Materials

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Methods

Cloning

Plasmid-DNA isolation

5 ml LB-Medium with 5 µl ampicillin was inoculated with single colonies which grew overnight on a shaker at 37°C. The plasmid DNA was isolated using QiAprep Spin Miniprep kit from Qiagen and following the manufacturer’s protocol. 4 ml of each overnight culture was pelleted in 2 ml microcentrifuge tubes during two steps of centrifugation at 13.000 rpm. Subsequently the pellet was resuspended in 250 µl of chilled buffer P1. 250 µl of lysis buffer P2 was added and the solution was mixed thoroughly by inverting the tube 4-6 times. After adding 350 µl of the neutralization Buffer N3 the solution was mixed immediately and thoroughly by inverting the tube 4-6 times. Thereafter the mixture was centrifuged. The supernatants were applied to a QIAprep column which was put in a 2 ml collection tube. It was centrifuged for 1 min at 13.000 rpm and the flow-through was discarded. After adding 500 µl of wash buffer PB, it was centrifuged for 1 min at 13.000 rpm and the flow-through was discarded. Once more, it was washed with 750 µl of wash buffer PE. In an additional centrifugation for 1 min at 13.000 rpm the residual wash buffer was removed. The QIAprep column was placed into a clean 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube and the plasmid DNA was eluted in 30 µl ddH2O.

Sequencing

performed by the GATC Biotech company

Gel extraction

After gel electrophoresis the digested vector and insert have to be purified from the gel. With the help of a UV lamp, the bands were quickly excised from the gel without exposing the DNA too long to UV light. Afterwards the DNA was purified with the QIAquick Gel extraction kit. Three volumes of buffer QG were added to one volume of gel. The gel fragment was dissolved by incubation for 10 min at 50°C. Afterwards one volume of 100% isopropanol was added. The solution was applied on a QIAquick spin column after this has been placed into a provided 2 ml collection tube. By centrifugation for 1 min at 13.000 rpm the DNA was bound to the column. The flow-through was discarded and the column was placed in the same collection tube. To remove all traces of agarose from the column, 500 µl of wash buffer QC was added followed by centrifugation for 1 min at 13.000 rpm. The flow-through was discarded and the column was washed with 750 µl of buffer PE for 1 min at 13.000 rpm. Afterwards the flow-through was discarded. An additional centrifugation for 1 min at 13.000 rpm helped to remove the residual ethanol. The column was placed into a new 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube and it was eluted with 30 µl of ddH2O.

Purification of PCR product

One volume of buffer PBI was added to one volume of the PCR sample mix. The sample was applied to a QIAquick column which has been placed into a provided 2 ml collection tube. It was centrifuged for 1 min at 13.000 rpm and the flow-through was discarded and the column was placed in the same collection tube. After this 750 µl of buffer PE was added to wash the column. It was centrifuged for 1 min at 13.000 rpm. The flow-through was discarded and the column was placed in the same collection tube. It was centrifuged for 1 min at 13.000 rpm. Afterwards the QIAquick column was placed into a new 1.5 ml microcentrifuge tube and it was eluted with 40 µl ddH2O.

Agarose Gel Electrophoresis

Agarose flat-bed gels in various concentrations (0.6–2% agarose in 0.5 x TAE buffer) and sizes were run to separate DNA fragments in an electrical field (10–20 V/cm) for analytical or preparative use. The desired amount of agarose was boiled in 1 x TAE buffer until it was completely dissolved. After it cooled down to approximately 60°C, ethidium bromide (EtBr) solution (0.5 μg/ml final concentration) was added to the liquid agar, which was then poured in a flat-bed tray with combs. As soon as the agarose solidified, the Running buffer (0.5 x TAE buffer) was added before the DNA in the loading buffer was loaded into the wells and separated electrophoretically. Ethidium bromide intercalates with the DNA’s GC ntss resulting in DNA-EtBr-complex that emits visible light. Therefore, the DNA fragments could be detected on a UV-light tray at 265 nm.

