Design and assembly of plant-based COVID-19 candidate vaccines: reсent development and future prospects.

An outbreak of a new variant of the coronavirus infection, known as COVID-19, occurred at the end of 2019 in China, in the city of Wuhan. It was caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This variant of the virus is characterized by a high degree of variability and, as the current situation with its spread across different regions of the globe shows, it can lead to a progressive spread of infection among the human population and become the cause of a pandemic. The world scientific community is making tremendous efforts to develop means of protection,prevention and treatment of this disease based on modern advances in molecular biology, immunology and vaccinology. This review provides information on the current state of research in the field of vaccine development against COVID-19 with an emphasis on the role of plants in solving this complex problem. Although plants have long been used by mankind as sources of various medicinal substances, in a pandemic, plant expression systems become attractive as biofactories or bioreactors for the production of artificially created protein molecules that include protective antigens against viral infection. The design and creation of such artificial molecules underlies the development of recombinant subunit vaccines aimed at a rapid response against the spread of infections with a high degree of variability. The review presents the state of research covering a period of just over two years, i. e. since the emergence of the new outbreak of coronavirus infection. The authors tried to emphasize the importance of rapid response of research groups from various scientific fields towards the use of existing developments to create means of protection against various pathogens. With two plant expression systems - stable and transient - as examples, the development of work on the creation of recombinant subunit vaccines against COVID-19 in various laboratories and commercial companies is shown. The authors emphasize that plant expression systems have promise for the development of not only protective means under conditions of rapid response (subunit vaccines), but also therapeutic agents in the form of monoclonal antibodies against COVID-19 synthesized in plant cells.

[Strategies for Optimizing Recombinant Protein Synthesis in Plant Cells: Classical Approaches and New Directions].

At present, pharmacologically significant proteins are synthesized in different expression systems, from bacterial to mammalian and insect cell cultures. The plant expression systems (especially suspension cell culture) combine the simplicity and low cost of bacterial systems with the ability to perform eukaryotic-type posttranslational protein modifications. A low (compared with bacterial systems) yield of the target recombinant protein is one of the shortcomings of the plant expression systems. In this review, methods, developed over the past two decades, to increase the level of recombinant gene expression and methods to prevent silencing, caused by a random insertion of the target gene into heterochromatin region, are considered. The emergence of CRISPR/Cas technologies led to the creation of a new approach to increase the gene expression level, directional insertion of "pharmaceutical" protein genes in specific, knowingly transcriptionally active genome regions. The plant cell housekeeping gene loci, actively expressed throughout the interphase, are these regions. The organization of some housekeeping genes, most promising for transferring recombinant protein genes in their loci, is considered in detail.

Main Strategies of Plant Expression System Glycoengineering for Producing Humanized Recombinant Pharmaceutical Proteins.

Most the pharmaceutical proteins are derived not from their natural sources, rather their recombinant analogs are synthesized in various expression systems. Plant expression systems, unlike mammalian cell cultures, combine simplicity and low cost of procaryotic systems and the ability for posttranslational modifications inherent in eucaryotes. More than 50% of all human proteins and more than 40% of the currently used pharmaceutical proteins are glycosylated, that is, they are glycoproteins, and their biological activity, pharmacodynamics, and immunogenicity depend on the correct glycosylation pattern. This review examines in detail the similarities and differences between N- and O-glycosylation in plant and mammalian cells, as well as the effect of plant glycans on the activity, pharmacokinetics, immunity, and intensity of biosynthesis of pharmaceutical proteins. The main current strategies of glycoengineering of plant expression systems aimed at obtaining fully humanized proteins for pharmaceutical application are summarized.

[Efficiency of the Induction of Cytomixis in the Microsporogenesis of Dicotyledonous (N. tabacum L.) and Monocotyledonous (H. distichum L.) Plants by Thermal Stress].

The efficiencies of the induction of cytomixis in microsporogenesis by thermal stress are compared in tobacco (N. tabacum L.) and barley (H. distichum L.) It has been shown that different thermal treatment schedules (budding tobacco plants at 50°C and air-dried barley grains at 48°C) produce similar results in the species: the frequency of cytomixis increases, and its maximum shifts to later stages of meiosis. However, the species show differences in response. The cytomixis frequency increase in tobacco is more pronounced, and its maximum shifts from the zygotene­pachytene stages of meiotic prophase I to prometaphase­metaphase I. Later in the meiosis, aberrations in chromosome structure and meiotic apparatus formation typical of cytomixis are noted, as well as cytomixis activation in tapetum cells. Thermal stress disturbs the integration of callose- bearing vesicles into the callose wall. Cold treatment at 7°C does not affect cytomixis frequency in tobacco microsporogenesis. Incubation of barley seeds at 48°C activates cytomixis in comparison to the control, shifts its maximum from the premeiotic interphase to zygotene, and changes the habit of cytomictic interactions from pairwise contacts to the formation of multicellular clusters. Thermal treatment induces cytomictic interactions within the tapetum and between microsporocytes and the tapetum. However, later meiotic phases show no adverse consequences of active cytomixis in barley. It is conjectured that heat stress affects callose metabolism and integration into the forming callose wall, thereby causing incomplete closure of cytomictic channels and favoring intercellular chromosome migration at advanced meiotic stages.

