1
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Göse M, Magill EE, Hughes-Games A, Shaw SJ, Diffin FM, Rawson T, Nagy Z, Seidel R, Szczelkun MD. Short-range translocation by a restriction enzyme motor triggers diffusion along DNA. Nat Chem Biol 2024; 20:689-698. [PMID: 38167920 PMCID: PMC11142916 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01504-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Cleavage of bacteriophage DNA by the Type III restriction-modification enzymes requires long-range interaction between DNA sites. This is facilitated by one-dimensional diffusion ('DNA sliding') initiated by ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by a superfamily 2 helicase-like ATPase. Here we combined ultrafast twist measurements based on plasmonic DNA origami nano-rotors with stopped-flow fluorescence and gel-based assays to examine the role(s) of ATP hydrolysis. Our data show that the helicase-like domain has multiple roles. First, this domain stabilizes initial DNA interactions alongside the methyltransferase subunits. Second, it causes environmental changes in the flipped adenine base following hydrolysis of the first ATP. Finally, it remodels nucleoprotein interactions via constrained translocation of a ∼ 5 to 22-bp double stranded DNA loop. Initiation of DNA sliding requires 8-15 bp of DNA downstream of the motor, corresponding to the site of nuclease domain binding. Our data unify previous contradictory communication models for Type III enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Göse
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emma E Magill
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Alex Hughes-Games
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Steven J Shaw
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Fiona M Diffin
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Tara Rawson
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Zsofia Nagy
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Mark D Szczelkun
- DNA-Protein Interactions Unit, School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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2
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Bigelyte G, Duchovska B, Zedaveinyte R, Sasnauskas G, Sinkunas T, Dalgediene I, Tamulaitiene G, Silanskas A, Kazlauskas D, Valančauskas L, Madariaga-Marcos J, Seidel R, Siksnys V, Karvelis T. Innate programmable DNA binding by CRISPR-Cas12m effectors enable efficient base editing. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:3234-3248. [PMID: 38261981 PMCID: PMC11013384 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cas9 and Cas12 nucleases of class 2 CRISPR-Cas systems provide immunity in prokaryotes through RNA-guided cleavage of foreign DNA. Here we characterize a set of compact CRISPR-Cas12m (subtype V-M) effector proteins and show that they provide protection against bacteriophages and plasmids through the targeted DNA binding rather than DNA cleavage. Biochemical assays suggest that Cas12m effectors can act as roadblocks inhibiting DNA transcription and/or replication, thereby triggering interference against invaders. Cryo-EM structure of Gordonia otitidis (Go) Cas12m ternary complex provided here reveals the structural mechanism of DNA binding ensuring interference. Harnessing GoCas12m innate ability to bind DNA target we fused it with adenine deaminase TadA-8e and showed an efficient A-to-G editing in Escherichia coli and human cells. Overall, this study expands our understanding of the functionally diverse Cas12 protein family, revealing DNA-binding dependent interference mechanism of Cas12m effectors that could be harnessed for engineering of compact base-editing tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Bigelyte
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Brigita Duchovska
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Rimante Zedaveinyte
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Giedrius Sasnauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Sinkunas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Indre Dalgediene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Giedre Tamulaitiene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Arunas Silanskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Darius Kazlauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Lukas Valančauskas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Julene Madariaga-Marcos
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Virginijus Siksnys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
| | - Tautvydas Karvelis
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius LT-10257, Lithuania
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3
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Croquette V, Orero JV, Rieu M, Allemand JF. Magnetic tweezers principles and promises. Methods Enzymol 2024; 694:1-49. [PMID: 38492947 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2024.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Magnetic tweezers have become popular with the outbreak of single molecule micromanipulation: catching a single molecule of DNA, RNA or a single protein and applying mechanical constrains using micron-size magnetic beads and magnets turn out to be easy. Various factors have made this possible: the fact that manufacturers have been preparing these beads to catch various biological entities-the ease of use provided by magnets which apply a force or a torque at a distance thus inside a flow cell-some chance: since the forces so generated are in the right range to stretch a single molecule. This is a little less true for torque. Finally, one feature which also appears very important is the simplicity of their calibration using Brownian motion. Here we start by describing magnetic tweezers used routinely in our laboratory where we have tried to develop a device as simple as possible so that the experimentalist can really focus on the biological aspect of the biomolecules that he/she is interested in. We discuss the implications of the various components and their important features. Next, we summarize what is easy to achieve and what is less easy. Then we refer to contributions by other groups who have brought valuable insights to improve magnetic tweezers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Croquette
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'École normale supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, Paris, France.
| | - Jessica Valle Orero
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'École normale supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France; The American University of Paris, Paris, France
| | - Martin Rieu
- Department of Physics, New Biochemistry Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-François Allemand
- Laboratoire de Physique de l'École normale supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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4
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Mierke CT. Magnetic tweezers in cell mechanics. Methods Enzymol 2024; 694:321-354. [PMID: 38492957 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2023.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The chapter provides an overview of the applications of magnetic tweezers in living cells. It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of magnetic tweezers technology with a focus on individual magnetic tweezers configurations, such as electromagnetic tweezers. Solutions to the disadvantages identified are also outlined. The specific role of magnetic tweezers in the field of mechanobiology, such as mechanosensitivity, mechano-allostery and mechanotransduction are also emphasized. The specific usage of magnetic tweezers in mechanically probing cells via specific cell surface receptors, such as mechanosensitive channels is discussed and why mechanical probing has revealed the opening and closing of the channels. Finally, the future direction of magnetic tweezers is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tanja Mierke
- Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Biological Physics Division, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany.
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5
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Madariaga-Marcos J, Aldag P, Kauert DJ, Seidel R. Correlated Single-Molecule Magnetic Tweezers and Fluorescence Measurements of DNA-Enzyme Interactions. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2694:421-449. [PMID: 37824016 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3377-9_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Combining force spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy provides a substantial improvement to the single-molecule toolbox by allowing simultaneous manipulation and orthogonal characterizations of the conformations, interactions, and activity of biomolecular complexes. Here, we describe a combined magnetic tweezers and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy setup to carry out correlated single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and force/twisting experiments. We apply the setup to reveal the DNA interactions of the CRISPR-Cas surveillance complex Cascade. Single-molecule fluorescence of a labeled Cascade allows to follow the DNA association and dissociation of the protein. Simultaneously, the magnetic tweezers probe the DNA unwinding during R-loop formation by the bound Cascade complexes. Furthermore, the setup supports observation of 1D diffusion of protein complexes on stretched DNA molecules. This technique can be applied to study a vast range of protein-DNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julene Madariaga-Marcos
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Pierre Aldag
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dominik J Kauert
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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6
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Qian J, Collette D, Finzi L, Dunlap D. Detecting DNA Loops Using Tethered Particle Motion. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2694:451-466. [PMID: 37824017 PMCID: PMC10906717 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3377-9_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The range of motion of a micron-sized bead tethered by a single polymer provides a dynamic readout of the effective length of the polymer. The excursions of the bead may reflect the intrinsic flexibility and/or topology of the polymer as well as changes due to the action activity of ligands that bind the polymer. This is a simple yet powerful experimental approach to investigate such interactions between DNA and proteins as demonstrated by experiments with the lac repressor. This protein forms a stable, tetrameric oligomer with two binding sites and can produce a loop of DNA between recognition sites separated along the length of a DNA molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Qian
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Dylan Collette
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Laura Finzi
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David Dunlap
- Department of Physics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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7
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Dulin D. An Introduction to Magnetic Tweezers. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2694:375-401. [PMID: 37824014 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3377-9_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Magnetic tweezers are a single-molecule force and torque spectroscopy technique that enable the mechanical interrogation in vitro of biomolecules, such as nucleic acids and proteins. They use a magnetic field originating from either permanent magnets or electromagnets to attract a magnetic particle, thus stretching the tethering biomolecule. They nicely complement other force spectroscopy techniques such as optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy (AFM) as they operate as a very stable force clamp, enabling long-duration experiments over a very broad range of forces spanning from 10 fN to 1 nN, with 1-10 milliseconds time and sub-nanometer spatial resolution. Their simplicity, robustness, and versatility have made magnetic tweezers a key technique within the field of single-molecule biophysics, being broadly applied to study the mechanical properties of, e.g., nucleic acids, genome processing molecular motors, protein folding, and nucleoprotein filaments. Furthermore, magnetic tweezers allow for high-throughput single-molecule measurements by tracking hundreds of biomolecules simultaneously both in real-time and at high spatiotemporal resolution. Magnetic tweezers naturally combine with surface-based fluorescence spectroscopy techniques, such as total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, enabling correlative fluorescence and force/torque spectroscopy on biomolecules. This chapter presents an introduction to magnetic tweezers including a description of the hardware, the theory behind force calibration, its spatiotemporal resolution, combining it with other techniques, and a (non-exhaustive) overview of biological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dulin
- LaserLaB Amsterdam and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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8
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Choi MH, Hong L, Chamorro LP, Edwards B, Timperman AT. Measuring the electrophoretic mobility and size of single particles using microfluidic transverse AC electrophoresis (TrACE). LAB ON A CHIP 2023; 24:20-33. [PMID: 37937351 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00413a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
