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. 2012 Oct 1;7(10):e46460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046460

Figure 1. Expression data of human and mouse IL-10 in transiently transformed Nicotiana benthamiana leaves.

Figure 1

Use of the thk-tag gives an increasing boost in yield for both human and mouse IL-10 from 2 days post infiltration (dpi). Strikingly, mouse IL-10 yield was significantly higher compared to human IL-10, regardless of ER-retention. Differences in yield could not be explained by differences in mRNA transcript levels. (A) Schematic representation of expression cassettes and vector used. Expressed genes include the native coding sequence of the human (h) or mouse (m) IL-10 gene including signal peptide for secretion (SP) with or without a 3′ tag coding for a thrombin cleavage site, a 6xHis-tag and the ER retention sequence KDEL (thk). All expression cassettes include the 35S promoter of the Cauliflower mosaic virus with duplicated enhancer (d35S), 5′ leader sequence of the Alfalfa mosaic virus RNA 4 (AlMV) and Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase transcription terminator (Tnos). (B) Relative transcript levels of IL-10 versus actin as determined by Q-PCR on 2 and 3 dpi (n = 3, error bars indicate standard error). (C/D) Human and mouse IL-10 yield in crude extracts (1 to 6 dpi) in µg per mg total soluble protein (TSP) as determined by ELISA (n = 3, error bars indicate standard error).