Fermentation Production

[0223] Fermentation: Fermentations were performed using proprietary fed-batch media (NTC3019, HyperGRO media) in New Brunswick BioFlo 110 bioreactors as described (Carnes and Williams, Supra, 2011). The seed cultures were started from glycerol stocks or colonies and streaked onto LB medium agar plates containing 6% sucrose. The plates were grown at 30-32° C.; cells were resuspended in media, and used to provide approximately 0.1% inoculums for the fermentations that contained 0.5% sucrose to select for RNA-OUT plasmids.

[0224] Production hosts: Antibiotic-free pUC origin RNA-OUT plasmid fermentations were performed in E. coli strain XL1Blue [recA1 endA1 gyrA96 thi-1 hsdR17 supE44 relA1 lac [F′ proAB lacIqZΔM15 Tn10 (Tet.sup.I)] (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.)] dcm or DH5α [F—Φ80lacZΔM15 Δ(lacZYA-argF) U169 recA1 endA1 hsdR17 (rK−, mK+) phoA supE44 λ-thi-1 gyrA96 relA1] (Invitrogen, Carlsbad Calif.) dcm containing chromosomally integrated pCAH63-CAT RNA-IN-SacB (P5/6 6/6) as disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008. SacB (Bacillus subtilis levansucrase) is a counterselectable marker which is lethal to E. coli cells in the presence of sucrose. Translation of SacB from the RNA-IN-SacB transcript is inhibited by plasmid encoded RNA-OUT. This facilitates plasmid selection in the presence of sucrose, by inhibition of SacB mediated lethality. These production strains are NTC54208=XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB and NTC48165=DH5α dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB Antibiotic-free R6K plasmid propagation and fermentations were performed using pL promoter heat inducible ‘P42L, P106L and F107S’ or ‘P42L, P113S’ π copy number mutant cell line lines, the creation of which is disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference. NTC711231 is NTC54208-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3-). NTC54208=XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB. NTC731871=NTC54208-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P113S (P3-). NTC711772=NTC48165-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3-). NTC48165=DH5α dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB.

[0225] Antibiotic-free ColE2 plasmid propagation and fermentations were performed using pL promoter heat inducible G194D′ Rep protein copy number mutant cell line NTC710351 the creation of which is disclosed in patent application PCT/US 13/00068 (Filing Number 61/743,219) entitled ‘DNA plasmids with improved expression’ and included herein by reference. NTC710351=NTC54208-pR pL (OL1-G to T) ColE2 Rep G194D

[0226] Analytical Methods: Culture samples were taken at key points and at regular intervals during all fermentations. Samples were analyzed immediately for biomass (OD.sub.600) and for plasmid yield. Plasmid yield was determined by quantification of plasmid obtained from Qiagen Spin Miniprep Kit preparations as described (Carnes and Williams, Supra, 2011). Briefly, cells were alkaline lysed, clarified, plasmid was column purified, and eluted prior to quantification. Agarose gel electrophoresis analysis (AGE) was performed on 0.8-1% Tris/acetate/EDTA (TAE) gels as described in Carnes and Williams, Supra, 2011.

[0227] Results: Fermentation yields are summarized in Table 7. The results demonstrated that the replicative minicircle vectors of the invention have efficient manufacture. Manufacture was effective with ColE2, R6K and pUC replicative minicircles with yield of 184-745 mg/L, up to >100 fold improved compared to reported yields of 5 mg/L with alternative short spacer region minicircle vectors (Kay et al., Supra, 2010). Additionally, the replicative minicircle vectors of the invention do not require the complicated difficult to scale expensive additional manufacturing steps required to remove the large bacterial region between the eukaryotic polyA and promoter with minicircle vectors (Kay et al., Supra, 2010) since replicative minicircles have less than 500 bp between the eukaryotic polyA and the promoter which does not need to be removed.

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 7 Intronic RNA-OUT AF selection plasmid fermentation yields.sup.a Growth phase Specific Production Production Production Plasmid Origin/ yield phase final phase final phase final size host Vector (mg/L/ Specific yield biomass yield Plasmid (kb) strain type.sup.f OD600) (mg/L/OD.sub.600) (OD.sub.600) (mg/L) .sup.e NTC9385R- 2.4 R6K.sup.b SR 1.4-1.5 4.4 89 392 EGFP NTC9385R -L- 3.4 R6K.sup.b SR 2.2-2.4 8.5 72 615 CF NTC9385R -L- 3.4 DR6K.sup.b SR 2.3-2.6 7.8 98 745 CF NTC9385R2- 2.4 R6K.sup.b Intron 1.4-1.5 6.3 66 414 O1-EGFP NTC9385R2- 2.4 R6K.sup.b Intron 1.1-1.8 3.8 70 269 O2-EGFP NTC9385R2- 2.4 DR6K.sup.b Intron 1.4 4.1 93 376 O2-EGFP NTC9385R2a- 2.5 R6K.sup.b Intron 1.7-1.9 4.8 74 356 O1-EGFP NTC9385R2a- 2.5 R6K.sup.b Intron 1.0-1.8 3.5 69 244 O2-EGFP NTC9385R2b- 2.4 R6K.sup.b Intron 2.6-3.0 7.2 61 440 O2-EGFP (AF - SR) NTC9385Ra-O1- 2.4 R6K.sup.b SR (AF - 2.8-3.4 7.0 49 340 EGFP intron) NTC9385Ra-O1- 2.4 DR6K.sup.b SR (AF - 1.9-2.2 6.3 99 623 EGFP intron) NTC9385Ra-O2- 2.4 R6K.sup.b SR (AF - 1.2-1.7 4.6 40 184 EGFP intron) NTC9385RbF - 2.5 R6K.sup.b 3′ UTR 2.9 4.5 56 258 EGFP (AF - intron) NTC9385RbF - 2.5 DR6K.sup.b 3′ UTR 2.0-2.4 4.2 99 420 EGFP (AF - intron) NTC9385C- 2.2 ColE2 .sup.c SR 0.6-1.0 5.8 115 672 EGFP NTC9385C2a- 2.3 ColE2 .sup.c Intron 0.8-1.1 3.7 87 323 O1-EGFP NTC9385C2a- 2.3 ColE2 .sup.c Intron 0.8-1.0 3.7 64 235 O2-EGFP NTC9385P2a- 3.2 pUC .sup.d Intron 1.2-1.3 8.6 82 703 O1-EGFP NTC9385P2a(0.85)- 2.9 P.sub.min .sup.d Intron 0.9-1.0 5.6 84 468 O1-EGFP NTC9385P2a(0.85)- 2.9 P.sub.min .sup.d Intron  0.8-1.05 5.7 77 439 O2-EGFP NTC8385 (0.85)- 2.8 P.sub.min .sup.d SR 0.9 6.4 105 667 EGFP .sup.a30° C. growth phase to 50-60 OD600. Plasmid copy number then induced by temperature shift to 42° C. and subsequent 7-10.5 hr growth post induction (production phase) .sup.bR6K plasmid produced in: R6K = cell line NTC711231 = NTC54208-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3-). NTC54208 = XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN- SacB. DR6K = NTC711772 = NTC48165-pR pL (OL1-G to T) P42L-P106L-F107S (P3-). NTC48165 = DH5α dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN- SacB. .sup.c ColE2 plasmid produced in cell line NTC710351 = NTC54208-pR pL (OL1-G to T) ColE2 Rep G194D .sup.d pUC and P.sub.min plasmid produced in cell line NTC54208 = XL1Blue dcm attλ::P5/6 6/6-RNA-IN-SacB .sup.e By comparison, minicircle manufacturing final volumetric yield are 5 mg/L (Kay et al., Supra, 2010) .sup.fSR = Replication origin and selectable marker in spacer region. Intron = Replication origin and selectable marker in intron. NTC9385R2b has RNA-OUT in SR and R6K origin in intron. NTC9385Ra has RNA-OUT in SR and R6K origin in SR. NTC9385RbF has R6K in 3′ UTR and RNA-OUT in SR.

[0228] As well, fermentation plasmid DNA was high quality with ColE2, R6K and pUC replicative minicircles. A comparison of plasmid production with the 4 R6K intronic selection vectors (NTC9385R2-O1-EGFP; NTC9385R2-O2-EGFP; NTC9385R2a-O1-EGFP; NTC9385R2a-O2-EGFP) versus a standard R6K spacer region vector NTC9385R-EGFP demonstrated no differences in yield (Table 7) or quality (FIG. 8).

Example 6: High Level Expression with Replicative Minicircle Vectors Modified to Include an RNA Selectable Marker or a Eukaryotic Transcriptional Terminator in the Spacer Region

[0229] Minicircle vectors contain a spacer region between the eukaryotic region polyA and promoter sequences; this spacer region may be at least 500 bp (Lu et al., Supra, 2012). To determine if the spacer region may encode a selectable marker, bacterial transcription terminator, eukaryotic transcription terminator or other functionality, replicative minicircle vectors were created that included either a RNA-OUT selectable marker or a Gastrin eukaryotic terminator. FIG. 9 shows NTC9385R2b-O2-EGFP, an example intronic R6K origin replicative minicircle vector in which the RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker is located in the spacer region between the eukaryotic polyA and the eukaryotic promoter rather than within the intron. The vector has a 148 bp spacer region, well below 500 bp. The vector was transfected into HEK293 and A549 cell lines, and EGFP expression and splicing were analyzed as described in Example 4. High level expression (Table 8) and accurate splicing (Table 9) were observed with this vector. This vector could be further modified to replace RNA-OUT with a different RNA selectable marker, such as pMB1 RNAI, ColE2 RNAI, IncB RNAI, RSM, etc.