The ability to measure the charge and size of single particles is essential to understanding particle adhesion and interaction with their environment. Characterizing the physical properties of biological particles, like cells, can be a powerful tool in studying the association between the changes in physical properties and disease development. Currently, measuring charge via the electrophoretic mobility (μep) of individual particles remains challenging, and there is only one prior report of simultaneously measuring μep and size. We introduce microfluidic transverse AC electrophoresis (TrACE), a novel technique that combines particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) and AC electrophoresis. In TrACE, electric waves with 0.75 to 1.5 V amplitude are applied transversely to the bulk flow and cause the particles to oscillate. PTV records the particles' oscillating trajectories as pressure drives bulk flow through the microchannel. A simple quasi-equilibrium model agrees well with experimental measurements of frequency, amplitude, and phase, indicating that particle motion is largely described by DC electrophoresis. The measured μep of polystyrene particles (0.53, 0.84, 1, and 2 μm diameter) are consistent with ELS measurements, and precision is enhanced by averaging ∼100 measurements per particle. Particle size is simultaneously measured from Brownian motion quantified from the trajectory for particles <2 μm or image analysis for particles ≥2 μm. Lastly, the ability to analyze intact mammalian cells is demonstrated with B cells. TrACE systems are expected to be highly suitable as fieldable tools to measure the μep and size of a broad range of individual particles.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hannah Choi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Liu Hong
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Leonardo P Chamorro
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Boyd Edwards
- Department of Physics, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA
| | - Aaron T Timperman
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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9
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Richard B, Shahana C, Vivek R, M AR, Rasheed PA. Acoustic platforms meet MXenes - a new paradigm shift in the palette of biomedical applications. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:18156-18172. [PMID: 37947786 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr04901a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The wide applicability of acoustics in the life of mankind spread over health, energy, environment, and others. These acoustic technologies rely on the properties of the materials with which they are made of. However, traditional devices have failed to develop into low-cost, portable devices and need to overcome issues like sensitivity, tunability, and applicability in biological in vivo studies. Nanomaterials, especially 2D materials, have already been proven to produce high optical contrast in photoacoustic applications. One such wonder kid in the materials family is MXenes, which are transition metal carbides, that are nowadays flourishing in the materials world. Recently, it has been demonstrated that MXene nanosheets and quantum dots can be synthesized by acoustic excitations. In addition, MXene can be used as a mechanical sensing material for building piezoresistive sensors to realize sound detection as it produces a sensitive response to pressure and vibration. It has also been demonstrated that MXene nanosheets show high photothermal conversion capability, which can be utilized in cancer treatment and photoacoustic imaging (PAI). In this review, we have rendered the role of acoustics in the palette of MXene, including acoustic synthetic strategies of MXenes, applications such as acoustic sensors, PAI, thermoacoustic devices, sonodynamic therapy, artificial ear drum, and others. The review also discusses the challenges and future prospects of using MXene in acoustic platforms in detail. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review combining acoustic science in MXene research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bartholomew Richard
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad, Kerala, 678557, India.
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad, Kerala, 678557, India
| | - C Shahana
- Department of Chemistry, National Institute of Technology Calicut, Calicut, Kerala, 673601, India
| | - Raju Vivek
- Bio-Nano Theranostic Research Laboratory, Cancer Research Program (CRP), School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, 641 046, India
| | - Amarendar Reddy M
- Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, National Institute of Technology Andhra Pradesh, West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, 534101, India
| | - P Abdul Rasheed
- Department of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad, Kerala, 678557, India.
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad, Kerala, 678557, India
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10
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Kauert DJ, Madariaga-Marcos J, Rutkauskas M, Wulfken A, Songailiene I, Sinkunas T, Siksnys V, Seidel R. The energy landscape for R-loop formation by the CRISPR-Cas Cascade complex. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023:10.1038/s41594-023-01019-2. [PMID: 37415009 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01019-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) sequences and CRISPR-associated (Cas) genes comprise CIRSPR-Cas effector complexes, which have revolutionized gene editing with their ability to target specific genomic loci using CRISPR RNA (crRNA) complementarity. Recognition of double-stranded DNA targets proceeds via DNA unwinding and base pairing between crRNA and the DNA target strand, forming an R-loop structure. Full R-loop extension is a prerequisite for subsequent DNA cleavage. However, the recognition of unintended sequences with multiple mismatches has limited therapeutic applications and is still poorly understood on a mechanistic level. Here we set up ultrafast DNA unwinding experiments on the basis of plasmonic DNA origami nanorotors to study R-loop formation by the Cascade effector complex in real time, close to base-pair resolution. We resolve a weak global downhill bias of the forming R-loop, followed by a steep uphill bias for the final base pairs. We also show that the energy landscape is modulated by base flips and mismatches. These findings suggest that Cascade-mediated R-loop formation occurs on short timescales in submillisecond single base-pair steps, but on longer timescales in six base-pair intermediate steps, in agreement with the structural periodicity of the crRNA-DNA hybrid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik J Kauert
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Marius Rutkauskas
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Wulfken
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Inga Songailiene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Sinkunas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Virginijus Siksnys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
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11
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Acharya A, Bret H, Huang JW, Mütze M, Göse M, Kissling V, Seidel R, Ciccia A, Guérois R, Cejka P. Mechanism of DNA unwinding by hexameric MCM8-9 in complex with HROB. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3054483. [PMID: 37461676 PMCID: PMC10350107 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3054483/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
The human MCM8-9 helicase functions in concert with HROB in the context of homologous recombination, but its precise function is unknown. To gain insights into how HROB regulates MCM8-9, we first used molecular modeling and biochemistry to define their interaction interface. We show that HROB makes important contacts with both MCM8 and MCM9 subunits, which directly promotes its DNA-dependent ATPase and helicase activities. MCM8-9-HROB preferentially binds and unwinds branched DNA structures, and single-molecule experiments reveal a low DNA unwinding processivity. MCM8-9 unwinds DNA as a hexameric complex that assembles from dimers on DNA in the presence of ATP, which is prerequisite for its helicase function. The hexamer formation thus involves two repeating protein-protein interfaces forming between the alternating MCM8 and MCM9 subunits. One of these interfaces is rather stable and forms an obligate heterodimer, while the other interface is labile and mediates the assembly of the hexamer on DNA, independently of HROB. The ATPase site composed of the subunits forming the labile interface disproportionally contributes to DNA unwinding. HROB does not affect the MCM8-9 ring formation, but promotes DNA unwinding downstream by possibly coordinating ATP hydrolysis with structural transitions accompanying translocation of MCM8-9 on DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Acharya
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Bellinzona, 6500, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Hélène Bret
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France
| | - Jen-Wei Huang
- Department of Genetics and Development, Institute for Cancer Genetics, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Martin Mütze
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Martin Göse
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Vera Kissling
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Alberto Ciccia
- Department of Genetics and Development, Institute for Cancer Genetics, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Raphaël Guérois
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, 91190, France
| | - Petr Cejka
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Bellinzona, 6500, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zürich, 8093, Switzerland
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12
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Bergkamp MH, Cajigas S, van IJzendoorn LJ, Prins MW. High-Throughput Single-Molecule Sensors: How Can the Signals Be Analyzed in Real Time for Achieving Real-Time Continuous Biosensing? ACS Sens 2023; 8:2271-2281. [PMID: 37216442 PMCID: PMC10294250 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule sensors collect statistics of single-molecule interactions, and the resulting data can be used to determine concentrations of analyte molecules. The assays are generally end-point assays and are not designed for continuous biosensing. For continuous biosensing, a single-molecule sensor needs to be reversible, and the signals should be analyzed in real time in order to continuously report output signals, with a well-controlled time delay and measurement precision. Here, we describe a signal processing architecture for real-time continuous biosensing based on high-throughput single-molecule sensors. The key aspect of the architecture is the parallel computation of multiple measurement blocks that enables continuous measurements over an endless time span. Continuous biosensing is demonstrated for a single-molecule sensor with 10,000 individual particles that are tracked as a function of time. The continuous analysis includes particle identification, particle tracking, drift correction, and detection of the discrete timepoints where individual particles switch between bound and unbound states, yielding state transition statistics that relate to the analyte concentration in solution. The continuous real-time sensing and computation were studied for a reversible cortisol competitive immunosensor, showing how the precision and time delay of cortisol monitoring are controlled by the number of analyzed particles and the size of the measurement blocks. Finally, we discuss how the presented signal processing architecture can be applied to various single-molecule measurement methods, allowing these to be developed into continuous biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max H. Bergkamp
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University
of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
| | | | - Leo J. van IJzendoorn
- Department
of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
| | - Menno W.J. Prins
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University
of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
- Department
of Applied Physics and Science Education, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven
University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The Netherlands
- Helia
Biomonitoring, Eindhoven 5612 AR, The Netherlands
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13
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Aldag P, Rutkauskas M, Madariaga-Marcos J, Songailiene I, Sinkunas T, Kemmerich F, Kauert D, Siksnys V, Seidel R. Dynamic interplay between target search and recognition for a Type I CRISPR-Cas system. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3654. [PMID: 37339984 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38790-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas effector complexes enable the defense against foreign nucleic acids and have recently been exploited as molecular tools for precise genome editing at a target locus. To bind and cleave their target, the CRISPR-Cas effectors have to interrogate the entire genome for the presence of a matching sequence. Here we dissect the target search and recognition process of the Type I CRISPR-Cas complex Cascade by simultaneously monitoring DNA binding and R-loop formation by the complex. We directly quantify the effect of DNA supercoiling on the target recognition probability and demonstrate that Cascade uses facilitated diffusion for its target search. We show that target search and target recognition are tightly linked and that DNA supercoiling and limited 1D diffusion need to be considered when understanding target recognition and target search by CRISPR-Cas enzymes and engineering more efficient and precise variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Aldag
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marius Rutkauskas
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Inga Songailiene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekis ave. 7, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Tomas Sinkunas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekis ave. 7, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania
| | - Felix Kemmerich
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dominik Kauert
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Virginijus Siksnys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Life Sciences Center, Vilnius University, Saulėtekis ave. 7, Vilnius, 10257, Lithuania.
