AAV VECTORS PRODUCED BY INSECT CELLS COMPRISING REP52 AND REP78 CODING SEQUENCES WITH DIFFERENTIAL CODON BIASES
20190203183 ยท 2019-07-04
Assignee
Inventors
- Andrew Christian Bakker (Almere, NL)
- Wilhelmus Johannes Theodorus Maria Christiaan HERMENS (Almere, NL)
Cpc classification
C12N7/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2750/14152
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2800/22
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2710/14044
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2750/14143
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2750/14122
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N15/86
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C12N2710/14143
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
C12N7/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Abstract
The present invention relates to production of proteins in insect cells whereby repeated coding sequences are used in baculoviral vectors. In particular the invention relates to the production of parvoviral vectors that may be used in gene therapy and to improvements in expression of the viral rep proteins that increase the productivity of parvoviral vectors.
Claims
1-19. (canceled)
20. A baculovirus vector comprising: (i) a first nucleotide sequence encoding a first amino acid sequence of an AAV Rep52 protein selected from the group consisting of: (a) a sequence of at least 85% identity with SEQ ID NO: 10; (b) a nucleotide sequence complementary to the full length sequence of (a); and (c) a nucleotide sequence that differs from the sequence of (a) due to degeneracy of the genetic code; (ii) a second nucleotide sequence encoding a second amino acid sequence of an AAV Rep78 protein; (iii) a third nucleotide sequence comprising two AAV inverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequences and a nucleotide sequence encoding a gene product of interest located between the two AAV ITR sequences; and (iv) a fourth nucleotide sequence comprising AAV capsid protein-coding sequences operably linked to expression control sequences for expression in an insect cell; wherein the first and the second amino acid sequences share at least 90% sequence identity in a region from the second amino acid residue to the C-terminal residue of the AAV Rep52 protein, and wherein a portion of the first nucleotide sequence and a portion of the second nucleotide sequence that encode the region from the second amino acid residue to the C-terminal residue of the AAV Rep52 protein each comprise one or more contiguous stretches of at least 300 nucleotides that are less than 90% identical.
21. The baculovirus vector of claim 20, wherein the first nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of (i) a sequence of at least 85% identity with SEQ ID NO:10; and (ii) nucleotide sequence complementary to the full length sequence of (a).
22. The baculovirus vector of claim 20, wherein: (i) the first nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a polyhedron (polH) promoter and the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter or a deltaIE-1 promoter; or (ii) the first nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter and the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a polyhedron (polH) or deltaIE-1 promoter.
23. The baculovirus vector of claim 20, wherein the first nucleotide sequence has the sequence SEQ ID NO:10.
24. The baculovirus vector of claim 23, wherein the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a deltaIE-1 promoter.
25. The baculovirus vector of claim 20, wherein the translation initiation codon before the second nucleotide sequence encoding the AAV Rep78 protein is a suboptimal initiation codon selected from the group consisting of ACG, CTG, GTG and TTG.
26. The rAAV virion cell according to claim 25, wherein all ATG codons that occur between the translation start codons of the AAV Rep78 protein and the translation start codon of the AAV Rep52 protein in the second nucleotide sequence are mutated.
27. The baculovirus vector of claim 26, wherein the first nucleotide sequence has the sequence of SEQ ID NO:10.
28. The baculovirus vector of claim 26, wherein the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter or to a polH promoter.
29. The baculovirus vector of claim 28, wherein the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter.
30. The baculovirus vector of claim 28, wherein the Rep proteins encoded by the first and second nucleotide sequences are of the same AAV serotype.
31. The baculovirus vector of claim 29, wherein the Rep proteins encoded by the first and second nucleotide sequences are of the same AAV serotype.
32. A method of obtaining a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) viron comprising: (a) transforming or transfecting an insect cell with the baculovirus vector of claim 20; (b) culturing the insect cell under conditions such that recombinant AAV virions are produced; and, (c) recovering the recombinant AAV virions.