[0230] Improved transgene expression was observed when the gastrin eukaryotic transcription terminator was inserted into the spacer region (NTC9385R2a-O2-Gt versus NTC9385R2a-O2; Table 8). Collectively, these results demonstrate additional functionalities may be added to the spacer region without interfering with replicative minicircle performance.

[0231] Additional sequences that may be added to the spacer include bacterial selectable markers (e.g. RNA-OUT or RNAI or alternative RNA selectable markers; see Examples 7 and 9), eukaryotic selectable markers, bacterial transcription terminators, eukaryotic transcription terminators (e.g. gastrin terminator), boundary elements, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, S/MARs, RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III expressed sequences or other functionalities. As well, additional sequences could be encoded within the intron, such as SIDD structures, RNA Pol III transcription units expressing short hairpin RNA's or immunostimulatory RNAs such as those disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008, included herein by reference.

Example 7: RNAI Regulated Vectors

[0232] Alternative RNA selectable markers known in the art may be utilized in replicative minicircle vectors. For example, RNA-OUT (RNA-IN regulated chromosomal selection marker) may be replaced with the pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI (RNAII regulated chromosomal selection marker Grabherr and, Pfaffenzeller Supra, 2006; Cranenburgh, Supra, 2009), plasmid pMU720 origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 35) that represses RNA II regulated targets (Wilson et al., Supra, 1997), plasmid R1ParB locus Sok (Hok regulated chromosomal selection marker; Morsey, Supra, 1999), F plasmid Flm locus FlmB (flmA regulated chromosomal selection marker; Morsey, Supra, 1999) or other RNA selectable markers described in the art. The use of alternative RNA selectable markers to construct replicative minicircles was demonstrated here by substitution of RNA-OUT with the pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI and assessing expression and splicing accuracy.

[0233] RNAI is present within the intron of the NTC9385P2 and NTC9385P2a vectors (FIG. 3; FIG. 4) and NTC9385P2(0.85) and NTC9385P2a(0.85) vectors (Example 8). The observed accurate splicing (Table 4) and robust expression (Table 5) of NTC9385P2 clones with RNAI in either orientation demonstrated that intronic pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI expression is compatible with replicative minicircle function. The increased in vivo expression observed with NTC9385P2a-O1-muSEAP (Table 6) further demonstrates that intronic pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI expression is compatible with replicative minicircle function. The observed accurate splicing (Table 9) and robust expression (Table 11) of NTC9385P2(0.85) clones with RNAI in either orientation demonstrated that intronic pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI expression is compatible with replicative minicircle function (see Example 10).

[0234] Nanoplasmid variants with the pMB1 antisense RNA RNAI (SEQ ID NO:33) with promoter and terminator region (RNAI selectable marker: SEQ ID NO:34 flanked by DraIII-KpnI restriction sites for cloning as described previously for RNA-OUT) substituted for RNA-OUT were constructed as described in Example 3 and tested for expression to determine if alternative selectable markers may be utilized in place of RNA-OUT. The results (Table 8) demonstrate alternative RNA selectable markers may be substituted for RNA-OUT. Substitution of RNAI for RNA-OUT in the vector spacer region (NTC9385Ra-RNAI-O1) or in the intron in either orientation (NTC9385R-RNAI-O1 and NTC9385R-RNAI-O2) did not reduce expression relative to the corresponding RNA-OUT construct. To determine splicing accuracy, NTC9385R-RNAI-O1-EGFP and NTC9385R-RNAI-O2-EGFP were transfected into the A549 cell line and cytoplasmic RNA isolated from transfected A549 cells using the protein and RNA isolation system (PARIS kit, Ambion, Austin Tex.) and quantified by A260. Samples were DNase treated (DNA-free DNase; Ambion, Austin Tex.) prior to reverse transcription using the Agpath-ID One step RT-PCR kit (Ambion, Austin Tex.) with the EGFP transgene specific complementary strand primer EGFPR (FIG. 1). Intron splicing was determined by PCR amplification of the reverse transcribed cytoplasmic RNA with the EGFP5Rseq and CMVF5seq primers (FIG. 1). The resultant PCR product (a single band in each case) was determined by sequencing to be the correct spliced exon1-exon2 fragment (Table 9). This demonstrated that, like intronic RNA-OUT, intronic RNAI in either orientation is accurately removed by splicing and does not interfere with splicing accuracy. This further demonstrates that alternative RNA based selectable markers may be substituted for RNA-OUT in the spacer region or the intron and that pMB1 RNAI is a preferred RNA based selectable marker for replicative minicircle vectors.

[0235] Alternatively, the 108 bp RNAI antisense repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO: 33) may be substituted for the 70 bp RNA-OUT antisense repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO: 21) retaining the flanking RNA-OUT transcription control sequences in any of the constructs described in Examples 2-11. RNAI regulated replicative minicircle vectors may be grown in RNAII-SacB regulated cell lines further expressing, as required, R6K, ColE2-P9, or ColE2 related Rep protein. RNAII-SacB regulated cell lines may be made replacing the RNA-IN sequence in pCAH63-CAT RNA-IN-SacB (P5/6 6/6) with a RNAII target sequence as described in Williams, Supra, 2008 included herein by reference. Alternatively, RNAI regulated replicative minicircle vectors may be grown in any of the RNAII regulated chromosomal selection marker cell lines disclosed in Grabherr and Pfaffenzeller, Supra, 2006 and Cranenburgh, Supra, 2009. These cell lines would be modified for expression, as required, of R6K, ColE2-P9, or ColE2 related Rep protein.

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 8 High level expression with vectors with pMB1 RNAI encoded in the spacer region or intron A549 FU.sup.c HEK293 FU.sup.c Vector SR .sup.d (T = 48 (T = 48 (all EGFP) Spacer region .sup.a (bp) Intron .sup.a mean + SD) mean + SD) NTC8685 T-VA1 1465 HR- β .sup.b  8546 ± 1163 62068 ± 1760 BH-P-AF (1.00x) (1.00x) (SV40) NTC8385 T-P.sub.min-AF 866 HR- β .sup.b  9364 ± 966 31482 ± 1822 (0.85 kb) .sup.e (1.10x) (0.51x) NTC9385C ←C -AF.fwdarw. 281 HR- β .sup.b  8860 ± 382 33356 ± 1489 (1.04x) (0.54x) NTC9385R ← T-R - AF.fwdarw. 466 HR- β .sup.b  16237 ± 2520 55919 ± 6371 (1.90x) (0.90x) NTC9385Ra-O2 ← T-R 306 HR-←AF- β 14510 ± 835 49526 ± 2179 (1.70x) (0.80x) NTC9385R2-O2 None 0 HR←AF R -T .fwdarw.-β 15394 ± 683 30995 ± 4487 (1.80x) (0.50x) NTC9385R2a-O2 (BE) 0 HR←AF R -T .fwdarw.-β 11383 ± 253 36382 ± 1086 (1.33x) (0.59x) NTC9385R2a-O2-Gt TT -(BE) 73 HR←AF R -T .fwdarw.-β 15076 ± 321 49289 ± 2672 (1.76x) (0.79x) NTC9385R2b-O2 AF.fwdarw. 148 HR←R -T .fwdarw.-β  10721 ± 1039 42507 ± 5321 (1.25x) (0.68x) NTC9385Ra-O1 ← T-R - AF.fwdarw. 466 HR-AF.fwdarw.- β  13929 ± 1291 56552 ± 2714 dual (1.63x) (0.91x) NTC9385Ra-O2 ← T-R - AF.fwdarw. 466 HR-←AF- β 12543 ± 245 54379 ± 1244 dual (1.47x) (0.89x) NTC9385Ra- ← T-R - RNAI.fwdarw. 488 HR-AF.fwdarw.- β 15773 ± 238 55468 ± 6619 RNAI-O1 (1.85x) (0.89x) NTC9385R- ← T-R - AF.fwdarw. 466 HR-← RNAI - β 14296 ± 287 60630 ± 2176 RNAI-O1 (1.67x) (0.98x) NTC9385R- ← T-R - AF.fwdarw. 466 HR- RNAI .fwdarw.- β 12271 ± 466 60691 ± 6482 RNAI-O2 (1.44x) (0.98x) .sup.a trpA term = T; Gastrin (Gt) eukaryotic terminator = TT; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT selectable marker = AF; pUC origin RNAI antisense RNA selectable marker = RNAI; pUC origin = P; R6K origin = R; ColE2 origin = C; CMV boundary element = BE; PAS-BH = BH; SV40 enhancer = SV40. Bracketed BE or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b HR β intron is 225 bp .sup.cEGFP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD Fluorescence units (FU) at 48 hrs post transfection reported. ( ) Mean FU standardized to NTC8685 .sup.d Spacer Region (SR) size (bp) is total bp of components between polyA and CMV or SV40 enhancer, and does not include the SV40 enhancer or BE. .sup.e P.sub.min minimal pUC origin (SEQ ID NO: 45) and RNA-OUT (bacterial region = SEQ ID NO: 46)