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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14
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Acharya A, Bret H, Huang JW, Mütze M, Göse M, Kissling V, Seidel R, Ciccia A, Guérois R, Cejka P. Mechanism of DNA unwinding by hexameric MCM8-9 in complex with HROB. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.12.544631. [PMID: 37398313 PMCID: PMC10312610 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.12.544631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The human MCM8-9 helicase functions in concert with HROB in the context of homologous recombination, but its precise function is unknown. To gain insights into how HROB regulates MCM8-9, we first used molecular modeling and biochemistry to define their interaction interface. We show that HROB makes important contacts with both MCM8 and MCM9 subunits, which directly promotes its DNA-dependent ATPase and helicase activities. MCM8-9-HROB preferentially binds and unwinds branched DNA structures, and single-molecule experiments reveal a low DNA unwinding processivity. MCM8-9 unwinds DNA as a hexameric complex that assembles from dimers on DNA in the presence of ATP, which is prerequisite for its helicase function. The hexamer formation thus involves two repeating protein-protein interfaces forming between the alternating MCM8 and MCM9 subunits. One of these interfaces is rather stable and forms an obligate heterodimer, while the other interface is labile and mediates the assembly of the hexamer on DNA, independently of HROB. The ATPase site composed of the subunits forming the labile interface disproportionally contributes to DNA unwinding. HROB does not affect the MCM8-9 ring formation, but promotes DNA unwinding downstream by possibly coordinating ATP hydrolysis with structural transitions accompanying translocation of MCM8-9 on DNA.
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15
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A quantitative model for the dynamics of target recognition and off-target rejection by the CRISPR-Cas Cascade complex. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7460. [PMID: 36460652 PMCID: PMC9718816 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35116-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas effector complexes recognise nucleic acid targets by base pairing with their crRNA which enables easy re-programming of the target specificity in rapidly emerging genome engineering applications. However, undesired recognition of off-targets, that are only partially complementary to the crRNA, occurs frequently and represents a severe limitation of the technique. Off-targeting lacks comprehensive quantitative understanding and prediction. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the target recognition dynamics by the Cascade surveillance complex on a set of mismatched DNA targets using single-molecule supercoiling experiments. We demonstrate that the observed dynamics can be quantitatively modelled as a random walk over the length of the crRNA-DNA hybrid using a minimal set of parameters. The model accurately describes the recognition of targets with single and double mutations providing an important basis for quantitative off-target predictions. Importantly the model intrinsically accounts for observed bias regarding the position and the proximity between mutations and reveals that the seed length for the initiation of target recognition is controlled by DNA supercoiling rather than the Cascade structure.
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16
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Berezney JP, Valentine MT. A compact rotary magnetic tweezers device for dynamic material analysis. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2022; 93:093701. [PMID: 36182480 DOI: 10.1063/5.0090199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Here we present a new, compact magnetic tweezers design that enables precise application of a wide range of dynamic forces to soft materials without the need to raise or lower the magnet height above the sample. This is achieved through the controlled rotation of the permanent magnet array with respect to the fixed symmetry axis defined by a custom-built iron yoke. These design improvements increase the portability of the device and can be implemented within existing microscope setups without the need for extensive modification of the sample holders or light path. This device is particularly well-suited to active microrheology measurements using either creep analysis, in which a step force is applied to a micron-sized magnetic particle that is embedded in a complex fluid, or oscillatory microrheology, in which the particle is driven with a periodic waveform of controlled amplitude and frequency. In both cases, the motions of the particle are measured and analyzed to determine the local dynamic mechanical properties of the material.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Berezney
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
| | - Megan T Valentine
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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17
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Ruiz-Gutierrez N, Rieu M, Ouellet J, Allemand JF, Croquette V, Le Hir H. Novel approaches to study helicases using magnetic tweezers. Methods Enzymol 2022; 673:359-403. [PMID: 35965012 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.03.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Helicases form a universal family of molecular motors that bind and translocate onto nucleic acids. They are involved in essentially every aspect of nucleic acid metabolism: from DNA replication to RNA decay, and thus ensure a large spectrum of functions in the cell, making their study essential. The development of micromanipulation techniques such as magnetic tweezers for the mechanistic study of these enzymes has provided new insights into their behavior and their regulation that were previously unrevealed by bulk assays. These experiments allowed very precise measures of their translocation speed, processivity and polarity. Here, we detail our newest technological advances in magnetic tweezers protocols for high-quality measurements and we describe the new procedures we developed to get a more profound understanding of helicase dynamics, such as their translocation in a force independent manner, their nucleic acid binding kinetics and their interaction with roadblocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Ruiz-Gutierrez
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Martin Rieu
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France; Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Jean-François Allemand
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France; Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Croquette
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France; Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, Paris, France; ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, Paris, France.
| | - Hervé Le Hir
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Research University, Paris, France.
