Heterochromatin Protein 1 Deleted Chromo Domain Decreases Gene Silencing of Transgene in Mouse

The heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) regulates epigenetic gene silencing by promoting and maintaining chromatin condensation. To decrease gene silencing, the chromo domain (CD) in the M31 (the main HP1 in mouse) was deleted by site-directed mutagenesis. Vector pcDNA3.1(+)/M31-ΔCD, in which the M31-ΔCD is driven by the CMV promoter, and vector pcDNA3.1(+)/P1A3-M31-ΔCD, in which the M31-ΔCD is driven by a goat ß-casein promoter were constructed. The former vector was transfected into a murine fibroblast cell line, which can express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). EGFP expression, which was determined by flow cytometric analysis, increased approximately 80% in the transfected cells. After injection of the latter vector into transgenic mouse mammary glands, which can express human clotting factor IX (hFIX), the hFIX expression level in the mouse milk increased approximately 40–60% and hFIX in one mouse milk was maintained at a high concentration for over 10 days.