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 9 Accurate splicing with replicative minicircle vectors with pMB1 RNAI and minimal pUC origin encoded in the intron Actual Predicted spliced EGFP % spliced exon RT-PCR EGFP exon size size Plasmid Cell line (pg) mRNA (unspliced) (PCR) NTC9385R A549 87.5 ± 3.8 0.260% 279 (514)  279 .sup.c NTC9385R- A549 45.9 ± 3.0 0.142% 279 (667)  279 .sup.c RNAI-O1 NTC9385R- A549 43.1 ± 2.1 0.121% 279 (667)  279 .sup.c RNAI-O2 NTC9385R2-O2 A549 26.8 ± 2.2 0.094% 279 (974)  279 .sup.c NTC9385Ra-O2 A549 60.2 ± 6.1 0.198% 279 (648)  279 .sup.c NTC9385R2b-O2 A549 42.1 ± 1.2 0.148% 279 (819)  279 .sup.c NTC9385P2a-O1 A549 15.8 ± 1.3 0.054% 279 (1715) 279 .sup.c NTC9385P2a-O2 A549 11.6 ± 0.2 0.037% 279 (1715) 279 .sup.a NTC9385P2a A549 20.1 ± 1.6 0.085% 279 (1366) 279 .sup.c (0.85)-O1 NTC9385P2a A549  6.7 ± 0.5 0.027% 279 (1366) 279 .sup.b (0.85)-O2 NTC9385C- A549 0.003 0.000 No No C2x4-muSEAP band band (negative control) .sup.a Faint extra bands at 490 and 650 bp (previously observed with transfection of NTC9385P2a-O2 into A549; (see Table 4). Correct splice junction verified by DNA sequencing of PCR product. Faint band at 490 bp corresponds to mRNA with an additional pUC derived exon (see FIG. 3) .sup.b Very faint extra bands at 490 and 650 bp. Correct splice junction verified by DNA sequencing of PCR product. Faint band at 490 corresponds to mRNA with an additional pUC derived exon (see FIG. 3) .sup.c Correct splice junction verified by DNA sequencing of PCR product

Example 8: Spacer Region and Intron Modified Nanoplasmid Vectors

[0236] NTC8685 (SR=1465 bp) has much lower in vivo expression than NTC9385R (SR=466 bp) and NTC9385C (SR=281 bp) (Table 1). A minimal pUC origin vector was constructed with an 866 bp spacer region (NTC8385-Min; contains P.sub.min minimal pUC origin-RNA-OUT). These vectors were tested for expression in vitro (lipofectamine 2000 delivery) and in vivo after intradermal or intramuscular electroporation delivery. As with Intramuscular injection (Example 2, Table 1), the results with intradermal delivery (Table 10) demonstrated ColE2 and R6K origin vectors dramatically improved in vivo expression compared to NTC8685. For example transgene expression from the NTC9385C vector was unexpectedly improved 2.7 to 3.1× on days 4, 7, and 14 compared to NTC8685 after intradermal delivery (Table 10) and improved by 1.5 to 3.8× on days 1, 4, 7, 14, 28 and 56 after intramuscular delivery. Transgene expression from the NTC9385R vector was unexpectedly improved 5.3 to 6.3× on days 4, 7, and 14 compared to NTC8685 after intradermal delivery (Table 10) and improved by 1.5 to 2.3× on days 1, 4, 7, 14, 28 and 56 after intramuscular delivery. The 866 bp minimal pUC origin vector also improved transgene expression to 1.4-1.9× that of NTC8685 after intradermal delivery. This demonstrates improved in vivo expression with the NTC9385C and NTC9385R vectors is not tissue specific since expression improvement was obtained after intradermal and intramuscular delivery. Additionally, improved in vivo expression of the invention is not specific to the CMV promoter since improved transgene expression was also observed with an NTC9385C-muSEAP vector with the murine creatine kinase (MCK) promoter substituted for the CMV promoter (NTC9385C-MCK-muSEAP, see Example 2). NTC9385C-MCK-muSEAP expression was improved 4.5× compared to NTC8685-MCK-muSEAP on day 28 after intramuscular delivery with EP (98.4±55.8 versus 22.0±10.9 pg/mL) (see Example 2). Inclusion of the C2x4 eukaryotic transcription terminator in the NTC9385C vector further improved in vivo expression to 2.9 to 4.1× compared to NTC8685 after intradermal delivery (Table 10). These results collectively demonstrate improved in vivo expression with Nanoplasmid vectors may be obtained in various tissues and with alternative eukaryotic promoters or with alternative/additional sequences flanking the spacer region encoded bacterial region.

[0237] Nanoplasmid vectors additionally encoding RNA-OUT in the HTLV-1R Rabbit β globin hybrid intron (both orientations of RNA-OUT SEQ ID NO:20 inserted into the unique HpaI site in the intron (SEQ ID NO:1) (NTC9385Ra-O1 dual and NTC9385Ra-O2 dual) were constructed. Robust expression with RNA-OUT in either orientation in the intron was observed (Table 8). The spacer region RNA-OUT was excised from these vectors (KpnI and DraIII digestion to excise RNA-OUT, ends blunted by T4 DNA polymerase treatment, blunt end ligation), to create NTC9385Ra-O1 (SEQ ID NO:50) and NTC93 85Ra-O2 (SEQ ID NO:51) which have opposite orientations of intronic RNA-OUT marker and only the R6K replication origin in the spacer region (SR=306 bp) Similarly high level expression with both clones was observed (Table 8). To determine splicing accuracy NTC9385Ra-O2-EGFP was transfected into the A549 cell line and cytoplasmic RNA isolated and splice junctions characterized as described in Example 4. The RNA was reverse transcribed using an EGFP specific primer, and PCR amplified using Exon 1 and Exon 2 specific primers. The resultant PCR product (a single band) was determined by sequencing to be the correct spliced exonl-exon2 fragment. This demonstrated that intronic RNA-OUT is accurately removed by splicing and does not interfere with splicing accuracy. NTC9385Ra-O2-EGFP also demonstrated improved in vivo expression compared to NTC8685 (Table 10: 1.6-3.5×). Additionally, high yield manufacture was obtained with NTC9385Ra vectors (Table 7). This demonstrates that Nanoplasmid vectors with improved transgene expression of the current invention may encode the RNA selectable marker in the intron rather than the spacer region.

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 10 SR vector expression in vitro and in vivo ID + EP .sup.c ID + EP .sup.c ID + EP .sup.c muSEAP SR A549 HEK-293 (pg/mL) (pg/mL) (pg/mL) Vector .sup.b SR .sup.a (bp) Intron .sup.a (A.sub.405).sup.d (A.sub.405).sup.d T = 4 T = 7 T = 14 NTC8685 T-VA1- 1465 HR- β 0.240 ± 0.029 3.002 ± 0.188 1.9 ± 1.2 6.7 ± 4.1 5.0 ± 3.9 BH- (1.0x) (1.0x) (1.0x)  (1.0x)  (1.0x) P-AF.fwdarw. NTC8385- T-P.sub.min- 866 HR- β 0.495 ± 0.027 2.713 ± 0.177 3.7 ± 2.7 12.4 ± 8.1  7.1 ± 5.2 Min.sup.e AF.fwdarw. (2.1x) (0.9x) (1.9 x) (1.9 x)  (1.4 x) NTC9385R T ←R- 466 HR- β 0.604 ± 0.04  3.036 ± 0.169 12.0 ± 7.4  35.5 ± 31.1 29.9 ± 23.4 AF.fwdarw. (2.5x) (1.0x) (6.3 x) (5.3 x)  (6.0 x) NTC9385C ←C - 281 HR- β 0.267 ± 0.053 2.720 ± 0.228 5.8 ± 3.0 20.8 ± 9.6  13.5 ± 9.8  AF.fwdarw. (1.1x) (0.9x) (3.1 x) (3.1 x) (2.7x) NTC9385C ←C - 281 HR- β 0.214 ± 0.017 2.472 ± 0.197 5.6 ± 2.3 27.7 ± 20.3 16.0 ± 14.3 C2x4 AF.fwdarw.  (0.89x)  (0.82x) (2.9 x) (4.1 x) (3.2x) NTC9385Ra- T ←R 306 HR- 0.524 ± 0.071 3.065 ± 0.220 3.6 ± 2.8 23.4 ± 16.5 7.8 ± 8.0 O2 ←AF- β (2.2x) (1.0x) (1.9 x) (3.5 x)  (1.6 x) .sup.a Prokaryotic terminator = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT = AF; pUC origin = P; minimal pUC origin = P.sub.min; R6Kγ origin = R; ColE2-P9 origin = C; C2x4 eukaryotic transcription terminator = C2x4; PAS-BH = BH .sup.b All plasmids produced in XL1Blue dcm- host strains. P vectors were produced in dcm- XL1Blue NTC54208; R vectors were produced in dcm- R6K Rep cell line NTC711231 (OL1 G to T); C vectors were produced in dcm- ColE2 Rep cell line NTC710351 (OL1 G to T). .sup.c Dose = 50 μg in 50 μl saline injected intradermal (ID) with EP on day 0. 6 mice/group. Mean ± SD pg/mL muSEAP reported for day 4, 7 and 14. ( ) Mean muSEAP standardized to NTC8685 .sup.dmuSEAP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD A.sub.405 reported at 48 hrs post transfection. ( ) Mean A.sub.405 standardized to NTC8685 .sup.eP.sub.min minimal pUC origin (SEQ ID NO: 45) and RNA-OUT (bacterial region = SEQ ID NO: 46)

