We introduced eukaryotic expression plasmid pEGFP-N1 encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) genes into cells with different biological features through electroporation. The effects of conditions, including voltage, capacitor flow, pulse cycle, DNA dosage and buffer, on transfection efficiency were investigated based on fluorescent microscopy and posttransfection survival rate of cells by staining with trypan blue. Better electrotransfection outcomes were achieved in the following epithelial cells: Vero cells at 300 V/850 μF, PK15 cells at 300 V/500 μF, MDCK cells at 200 V/600 μF, F81 cells at 200 V/500 μF, cancer cells MB49 at 300 V/400 μF, Hela cells at 200 V/450 μF, HF-29 cells at 300 V/800 μF and B16F1 cells at 200 V/650 μF. Among fibroblast cells, better electrotransfection was achieved in BHK21 cells at 300 V/600 μF and ST cells at 200 V/750 μF. RPMI-1640 medium without antibiotics and serum demonstrated higher electrotransfection efficiency and cell survival rate than other cell culture media as electroporation buffer. Our findings further prove that electroporation transfection is an effective method for genetic transfection. Cells with different biological features require varying transfection conditions to obtain higher transfection efficiency of target genes.

The major immunogenic protein capsid (Cap) of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is critical to induce neutralizing antibodies and protective immune response against PCV2 infection. This study was conducted to investigate the immune response of recombinant adenovirus expressing PCV2b Cap and C-terminal domain of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis invasin (Cap-InvC) fusion protein in pigs. The recombinant adenovirus rAd-Cap-InvC, rAd-Cap and rAd were generated and used to immunize pigs. The phosphate-buffered saline was used as negative control. The specific antibodies levels in rAd-Cap-InvC and ZJ/C-strain vaccine groups were higher than that of rAd-Cap group ( p < 0.05), and the neutralization antibody titer in rAd-Cap-InvC group was significantly higher than those of other groups during 21–42 days post-immunization (DPI). Moreover, lymphocyte proliferative level, interferon-γ and interleukin-13 levels in rAd-Cap-InvC group were increased compared to rAd-Cap group ( p < 0.05). After virulent challenge, viruses were not detected from the blood samples in rAd-Cap-InvC and ZJ/C-strain vaccine groups after 49 DPI. And the respiratory symptom, rectal temperature, lung lesion and lymph node lesion were minimal and similar in the ZJ/C-strain and rAd-Cap-InVC groups. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that rAd-Cap-InvC was more efficiently to stimulate the production of antibody and protect pigs from PCV2 infection. We inferred that InvC is a good candidate gene for further development and application of PCV2 genetic engineering vaccine.

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