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Updated: May 8, 2026
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Efficient Agroinfiltration of Plants for High-level Transient Expression of Recombinant Proteins
Published on: July 23, 2013
Identification of efficient geminivirus-derived LIR-elements for exogenous protein expression.
Yingying Wang1,2, Weikuo Huang1, Na Xiao1
1Department of Agri-microbiomics and Biotechnology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 1 West Beichen Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
Archives of Virology
|May 7, 2026
Summary
Researchers screened geminivirus long intergenic regions (LIRs) to find strong promoters for plant expression vectors. Four active LIRs were identified, enhancing gene expression and enabling the production of difficult-to-express proteins like human papillomavirus 16 L1.
Area of Science:
- Plant biotechnology
- Molecular biology
- Virology
Background:
- Viral vectors offer versatile platforms for producing valuable compounds.
- Geminiviruses possess diverse long intergenic regions (LIRs) with potential regulatory functions.
- Enhancing gene expression in plants is crucial for biotechnology applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically screen geminivirus LIRs for potent promoter activity.
- To develop novel plant expression vectors utilizing identified LIRs.
- To assess the efficacy of these vectors for expressing medically relevant proteins.
Main Methods:
- Screening of 209 LIR fragments from 8 geminivirus genera using a dual-reporter system (GFP/Firefly luciferase) in *Nicotiana benthamiana*.
- Construction of geminivirus expression vectors based on highly active LIRs.
- Comparative analysis of expression levels with cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter and assessment of human papillomavirus 16 L1 protein production.
Main Results:
- Identification of four highly active LIRs (LIR-2, 37, 51, and 62) from three distinct genera.
- GM2, GM37, and GM62 vectors significantly enhanced GFP/GUS expression (1.16- to 1.82-fold increase) compared to the CaMV 35S promoter.
- Successful expression of human papillomavirus 16 L1 protein, with the GM2 vector showing the highest efficacy.
Conclusions:
- The identified LIRs represent valuable regulatory elements for enhancing gene expression in plants.
- Novel virus-based expression vectors were developed, offering improved performance over existing systems.
- These LIR-driven vectors are suitable for plant bioreactors, particularly for co-expression of multiple molecules.