[0238] The improved transgene expression level after intradermal delivery demonstrates the application of Nanoplasmid and replicative minicircle vectors of the invention for cutaneous DNA vaccination and gene therapy applications. For example, for intradermal DNA vaccination, epidermal DNA vaccination, or transcutaneous DNA vaccination using a variety of antigens. For example, for gene therapy applications such as wound healing, burns, diabetic foot ulcer, critical limb ischemia therapies, or cosmetic treatment for different dermatological conditions, including anti-aging (anti-wrinkle), scar revision, radiation induced lesions, hair growth, surgical skin graft enhancement, or hemangioma, using growth factors such as hypoxia inducible factor, hypoxia inducible factor 1 a, keratinocyte growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1, or acidic FGF), FGF-2 (also known as basic FGF), FGF-4, placental growth factor (P1GF), angiotensin-1 (Ang-1), hepatic growth factor (HGF), Developmentally Regulated Endothelial Locus (Del-1), stromal cell derived factor-1 (SDF-1), etc.

Example 9: Alternative RNA Selectable Marker Nanoplasmid Vectors

[0239] The RNAI transcription unit (FIG. 10; SEQ ID NO: 34) was demonstrated in Example 7 as an acceptable substitute for the RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 20) in any of the constructs described in Examples 2-11. This may utilize the example pMB1 RNAI or the highly related ColE1 RNAI.

[0240] Another preferred RNA based selectable marker, IncB plasmid RNAI (SEQ ID NO:35) encoded within a selectable marker (SEQ ID NO:36), is shown in FIG. 11B. The promoter and terminator sequences flanking the IncB plasmid RNAI may be substituted with the plurality of promoter and terminator sequences know in the art. A cell line for antibiotic-free sucrose selection of IncB RNAI expressing plasmid vectors may be created by modification of the genomically expressed RNA-IN-SacB cell lines for RNA-OUT plasmid propagation disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 by replacement of the 68 bp RNA-IN regulator in a PstI-MamI restriction fragment with a 362 bp PstI-MamI IncB RNAII regulator (SEQ ID NO:37) (FIG. 11A).

[0241] Another preferred RNA based selectable marker, an engineered CpG free repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO: 38) encoded as part of a selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 39), is shown in FIG. 12A. The promoter and terminator sequences flanking the CpG free repressor RNA may be substituted with the plurality of promoter and terminator sequences know in the art. This RSM represses a target RNA such as SEQ ID NO: 40 encoded upstream of a target gene to be regulated such as SacB in SEQ ID NO: 41 and SEQ ID NO:42 (FIG. 12B; RNAS). pINT-RNAS expression vectors encoding SEQ ID NO:41 (P5/6 4/6 promoter driven expression of RNAS) and SEQ ID NO:42 (P5/6 5/6 promoter driven expression of RNAS) RNAS PstI-BamHI (FIG. 12B) were constructed (SEQ ID NO: 43, SEQ ID NO: 44) as well as pINT-RNAS vectors with a P5/6 6/6 promoter driving expression of RNAS. The P5/6 4/6, P5/6 5/6, P5/6 6/6 promoters, the pCAH63-CAT integration vector, and cloning and integration of pCAH63-CAT vector derivatives were as described (Luke J, Carnes A E, Hodgson C P, Williams J A. 2009 Vaccine 27:6454-6459). The P5/6 6/6 promoter contains a TAGACA −35 region that is 5/6 match with the TTGACA −35 consensus sequence, separated, by the optimal 17 bp spacing, from a TATAAT consensus −10 region. Briefly, the pCAH63-CAT integration vector was digested with BamHI and PstI and ligated with a P5/6 6/6 promoter RNA-selection-SacB (RNAS) synthetic gene (Genscript, Piscataway, N.J.) which was excised as a 2487 bp PstI-BamHI restriction fragment. Clones (pINT-RNAS integration vector P5/6 6/6) were verified by restriction digestion and integrated into NTC54208 (XL1Blue dcm-) as described (Luke et al., Supra, 2009). The resultant cell line, NTC781953 was demonstrated to be sucrose sensitive as predicted. The 147 bp RNA-OUT selectable marker in NTC8685-EGFP was excised with DraIII/KpnI and the CpG free RNA selectable marker synthetic gene (Genscript, Piscataway, N.J.) excised as a 147 bp DraIII/KpnI restriction fragment (DraIII-SEQ ID NO: 39-KpnI) and ligated to the 3672 bp NTC8685-EGFP DraIII/KpnI restriction fragment. Clones (NTC8685-RSM-EGFP) were identified as sucrose resistant colonies after transformation into NTC781953 and sequence validated. This demonstrates that this alternative designed RNA selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 38) may be substituted for the RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker in the vectors of the current invention. RSM plasmids may be selected in alternative cell lines, for example, in which the 6/6 consensus TATAAT −10 promoter region in pINT-RNAS integration vector P5/6 6/6 was altered using synthetic oligonucleotides to 5/6 consensus TATGAT (P5/6 5/6) (pINT-RNAS P5/6 5/6; SEQ ID NO: 44) or 4/6 consensus TAGATT (P5/6 4/6) (pINT-RNAS P5/6 4/6; SEQ ID NO: 43). Alternatively, optimal promoter strength can be determined by other alterations in the −10 region that change the consensus sequence, or alternations in the −35 region TTGACA consensus, or changes in the spacing between the −10 and −35 regions from the optimal 17 bp. Engineered CpG free repressor RNA selectable marker replicative minicircle vectors may be grown in RNA-selection-SacB (RNAS) regulated cell lines further expressing, as required, R6K, ColE2-P9, or ColE2 related Rep protein. RNA-selection-SacB (RNAS) regulated cell lines may also be made replacing the RNA-IN sequence in pCAH63-CAT RNA-IN-SacB (P5/6 6/6) with the target RNA SEQ ID NO: 40 as described in Williams, Supra, 2008 included herein by reference.

Example 10: Minimal pUC Origin Replicative Minicircles

[0242] Replicative minicircle vectors NTC8485P2 (0.85)-O1, NTC8485P2 (0.85)-O2, NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O1 and NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O2 containing the P.sub.min pUC replication origin (SEQ ID NO: 45) and the RNA-OUT RNA selectable marker (0.85 kb Bacterial region=SEQ ID NO: 46) within the intron were constructed as described in Example 3, and characterized for expression in HEK293 and A549 (Table 11) and splicing accuracy in A549 (Table 9) as described in Example 4.

TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 11 Robust expression with P2-(0.85) replicative minicircles A549 FU.sup.b HEK293 FU.sup.b Vector (T = 48 (T = 48 (EGFP) Spacer region .sup.a Intron .sup.a mean + SD) mean + SD) NTC8485 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR -β 4311 ± 458 40236 ± 1851 (SV40-BE) (1x) (1x) NTC8485C2-O1 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR ←C AF.fwdarw.- β  5001 ± 2724  41334 ± 14098 (SV40-BE) (1.16x) (1.03x) NTC8485C2-O2 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR ←AF C .fwdarw.- β 2962 ± 495 28849 ± 2421 (SV40-BE) (0.69x) (0.72x) NTC8485R2-O1 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR←T-R AF.fwdarw.-β 2888 ± 180 29395 ± 1054 (SV40-BE) (0.67x) (0.73x) NTC8485R2-O2 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR←AF R-T.fwdarw.-β 3187 ± 851 33044 ± 3515 (SV40-BE) (0.74x) (0.82x) NTC8485P2-O1 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR← T-P-AF.fwdarw.-β 1143 ± 392 20775 ± 6777 (SV40-BE) (0.27x) (0.52x) NTC8485P2-O2 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.- β 1500 ± 169 16575 ± 2483 (SV40-BE) (0.35x) (0.41x) NTC8485P2 T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR← T- P.sub.min - 1969 ± 591 31883 ± 2750 (0.85)-O1 (SV40-BE) AF.fwdarw.-β (0.46x) (0.79x) NTC8485P2- T BH← P -AF.fwdarw. HR←AF P.sub.min - 2171 ± 410 24733 ± 1417 (0.85)-O2 (SV40-BE) T .fwdarw.-β (0.50x) (0.61x) NTC9385P2a-O1 None (BE) HR← T-P-AF.fwdarw.-β 4445 ± 217 26181 ± 1643 (1.03x) (0.65x) NTC9385P2a-O2 None (BE) HR←AF P -T .fwdarw.- β 3457 ± 426 23829 ± 1514 (0.80x) (0.59x) NTC9385P2a None (BE) HR← T- P.sub.min - 6175 ± 258 38169 ± 2245 (0.85)-O1 AF.fwdarw.-β (1.43x) (0.95x) NTC9385P2a- None (BE) HR←AF P.sub.min -T 6756 ± 583 35363 ± 3532 (0.85)-O2 .fwdarw.-β (1.57x) (0.88x) NTC9385C2a-O1 None (BE) HR← C AF.fwdarw.- β 5793 ± 820 36804 ± 6725 (1.34x) (0.91x) NTC9385R2a-O1 None (BE) HR← T- R-AF.fwdarw.- β 7498 ± 859 37595 ± 5497 (1.74x) (0.93x) NTC9385R2a-O2 None (BE) HR←AF R-T .fwdarw.-β 5815 ± 456 36926 ± 2001 (1.35x) (0.92x) .sup.a Prokaryotic terminator = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3′ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT = AF; pUC origin = P; P.sub.min minimalized pUC origin = P.sub.min; R6Kγ origin = R; ColE2-P9 origin = C; Boundary element = BE; 2 × 72 bp repeat of SV40 enhancer = SV40. Bracketed BE and or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.bEGFP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD Fluorescence units (FU) at 48 hrs post transfection reported. ( ) Mean FU standardized to NTC8485