[Hybridological analysis of inheritance of mosaic nptII gene expression in transgenic tobacco plants].

On the basis of the results of hybridological analysis, it was established that significant differences in the stability of manifestation of the nptII gene expression are observed between the Nu5 and Nu6 lines obtained from the same initial Nu21 transformant (in spite of the identical genetic environment). Relatively stable expression of the marker gene is registered in the Nu5 line; the frequencies of detection of mosaic descendants are not high. The Nu6 line is characterized by a high frequency of the appearance of mosaic plants (up to 100%), indicating an increase in the marker gene inactivation in this line. When combining the nptII gene alleles in the hybrid genome, the allele coming from the Nu6 line was manifested as semidominant and had a suppressing effect on the allele coming from the Nu5 line. No transinactivation phenomena at the level of phenotype were detected during the interaction of the nptII gene alleles from the Nu5 and Nu6 lines in diheterozygote with the alleles of homologous genes inactivated at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional levels. During segregation to F2, separation of the Nu21 line progeny into two independent groups with preservation of the different character of the marker gene expression (with a moderate level of appearance of mosaic plants for the Nu5 line and with high level for the Nu6 line) was again registered. Further studies are directed to detection of the mechanisms leading to the mosaic type of the studied gene manifestation in transgenic plants of the Nu5 and Nu6 lines.

Intra- and intertissular cytomictic interactions in mic-rosporogenesis of mono- and dicotyledonous plants.

A comparative cytological analysis of intra- and intertissular cytomictic interactions in early micro-sporogenesis of mono- and dicotyledonous plants was performed by the example of the two cellular systems - microsporocytes and tapetum. It is found that cytomixis is the component of intratissular interactions mainly. In the tapetum cells cytomixis is notable for structural and temporary taxon specific features. The nuclear migration in microsporocytes is confined mainly to zygotene-pachytene meiotic stages and characterized by a certain synchronism with cytomixis at the tapetum. Intertissular cytomictic interactions (tapetum - microsporocytes) were found in the monocot anthers only. Intertissular interactions are likely to reflect the intensification of competitive relations between the tapetum and microsporocytes for area in the process of anther tissue differentiation. Polyploid tapetum nucleus and syncytia being powerful acceptors are able to compete with microsporocytes and direct the chromatin translocation to their favor. The absence of intertissular interactions in dicots probably reflects a better balance between the processes of differentiation at somatic and generative tissues into microsporangium compared to monocots.

State of research in the field of the creation of plant vaccines for veterinary use.

Transgenic plants as an alternative of costly systems of recombinant immunogenic protein expression are the source for the production of cheap and highly efficient biotherapeuticals of new generation, including plant vaccines. In the present review, possibilities of plant system application for the production of recombinant proteins for veterinary use are considered, the history of the "edible vaccine" concept is briefly summarized, advantages and disadvantages of various plant systems for the expression of recombinant immunogenic proteins are discussed. The list of recombinant plant vaccines for veterinary use, which are at different stages of clinical trials, is presented.

Deformation of nuclei and abnormal spindles assembly in the second male meiosis of polyploid tobacco plants.

The bipolar spindle is a major cytoskeletal structure, which ensures an equal chromosome distribution between the daughter nuclei. The spindle formation in animal cells depends on centrosomes activity. In flowering plant cells the centrosomes have not been identified as definite structures. The absence of these structures suggests that plants assemble their spindle via novel mechanisms. Nonetheless, the cellular and molecular mechanisms controlling the cytoskeleton remodeling during the spindle development in plants are still insufficiently clear. This article describes the results of a comparative analysis of the microtubular cytoskeleton dynamics during assembly of the second division spindle in tobacco microsporocytes with the normal and deformed nuclei. According to our observations, the bipolar spindle fibres are formed from short arrays of the disintegrated perinuclear cytoskeleton system, the perinuclear microtubular band. The microsporocytes of polyploid tobacco plants with deformed nuclei entirely lack this cytoskeleton structure. In such type of cells the overall prometaphase events are blocked, and the assembly of second division spindles is completely arrested.

[Mosaic patterns of transgene expression in plants].

The review describes the phenomenon of mosaic transgene (gene) expression in plants. Parallels with the mosaic transgene (gene) expression in other organisms are presented. Parallels with the mosaic patterns of gene (transgene) expression in other organisms (Drosophila, transgenic animals, and others) are made.

[Analysis of mosaic expression of the nptII gene in transgenic tobacco plant lines contrasting in mosaicism].