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18
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Català-Castro F, Schäffer E, Krieg M. Exploring cell and tissue mechanics with optical tweezers. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs259355. [PMID: 35942913 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cellular and tissue biosystems emerge from the assembly of their constituent molecules and obtain a set of specific material properties. To measure these properties and understand how they influence cellular function is a central goal of mechanobiology. From a bottoms-up, physics or engineering point-of-view, such systems are a composition of basic mechanical elements. However, the sheer number and dynamic complexity of them, including active molecular machines and their emergent properties, makes it currently intractable to calculate how biosystems respond to forces. Because many diseases result from an aberrant mechanotransduction, it is thus essential to measure this response. Recent advances in the technology of optical tweezers have broadened their scope from single-molecule applications to measurements inside complex cellular environments, even within tissues and animals. Here, we summarize the basic optical trapping principles, implementations and calibration procedures that enable force measurements using optical tweezers directly inside cells of living animals, in combination with complementary techniques. We review their versatility to manipulate subcellular organelles and measure cellular frequency-dependent mechanics in the piconewton force range from microseconds to hours. As an outlook, we address future challenges to fully unlock the potential of optical tweezers for mechanobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederic Català-Castro
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, ICFO, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain
| | - Erik Schäffer
- Cellular Nanoscience, ZMBP, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Krieg
- Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology, ICFO, Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, 08860 Castelldefels, Spain
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19
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Abstract
In the dynamic environment of the airways, where SARS-CoV-2 infections are initiated by binding to human host receptor ACE2, mechanical stability of the viral attachment is a crucial fitness advantage. Using single-molecule force spectroscopy techniques, we mimic the effect of coughing and sneezing, thereby testing the force stability of SARS-CoV-2 RBD:ACE2 interaction under physiological conditions. Our results reveal a higher force stability of SARS-CoV-2 binding to ACE2 compared to SARS-CoV-1, causing a possible fitness advantage. Our assay is sensitive to blocking agents preventing RBD:ACE2 bond formation. It will thus provide a powerful approach to investigate the modes of action of neutralizing antibodies and other agents designed to block RBD binding to ACE2 that are currently developed as potential COVID-19 therapeutics. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections are initiated by attachment of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the viral Spike protein to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) on human host cells. This critical first step occurs in dynamic environments, where external forces act on the binding partners and avidity effects play an important role, creating an urgent need for assays that can quantitate SARS-CoV-2 interactions with ACE2 under mechanical load. Here, we introduce a tethered ligand assay that comprises the RBD and the ACE2 ectodomain joined by a flexible peptide linker. Using magnetic tweezers and atomic force spectroscopy as highly complementary single-molecule force spectroscopy techniques, we investigate the RBD:ACE2 interaction over the whole physiologically relevant force range. We combine the experimental results with steered molecular dynamics simulations and observe and assign fully consistent unbinding and unfolding events across the three techniques, enabling us to establish ACE2 unfolding as a molecular fingerprint. Measuring at forces of 2 to 5 pN, we quantify the force dependence and kinetics of the RBD:ACE2 bond in equilibrium. We show that the SARS-CoV-2 RBD:ACE2 interaction has higher mechanical stability, larger binding free energy, and a lower dissociation rate compared to SARS-CoV-1, which helps to rationalize the different infection patterns of the two viruses. By studying how free ACE2 outcompetes tethered ACE2, we show that our assay is sensitive to prevention of bond formation by external binders. We expect our results to provide a way to investigate the roles of viral mutations and blocking agents for targeted pharmaceutical intervention.
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20
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Abstract
Single-molecule magnetic tweezers deliver magnetic force and torque to single target molecules, permitting the study of dynamic changes in biomolecular structures and their interactions. Because the magnetic tweezer setups can generate magnetic fields that vary slowly over tens of millimeters-far larger than the nanometer scale of the single molecule events being observed-this technique can maintain essentially constant force levels during biochemical experiments while generating a biologically meaningful force on the order of 1-100 pN. When using bead-tether constructs to pull on single molecules, smaller magnetic beads and shorter submicrometer tethers improve dynamic response times and measurement precision. In addition, employing high-speed cameras, stronger light sources, and a graphics programming unit permits true high-resolution single-molecule magnetic tweezers that can track nanometer changes in target molecules on a millisecond or even submillisecond time scale. The unique force-clamping capacity of the magnetic tweezer technique provides a way to conduct measurements under near-equilibrium conditions and directly map the energy landscapes underlying various molecular phenomena. High-resolution single-molecule magnetic tweezers can thus be used to monitor crucial conformational changes in single-protein molecules, including those involved in mechanotransduction and protein folding. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biochemistry, Volume 91 is June 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun-Kyu Choi
- Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering and Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hyun Gyu Kim
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea;
| | - Min Ju Shon
- Department of Physics and School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, South Korea;
| | - Tae-Young Yoon
- School of Biological Sciences and Institute for Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea;
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21
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Abstract
Super-resolution microscopy techniques, and specifically single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), are approaching nanometer resolution inside cells and thus have great potential to complement structural biology techniques such as electron microscopy for structural cell biology. In this review, we introduce the different flavors of super-resolution microscopy, with a special emphasis on SMLM and MINFLUX (minimal photon flux). We summarize recent technical developments that pushed these localization-based techniques to structural scales and review the experimental conditions that are key to obtaining data of the highest quality. Furthermore, we give an overview of different analysis methods and highlight studies that used SMLM to gain structural insights into biologically relevant molecular machines. Ultimately, we give our perspective on what is needed to push the resolution of these techniques even further and to apply them to investigating dynamic structural rearrangements in living cells. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng Liu
- Cell Biology & Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Philipp Hoess
- Cell Biology & Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany;
| | - Jonas Ries
- Cell Biology & Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg, Germany;
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22
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Direct-laser writing for subnanometer focusing and single-molecule imaging. Nat Commun 2022; 13:647. [PMID: 35115532 PMCID: PMC8813935 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28219-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Two-photon direct laser writing is an additive fabrication process that utilizes two-photon absorption of tightly focused femtosecond laser pulses to implement spatially controlled polymerization of a liquid-phase photoresist. Two-photon direct laser writing is capable of nanofabricating arbitrary three-dimensional structures with nanometer accuracy. Here, we explore direct laser writing for high-resolution optical microscopy by fabricating unique 3D optical fiducials for single-molecule tracking and 3D single-molecule localization microscopy. By having control over the position and three-dimensional architecture of the fiducials, we improve axial discrimination and demonstrate isotropic subnanometer 3D focusing (<0.8 nm) over tens of micrometers using a standard inverted microscope. We perform 3D single-molecule acquisitions over cellular volumes, unsupervised data acquisition and live-cell single-particle tracking with nanometer accuracy. Focus-locking improves localization precision in single-molecule microscopy, but fiducials are often deposited at random and provide limited 3D compensation. Here, the authors fabricate 3D optical fiducials with nanometer accuracy by two-photon direct laser writing, and demonstrate isotropic 3D focus locking.
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23
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Yang T, Park C, Rah SH, Shon MJ. Nano-Precision Tweezers for Mechanosensitive Proteins and Beyond. Mol Cells 2022; 45:16-25. [PMID: 35114644 PMCID: PMC8819490 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2022.2026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Mechanical forces play pivotal roles in regulating cell shape, function, and fate. Key players that govern the mechanobiological interplay are the mechanosensitive proteins found on cell membranes and in cytoskeleton. Their unique nanomechanics can be interrogated using single-molecule tweezers, which can apply controlled forces to the proteins and simultaneously measure the ensuing structural changes. Breakthroughs in high-resolution tweezers have enabled the routine monitoring of nanometer-scale, millisecond dynamics as a function of force. Undoubtedly, the advancement of structural biology will be further fueled by integrating static atomic-resolution structures and their dynamic changes and interactions observed with the force application techniques. In this minireview, we will introduce the general principles of single-molecule tweezers and their recent applications to the studies of force-bearing proteins, including the synaptic proteins that need to be categorized as mechanosensitive in a broad sense. We anticipate that the impact of nano-precision approaches in mechanobiology research will continue to grow in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taehyun Yang
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Celine Park
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Sang-Hyun Rah
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
| | - Min Ju Shon
- Department of Physics, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
- School of Interdisciplinary Bioscience and Bioengineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Korea
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24
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Aldag P, Welzel F, Jakob L, Schmidbauer A, Rutkauskas M, Fettes F, Grohmann D, Seidel R. Probing the stability of the SpCas9-DNA complex after cleavage. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:12411-12421. [PMID: 34792162 PMCID: PMC8643700 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR-Cas9 is a ribonucleoprotein complex that sequence-specifically binds and cleaves double-stranded DNA. Wildtype Cas9 and its nickase and cleavage-incompetent mutants have been used in various biological techniques due to their versatility and programmable specificity. Cas9 has been shown to bind very stably to DNA even after cleavage of the individual DNA strands, inhibiting further turnovers and considerably slowing down in-vivo repair processes. This poses an obstacle in genome editing applications. Here, we employed single-molecule magnetic tweezers to investigate the binding stability of different Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 variants after cleavage by challenging them with supercoiling. We find that different release mechanisms occur depending on which DNA strand is cleaved. After initial target strand cleavage, supercoils are only removed after the collapse of the R-loop. We identified several states with different stabilities of the R-loop. Most importantly, we find that the post-cleavage state of Cas9 exhibits a higher stability than the pre-cleavage state. After non-target strand cleavage, supercoils are immediately but slowly released by swiveling of the non-target strand around Cas9 bound to the target strand. Consequently, Cas9 and its non-target strand nicking mutant stay stably bound to the DNA for many hours even at elevated torsional stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Aldag
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Fabian Welzel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Leonhard Jakob
- Institute of Microbiology & Archaea Centre, Single-Molecule Biochemistry Lab, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Andreas Schmidbauer
- Institute of Microbiology & Archaea Centre, Single-Molecule Biochemistry Lab, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
| | - Marius Rutkauskas
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Fergus Fettes
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Dina Grohmann
- Institute of Microbiology & Archaea Centre, Single-Molecule Biochemistry Lab, University of Regensburg, Regensburg 93053, Germany
- Regensburg Center of Biochemistry (RCB), University of Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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25
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Ma G, Wan Z, Yang Y, Jing W, Wang S. Three-Dimensional Tracking of Tethered Particles for Probing Nanometer-Scale Single-Molecule Dynamics Using a Plasmonic Microscope. ACS Sens 2021; 6:4234-4243. [PMID: 34786931 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c01927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Three-dimensional (3D) tracking of surface-tethered single particles reveals the dynamics of the molecular tether. However, most 3D tracking techniques lack precision, especially in the axial direction, for measuring the dynamics of biomolecules with a spatial scale of several nanometers. Here, we present a plasmonic imaging technique that can track the motion of ∼100 tethered particles in 3D simultaneously with sub-nanometer axial precision and single-digit nanometer lateral precision at millisecond time resolution. By tracking the 3D coordinates of a tethered particle with high spatial resolution, we are able to determine the dynamics of single short DNA and study its interaction with enzymes. We further show that the particle motion pattern can be used to identify specific and nonspecific interactions in immunoassays. We anticipate that our 3D tracking technique can contribute to the understanding of molecular dynamics and interactions at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangzhong Ma
- Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Zijian Wan
- Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Yunze Yang
- Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Wenwen Jing
- Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Shaopeng Wang
- Biodesign Center for Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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26
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Distinct RPA domains promote recruitment and the helicase-nuclease activities of Dna2. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6521. [PMID: 34764291 PMCID: PMC8586334 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26863-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The Dna2 helicase-nuclease functions in concert with the replication protein A (RPA) in DNA double-strand break repair. Using ensemble and single-molecule biochemistry, coupled with structure modeling, we demonstrate that the stimulation of S. cerevisiae Dna2 by RPA is not a simple consequence of Dna2 recruitment to single-stranded DNA. The large RPA subunit Rfa1 alone can promote the Dna2 nuclease activity, and we identified mutations in a helix embedded in the N-terminal domain of Rfa1 that specifically disrupt this capacity. The same RPA mutant is instead fully functional to recruit Dna2 and promote its helicase activity. Furthermore, we found residues located on the outside of the central DNA-binding OB-fold domain Rfa1-A, which are required to promote the Dna2 motor activity. Our experiments thus unexpectedly demonstrate that different domains of Rfa1 regulate Dna2 recruitment, and its nuclease and helicase activities. Consequently, the identified separation-of-function RPA variants are compromised to stimulate Dna2 in the processing of DNA breaks. The results explain phenotypes of replication-proficient but radiation-sensitive RPA mutants and illustrate the unprecedented functional interplay of RPA and Dna2. An enzymatic ensemble including Dna2 functions in DNA end resection; the function of the single-stranded DNA binding protein RPA in this complex has been underappreciated. Here the authors employ molecular modeling, biochemistry, and single molecule biophysics to reveal RPA directly promotes Dna2 recruitment, nuclease and helicase activities.
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27
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The nucleotide addition cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109650. [PMID: 34433083 PMCID: PMC8367775 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses have evolved elaborate multisubunit machines to replicate and transcribe their genomes. Central to these machines are the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit (nsp12) and its intimately associated cofactors (nsp7 and nsp8). We use a high-throughput magnetic-tweezers approach to develop a mechanochemical description of this core polymerase. The core polymerase exists in at least three catalytically distinct conformations, one being kinetically consistent with incorporation of incorrect nucleotides. We provide evidence that the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) uses a thermal ratchet instead of a power stroke to transition from the pre- to post-translocated state. Ultra-stable magnetic tweezers enable the direct observation of coronavirus polymerase deep and long-lived backtracking that is strongly stimulated by secondary structures in the template. The framework we present here elucidates one of the most important structure-dynamics-function relationships in human health today and will form the grounds for understanding the regulation of this complex.
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28
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Liu W, Zhong Z, Ma J. Simple way to correct the drift in surface-coupled optical tweezers using the laser reflection pattern. OPTICS EXPRESS 2021; 29:18769-18780. [PMID: 34154126 DOI: 10.1364/oe.423759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The surface-coupled optical tweezers are widely used to resolve small units of motion in biology. However, such motions could readily be interfered by the drift between the trap and surface. We present a simple and low-cost method to correct the drift both actively and passively based on video tracking the distance between the laser reflection pattern and the reference bead. As a result, we achieved sub-nanometer resolution and stability for the stuck bead over a broad range of averaging time (0.002-100 s) as demonstrated by the Allan deviation analysis. The sub-nanometer resolution was further manifested with step measurement. Finally, in double-stranded DNA and DNA hairpin stretching experiments, an extension resolution of 1-2 nm with the stability over 120 s has been demonstrated under a constant force. This work thus provides an easy way to bring the benefit of nanometer resolution and long-term stability to the surface-coupled optical tweezers.
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Shin J, Berezhkovskii AM, Kolomeisky AB. Crowding breaks the forward/backward symmetry of transition times in biased random walks. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:204104. [PMID: 34241169 PMCID: PMC8411889 DOI: 10.1063/5.0053634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Microscopic mechanisms of natural processes are frequently understood in terms of random walk models by analyzing local particle transitions. This is because these models properly account for dynamic processes at the molecular level and provide a clear physical picture. Recent theoretical studies made a surprising discovery that in complex systems, the symmetry of molecular forward/backward transition times with respect to local bias in the dynamics may be broken and it may take longer to go downhill than uphill. The physical origins of these phenomena remain not fully understood. Here, we explore in more detail the microscopic features of the symmetry breaking in the forward/backward transition times by analyzing exactly solvable discrete-state stochastic models. In particular, we consider a specific case of two random walkers on a four-site periodic lattice as the way to represent the general systems with multiple pathways. It is found that the asymmetry in transition times depends on several factors that include the degree of deviation from equilibrium, the particle crowding, and methods of measurements of dynamic properties. Our theoretical analysis suggests that the asymmetry in transition times can be explored experimentally for determining the important microscopic features of natural processes by quantitatively measuring the local deviations from equilibrium and the degrees of crowding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander M. Berezhkovskii
- Mathematical and Statistical Computing Laboratory, Office of Intramural Research, Center for Information Technology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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Bera SC, Seifert M, Kirchdoerfer RN, van Nies P, Wubulikasimu Y, Quack S, Papini FS, Arnold JJ, Canard B, Cameron CE, Depken M, Dulin D. The nucleotide addition cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.03.27.437309. [PMID: 33791706 PMCID: PMC8010733 DOI: 10.1101/2021.03.27.437309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviruses have evolved elaborate multisubunit machines to replicate and transcribe their genomes. Central to these machines are the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit (nsp12) and its intimately associated cofactors (nsp7 and nsp8). We have used a high-throughput magnetic-tweezers approach to develop a mechanochemical description of this core polymerase. The core polymerase exists in at least three catalytically distinct conformations, one being kinetically consistent with incorporation of incorrect nucleotides. We provide the first evidence that an RdRp uses a thermal ratchet instead of a power stroke to transition from the pre- to post-translocated state. Ultra-stable magnetic tweezers enables the direct observation of coronavirus polymerase deep and long-lived backtrack that are strongly stimulated by secondary structure in the template. The framework presented here elucidates one of the most important structure-dynamics-function relationships in human health today, and will form the grounds for understanding the regulation of this complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhas Chandra Bera
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Mona Seifert
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Robert N. Kirchdoerfer
- Department of Biochemistry and Institute for Molecular Virology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
| | - Pauline van Nies
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yibulayin Wubulikasimu
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Salina Quack
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Flávia S. Papini
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jamie J. Arnold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Bruno Canard
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, Polytech Case 925, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Craig E. Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599 USA
| | - Martin Depken
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - David Dulin
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Rieu M, Vieille T, Radou G, Jeanneret R, Ruiz-Gutierrez N, Ducos B, Allemand JF, Croquette V. Parallel, linear, and subnanometric 3D tracking of microparticles with Stereo Darkfield Interferometry. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/6/eabe3902. [PMID: 33547081 PMCID: PMC7864575 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe3902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
While crucial for force spectroscopists and microbiologists, three-dimensional (3D) particle tracking suffers from either poor precision, complex calibration, or the need of expensive hardware, preventing its massive adoption. We introduce a new technique, based on a simple piece of cardboard inserted in the objective focal plane, that enables simple 3D tracking of dilute microparticles while offering subnanometer frame-to-frame precision in all directions. Its linearity alleviates calibration procedures, while the interferometric pattern enhances precision. We illustrate its utility in single-molecule force spectroscopy and single-algae motility analysis. As with any technique based on back focal plane engineering, it may be directly embedded in a commercial objective, providing a means to convert any preexisting optical setup in a 3D tracking system. Thanks to its precision, its simplicity, and its versatility, we envision that the technique has the potential to enhance the spreading of high-precision and high-throughput 3D tracking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rieu
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Thibault Vieille
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Gaël Radou
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Raphaël Jeanneret
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Nadia Ruiz-Gutierrez
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Ducos
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Jean-François Allemand
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Croquette
- Laboratoire de Physique de L'Ecole Normale Supérieure de Paris, CNRS, ENS, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75005 Paris, France.