33. A baculovirus vector comprising: (i) a first nucleotide sequence encoding a first amino acid sequence of an AAV Rep52 protein comprising SEQ ID NO: 10; (ii) a second nucleotide sequence encoding a second amino acid sequence of an AAV Rep78 protein; (iii) a third nucleotide sequence comprising two AAV inverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequences and a nucleotide sequence encoding a gene product of interest located between the two AAV ITR sequences; and (iv) a fourth nucleotide sequence comprising AAV capsid protein-coding sequences operably linked to expression control sequences for expression in an insect cell; wherein the Rep proteins encoded by the first and second nucleotide sequences are of the same AAV serotype; and wherein the translation initiation codon before the second nucleotide sequence encoding the AAV Rep78 protein is a suboptimal initiation codon selected from the group consisting of ACG, CTG, GTG and TTG.
34. The baculovirus vector of claim 33, wherein the first and the second amino acid sequences share at least 90% sequence identity in a region from the second amino acid residue to the C-terminal residue of the AAV Rep52 protein.
35. The baculovirus vector of claim 33, wherein a portion of the first nucleotide sequence and a portion of the second nucleotide sequence that encode the region from the second amino acid residue to the C-terminal residue of the AAV Rep52 protein each comprise one or more contiguous stretches of at least 300 nucleotides that are less than 90% identical.
36. The baculovirus vector of claim 33, wherein: (i) the first nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a polyhedron (polH) promoter and the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter or a deltaIE-1 promoter; or (ii) the first nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter and the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a polyhedron (polH) or deltaIE-1 promoter.
37. The baculovirus vector of claim 33, wherein the second nucleotide sequence is operably linked to a p10 promoter or to a polH promoter.
38. A method of obtaining a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) viron comprising: (a) transforming or transfecting an insect cell with the baculovirus vector of claim 33; (b) culturing the insect cell under conditions such that recombinant AAV virions are produced; and, (c) recovering the recombinant AAV virions.
39. A recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) viron comprising: (i) an AAV Rep52 protein encoded by a sequence of at least 85% identity with SEQ ID NO: 10, a nucleotide sequence fully complementary thereto, or a nucleotide sequence that differs from SEQ ID NO: 10 due to degeneracy of the genetic code; (ii) an AAV Rep78 protein that shares at least 90% sequence identity in a region from the second amino acid residue to the C-terminal residue of the AAV Rep52 protein; (iii) an AAV capsid protein; (iv) a nucleotide sequence comprising two AAV inverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequences; and (v) a nucleotide sequence encoding at least one gene product of interest operably linked to at least one mammalian cell-compatible expression control sequence; wherein the at least one gene product of interest is selected from the group consisting of a polypeptide and a RNAi agent.
40. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 39, wherein the polypeptide is selected from the group consisting of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), Factor IX (FIX), lipoprotein lipase, apolipoprotein A1, uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator interacting protein (RP-GRIP), a cytokine, an interleukin, porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD), and alanine: glyoxylate aminotransferase.
41. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 39, wherein the RNAi agent is selected from the group consisting of siRNA and shRNA.
42. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 39, wherein the at least one gene product of interest is located between two regular ITRs, or is located on either side of an ITR engineered with two D regions.
43. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 39, wherein the Rep proteins encoded by the first and second nucleotide sequences are of the same AAV serotype.
44. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 39, wherein the recombinant AAV viron was obtained by (a) transforming or transfecting an insect cell with a baculovirus vector encoding the recombinant AAV viron; (b) culturing the insect cell under conditions such that recombinant AAV virions are produced; and, (c) recovering the recombinant AAV virions.
45. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 44, wherein the baculovirus vector comprises a first nucleotide sequence encoding the Rep52 protein and a second nucleotide sequence encoding the Rep78 protein, wherein a portion of the first nucleotide sequence and a portion of the second nucleotide sequence that encode the region from the second amino acid residue to the C-terminal residue of the AAV Rep52 protein each comprise one or more contiguous stretches of at least 300 nucleotides that are less than 90% identical.
46. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 45, wherein a suboptimal translation initiation codon is positioned before the second nucleotide sequence.
47. The recombinant AAV viron of claim 46, wherein the suboptimal codon is selected from the group consisting of ACG, CTG, GTG and TTG.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
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EXAMPLES
1. Example 1
1.1. Materials & Methods
1.1.1 Baculovirus Plasmid Construction
[0104] pFBDSLR (Urabe et al., 2002, supra) is a pFastBacDual expression vector (Invitrogen) comprising 2 separate expression cassettes for the AAV2 Rep78 and Rep52 proteins, whereby the expression of the Rep52 proteins is driven by the polH promoter and expression of the Rep78 protein from the ATE promoter. This construct has been subcloned to pPSC10, a plasmid that is compatible with the GeneXpress BaculoKIT (Protein Sciences Corporation).