[0243] As with NTC9385P2a-O1 (Example 4) splicing was accurate with NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O1. Minor amounts of a cryptic P.sub.min derived exon were detected with NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O2; the sequence of the cryptic exon matches the previously identified pUC derived cryptic exon observed with NTC9385P2a-02, (Table 9; FIG. 3). Expression from both orientations was unexpectedly higher with NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O1 and NTC9385P2a(0.85)-O2 compared to NTC9385P2a-O1 and NTC9385P2a-02 (Table 11) as well as NTC8485P2a(0.85)-O1 and NTC8485P2a(0.85)-O2 compared to NTC8485P2a-O1 and NTC8485P2a-O2 (Table 11). While not limiting the application of this invention, the higher expression with the intronic replicative minicircles versus intronic pUC replicative minicircles may be due to smaller intron size or deletion of inhibitory sequences, such as the pUC origin nuclease sensitive site (FIG. 3). High yield manufacture was obtained with these intronic P.sub.min pUC replication origin vectors (Table 7) with high quality plasmid surprisingly without detectable replication intermediates despite the close proximity of the P.sub.min pUC replication origin and the CMV promoter enhancer.

Example 11: 3′ UTR Nanoplasmid Vectors

[0244] The R6K origin (SEQ ID NO: 11), RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 20), or R6K-RNA-OUT bacterial region (SEQ ID NO: 26) were cloned into the 3′ UTR of the NTC7485 and NTC9385C vectors. NTC7485 is a kanamycin resistant (kanR) derivative of the NTC8485 vector in which RNA-OUT is substituted with kanR. NTC7485 was used to test expression of vectors with the RNA-OUT selectable marker and R6K-RNA-OUT bacterial region in the 3′ UTR to avoid duplication of RNA-OUT within a vector backbone. Likewise, NTC9385C was used to test expression with the R6K origin encoded in the 3′ UTR since this vector does not encode the R6K origin. NTC7485-EGFP-R-OUT O1 and O2 were constructed by cloning the RNA-OUT selectable marker as a 147 bp DraIII/KpnI (blunted with T4 DNA polymerase) restriction fragment into BglII digested (blunted by filling with Klenow), CIP treated NTC7485-EGFP (4508 bp restriction fragment). Recombinant clones of both orientations were identified as sucrose resistant colonies in cell line NTC54208 and confirmed by restriction mapping and sequencing. The orientation 2 clone that was tested contained two copies of RNA-OUT (Table 12). NTC7485-EGFP R6K-R-OUT O1 and O2 were constructed by cloning the R6K-RNA-OUT bacterial region as a 447 bp BsrBI/KpnI (blunted with T4 DNA polymerase) restriction fragment into BglII digested (blunted by filling with Klenow), CIP treated NTC7485-EGFP (4508 bp restriction fragment). Recombinant clones of both orientations were identified as sucrose resistant colonies in cell line NTC54208 and confirmed by restriction mapping and sequencing. NTC9385C-EGFP-R6K O1 and 2 were constructed by cloning the R6K origin as a 300 bp BsrBI/DraIII (blunted with T4 DNA polymerase) restriction fragment into BglII digested (blunted by filling with Klenow), CIP treated NTC9385C-EGFP (2206 bp restriction fragment). Recombinant clones of both orientations were identified as sucrose resistant colonies in R6K production cell line NTC711231 and confirmed by restriction mapping and sequencing.

[0245] Transgene (EGFP) expression of these 3′ UTR selection, replication or selection-replication vectors, compared to the parent vectors, was determined in HEK293 and A549 cell lines as described in Example 4 (Table 12). The observed robust expression of 3 ‘UTR clones with RNA-OUT, R6K-RNA-OUT or R6K in either orientation demonstrated that 3’ UTR encoded replication and or selection is compatible with replicative minicircle function and high level expression. Additionally, the results further demonstrate that 3′UTR selection can be combined with spacer region replication (NTC7485-R-OUT O1, O2) or that 3′ UTR replication can be combined with spacer region selection (NTC9385C-R6K-O1, O2).

[0246] The ←AF.fwdarw., AF.fwdarw., ←R orientations are preferred since these contain no open reading frames which could be translated by read through of the transgene stop codon (Table 12).

TABLE-US-00014 TABLE 12 High level expression with R6K replication origin and/or RNA-OUT encoded in the 3’ UTR Plasmid A549 HEK (all EGFP) Spacer .sup.a 3’ UTR .sup.a, EGFP .sup.b EGFP .sup.b NTC7485 T-BH-P-kanR None .sup.c 3418 ± 739 24066 ± 1169 (SV40-BE) (1×) (1×) NTC7485-R6K- T-BH-P-kanR ← R-AF.fwdarw. .sup.c 2110 ± 233 23822 ± 2430 R-OUT O1 (SV40-BE) (0.61×) (0.99×) NTC7485-R6K- T-BH-P-kanR ←AF R .fwdarw. 1666 ± 228 18230 ± 823  R-OUT O2 (SV40-BE) (0.49×) (0.76×) NTC7485- T-BH-P-kanR AF.fwdarw. .sup.c 2709 ± 332 25609 ± 1430 R-OUT O1 (SV40-BE) (0.79×) (1.06×) NTC7485- T-BH-P-kanR ←AF ←AF 2151 ± 207 19471 ± 1221 R-OUT O2 (SV40-BE) (0.63×) (0.81×) (2×) NTC9385C C-AF.fwdarw. None .sup.c 4044 ± 592 28546 ± 1370 (1.18×) (1.19.×) NTC9385C- C-AF.fwdarw. ← R .sup.c 7897 ± 961 37645 ± 1264 R6K O1 (2.31×) (1.56×) NTC9385C- C-AF.fwdarw. R .fwdarw. 8305 ± 317 36707 ± 1024 R6K O2 (2.43×) (1.53) .sup.a Prokaryotic terminator = T; RNA-OUT = AF; pUC origin = P; R6Kγ origin = R; ColE2-P9 origin = C: 2 × 72 bp repeat of SV40 enhancer = SV40; PAS-BH = BH. Bracketed BE or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b EGFP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD Fluorescence units (FU) at 48 hrs post transfection reported. ( ) Mean FU standardized to NTC7485 .sup.c No open reading frames in 3’UTR (cutoff of minimum 20 amino acids)

[0247] A vector, NTC9385RbF (FIG. 13; SEQ ID NO: 47), that contains the R6K miniorigin in the 3′UTR in the ←R (orientation 1) configuration (which has no 3′ UTR open reading frames), and intronic RNA-OUT was created as follows. First, NTC9385C-Rbf-EGFP was constructed by cloning the R6K origin as a 316 bp Bfal (klenow heat killed) then DraIII (blunted with T4 DNA polymerase) restriction fragment into BglII digested (blunted by filling with Klenow), CIP treated NTC9385C-EGFP (2206 bp restriction fragment). Recombinant clones of the correct orientation were identified as sucrose resistant colonies in R6K production cell line NTC711231 and confirmed by restriction mapping and sequencing. This construct was digested with AlwNI and SacII to excise the intron, and the 2217 bp restriction fragment was ligated to the 449 bp RNA-OUT intron from NTC9385Ra-O1-EGFP similarly digested with AlwNI and SacII. The resultant construct (NTC9385C-RbF-EGFP Intron RNA-OUT) was sequence verified then digested with NotI and NcoI to excise the spacer region encoded ColE2 origin-RNA-OUT. The resultant 2014 bp fragment was ligated to the spacer region and boundary element from NTC9385R2a-O1-muSEAP as a compatible 462 bp NotI and NcoI digested restriction fragment. The resultant clone, NTC9385RbF-EGFP was sequence validated, and surprisingly robust expression (Table 13) and high fermentation yields (Table 7) verified. This demonstrates the surprising observation that replication and selection functions may be encoded within the 3′ UTR and intron respectively. Collectively, these results demonstrate that 3′UTR selection can be combined with spacer region or intronic replication or that 3′ UTR replication can be combined with spacer region or intronic selection. The RNA-OUT selectable marker may be substituted with alternative RNA selectable markers as described in Examples 7 and 9.

TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 13 High level expression with R6K replication origin encoded in the 3’ UTR Vector A549 HEK (all EGFP) Spacer .sup.a,b Intron .sup.a 3’ UTR .sup.a EGFP .sup.b EGFP .sup.b NTC9385C ←C-AF.fwdarw. HR-β None 2661 ± 489 15722 ± 2235 (3.25×) (4.74×) NTC9385R T ←R-AF.fwdarw. HR-β None 4803 ± 298 18396 ± 2231 (5.86×) (5.55×) NTC8685 T-VA1-BH-P-AF HR-β None 2164 ± 364 18153 ± 2251 (SV40) (2.64×) (5.47×) NTC9385R2a-O2 (BE) HR←AF R .fwdarw. T-β None 2967 ± 476 12581 ± 852  (3.62×) (3.79×) NTC9385R2a-O1 (BE) HR← T-R-AF.fwdarw.-β None 3416 ± 283 15059 ± 2639 (4.17×) (4.54×) NTC9385Ra-O1 ←R HR-AF.fwdarw.-β None 2727 ± 315 19124 ± 4212 (3.33×) (5.77×) NTC9385RbF (BE) HR-AF.fwdarw.-β ← R 2427 ± 184 13257 ± 2720 (2.96×) (4.00×) pVAX1 P-kanR None None 820 ± 82 3317 ± 83  (1×) (1×) .sup.a trpA term = T; HTLV-IR = HR; B globin 3’ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT selectable marker = AF; pUC origin = P: R6K origin = R; ColE2 origin = C; CMV boundary element = BE; PAS-BH = BH. Bracketed BE or SV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b EGFP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD Fluorescence units (FU) at 48 hrs post transfection reported. ( ) Mean FU standardized to pVAX1

[0248] To demonstrate alternative RNA selectable markers can be substituted for RNA-OUT in the 3′ UTR, and that the ColE2 origin can be substituted for the R6K origin in the 3′ UTR, NTC9385R-EGFP derivatives were made with the RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) or the ColE2 origin (+7) (SEQ ID NO: 13)-CpG free ssiA (SEQ ID NO: 16) inserted in the 3′ UTR. Control NTC9385R-EGFP constructs with the pUC origin or the P.sub.min minimalized pUC origin (SEQ ID NO: 45) inserted in the 3′ UTR were also constructed and expression tested. NTC9585R was used to test expression of vectors with the RNAI selectable marker and ColE2 and pUC replication origins in the 3′ UTR to avoid duplication of RNAI, ColE2 or pUC sequences within a vector backbone. All RNAI, ColE2 or pUC sequences were cloned as blunt ended restriction fragments into the 3′ UTR of the NTC9385R-EGFP vector that had been digested with BglII, blunted by filling with klenow (2391 bp restriction fragment), and CIP treated. RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) was excised with HpaI as a 162 bp restriction fragment from a synthetic gene (Genscript, Piscataway, N.J.). The ColE2 origin (+7) (SEQ ID NO: 13)-CpG free ssiA (SEQ ID NO: 16) was excised from NTC9385C-EGFP as a 132 bp NheI (heat kill, klenow filled to blunt)/DraIII (heat kill, T4 DNA polymerase treatment to remove protruding sticky end) restriction fragment. The pUC origin was excised from NTC8385-EGFP as an 1067 bp NheI (heat kill, klenow filled to blunt)/DraIII (heat kill, T4 DNA polymerase treatment to remove protruding sticky end) restriction fragment. The P.sub.min minimalized pUC origin was excised from NTC8385-EGFP as an 720 bp AflIII/BspHI (heat kill, klenow filled to blunt) restriction fragment. Recombinant clones were identified as sucrose resistant colonies in R6K replication cell line NTC711231 and confirmed by restriction mapping and sequencing. Transgene (EGFP) expression of these 3′ UTR selection or replication or vectors, compared to the parent NTC9385R-EGFP vector, was determined in HEK293 and A549 cell lines. The results demonstrated robust expression with constructs with 3′ UTR encoded RNAI selectable marker or ColE2 origin-ssiA replication origin but not with constructs encoded the pUC origin or P.sub.min minimalized pUC origin (Table 14). This demonstrates that robust expression replicative minicircle vectors can be constructed with the ColE2 or R6K origin, and/or RNA selectable markers encoded in the 3′ UTR.

[0249] The ←R-AF.fwdarw., AF.fwdarw.←R, AF.fwdarw., ←R, ←R-RNAI.fwdarw., RNAI.fwdarw.←R, ←R←RNAI, ←RNAI4←R, RNAI.fwdarw., and ←RNAI compositions and orientations are preferred in the 3′ UTR since these contain no open reading frames which could be translated by read through of the transgene stop codon (Table 14). RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 20), CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22) and RSM (SEQ ID NO: 39) are preferred RNA selectable markers in the 3′ UTR in the AF.fwdarw. orientation since these RNA selectable markers contain no open reading frames which could be translated by read through of the transgene stop codon. The RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) is preferred in either orientation since both orientations do not contain open reading frames which could be translated by read through of the transgene stop codon.

TABLE-US-00016 TABLE 14 High level expression with RNAI encoded in the 3’ UTR Vector A549 HEK (all EGFP) Spacer .sup.a,b Intron .sup.a 3’ UTR .sup.a EGFP.sup.b EGFP .sup.b NTC8685 T-VA1-BH-P- HR-β None .sup.c 5519 ± 483  51594 ± 1019 AF (SV40) (2.76×) (8.36×) NTC8685-RSM T-VA1-BH-P- HR-β None .sup.c 5655 ± 512  48511 ± 4272 RSM (SV40) (2.83×) (7.86×) NTC9385R-Intron T ←R-AF.fwdarw. CMV-β None .sup.c 12361 ± 742   39832 ± 1273 (6.18×) (6.45×) NTC9385R T ←R-AF.fwdarw. HR-β None .sup.c 12036 ± 2401  50208 ± 1084 (6.01×) (8.14×) NTC9385R-3’UTR T ←R-AF.fwdarw. HR-β P.fwdarw. 3470 ± 362  9827 ± 595 pUC O2 (1.73×) (1.59×) NTC9385R-3’UTR T ←R-AF.fwdarw. HR-β ← P.sub.min 2950 ± 130  10828 ± 715  pMIN O1 (1.47×) (1.75×) NTC9385R-3’UTR T ←R-AF.fwdarw. HR-β P.sub.min.fwdarw. 2010 ± 88   6523 ± 476 pMIN O2 (1.00×) (1.06×) NTC9385R-3’UTR T ←R-AF.fwdarw. HR-β ← C 9569 ± 682  40691 ± 1421 C2 O1 (4.78×) (6.59×) NTC9385R-3’UTR T ←R-AF HR-β ←RNAI.sup.c 9064 ± 295  35543 ± 2829 RNAI O2 (4.53×) (5.76×) NTC9385RbF (BE) HR-AF.fwdarw.-β ←R .sup.c 8500 ± 1618 39407 ± 4006 (4.23×) (6.39×) pVAX1 P-kanR None None 2001 ± 299  6170 ± 778 (1×) (1×) .sup.a trpA term = T; HTLV-IR =HR; B globin 3’ acceptor site = β; RNA-OUT selectable marker = AF; pUC origin RNAI antisense RNA selectable marker = RNAI; RSM antisense repressor RNA marker = RSM; pUC origin = P; pMIN origin = P.sub.min; RPK origin = R; ColE2 origin = C; CMV boundary element = BE: PAS-BH= BH; CMV B globin 3’ acceptor site = CMV-β = SEQ ID NO: 10. Bracketed BE orSV40 are spacer region flanking eukaryotic sequences .sup.b EGFP plasmid DNA transfected with Lipofectamine 2000. Mean ± SD Fluorescence units (FU) at 48 hrs post transfection reported. ( ) Mean FU standardized to pVAX1 .sup.c No open reading frames in 3’UTR (cutoff of minimum 20 amino acids)

SUMMARY

[0250] While the above description contains many examples, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather should be viewed as an exemplification of preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, a replication origin and/or a selectable marker may be inserted into the 3′ UTR at any site between the transgene stop codon and the polyadenylation signal. The polyadenylation signal may be from a variety of polyadenylation signals known in the art, including the rabbit β globin, the human β globin, SV40 early, SV40 late, bovine growth hormone, etc, polyadenylation signals. Additionally, a replication origin and/or a selectable marker may be inserted into the HTLV-I R-Rabbit β globin hybrid intron (SEQ ID NO:1) at any site between the 5′ splice acceptor and the 3′ acceptor branch site (FIG. 1) rather than the HpaI site. Alternatively, a replication origin and/or a selectable marker may be inserted at two different sites within an intron between the 5′ splice acceptor and the 3′ acceptor branch site. Alternatively, a replication origin and a selectable marker may be inserted into two different introns, each insertion at any site between the 5′ splice acceptor and the 3′ acceptor branch site. Alternatively, a replication origin and a selectable marker may be inserted into alternative introns at any site between the 5′ splice acceptor and the 3′ acceptor branch site. A non limiting list of alternative introns for insertion of a bacterial region to create an intron encoded bacterial region of the invention are SEQ ID NO:2, SEQ ID NO:3, SEQ ID NO:4, SEQ ID NO:5, SEQ ID NO:6, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:8, SEQ ID NO:9, SEQ ID NO:10, SEQ ID NO:32. Replacement of the HTLV-IR-rabbit β globin 3′ acceptor site intron (SEQ ID NO: 1) with the CMV-rabbit β globin 3′ acceptor site intron (SEQ ID NO:10) in the NTC9385R vector (NTC9385R-intron; SEQ ID NO: 64) resulted in high level expression, comparable with the HTLV-IR-rabbit β globin 3′ acceptor site intron containing NTC9385R vector (Table 14). This demonstrates that various introns can be utilized to practice the invention.