Differences in the frequency of occurrence of plants with the mosaic phenotype between the Nu5 and Nu6 lines of transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants remained irrespective of the allelic state of the nptII marker gene. Transition of the nptII gene from the hemizygous state (T3) to the homozygous state (T4) was accompanied by an increase in the frequency of mosaics in both lines. Transition from the homozygous state (T4) into the hemizygous state (F1) resulted in a further increase in the frequency of mosaic plants in the Nu5 line, whereas in the Nu6 line this parameter remained at a high level. Hypermethylation of the pMAS promoter in plants of both lines, as well as differences in the degree of methylation of cytosines in the 5'-region of the coding part of a truncated nptII gene copy between the Nu5 and Nu6 lines, pointed to epigenetic regulation of the mosaic expression of the nptII gene.

[Spontaneous spectinomycin resistance mutations of the chloroplast rrn16 gene in Daucus carota callus lines].

Bioballistic transformation of carrot Daucus carota L. callus cultures with a plasmid containing the aadA (aminoglycoside 3'-adenyltransferase) gene and subsequent selection oftransformants on a selective medium containing spectinomycin (100-500 mg/l) yielded ten callus lines resistant to this antibiotic. PCR analysis did not detect exogenous DNA in the genomes of spectinomycin-resistant calluses. Resistance proved to be due to spontaneous mutations that occurred in two different regions of the chloroplast rrn16 gene, which codes for the 16S rRNA. Six lines displayed the G > T or G > C transverions in position 1012 of the rrn16 gene, and three lines had the A > G transition in position 1138 of the gene. Chloroplast mutations arising during passages of callus cultures in the presence of spectinomycin were described in D. carota for the first time. The cause of spectinomycin resistance was not identified in one line. The mutations observed in the D. carota plastid genome occurred in the region that is involved in the formation of a double-stranded region at the 3' end of the 16S rRNA and coincided in positions with the nucleotide substitutions found in spectinomycin-resistant plants of tobacco Nicotiana tabacum L. and bladderpod Lesquerella fendleri L.

[Transcriptional gene silencing in plants].

The review presents current data on molecular genetic mechanisms of suppression of the gene (transgene) expression in plants at the transcriptional level. The stages of RNA-directed DNA methylation are discussed in detail. Mutations affecting transcriptional gene inactivation without altering nucleotide sequence methylation are described.

[Characteristics of the cytomixis channel formation in Nicotiana tabacum L. pollen mother cells].

The cytomictic channels in pollen mother cells of tobacco can be formed by two distinct ways: on the basis of plasmodesmata and de novo without any relation to ones. Cytomictic channels formation it was shown to be possible on the basis of single plasmodesma. It is not unlikely that special electron-dense bodies involve de novo formation of the channels. Also the role of cytomictic channels in the pollen development regulation is discussed.

[Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of plants: transfer of vector DNA fragments in the plant genome].

The review presents experimental data on the integration in the plant nuclear genome of vector sequences during Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Main attention is given to the frequency and mechanisms of this event among transgenic plants. The factors influencing the frequency of this event, as well as the ways of developing special constructs for elimination of vector backbone sequences as undesirable from the point of view of commercial use of genetically modified plants, are considered.

[Specific features of T-DNA insertion regions in transgenic plants].

Experimental data from analysis of exogenous DNA (T-DNA) insertion sites in transgenic plants are summarized. Arguments are considered in favor and against the existence of genome DNA regions preferred for transgene integration that are determined by distinctive features characterizing the organization and nucleotide composition of the plant genome and the structure and conformational state of the chromatin. The main stages of T-DNA integration into a plant chromosome and possible molecular mechanisms of this process are discussed.

[Premature cytokinesis in pollen mother cells of transgenic tobacco plants Nicotiana tabacum L].

In majority species of dicotyledonous plants cytokinesis in PMCs occurs once after completion of two caryokinesis cycles, that is a simultaneous type. This paper represents cytological picture and frequency characteristics of abnormality which resulted in cytokinesis triggering after first meiotic division in a part of transgenic tobacco PMCs. It was shown that the main process of cytoskeleton reorganization typical for simultaneous cytokinesis remained without any alterations in such cells. However, in most cases premature cell division occurred with abnormalities such as membrane "tunnel" or "gash" formation. It was ascertained that initiation of additional round ofcytokinesis did not block nuclear cycle and cytokinesis after second meiotic division. Thus, transition of cell division from simultaneous type to successive one occurs under this abnormality.

[Characteristics of the cytomixis in the pollen mother cells of transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) with mutant phenotype].

This paper represents the frequency characteristics and cytological analysis of cytomixis in the course of male meiosis in transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) with altered flower morphology and male sterility. The influence of cytomixis on qualitative composition of the meiotic products is shoron (cytoplasts and polyads formation). It was established that doubling of chromosomes number increased cytomixis frequency in the investigated plants.

[The role of microtubular cytoskeleton and callose walls in the cytomixis process in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) pollen mother cells].

We have studied the microtubule cytoskeleton structure and callose walls deposition in the course of meiosis at the cytomictic and normal tobacco (N. tabacum L.) PMCs. It was ascertained that microtubule cytoskeleton did not play an evident part in the process of cytomixis. Increased cytomixis frequency probably is determined by irregular callose walls deposition. The possible reasons of nuclear material passage between tobacco PMCs at the cellular level are discussed.