Abstract
An Aedes albopictus dihydrofolate reductase gene was used to construct two chimeric DNA vectors that functioned as dominant selectable markers in transfected, wild type mosquito cells. Stably transformed clones were recovered after 10-15 days in the presence of selective medium containing 1 μM methotrexate. The transformed clones contained an estimated 100-500 copies of transfected DNA per nucleus. Combined data from Southern blots and in situ hybridization to metaphase chromosomes indicated that transfected DNA was likely integrated into chromosomes both as repeated structures and as randomly integrated single copy molecules, with minimal rearrangement of coding sequences. Transfected DNA was stably maintained under selective conditions, but in some cases was lost when cells were maintained for prolonged periods in the absence of methotrexate. These observations provide a general framework for further development of stable gene transfer systems for mosquito cells in culture.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 883-893 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |
Volume | 23 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 1993 |
Keywords
- Aedes albopictus
- Gene amplification
- Gene transfer
- Methotrexate