1
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Zhang F, Shi W, Guo L, Liu S, He J. The Programmable Catalytic Core of 8-17 DNAzymes. Molecules 2024; 29:2420. [PMID: 38893308 PMCID: PMC11173380 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29112420] [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: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
8-17 DNAzymes (8-17, 17E, Mg5, and 17EV1) are in vitro-selected catalytic DNA molecules that are capable of cleaving complementary RNAs. The conserved residues in their similar catalytic cores, together with the metal ions, were suggested to contribute to the catalytic reaction. Based on the contribution of the less conserved residues in the bulge loop residues (W12, A15, A15.0) and the internal stem, new catalytic cores of 8-17 DNAzymes were programmed. The internal stem CTC-GAG seems to be more favorable for the DNAzymes than CCG-GGC, while an extra W12.0 led to a significant loss of activity of DNAzymes, which is contrary to the positive effect of A15.0, by which a new active DNAzyme 17EM was derived. It conducts a faster reaction than 17E. It is most active in the presence of Pb2+, with the metal ion preference of Pb2+ >> Zn2+ > Mn2+ > Ca2+ ≈ Mg2+. In the Pb2+ and Zn2+-mediated reactions of 17EM and 17E, the same Na+- and pH dependence were also observed as what was observed for 17E and other 8-17 DNAzymes. Therefore, 17EM is another member of the 8-17 DNAzymes, and it could be applied as a potential biosensor for RNA and metal ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumei Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China;
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Taiping 27, Beijing 100850, China; (W.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Weiguo Shi
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Taiping 27, Beijing 100850, China; (W.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Lei Guo
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Taiping 27, Beijing 100850, China; (W.S.); (L.G.)
| | - Shihui Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China;
| | - Junlin He
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Taiping 27, Beijing 100850, China; (W.S.); (L.G.)
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2
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Ouyang Y, O'Hagan MP, Willner B, Willner I. Aptamer-Modified Homogeneous Catalysts, Heterogenous Nanoparticle Catalysts, and Photocatalysts: Functional "Nucleoapzymes", "Aptananozymes", and "Photoaptazymes". ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2210885. [PMID: 37083210 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202210885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Conjugation of aptamers to homogeneous catalysts ("nucleoapzymes"), heterogeneous nanoparticle catalysts ("aptananozymes"), and photocatalysts ("photoaptazymes") yields superior catalytic/photocatalytic hybrid nanostructures emulating functions of native enzymes and photosystems. The concentration of the substrate in proximity to the catalytic sites ("molarity effect") or spatial concentration of electron-acceptor units in spatial proximity to the photosensitizers, by aptamer-ligand complexes, leads to enhanced catalytic/photocatalytic efficacies of the hybrid nanostructures. This is exemplified by sets of "nucleoapzymes" composed of aptamers conjugated to the hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzymes or metal-ligand complexes as catalysts, catalyzing the oxidation of dopamine to aminochrome, oxygen-insertion into the Ar─H moiety of tyrosinamide and the subsequent oxidation of the catechol product into aminochrome, or the hydrolysis of esters or ATP. Also, aptananozymes consisting of aptamers conjugated to Cu2+ - or Ce4+ -ion-modified C-dots or polyadenine-stabilized Au nanoparticles acting as catalysts oxidizing dopamine or operating bioreactor biocatalytic cascades, are demonstrated. In addition, aptamers conjugated to the Ru(II)-tris-bipyridine photosensitizer or the Zn(II) protoporphyrin IX photosensitizer provide supramolecular photoaptazyme assemblies emulating native photosynthetic reaction centers. Effective photoinduced electron transfer followed by the catalyzed synthesis of NADPH or the evolution of H2 is demonstrated by the photosystems. Structure-function relationships dictate the catalytic and photocatalytic efficacies of the systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Ouyang
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Michael P O'Hagan
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Bilha Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
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3
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Agmon I. Three Biopolymers and Origin of Life Scenarios. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:277. [PMID: 38398786 PMCID: PMC10890401 DOI: 10.3390/life14020277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
To track down the possible roots of life, various models for the initial living system composed of different combinations of the three extant biopolymers, RNA, DNA, and proteins, are presented. The suitability of each molecular set is assessed according to its ability to emerge autonomously, sustain, and evolve continuously towards life as we know it. The analysis incorporates current biological knowledge gained from high-resolution structural data and large sequence datasets, together with experimental results concerned with RNA replication and with the activity demonstrated by standalone constructs of the ribosomal Peptidyl Transferase Center region. The scrutiny excludes the DNA-protein combination and assigns negligible likelihood to the existence of an RNA-DNA world, as well as to an RNA world that contained a replicase made of RNA. It points to the precedence of an RNA-protein system, whose model of emergence suggests specific processes whereby a coded proto-ribosome ribozyme, specifically aminoacylated proto-tRNAs and a proto-polymerase enzyme, could have autonomously emerged, cross-catalyzing the formation of each other. This molecular set constitutes a feasible starting point for a continuous evolutionary path, proceeding via natural processes from the inanimate matter towards life as we know it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilana Agmon
- Institute for Advanced Studies in Theoretical Chemistry, Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel;
- Fritz Haber Research Center for Molecular Dynamics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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4
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Kennebeck MM, Kaminsky CK, Massa MA, Das PK, Boyd RD, Bishka M, Tricarico JT, Silverman SK. DNAzyme-Catalyzed Site-Specific N-Acylation of DNA Oligonucleotide Nucleobases. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202317565. [PMID: 38157448 PMCID: PMC10873475 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202317565] [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: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