[0251] Additionally, the RNA-OUT selectable marker may be substituted with an alternative RNA-OUT sequence variant that functionally binds RNA-IN to repress expression. Likewise, the RNA-OUT promoter and/or terminator could be substituted with an alternative promoter and/or terminator. Further, an alternative RNA based selectable marker could be substituted for RNA-OUT. This may be a plasmid borne nonsense suppressing tRNA that regulates a nonsense suppressible selectable chromosomal target as described by Crouzet and Soubrier, Supra, 2005 included herein by reference. This may also be a plasmid borne antisense repressor RNA, a non limiting list included herein by reference includes pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 33) that represses RNAII regulated targets (as described in Grabherr and Pfaffenzeller, Supra, 2006; Cranenburgh, Supra, 2009), plasmid pMU720 origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 35) that represses RNA II regulated targets (Wilson et al., Supra, 1997) ParB locus Sok of plasmid R1 that represses Hok regulated targets, Flm locus FlmB of F plasmid that represses flmA regulated targets (Morsey, Supra, 1999) or other antisense repressor RNAs known in the art.

[0252] For example, the pMB1 plasmid origin encoded RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 33) as a selectable marker (SEQ ID NO:34) flanked by restriction sites for cloning purposes can substituted for RNA-OUT in any of the vectors disclosed in Examples 2-11. For example, NTC9385RbF (FIG. 13; SEQ ID NO: 47) substituted with the RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) is shown as SEQ ID NO:49. NTC9385Ra-O1 (SEQ ID NO:50) or NTC9385Ra-O2 (SEQ ID NO:51) substituted with the RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) are shown as SEQ ID NO:54 and SEQ ID NO:55 respectively. NTC9385RaF (SEQ ID NO: 56) in which the R6K origin is positioned in the spacer region and the RNA-OUT selectable marker is positioned in the 3′ UTR, substituted with the RNAI selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 34) is shown as SEQ ID NO:58.

[0253] RNAI (SEQ ID NO: 33) expressing vectors can be selected in cell lines that encode RNAII regulated targets as described in Grabherr and Pfaffenzeller, Supra, 2006; Cranenburgh, Supra, 2009. In these cell lines, binding of RNAI to RNAII target sequences inserted in an mRNA upstream of the target gene start codon represses expression of the target gene. The target gene can encode a repressor protein, that itself suppresses expression of a second gene. In this manner, RNAI repressor RNA repression of the RNAII regulated target gene leads to expression of the second gene. If the second gene is essential for growth, then plasmid containing cells can be selected under conditions wherein second gene expression is required for growth. Alternatively, the target gene can encode a selectable conditionally toxic molecule, such as SacB. In this manner, RNAI repressor RNA mediated repression of the RNAII regulated target gene leads to repression of toxin gene expression allowing selection of plasmid containing cells under conditions wherein toxin gene expression eliminates cells without plasmid. The RNAII that is used to regulate target gene expression can be the entire anti-RNAI (1-108) region, or be a RNAII fragment that contains the three loop RNAII region complementary to RNAI, for example anti-RNAI (10-108) (SEQ ID NO: 59) or be one or two RNAII loops complementary to RNAI as disclosed in Grabherr and Pfaffenzeller, Supra, 2006. A non limiting list of configurations of these RNAII molecules that can be used to regulate target gene expression are: 1) A RNAII-target gene fusion, in which the RNAII is positioned downstream of a ribosome binding site and ATG start codon, and is in frame with the target gene start codon, such that the RNAII is translated in frame as an N terminal extension of the target protein as described in Grabherr and Pfaffenzeller, Supra, 2006. Plasmid borne RNAI binds expressed RNAII inhibiting translation of the fusion protein; 2) A RNAII-target gene dual cistron, in which the RNAII is positioned downstream of a ribosome binding site and ATG start codon and upstream of an in frame stop codon and second ribosome binding site which is upstream of the target gene start codon, such that the RNAII is translated as a first cistron, followed by translation of the target protein in a second cistron. Plasmid borne RNAI binds expressed RNAII inhibiting translation of the first cistron, which prevents ribosome binding to the second ribosome binding site, reducing target gene expression; 3) RNAII leader upstream of target gene, in which the RNAII is positioned upstream or overlapping the ribosome binding site of the target gene such that plasmid borne RNAI binds expressed RNAII RNA preventing ribosome binding to the ribosome binding site, reducing target gene expression. Configurations for RNAII leaders using an anti-RNAI (4-108) are disclosed in Cranenburgh, Supra, 2009. Alternative RNAII leaders using an anti-RNAI(10-108) (SEQ ID NO: 59) with a weak ribosome binding site (TCGA) upstream of the target gene ATG or a strong ribosome binding site (AGGAGA) upstream of the target gene ATG are shown as SEQ ID NO:60 and SEQ ID NO:61 respectively. These cassettes can be expressed from a variety of promoters, for example the P5/6 6/6, P5/6 5/6, or P5/6 4/6 promoters disclosed herein, regulate a variety of target genes, for example SacB or tetR disclosed herein, and integrated into the genome using PCR products or integration vectors, for example the pINT integration vector disclosed herein.

[0254] Alternatively, an engineered RNA selectable marker such as the RSM antisense repressor RNA (SEQ ID NO: 38) may be substituted for RNA-OUT. The RSM antisense repressor RNA selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) may be flanked by DraIII and KpnI restriction sites to allow precise replacement of the RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 20) flanked by DraIII and KpnI sites. For example, the RNA-OUT marker was replaced with the RSM antisense RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) in NTC8685-RSM-EGFP (see Example 9). The resultant vector had high expression in A549 and HEK293 cells comparable to the RNA-OUT comparator (Table 14) demonstrating that alternative RNA selectable markers can be utilized in the practice of the current invention. NTC9385RbF (FIG. 13; SEQ ID NO: 47) substituted with the RSM antisense repressor RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) is shown as SEQ ID NO:48. NTC9385Ra-O1 (SEQ ID NO:50) or NTC9385Ra-O2 (SEQ ID NO:51) substituted with the RSM antisense repressor RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) are shown as SEQ ID NO:52 and SEQ ID NO:53 respectively. NTC9385RaF (SEQ ID NO: 56) in which the R6K origin is positioned in the spacer region and the RNA-OUT selectable marker is positioned in the 3′ UTR, substituted with the RSM antisense repressor RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) is shown as SEQ ID NO:57.

[0255] For CpG free vector applications, the CpG free RNA-OUT selectable marker (SEQ ID NO: 22) or RSM antisense repressor RNA marker (SEQ ID NO: 39) may be flanked by CpG free restriction enzyme sites, for example BglII or EcoRI for cloning, or may be incorporated into the vector by PCR, or by synthesizing the new vector de novo using gene synthesis. The CpG free RNA selectable marker may be incorporated within an intron, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region of a vector. CpG free replication origins may be incorporated within an intron, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region of a vector. The CpG free RNA selectable markers and replication origins may be incorporated together or separately with introns, a 3′ UTR or the spacer region of a vector. A CpG free RNA selectable marker may be combined with a CpG free R6K replication origin (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 12) in any orientation to make a CpG free bacterial region, for example SEQ ID NO: 28. A CpG free RNA selectable marker may be combined with a CpG free ColE2 replication origin (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 16) in any orientation, optionally incorporating a CpG free ssi (e.g. SEQ ID NO: 17), to make a CpG free bacterial region, for example SEQ ID NO: 25. These CpG free bacterial regions may be incorporated into the spacer region, the intron or the 3′ UTR of a vector.

[0256] In the vectors of the invention, the ColE2-P9 or R6K replication origin may be substituted with a ColE2 related replication origin, and propagated in a strain expressing the ColE2 related replication origin replication protein. Likewise, the ColE2-P9 or R6K Rep protein dependent origin may be substituted with an origin from one of the numerous alternative Rep protein dependent plasmids that are know in the art, for example the Rep protein dependent plasmids described in del Solar et al., Supra, 1998 which is included herein by reference. Likewise, the various orientations of the replication origin, and the RNA selectable marker, may be utilized. For example, Table 15 summarizes the eight orientations of the replication origin, and the RNA selectable marker in vectors of the current invention in which the replication origin and RNA selectable marker are both encoded together within either the spacer region, a intron, or the 3′ UTR. Table 16 summarizes twenty four orientations of the replication origin, and the RNA selectable marker in vectors of the current invention in which the replication origin and RNA selectable marker are encoded separately within the spacer region, a intron, or the 3′ UTR. Vectors in which the replication origin and RNA selectable marker are encoded separately within the spacer region and the 3′ UTR do not need to include an intron. However, one or more introns may optionally be included in vectors in which the replication origin and RNA selectable marker are encoded separately within the spacer region and the 3′ UTR.

