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A hyperthermostable bacterial histone-like protein as an efficient mediator for transfection of eukaryotic cells

Nature Biotechnology volume 18, pages 1211–1213 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Gene delivery has shown potential in a variety of applications, including basic research, therapies for inborn genetic defects, cancer, AIDS, tissue engineering1,2, and vaccination3. Most available systems have serious drawbacks, such as safety hazards4, inefficiency under in vivo–like conditions, and expensive production. When using naked DNA2,5, for instance, a large amount of ultrapure DNA has to be applied as a result of degradation by nucleases6. Similarly, the use of eukaryotic histones7,8, synthetic peptides, or peptide nucleic acids9,10 may be limited by high production costs. We have demonstrated a biotechnologically feasible and economical approach for gene delivery using the histone-like protein from the hyperthermostable eubacterium Thermotoga maritima, TmHU11,12 as an efficient gene transfer reagent. HU can be easily isolated from recombinant Escherichia coli, is extraordinarily stable, and protects dsDNA from thermal denaturation12. This study demonstrates its use as an inexpensive tool for gene delivery.

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Figure 1: Transient TmHU-mediated transfection in various cell lines in vitro in comparison with other transfection methods.
Figure 2: Feasibility of TmHU-mediated transfection in vivo.
Figure 3: Enhancement of the efficiency of lipofection by prior incubation of DNA with TmHU.

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Acknowledgements

Plasmid pEli92 was kindly provided by Ulrich Brinkmann. This work was supported by a grant from Land Sachsen-Anhalt, and D.E. was in part financed by an HSP III grant from the German Academic Exchange Service. This publication is dedicated to Rainer Jaenicke, on the occasion of his 69th birthday.

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Author notes

  1. Gerald Böhm

    Present address: ACGT ProGenomics AG, Halle, Germany

  2. Dirk Esser

    Present address: Protein Function Group, AdProTech Ltd., Unit 3, 2 Orchard Road, Royston, Herts, SG8 5HD, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biotechnologie, Martin-Luther-Universität , Halle-Wittenberg, Germany

    Dirk Esser, Rainer Rudolph & Gerald Böhm

  2. Molecular Cell Science Laboratory, RIKEN Tsukuba Institute , Japan

    Dirk Esser & Hiroshi Amanuma

  3. Division of Experimental Animal Research, RIKEN Tsukuba Institute, Japan

    Atsushi Yoshiki & Moriaki Kusakabe

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  1. Dirk Esser
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  2. Hiroshi Amanuma
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  3. Atsushi Yoshiki
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  4. Moriaki Kusakabe
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  5. Rainer Rudolph
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  6. Gerald Böhm
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Correspondence to Dirk Esser.

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Esser, D., Amanuma, H., Yoshiki, A. et al. A hyperthermostable bacterial histone-like protein as an efficient mediator for transfection of eukaryotic cells. Nat Biotechnol 18, 1211–1213 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/81221

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