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
- ESPCI Paris, Université PSL, 10 rue Vauquelin, 75005 Paris, France
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3D active stabilization for single-molecule imaging. Nat Protoc 2020; 16:497-515. [PMID: 33268882 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-00426-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
A key part of any super-resolution technique involves accurately correcting for mechanical motion of the sample and setup during acquisition. If left uncorrected, drift degrades the resolution of the final reconstructed image and can introduce unwanted artifacts. Here, we describe how to implement active stabilization, thereby reducing drift to ~1 nm across all three dimensions. In this protocol, we show how to implement our method on custom and standard microscopy hardware. We detail the construction of a separate illumination and detection path, dedicated exclusively to acquiring the diffraction pattern of fiducials deposited on the imaging slide. We also show how to focus lock and adjust the focus in arbitrary nanometer step size increments. Our real-time focus locking is based on kHz calculations performed using the graphics processing unit. The fast calculations allow for rapid repositioning of the sample, which reduces drift below the photon-limited localization precision. Our approach allows for a single-molecule and/or super-resolution image acquisition free from movement artifacts and eliminates the need for complex algorithms or hardware installations. The method is also useful for long acquisitions which span over hours or days, such as multicolor super resolution. Installation does not require specialist knowledge and can be implemented in standard biological laboratories. The full protocol can be implemented within ~2 weeks.
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Narasimhan BN, Ting MS, Kollmetz T, Horrocks MS, Chalard AE, Malmström J. Mechanical Characterization for Cellular Mechanobiology: Current Trends and Future Prospects. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:595978. [PMID: 33282852 PMCID: PMC7689259 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.595978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate mechanical characterization of adherent cells and their substrates is important for understanding the influence of mechanical properties on cells themselves. Recent mechanobiology studies outline the importance of mechanical parameters, such as stress relaxation and strain stiffening on the behavior of cells. Numerous techniques exist for probing mechanical properties and it is vital to understand the benefits of each technique and how they relate to each other. This mini review aims to guide the reader through the toolbox of mechanical characterization techniques by presenting well-established and emerging methods currently used to assess mechanical properties of substrates and cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Badri Narayanan Narasimhan
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Matthew S. Ting
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Tarek Kollmetz
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Matthew S. Horrocks
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Anaïs E. Chalard
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Jenny Malmström
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington, New Zealand
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34
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Zijlstra N, Nettels D, Satija R, Makarov DE, Schuler B. Transition Path Dynamics of a Dielectric Particle in a Bistable Optical Trap. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2020; 125:146001. [PMID: 33064519 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.125.146001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many processes in chemistry, physics, and biology involve rare events in which the system escapes from a metastable state by surmounting an activation barrier. Examples range from chemical reactions, protein folding, and nucleation events to the catastrophic failure of bridges. A challenge in understanding the underlying mechanisms is that the most interesting information is contained within the rare transition paths, the exceedingly short periods when the barrier is crossed. To establish a model process that enables access to all relevant timescales, although highly disparate, we probe the dynamics of single dielectric particles in a bistable optical trap in solution. Precise localization by high-speed tracking enables us to resolve the transition paths and relate them to the detailed properties of the 3D potential within which the particle diffuses. By varying the barrier height and shape, the experiments provide a stringent benchmark of current theories of transition path dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niels Zijlstra
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Nettels
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Rohit Satija
- Department of Chemistry and Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Dmitrii E Makarov
- Department of Chemistry and Oden Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, USA
| | - Benjamin Schuler
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Physics, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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35
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Seifert M, van Nies P, Papini FS, Arnold JJ, Poranen MM, Cameron CE, Depken M, Dulin D. Temperature controlled high-throughput magnetic tweezers show striking difference in activation energies of replicating viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:5591-5602. [PMID: 32286652 PMCID: PMC7261197 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA virus survival depends on efficient viral genome replication, which is performed by the viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The recent development of high throughput magnetic tweezers has enabled the simultaneous observation of dozens of viral RdRp elongation traces on kilobases long templates, and this has shown that RdRp nucleotide addition kinetics is stochastically interrupted by rare pauses of 1-1000 s duration, of which the short-lived ones (1-10 s) are the temporal signature of a low fidelity catalytic pathway. We present a simple and precise temperature controlled system for magnetic tweezers to characterize the replication kinetics temperature dependence between 25°C and 45°C of RdRps from three RNA viruses, i.e. the double-stranded RNA bacteriophage Φ6, and the positive-sense single-stranded RNA poliovirus (PV) and human rhinovirus C (HRV-C). We found that Φ6 RdRp is largely temperature insensitive, while PV and HRV-C RdRps replication kinetics are activated by temperature. Furthermore, the activation energies we measured for PV RdRp catalytic state corroborate previous estimations from ensemble pre-steady state kinetic studies, further confirming the catalytic origin of the short pauses and their link to temperature independent RdRp fidelity. This work will enable future temperature controlled study of biomolecular complex at the single molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Seifert
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Pauline van Nies
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Flávia S Papini
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jamie J Arnold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 6012 Marsico Hall, CB 7290 Mason Farm Road, NC 27599, USA
| | - Minna M Poranen
- Molecular and Integrative Biosciences Research Program, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Viikki Biocenter 1, P.O. Box 56 (Viikinkaari 9), 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Craig E Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, 6012 Marsico Hall, CB 7290 Mason Farm Road, NC 27599, USA
| | - Martin Depken
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands,Correspondence may also be addressed to Martin Depken. Tel: +31 15 27 81305;
| | - David Dulin
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstr. 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany,To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +49 9131 85 70347; Fax: +49 9131 85 35903;
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Grigaitis R, Ranjha L, Wild P, Kasaciunaite K, Ceppi I, Kissling V, Henggeler A, Susperregui A, Peter M, Seidel R, Cejka P, Matos J. Phosphorylation of the RecQ Helicase Sgs1/BLM Controls Its DNA Unwinding Activity during Meiosis and Mitosis. Dev Cell 2020; 53:706-723.e5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2020.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Coelho S, Baek J, Graus MS, Halstead JM, Nicovich PR, Feher K, Gandhi H, Gooding JJ, Gaus K. Ultraprecise single-molecule localization microscopy enables in situ distance measurements in intact cells. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaay8271. [PMID: 32494604 PMCID: PMC7164934 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aay8271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has the potential to quantify the diversity in spatial arrangements of molecules in intact cells. However, this requires that the single-molecule emitters are localized with ultrahigh precision irrespective of the sample format and the length of the data acquisition. We advance SMLM to enable direct distance measurements between molecules in intact cells on the scale between 1 and 20 nm. Our actively stabilized microscope combines three-dimensional real-time drift corrections and achieves a stabilization of <1 nm and localization precision of ~1 nm. To demonstrate the biological applicability of the new microscope, we show a 4- to 7-nm difference in spatial separations between signaling T cell receptors and phosphatases (CD45) in active and resting T cells. In summary, by overcoming the major bottlenecks in SMLM imaging, it is possible to generate molecular images with nanometer accuracy and conduct distance measurements on the biological relevant length scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simao Coelho
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jongho Baek
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthew S. Graus
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James M. Halstead
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Kristen Feher
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Hetvi Gandhi
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - J. Justin Gooding
- School of Chemistry, Australian Centre for NanoMedicine and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Katharina Gaus
- EMBL Australia Node in Single Molecule Science, School of Medical Sciences and the ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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38
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Ostrofet E, Papini FS, Dulin D. High spatiotemporal resolution data from a custom magnetic tweezers instrument. Data Brief 2020; 30:105397. [PMID: 32258273 PMCID: PMC7103768 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2020.105397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene expression is achieved by enzymes as RNA polymerases that translocate along nucleic acids with steps as small as a single base pair, i.e., 0.34 nm for DNA. Deciphering the complex biochemical pathway that describes the activity of such enzymes requires an exquisite spatiotemporal resolution. Magnetic tweezers are a powerful single molecule force spectroscopy technique that uses a camera-based detection to enable the simultaneous observation of hundreds of nucleic acid tethered magnetic beads at a constant force with subnanometer resolution [1,2]. High spatiotemporal resolution magnetic tweezers have recently been reported [3–5]. We present data acquired using a bespoke magnetic tweezers instrument that is able to perform either in high throughput or at high resolution. The data reports on the best achievable resolution for surface-attached polystyrene beads and DNA tethered magnetic beads, and highlights the influence of mechanical stability for such assay. We also present data where we are able to detect 0.3 nm steps along the z-axis using DNA tethered magnetic beads. Because the data presented here are in agreement with the best resolution obtained with magnetic tweezers, they provide a useful benchmark comparison for setup adjustment and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugeniu Ostrofet
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Flávia S Papini
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
| | - David Dulin
- Junior Research Group 2, Interdisciplinary Center for Clinical Research, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Cauerstraße 3, 91058 Erlangen, Germany
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39
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Liu YN, Chen HB, Liu XW. Rapid Assessment of Water Toxicity by Plasmonic Nanomechanical Sensing. Anal Chem 2020; 92:1309-1315. [PMID: 31820634 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
The ability to rapidly and accurately detect water toxicity is crucial for monitoring water quality and assessing toxic risk, but such detection remains a great challenge. Here, we present a plasmonic nanomechanical sensing (PNMS) system for the rapid assessment of water toxicity. This technique is based on the plasmonic sensing of the nanomechanical movement of single bacterial cells, which could be inhibited upon exposure to potential toxicants. By correlating the amplitude of nanomechanical movement with bacterial activity, we detected a variety of toxic substances in water. The direct readout of bacterial activity via PNMS allowed for a high sensitivity to toxicants in water, thereby enabling us to evaluate the acute toxicological effect of chemical compounds rapidly. The PNMS method is promising for online alerts of water quality safety and for assessing chemical hazards. We anticipate that PNMS is also suitable for a wide range of other applications, including bacterial detection and high-throughput screening of antibacterial materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Nan Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Applied Chemistry , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , 230026 , China
| | - Hai-Bo Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Applied Chemistry , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , 230026 , China
| | - Xian-Wei Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Applied Chemistry , University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei , 230026 , China
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40
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Abstract
Anti-Brownian electrokinetic trapping is a method for trapping single particles in liquid based on particle position measurements and the application of feedback voltages. To achieve trapping in the axial direction, information on the axial particle position is required. However, existing strategies for determining the axial position that are based on measuring the size of the first diffraction ring, theory fitting, advanced optical setups or pre-determined axial image stacks are impractical for anisotropic particles. In this work, axial electrokinetic trapping of anisotropic particles is realized in devices with planar, transparent electrodes. The trapping algorithm uses Fourier-Bessel decomposition of standard microscopy images and is learning from the correlation between applied voltages and changes in the particle appearance. No previous knowledge on the particle appearance, theory fitting or advanced optical setup is required. The particle motion in the trap and the influence of screening of the electric field on this motion are analyzed. The axial trapping method opens new possibilities for measuring properties of anisotropic or isotropic particles and forces acting on such particles.
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41
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Multi-parameter measurements of conformational dynamics in nucleic acids and nucleoprotein complexes. Methods 2019; 169:69-77. [PMID: 31228549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.06.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological macromolecules undergo dynamic conformational changes. Single-molecule methods can track such structural rearrangements in real time. However, while the structure of large macromolecules may change along many degrees of freedom, single-molecule techniques only monitor a limited number of these axes of motion. Advanced single-molecule methods are being developed to track multiple degrees of freedom in nucleic acids and nucleoprotein complexes at high resolution, to enable better manipulation and control of the system under investigation, and to collect measurements in massively parallel fashion. Combining complementary single-molecule methods within the same assay also provides unique measurement opportunities. Implementations of magnetic and optical tweezers combined with fluorescence and FRET have demonstrated results unattainable by either technique alone. Augmenting other advanced single-molecule methods with fluorescence detection will allow us to better capture the multidimensional dynamics of nucleic acids and nucleoprotein complexes central to biology.
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42
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Parallelized DNA tethered bead measurements to scrutinize DNA mechanical structure. Methods 2019; 169:46-56. [PMID: 31351926 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2019.07.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Tethering beads to DNA offers a panel of single molecule techniques for the refined analysis of the conformational dynamics of DNA and the elucidation of the mechanisms of enzyme activity. Recent developments include the massive parallelization of these techniques achieved by the fabrication of dedicated nanoarrays by soft nanolithography. We focus here on two of these techniques: the Tethered Particle motion and Magnetic Tweezers allowing analysis of the behavior of individual DNA molecules in the absence of force and under the application of a force and/or a torque, respectively. We introduce the experimental protocols for the parallelization and discuss the benefits already gained, and to come, for these single molecule investigations.
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43
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Songailiene I, Rutkauskas M, Sinkunas T, Manakova E, Wittig S, Schmidt C, Siksnys V, Seidel R. Decision-Making in Cascade Complexes Harboring crRNAs of Altered Length. Cell Rep 2019; 28:3157-3166.e4. [PMID: 31533038 PMCID: PMC6859484 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Revised: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The multi-subunit type I CRISPR-Cas surveillance complex Cascade uses its crRNA to recognize dsDNA targets. Recognition involves DNA unwinding and base-pairing between the crRNA spacer region and a complementary DNA strand, resulting in formation of an R-loop structure. The modular Cascade architecture allows assembly of complexes containing crRNAs with altered spacer lengths that promise increased target specificity in emerging biotechnological applications. Here we produce type I-E Cascade complexes containing crRNAs with up to 57-nt-long spacers. We show that these complexes form R-loops corresponding to the designed target length, even for the longest spacers tested. Furthermore, the complexes can bind their targets with much higher affinity compared with the wild-type form. However, target recognition and the subsequent Cas3-mediated DNA cleavage do not require extended R-loops but already occur for wild-type-sized R-loops. These findings set important limits for specificity improvements of type I CRISPR-Cas systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Songailiene
- Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Vilnius 10257, Lithuania
| | - Marius Rutkauskas
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Tomas Sinkunas
- Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Vilnius 10257, Lithuania
| | - Elena Manakova
- Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Vilnius 10257, Lithuania
| | - Sabine Wittig
- HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Centre, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle 06120, Germany
| | - Carla Schmidt
- HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Centre, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle 06120, Germany
| | - Virginijus Siksnys
- Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Vilnius 10257, Lithuania.
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
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44
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Multiplexed protein force spectroscopy reveals equilibrium protein folding dynamics and the low-force response of von Willebrand factor. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:18798-18807. [PMID: 31462494 PMCID: PMC6754583 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1901794116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule force spectroscopy has provided unprecedented insights into protein folding, force regulation, and function. So far, the field has relied primarily on atomic force microscope and optical tweezers assays that, while powerful, are limited in force resolution, throughput, and require feedback for constant force measurements. Here, we present a modular approach based on magnetic tweezers (MT) for highly multiplexed protein force spectroscopy. Our approach uses elastin-like polypeptide linkers for the specific attachment of proteins, requiring only short peptide tags on the protein of interest. The assay extends protein force spectroscopy into the low force (<1 pN) regime and enables parallel and ultra-stable measurements at constant forces. We present unfolding and refolding data for the small, single-domain protein ddFLN4, commonly used as a molecular fingerprint in force spectroscopy, and for the large, multidomain dimeric protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) that is critically involved in primary hemostasis. For both proteins, our measurements reveal exponential force dependencies of unfolding and refolding rates. We directly resolve the stabilization of the VWF A2 domain by Ca2+ and discover transitions in the VWF C domain stem at low forces that likely constitute the first steps of VWF's mechano-activation. Probing the force-dependent lifetime of biotin-streptavidin bonds, we find that monovalent streptavidin constructs with specific attachment geometry are significantly more force stable than commercial, multivalent streptavidin. We expect our modular approach to enable multiplexed force-spectroscopy measurements for a wide range of proteins, in particular in the physiologically relevant low-force regime.
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45
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Krivoy A, Rutkauskas M, Kuznedelov K, Musharova O, Rouillon C, Severinov K, Seidel R. Primed CRISPR adaptation in Escherichia coli cells does not depend on conformational changes in the Cascade effector complex detected in Vitro. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:4087-4098. [PMID: 29596641 PMCID: PMC5934681 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In type I CRISPR-Cas systems, primed adaptation of new spacers into CRISPR arrays occurs when the effector Cascade-crRNA complex recognizes imperfectly matched targets that are not subject to efficient CRISPR interference. Thus, primed adaptation allows cells to acquire additional protection against mobile genetic elements that managed to escape interference. Biochemical and biophysical studies suggested that Cascade-crRNA complexes formed on fully matching targets (subject to efficient interference) and on partially mismatched targets that promote primed adaption are structurally different. Here, we probed Escherichia coli Cascade-crRNA complexes bound to matched and mismatched DNA targets using a magnetic tweezers assay. Significant differences in complex stabilities were observed consistent with the presence of at least two distinct conformations. Surprisingly, in vivo analysis demonstrated that all mismatched targets stimulated robust primed adaptation irrespective of conformational states observed in vitro. Our results suggest that primed adaptation is a direct consequence of a reduced interference efficiency and/or rate and is not a consequence of distinct effector complex conformations on target DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Krivoy
- Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143028, Russia.,Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Marius Rutkauskas
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Konstantin Kuznedelov
- Waksman Institute, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Olga Musharova
- Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143028, Russia.,Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Christophe Rouillon
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Center for Data-Intensive Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow 143028, Russia.,Waksman Institute, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.,Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 123182, Russia
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Molecular Biophysics Group, Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig 04103, Germany
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46
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Eckels EC, Tapia-Rojo R, Rivas-Pardo JA, Fernández JM. The Work of Titin Protein Folding as a Major Driver in Muscle Contraction. Annu Rev Physiol 2019; 80:327-351. [PMID: 29433413 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-physiol-021317-121254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule atomic force microscopy and magnetic tweezers experiments have demonstrated that titin immunoglobulin (Ig) domains are capable of folding against a pulling force, generating mechanical work that exceeds that produced by a myosin motor. We hypothesize that upon muscle activation, formation of actomyosin cross bridges reduces the force on titin, causing entropic recoil of the titin polymer and triggering the folding of the titin Ig domains. In the physiological force range of 4-15 pN under which titin operates in muscle, the folding contraction of a single Ig domain can generate 200% of the work of entropic recoil and occurs at forces that exceed the maximum stalling force of single myosin motors. Thus, titin operates like a mechanical battery, storing elastic energy efficiently by unfolding Ig domains and delivering the charge back by folding when the motors are activated during a contraction. We advance the hypothesis that titin folding and myosin activation act as inextricable partners during muscle contraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward C Eckels
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; , .,Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Rafael Tapia-Rojo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; ,
| | | | - Julio M Fernández
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA; ,
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47
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Kasaciunaite K, Fettes F, Levikova M, Daldrop P, Anand R, Cejka P, Seidel R. Competing interaction partners modulate the activity of Sgs1 helicase during DNA end resection. EMBO J 2019; 38:e101516. [PMID: 31268598 PMCID: PMC6601037 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019101516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA double-strand break repair by homologous recombination employs long-range resection of the 5' DNA ends at the break points. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, this process can be performed by the RecQ helicase Sgs1 and the helicase-nuclease Dna2. Though functional interplay between them has been shown, it remains unclear whether and how these proteins cooperate on the molecular level. Here, we resolved the dynamics of DNA unwinding by Sgs1 at the single-molecule level and investigated Sgs1 regulation by Dna2, the single-stranded DNA-binding protein RPA, and the Top3-Rmi1 complex. We found that Dna2 modulates the velocity of Sgs1, indicating that during end resection both proteins form a functional complex and couple their activities. Sgs1 drives DNA unwinding and feeds single-stranded DNA to Dna2 for degradation. RPA was found to regulate the processivity and the affinity of Sgs1 to the DNA fork, while Top3-Rmi1 modulated the velocity of Sgs1. We hypothesize that the differential regulation of Sgs1 activity by its protein partners is important to support diverse cellular functions of Sgs1 during the maintenance of genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Kasaciunaite
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fergus Fettes
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maryna Levikova
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter Daldrop
- Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Roopesh Anand
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Petr Cejka
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Seidel
- Peter Debye Institute for Soft Matter Physics, Universität Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Molecular Cell Biology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
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48
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Anticooperative Binding Governs the Mechanics of Ethidium-Complexed DNA. Biophys J 2019; 116:1394-1405. [PMID: 30954211 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2019.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA intercalators bind nucleic acids by stacking between adjacent basepairs. This causes a considerable elongation of the DNA backbone as well as untwisting of the double helix. In the past few years, single-molecule mechanical experiments have become a common tool to characterize these deformations and to quantify important parameters of the intercalation process. Parameter extraction typically relies on the neighbor-exclusion model, in which a bound intercalator prevents intercalation into adjacent sites. Here, we challenge the neighbor-exclusion model by carefully quantifying and modeling the force-extension and twisting behavior of single ethidium-complexed DNA molecules. We show that only an anticooperative ethidium binding that allows for a disfavored but nonetheless possible intercalation into nearest-neighbor sites can consistently describe the mechanical behavior of intercalator-bound DNA. At high ethidium concentrations and elevated mechanical stress, this causes an almost complete occupation of nearest-neighbor sites and almost a doubling of the DNA contour length. We furthermore show that intercalation into nearest-neighbor sites needs to be considered when estimating intercalator parameters from zero-stress elongation and twisting data. We think that the proposed anticooperative binding mechanism may also be applicable to other intercalating molecules.
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49
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Killian JL, Inman JT, Wang MD. High-Performance Image-Based Measurements of Biological Forces and Interactions in a Dual Optical Trap. ACS NANO 2018; 12:11963-11974. [PMID: 30457331 PMCID: PMC6857636 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b03679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Optical traps enable the nanoscale manipulation of individual biomolecules while measuring molecular forces and lengths. This ability relies on the sensitive detection of optically trapped particles, typically accomplished using laser-based interferometric methods. Recently, image-based particle tracking techniques have garnered increased interest as a potential alternative to laser-based detection; however, successful integration of image-based methods into optical trapping instruments for biophysical applications and force measurements has remained elusive. Here, we develop a camera-based detection platform that enables accurate and precise measurements of biological forces and interactions in a dual optical trap. In demonstration, we stretch and unzip DNA molecules while measuring the relative distances of trapped particles from their trapping centers with sub-nanometer accuracy and precision. We then use the DNA unzipping technique to localize bound proteins with sub-base-pair precision, revealing how thermal DNA "breathing" fluctuations allow an unzipping fork to detect and respond to the presence of a protein bound downstream. This work advances the capabilities of image tracking in optical traps, providing a state-of-the-art detection method that is accessible, highly flexible, and broadly compatible with diverse experimental substrates and other nanometric techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica L. Killian
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - James T. Inman
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michelle D. Wang
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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50
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Kou L, Jin L, Lei H, Hu C, Li H, Hu X, Hu X. Real-time parallel 3D multiple particle tracking with single molecule centrifugal force microscopy. J Microsc 2018; 273:178-188. [PMID: 30489640 DOI: 10.1111/jmi.12773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Real-time tracking of multiple particles is key for quantitative analysis of dynamic biophysical processes and materials science via time-lapse microscopy image data, especially for single molecule biophysical techniques, such as magnetic tweezers and centrifugal force microscopy. However, real-time multiple particle tracking with high resolution is limited by the current imaging processes or tracking algorithms. Here, we demonstrate 1 nm resolution in three dimensions in real-time with a graphics-processing unit (GPU) based on a compute unified device architecture (CUDA) parallel computing framework instead of only a central processing unit (CPU). We also explore the trade-offs between processing speed and size of the utilized regions of interest and a maximum speedup of 137 is achieved with the GPU compared with the CPU. Moreover, we utilize this method with our recently self-built centrifugal force microscope (CFM) in experiments that track multiple DNA-tethered particles. Our approach paves the way for high-throughput single molecule techniques with high resolution and efficiency. LAY DESCRIPTION: Particles are widely used as probes in life sciences through their motions. In single molecule techniques such as optical tweezers and magnetic tweezers, microbeads are used to study intermolecular or intramolecular interactions via beads tracking. Also tracking multiple beads' motions could study cell-cell or cell-ECM interactions in traction force microscopy. Therefore, particle tracking is of key important during these researches. However, parallel 3D multiple particle tracking in real-time with high resolution is a challenge either due to the algorithm or the program. Here, we combine the performance of CPU and CUDA-based GPU to make a hybrid implementation for particle tracking. In this way, a speedup of 137 is obtained compared the program before only with CPU without loss of accuracy. Moreover, we improve and build a new centrifugal force microscope for multiple single molecule force spectroscopy research in parallel. Then we employed our program into centrifugal force microscope for DNA stretching study. Our results not only demonstrate the application of this program in single molecule techniques, also indicate the capability of multiple single molecule study with centrifugal force microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Kou
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - L Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - H Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - C Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - H Li
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - X Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - X Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Precision Measuring Technology and Instruments, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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