[0105] The wild type Rep52 coding sequence in the Rep 52 expression cassette is replaced with the codon optimized Rep52 coding sequence of SEQ ID NO. 2 to produce pPSC10Rep-52CD.
[0106] The wild type Rep52 coding sequence in the Rep78 expression cassette of pPSC10Rep-52CD is replaced with the AT-optimized Rep52 coding sequence of SEQ ID NO. 3 to produce pPSC10Rep-52CD/78AT.
[0107] The wild type Rep52 coding sequence in the Rep78 expression cassette of pPSC10Rep-52CD is replaced with the GC-optimized Rep52 coding sequence of SEQ ID NO. 4 to produce pPSC10Rep-52CD/78GC.
1.1.2 Recombinant Baculovirus Production
[0108] Recombinant baculoviruses derived from the Autographa californica multiple nuclear polyhydrosis virus (AcMNPV) are produced using the GeneXpress BaculoKIT (Protein Sciences Corporation). Transfection is performed as follows: in a round bottom 14 ml tube 200 l GRACE medium is mixed with 6 l cellfectine (Invitrogen), and in a eppendorf tube 200 l GRACE medium is mixed with 50 l viral DNA (Protein Sciences) and 2 g transfer plasmid (REP). The contents from the eppendorf tube are added to the tube and mixed carefully. After an incubation period of 30 minutes at RT 1,300 l GRACE is added to the transfection mix. Insect cells in a T25 flask are washed with GRACE medium and the transfection mixture is added drop wise to the cell layer. After an incubation of 6 hours at 28 C. SF900II serum supplemented with 10% FBS is added carefully and the T25 flask was put in a 28 C. stove for 5 days after which the recombinant baculovirus is harvested.
1.2 Results
[0109] The performance of the newly designed pPSC10Rep-52CD, pPSC10Rep-52CD/78AT and pPSC10Rep-52CD/78GC pPSC10Rep is compared with the original Rep constructs pFBDSLR of Urabe et al. (2002, supra). All four constructs are serially passaged until passage 5. Recombinant AAV1 production experiments are performed using the passage 2, 3, 4, and 5 Rep-constructs in combination with a baculovirus containing an mammalian expression cassette of a reporter gene between AAV ITR's (AAV-LPL) and a baculovirus containing an insect cell expression cassette for the AAV1-Cap (AAV-cap) of respectively passage 2, 3, 4 and 5. AAV-LPL and AAV-Cap recombinant Baculovirusses as used here are described in WO2007/046703. AAV1-LPL production yields are determined by QPCR. The original baculovirus designed by Urabe et al., 2002 (original REP/Bac-to-Bac) results in a fast decrease of AAV production over 5 passages. However, the baculovirus with the REP expression units of pPSC10Rep-52CD, pPSC10Rep-52CD/78AT and pPSC10Rep-52CD/78GC results in stable AAV production over at least 5 passages. Therefore, reproducible production yields of AAV-LPL over several passages (e.g., 2 to 5) are only obtained using baculoviruses containing the pPSC10Rep-52CD, pPSC 10Rep-52CD/78AT and pPSC10Rep-52CD/78GC constructs.
2. Example 2
[0110] It has previously been described that baculovirus expression vectors containing 2 separate expression cassettes for the AAV Rep78 and Rep52 proteins are genetically unstable in baculoviruses (see e.g., WO2007/148971 and Kohlbrenner et al., 2005, Mol Ther. 12(6):1217-25). We have now set out to apply codon usage optimization (with respect to autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) codon usage) of only the Rep52 coding sequence and not the Rep78 coding sequence so as to introduce sufficient changes between the previously identical parts of the Rep52 and Rep78 coding sequences to reduce the recombination events. We now show that this is indeed the case.
2.1 Cloning
[0111] A plasmid containing the original double rep expression cassettes in the Protein Sciences Corporation plasmid pPSC10, pVD42 was modified. pVD42 contains the rep78 gene driven by the deltaIE1 promoter, and the rep52 gene driven by the PolH promoter, as in the original pFBDSLR construct (Urabe et al., 2002, Hum Gene Ther. 13(16):1935-43). The rep52 coding sequence in pVD42 was replaced by a synthetic rep52 coding sequence the codon usage of which was adapted to Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) codon usage (see Table 2; and http://www.kazusa.orjp/codon/cgi-bin/showcodon.cgi?species=46015). This AcMNPV codon optimized AAV2 rep52 coding sequence is depicted in SEQ ID NO:10. A physical map of the resulting plasmid pVD183, comprising the AcMNPV codon optimized AAV2 rep52 coding sequence driven from the PolH promoter and the wild type AAV2 rep78 coding sequence driven from the deltaIE1 promoter, is shown in
2.2 Results
[0112] We have made a recombinant baculovirus clone of the pVD183 plasmid and passaged the baculovirus 10 times to analyse its genetic stability. We analyzed the genetic stability of the construct by QPCR on the genome of the baculovirus and the Rep52 gene, by western blot, and by rAAV production efficiency of the baculovirus. At the same time the original Bac.VD42 baculovirus was passaged to passage 7 for comparison. Earlier data about the stability of the Bac.VD42 (or Bac.FBDSLR) are also mentioned in WO2007/148971 (referred to as original REP/Bac-to-Bac).
2.2.1 QPCR
[0113] Stability measured by QPCR on the baculovirus genomes. The copy number of a gene that is essential for baculovirus replication and that is used for production of the BacVD183 from pVD183 by recombination at ORF1629 and ORF603 between the pVD183 and the baculovirus backbone from Protein Sciences. ORF 1629 (ORF), has been measured by QPCR, and the copy number of the Rep genes have also been measured by QPCR. The ratio between these 2 genes should stay the same during subsequent passages of the baculovirus.
2.2.2 rAAV Production
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2.2.3 Rep Western Blot
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3. Example 3
[0116] The effect of Rep52 expression level on two rAAV production parameters was determined. In particular the effect of the relative expression level Rep52 compared to the expression level of Rep78 on 1) rAAV production level as expressed in genome copies per ml crude cell bulk (gc/mL CLB); and 2) the ratio of total rAAV virions to full rAAV virions (full rAAV virions are virions comprising a rAAV genome copy). These parameters were compared for three different rAAV Rep-constructs that each result in different Rep52 expression levels and in different ratio's between Rep52 and rep78 levels. The three constructs were pVD88 (referred to as REP-ACG/PSC in WO2007/148971), pVD183 (described in Example 2 herein above), and pVD189 (see below).
3.1 Construction of pVD189
[0117] The pVD88 construct was redesigned by eliminating 9 ATG sequences between the translation start of the Rep78 and Rep 52 genes, and by changing the Rep78 ACG translation initiation codon to CTG. See the sequence below. Baseclear (Leiden, The Netherlands) synthesized the new gene and cloned it in pVD88 replacing the existing Rep gene to obtain pVD189. The nucleotide sequence of the Rep coding sequence in pVD189 is depicted in SEQ ID NO:11.
3.2 Production of rAAV
[0118] Baculoviruses were made with the VD88, VD183, and VD189 constructs, and these were used for production of rAAV1. Comparison of the VD88, VD183, and VD189 constructs in rAAV production resulted in better rAAV production (genome copies) as measured by Q-PCR in the crude cell bulk (CLB).
[0119] A very important quality parameter is the total: full ratio of the rAAV batch.