TABLE-US-00017 TABLE 15 Spacer region, intron or 3’ UTR encoded RSM selection/replication origin short spacer region replicative minicircle vector configurations Vector Intron Vector Spacer region Vector 3’ UTR # configurations.sup.a,b configurations.sup.a,c configurations.sup.a,c 1 SD←Rep RSM.fwdarw.SA PA←Rep RSM.fwdarw. EP Stop←Rep RSM.fwdarw. PA 2 SD←Rep ← RSM SA PA←Rep ← RSM EP Stop ←Rep ← RSM PA 3 SD Rep .fwdarw. RSM .fwdarw. SA PA Rep .fwdarw. RSM .fwdarw. EP Stop Rep .fwdarw. RSM .fwdarw. PA 4 SD Rep .fwdarw. ← RSM SA PA Rep .fwdarw. ← RSM EP Stop Rep .fwdarw. ←RSM PA 5 SD ← RSM Rep .fwdarw. SA PA← RSM Rep .fwdarw. EP Stop ← RSM Rep .fwdarw. PA 6 SD ← RSM ← Rep SA PA← RSM ← Rep EP Stop ← RSM ← Rep PA 7 SD RSM .fwdarw. Rep .fwdarw. SA PA RSM .fwdarw. Rep .fwdarw. EP Stop RSM .fwdarw. Rep .fwdarw. PA 8 SD RSM .fwdarw. ← Rep SA PA RSM .fwdarw. ← Rep EP Stop RSM .fwdarw. ← Rep PA .sup.aSD = Splice donor; SA = Splice acceptor; Rep = replication origin, selected from the group R6K gamma replication origin, a ColE2-P9 replication origin, a ColE2-P9 related replication origin, a pUC replication origin (intron only, not in SR or 3’ UTR), a P.sub.min pUC replication origin (intron only, not in SR or 3’ UTR); RSM = RNA selectable marker; Stop = transgene stop codon; PA = polyadenylation signal; EP = RNA polymerase I, II or III enhancer promoter .sup.bAdditional functional groups may be encoded within the intron, including bacterial transcriptional terminators, eukaryotic promoters, eukaryotic enhancers, eukaryotic intronic splicing enhancers, nuclear localizing sequences, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, microRNAs and/or immunostimulatory RNA elements etc .sup.cAdditional functional groups may be encoded within the spacer region or 3’ UTR, including bacterial transcriptional terminators, eukaryotic transcriptional terminators, eukaryotic enhancers, boundary elements, nuclear localizing sequences, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, microRNAs, mRNA export sequences (3’ UTR), and/or immunostimulatory RNA elements etc.

TABLE-US-00018 TABLE 16 Spacer region, intron or 3’ UTR encoded separated RSM selection/replication origin short spacer region replicative minicircle vector configurations Vector Introm Spacer region Vector 3’ UTR # configurations.sup.a,b configurations.sup.a,c configurations.sup.a,c  1 SD←Rep SA PA RSM.fwdarw. EP Stop PA  2 SD←Rep SA PA ← RSM EP Stop PA  3 SD←Rep SA PA EP Stop RSM.fwdarw. PA  4 SD←Rep SA PA EP Stop ← RSM PA  5 SD Rep .fwdarw. SA PA RSM.fwdarw. EP Stop PA  6 SD Rep.fwdarw. SA PA ← RSM EP Stop PA  7 SD Rep .fwdarw. SA PA EP Stop RSM.fwdarw. PA  8 SD Rep .fwdarw. SA PA EP Stop ← RSM PA  9 SD← RSM SA PA Rep .fwdarw. EP Stop PA 10 SD← RSM SA PA ← Rep EP Stop PA 11 SD← RSM SA PA EP Stop Rep .fwdarw. PA 12 SD← RSM SA PA EP Stop ← Rep PA 13 SD RSM .fwdarw. SA PA Rep .fwdarw. EP Stop PA 14 SD RSM .fwdarw. SA PA ← Rep EP Stop PA 15 SD RSM .fwdarw. SA PA EP Stop Rep .fwdarw. PA 16 SD RSM .fwdarw. SA PA EP Stop ← Rep PA 17 SD SA PA Rep .fwdarw. EP Stop RSM.fwdarw. PA 18 SD SA PA Rep .fwdarw. EP Stop ← RSM PA 19 SD SA PA ← Rep EP Stop RSM.fwdarw. PA 20 SD SA PA ← Rep EP Stop ← RSM PA 21 SD SA PA RSM.fwdarw. EP Stop Rep .fwdarw. PA 22 SD SA PA RSM.fwdarw. EP Stop ← Rep PA 23 SD SA PA ← RSM EP Stop Rep .fwdarw. PA 24 SD SA PA ← RSM EP Stop ← Rep PA .sup.aSD = Splice donor; SA = Splice acceptor; Rep = replication origin, selected from the group R6K gamma replication origin, a ColE2-P9 replication origin, a ColE2-P9 related replication origin, a pUC replication origin (intron only, not in SR or 3’ UTR), a P.sub.min pUC replication origin (intron only, not in SR or 3’ UTR); RSM = RNA selectable marker; Stop = transgene stop codon; PA = polyadenylation signal; EP = RNA polymerase I, II or III enhancer promoter .sup.bAdditional functional groups may be encoded within the intron, including bacterial transcriptional terminators, eukaryotic promoters, eukaryotic enhancers, eukaryotic intronic splicing enhancers, nuclear localizing sequences, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, microRNAs and/or immunostimulatory RNA elements etc .sup.cAdditional functional groups may be encoded within the spacer region or 3’ UTR, including bacterial transcriptional terminators, eukaryotic transcriptional terminators, eukaryotic enhancers, mRNA export sequences (3’ UTR), boundary elements, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, nuclear localizing sequences, microRNAs and/or immunostimulatory RNA elements etc.

[0257] The vectors may encode a diversity of transgenes different from the examples provided herein, for example, antigen genes for a variety of pathogens, or therapeutic genes such as hypoxia inducible factor, keratinocyte growth factor, factor IX, factor VIII, etc, or RNA genes such as microRNAs or shRNA. Likewise, the vectors may utilize a diversity of RNA Pol II promoters different from the CMV promoter examples provided herein, for example, constitutive promoters such as the elongation factor 1 (EF1) promoter, the chicken β-actin promoter, the β-actin promoter from other species, the elongation factor-1 a (EF1 a) promoter, the phosphoglycerokinase (PGK) promoter, the Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) promoter, the human serum albumin (SA) promoter, the α-1 antitrypsin (AAT) promoter, the thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) promoter, the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) promoter, etc. The vectors may also utilize combination promoters such as the chicken β-actin/CMV enhancer (CAG) promoter, the human or murine CMV-derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor 1α (EF 1 α) promoters, CpG free versions of the human or murine CMV-derived enhancer elements combined with the elongation factor 1α (EF1α) promoters, the albumin promoter combined with an α-fetoprotein MERII enhancer, etc, or the diversity of tissue specific or inducible promoters know in the art such as the muscle specific promoters muscle creatine kinase (MCK), and C5-12 or the liver-specific promoter apolipoprotein A-I (ApoAI). The orientation of the various vector-encoded elements may also be changed relative to each other.

[0258] The vectors may optionally contain additional functionalities, such as nuclear localizing sequences, and/or immunostimulatory RNA elements as disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008 as part of the eukaryotic region or alternatively within introns or within the spacer region.

[0259] Additional sequences may be added to the spacer, for example a eukaryotic selectable marker, bacterial transcription terminators, eukaryotic transcription terminators, boundary elements, supercoiling-induced DNA duplex destabilized (SIDD) structures, S/MARs, RNA Pol I or RNA Pol III expressed sequences or other functionalities. For example, improved transgene expression was observed when the gastrin eukaryotic transcription terminator was inserted into the spacer region (NTC9385R2a-O2-Gt versus NTC9385R2a-O2; Table 8). As well, additional sequences could be encoded within the intron, such as RNA Pol III transcription units expressing short hairpin RNA's, microRNAs or immunostimulatory RNAs such as those disclosed in Williams, Supra, 2008, included herein by reference.

[0260] Any eukaryotic expression vector can be converted into replicative minicircle expression vector of the invention by: 1) Cloning a RNA selectable marker and/or replication origin into an intron, 3′

[0261] UTR, or spacer region; and 2) removing the existing vector spacer region encoded selection marker and/or replication origin. If the vector does not contain an intron, an intron for insertion of the bacterial region can be added by standard cloning methodologies known in the art. More than one intron can be used to make a replicative minicircle, by cloning the replication origin into one intron and the selectable marker into a second intron. Alternatively, the replication origin can be cloned into an intron or UTR, and the selection marker encoded within the spacer region created from excision of the existing vector encoded bacterial region. Cloning may be performed using restriction enzyme fragment ligation or ligation independent cloning, or the various PCR amplification based cloning strategies known in the art. Alternatively, the vectors of the invention can be created de novo using gene synthesis to make the entire vector or fragments of the vector.

[0262] Thus, the reader will see that the improved replicative minicircle expression vectors of the invention provide for an approach to improve plasmid encoded transgene expression (i.e. through incorporation of a short spacer region preferably less than 500 bp) while dramatically improving manufacture compared to alternative short spacer region vectors such as minicircles.

[0263] Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims.