Transient Expression of Foreign Genes in Insect Cells (sf9) for Protein Functional Assay

The overall goal of this heat shock-induced protein expression system is to evaluate protein anti-apoptotic activity in two potentially functionally antagonistic proteins in insect cells. This method can help answer key questions about the functions and activities of candidate proteins in biotechnology and proteomics, such as their anti-apoptotic activities and protein interactions. The main advantage of this technique is that the timing of gene expression is controlled by heat shock induction.

So this method can provide insight into protein functional status. It can also be applied to other systems, such as mammalian protein expression. The Spodoptera frugiperda, or Sf9, insect cells used in this protocol are grown in cell culture medium in 25 square centimeter cell culture flasks at 28 degrees Celsius.

Shake the cell culture flask to detach the cells from the flask. Then check under a light microscope to make sure that about 80%of the cells are detached. Transfer 50%of the cell suspension to a new 25 square centimeter cell culture flask, and allow the cells to attach at room temperature for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, replace the medium with five milliliters of fresh culture medium, and grow in an incubator at 28 degrees Celsius. Depending on the cell growth, passage the cells every two to three days. Prior to harvesting the Sf9 cells, it is important to check the cells under the light microscope to make sure that there is no contamination by bacteria or other microorganisms.

To harvest the Sf9 cells, shake the culture flask to detach the cells, and then transfer the cell suspension to a 15-milliliter tube. Using a P10 pipette, transfer 10 microliters of the cell suspension to a hemacytometer, and count the cell number under the light microscope. Plate three times 10 to the fifth cells into each well of a 24-well plate, and leave at room temperature for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, replace the medium with 0.5 milliliters of plating medium. Prepare the cell transfection regent. For each transfection, dilute eight microliters of cell transfection reagent with 100 microliters of serum-free cell culture medium, and vortex for one second to mix.

In this study, three different truncations of the baculoviral gene, inhibitor of apoptosis 3, or IAP3, will be expressed under the control of the Drosophila heat shock 70 promoter, the full-length IAP3, a truncation lacking the RING domain, and a truncation lacking the BIR domain. Add two micrograms of each plasmid DNA into 100 microliters of serum-free cell culture medium, and mix by vortexing for one second. Prepare a positive control as well.

Combine the diluted plasmid DNA and diluted cell transfection reagent, and mix by vortexing. Incubate at room temperature for 30 minutes. Using a P1000 pipette, add 210 microliters of each DNA transfection reagent mixture dropwise onto the cells.

Incubate at 28 degrees Celsius for five hours. After five hours, replace the plating medium with 0.5 milliliters of cell culture medium, and then seal the 24-well plate with tape. Incubate at 28 degrees.

On the following day, heat shock to induce protein expression by floating the plate in a 42 degree Celsius water bath for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, return the 24-well plate to the 28 degree Celsius incubator. Protein expression is subsequently confirmed by Western blot as described in the text protocol.

To examine gene-induced cell apoptosis, first prepare Sf9 cells as demonstrated earlier. Next, transfect the cells in the same manner as before, but include one microgram of a plasmid containing an apoptosis inducer gene in each transfection reaction. Incubate at 28 degrees Celsius for five hours, replace the medium, and incubate for 16 hours.

Heat shock the transfected cells at 42 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Incubate the cells at 28 degrees Celsius for five hours before conducting the cell viability assay. For chemical-induced cell apoptosis, plate one times 10 to the six Sf9 cells into each well of a six-well plate.

Leave at room temperature for 15 minutes, and then replace the medium with one milliliter of plating medium. Transfect the cells with four micrograms of each plasmid DNA. After five hours, replace the plating medium with one milliliter of cell culture medium, and incubate the cells at 28 degrees Celsius for 16 hours.

Then heat shock at 42 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes. Incubate the cells at 28 degrees Celsius for five hours post-heat shock. Then treat the transfected cells with actinomycin D to induce apoptosis.

Incubate at 28 degrees Celsius for 16 hours before conducting the cell viability assay. Begin this procedure by washing the treated cells. Remove the medium from each well, add one milliliter of PBS, and leave for one minute.

Wash the cells three times with PBS in this manner. Resuspend the cells in each well with one milliliter of PBS containing 04%trypan blue, and stain at room temperature for three minutes. Transfer the cell suspension into a 1.5 milliliter microfuge tube.

Transfer 10 microliters of the trypan blue-stained cell suspension to a hemacytometer, and count the viable intact cells under a light microscope. Finally, perform statistical analysis as described in the text protocol. The full length and two truncations of IAP3 from Lymantria xylina MNPV were overexpressed in Sf9 cells, and Western blot was performed on cell lysates to confirm protein expression.

The anti-apoptotic protein Ac-P35 was included as a positive control. All proteins could be detected in transfected cells at either one hour or five hours post-heat shock, with a higher expression at five hours. This system can be adapted to evaluate anti-apoptotic activity.

For gene-induced cell apoptosis, the apoptosis inducer Drosophila Reaper was co-transfected with target gene plasmid constructs into Sf9 cells, which were subsequently heat shocked to activate gene expression. Compared to the vector Drosophila Reaper, the positive control showed high anti-apoptotic activity, reaching up to 80%of the viability rate. The other constructs showed various effects on anti-apoptotic activity.

For chemical-induced cell apoptosis, only one construct was transfected into Sf9 cells, and actinomycin D was added five hours post-heat shock. Compared to the positive control or the negative control, the other constructs showed various effects on anti-apoptotic activity. Once mastered, this technique can be done in two to three days if it is performed properly.

While attempting this procedure, it’s important to remember to obey the operation rules of cell culture in laminar flow and check the status of cells diligently. Following this procedure, other methods, such as co-immunoprecipitation, can be performed to answer additional questions, like whether there is any interaction between the two proteins co-expressed in the insect cells. After its development, this technique paved the way for researchers in the field of biotechnology to explore protein functions in animal or microorganisms.

After watching this video, you should have a good understanding of how to use this system to express foreign protein or evaluate potentially functionally antagonistic proteins in insect cells. Don’t forget that working with some chemicals, like actinomycin D, can be extremely hazardous, and precautions, such as wearing gloves, should always be taken while performing this procedure.