Large scale preparation of plasmid DNA

150 ml LB-Medium with 150 µl ampicillin was inoculated with 50 µl of bacteria culture which grew overnight on a shaker at 37°C. The plasmid DNA was isolated using QiAprep Spin MAxiprep kit from Qiagen and the protocol was followed. The overnight culture was centrifuged for 20 min at 4000 rpm at 4°C using an SLA 1500 Rotor. Afterwards the LB-medium was discarded and the pellet was homogeneously resuspended in 10 ml of precooled Buffer P1. After having added 10 ml of Buffer P2 the mixture was inverted 4-6 times and incubated for 5 min at RT before adding 10 ml of chilled Buffer P3. Thereafter the lysate was poured into a prepared QIAfilter Maxi Cartridge and incubated at RT for 10 min. During this time a QIAGEN-tip 500 was equilibrated by applying 10 ml of Buffer QBT and allowing the column to empty by gravity flow. The cell lysate was filtered into the QIAGEN-tip. The cleared lysate entered the resin by gravity flow and after washing with 2 x 30 ml Buffer QC the Plasmid DNA was eluted with 15 ml Buffer QF. After this the DNA was precipitated by adding 10.5 ml isopropanol and centrifuged at 4,000 rpm for 45 min at 4°C. The supernatant was discarded and the DNA pellet was washed with 5 ml ethanol (70%) and centrifuged at 4,000 rpm for 15 min. After air-drying the pellet the DNA was redissolved in H2O.

Cell culture

Media

• HeLa - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin
• HEK293T - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin
• HEK T-REx - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin, 50µg/ml Blasticidin, 50µg/ml Zeocin
• HEK T-REx (with pcDNA5 integrated) - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin, 50µg/ml Blasticidin, 100µg/ml Hygromycin
• Huh7 - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin, 1% Non-essential amino acids
• HepG2 - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin
• Hepa1.6 - DMEM, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin
• primary hepatocytes - William's Medium E, 10% Fetal Bovine Serum, 100 unit Penicillin, 100 µg/ml Streptomycin, 2mM L-Glutamin, 100nM Dexamethasone

Passaging

• remove media
• wash cells one time in PBS (10ml)
• remove PBS; add 2 ml of trypsin-EDTA solution and incubate cells for 5 min at 37 °C
• add 5 ml of the according media
• take 1/10th of the cell suspension and plate out on the according dish (either p100 dish, 6 well plate or T-flask)

Coating

for 96-well plates

• add 30 µl of poly-L-lysine solution (Sigma) to each well (make sure whole surface is covered with solution)
• leave for 30' in the incubator
• remove poly-L-lysine solution
• wash once with 1x PBS

Transfection

FuGENE

DAY1

• seed cells

DAY2

• transfection
  • to media (OptiMEM, no FBS) add FuGENE reagent (it is important to add FuGENE to media, not other way round and not to drop FuGENE on the walls of the tube)
  • incubate 5 minutes at room temperature
  • add DNA
  • incubate 15 minutes
  • mix well and add dropwise to the well

PEI

150cm² plate format

• mixture 1:
  • 44ug DNA
  • up to 790µl of H2O each flask
  • add 790µl of 300mM NaCl
• mixture 2:
  • 343µl of PEI
  • 790µl of 300mM NaCl
  • add mixture 2 to mixture 1
  • incubate 10 min at RT
  • add to cells

HBSS

• • 150cm² flask
• 50ugDNA
• 2.67ml 250mM CaCl2
• 2.67ml 2x HBSS

• warm up both CaCl and HBSS
• add plasmid to CaCl2 solution
• pour 2x HBSS to erlenmeyer flask
• very slowly add CaCl2 to HBSS, mix vigorously during adding (should become turbid)
• incubate for one minute in the room temperature
• add transfection mix to media (1 volume of mix, 2 volumes of media)
• pour on cells