3.2 Additional Constructs
[0120] The following constructs are constructed, tested and part of the invention:
TABLE-US-00001 Constructs Promoter(s) Imitation Codons and Coding Sequences 1) VD88 PolH ACG-78 - - - ATG-52 - - - * 2) VD189 PolH CTG-78-atg's removed-ATG-52 - - - * 3) VD183 deltalE1 ATG-78 - - - * + PolH ATG-52 - - - SEQ ID NO:10 - - - * 4) VD196 PolH CTG-78 - - - ATG-52 - - - * 5) VD197 PolH ACG-78--atg's removed-ATG-52 - - - * 6) VD197/52 P10 ACG-78--atg's removed-ATG-52 - - - * + PolH ATG-52 - - - SEQ ID NO:10 - - - * 7) VD189/52 P10 CTG-78--atg's removed-ATG-52 - - - * + PolH ATG-52 SEQ ID NO:10 - - - * 8) VD183/10 p10 ATG-78 - - - *+ PolH ATG-52 - - - SEQ ID NO: 10 - - - * 9) VD197/52cd PolH ACG-78--atg's removed-ATG-52-SEQ ID NO:10* 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 have 1 transcription unit for expression Rep 78 and 52 proteins. 3, 6, and 7 have 2 transcription units for expression Rep 78 and 52 proteins. A rough estimate of the rep 78 and rep 52 proteins amounts and ratios for the different constructs during rAAV production (rep78:rep52): 78:52 (1) 1:1 (2) 1.5:2 (3) 1:20 (4) 5:0.25 (5) 1:5 (6) 0.5:30 (7) 0.75:30 (8) 5:20 (9) 1:10
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE1 Spodopterafrugiperdacodonfrequenciesbasedon127codingsequences (33098codons) fields:[triplet][frequency:perthousand]([number]) TTT9.7(320) TCT10.5(347) TAT10.1(334) TGT6.9(227) TTC26.9(889) TCC13.0(430) TAC24.4(807) TGC12.4(409) TTA7.0(233) TCA9.9(329) TAA2.5(83) TGA0.6(21) TTG16.2(536) TCG7.2(237) TAG0.7(23) TGG12.7(420) CTT9.9(327) CCT14.3(472) CAT8.7(289) CGT15.9(525) CTC17.0(564) CCC13.7(453) CAC16.2(535) CGC15.1(500) CTA6.8(226) CCA13.4(445) CAA16.2(535) CGA5.3(175) CTG24.5(810) CCG7.7(255) CAG21.8(723) CGG3.6(118) ATT15.5(512) ACT13.6(451) AAT12.8(424) AGT8.1(267) ATC28.9(958) ACC17.2(569) AAC27.8(921) AGC10.7(354) ATA7.6(253) ACA11.9(393) AAA26.7(883) AGA11.8(392) ATG27.3(902) ACG8.8(290) AAG53.1(1757) AGG13.5(446) GTT14.7(488) GCT26.3(872) GAT21.8(723) GGT22.0(728) GTC20.4(676) GCC21.1(697) GAC32.3(1070) GGC19.9(659) GTA12.3(406) GCA12.4(411) GAA27.2(901) GGA18.2(603) GTG24.8(822) GCG12.2(404) GAG34.1(1128) GGG4.3(141) Coding GC 50.58% 1.sup.st letter GC 53.42% 2.sup.nd letter GC 39.4% 3.sup.rd letter GC 58.93%
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE2 CodonUsageTable:AutographacalifornicaMultipleNucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV)basedon277codingsequences(77487codons) fields:[triplet][frequency:perthousand]([number]) UUU37.6(2916) UCU10.3(799) UAU22.2(1721) UGU11.2(865) UUC11.3(879) UCC7.2(556) UAC26.1(2019) UGC12.5(967) UUA20.6(1594) UCA7.2(557) UAA2.7(209) UGA0.5(38) UUG34.3(2659) UCG14.2(1100) UAG0.4(29) UGG7.5(579) CUU8.2(637) CCU8.2(636) CAU10.2(789) CGU8.1(630) CUC7.2(555) CCC11.3(879) CAC12.8(991) CGC13.2(1024) CUA8.2(632) CCA8.0(621) CAA26.6(2063) CGA7.4(576) CUG13.0(1007) CCG12.7(985) CAG11.5(892) CGG3.9(304) AUU31.2(2416) ACU12.4(962) AAU34.5(2671) AGU10.3(800) AUC14.3(1111) ACC13.5(1043) AAC44.3(3433) AGC16.1(1251) AUA19.7(1527) ACA12.4(961) AAA52.4(4057) AGA9.7(748) AUG26.7(2071) ACG18.5(1434) AAG18.3(1418) AGG4.0(309) GUU16.5(1277) GCU11.0(850) GAU25.4(1968) GGU7.8(603) GUC11.7(904) GCC15.4(1196) GAC33.8(2619) GGC16.1(1251) GUA12.6(973) GCA10.0(771) GAA37.2(2885) GGA7.0(541) GUG25.7(1990) GCG16.3(1261) GAG16.2(1253) GGG2.9(225) Coding GC 41.86% 1.sup.st letter GC 43.60% 2.sup.nd letter GC 32.68% 3.sup.rd letter GC 49.29%