We used in vitro selection to identify DNAzymes that acylate the exocyclic nucleobase amines of cytidine, guanosine, and adenosine in DNA oligonucleotides. The acyl donor was the 2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenyl ester (TFPE) of a 5'-carboxyl oligonucleotide. Yields are as high as >95 % in 6 h. Several of the N-acylation DNAzymes are catalytically active with RNA rather than DNA oligonucleotide substrates, and eight of nine DNAzymes for modifying C are site-specific (>95 %) for one particular substrate nucleotide. These findings expand the catalytic ability of DNA to include site-specific N-acylation of oligonucleotide nucleobases. Future efforts will investigate the DNA and RNA substrate sequence generality of DNAzymes for oligonucleotide nucleobase N-acylation, toward a universal approach for site-specific oligonucleotide modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan M Kennebeck
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Caroline K Kaminsky
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Maria A Massa
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Prakriti K Das
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Robert D Boyd
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Michelle Bishka
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - J Tomas Tricarico
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
| | - Scott K Silverman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL-61801, USA
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5
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Moreno A, Bonduelle C. New Insights on the Chemical Origin of Life: The Role of Aqueous Polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides (NCA). Chempluschem 2024:e202300492. [PMID: 38264807 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202300492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
At the origin, the emergence of proteins was based on crucial prebiotic stages in which simple amino acids-based building blocks spontaneously evolved from the prebiotic soup into random proto-polymers called protoproteins. Despite advances in modern peptide synthesis, these prebiotic chemical routes to protoproteins remain puzzling. We discuss in this perspective how polymer science and systems chemistry are reaching a point of convergence in which simple monomers called N-carboxyanhydrides would be able to form such protoproteins via the emergence of a protometabolic cycle involving aqueous polymerization and featuring macromolecular Darwinism behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abel Moreno
- Instituto de Quimica, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, 04510, Mexico DF
| | - Colin Bonduelle
- CNRS, Bordeaux INP, LCPO UMR5629, Univ. Bordeaux, 33600, Pessac, France
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6
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Lozoya-Colinas A, Yu Y, Chaput JC. Functionally Enhanced XNA Aptamers Discovered by Parallelized Library Screening. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:25789-25796. [PMID: 37962593 PMCID: PMC10690791 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
In vitro evolution strategies have been used for >30 years to generate nucleic acid aptamers against therapeutic targets of interest, including disease-associated proteins. However, this process requires many iterative cycles of selection and amplification, which severely restricts the number of target and library design combinations that can be explored in parallel. Here, we describe a single-round screening approach to aptamer discovery that relies on function-enhancing chemotypes to increase the distribution of high-affinity sequences in a random-sequence library. We demonstrate the success of de novo discovery by affinity selection of threomers against the receptor binding domain of the S1 protein from SARS-CoV-2. Detailed biochemical characterization of the enriched population identified threomers with binding affinity values that are comparable to aptamers produced by conventional SELEX. This work establishes a highly parallelizable path for querying diverse chemical repertoires and may offer a viable route for accelerating the discovery of therapeutic aptamers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Lozoya-Colinas
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Yutong Yu
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - John C. Chaput
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California,
Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
- Department
of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University
of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
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7
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Núñez-Villanueva D, Hunter CA. Replication of synthetic recognition-encoded oligomers by ligation of trimer building blocks. Org Chem Front 2023; 10:5950-5957. [PMID: 38022796 PMCID: PMC10661083 DOI: 10.1039/d3qo01717f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The development of methods for replication of synthetic information oligomers will underpin the use of directed evolution to search new chemical space. Template-directed replication of triazole oligomers has been achieved using a covalent primer in conjunction with non-covalent binding of complementary building blocks. A phenol primer equipped with an alkyne was first attached to a benzoic recognition unit on a mixed sequence template via selective covalent ester base-pair formation. The remaining phenol recognition units on the template were then used for non-covalent binding of phosphine oxide oligomers equipped with an azide. The efficiency of the templated CuAAC reaction between the primer and phosphine oxide building blocks was investigated as a function of the number of H-bonds formed with the template. Increasing the strength of the non-covalent interaction between the template and the azide lead to a significant acceleration of the templated reaction. For shorter phosphine oxide oligomers intermolecular reactions compete with the templated process, but quantitative templated primer elongation was achieved with a phosphine oxide 3-mer building block that was able to form three H-bonds with the template. NMR spectroscopy and molecular models suggest that the template can fold, but addition of the phosphine oxide 3-mer leads to a complex with three H-bonds between phosphine oxide and phenol groups, aligning the azide and alkyne groups in a favourable geometry for the CuAAC reaction. In the product duplex, 1H and 31P NMR data confirm the presence of the three H-bonded base-pairs, demonstrating that the covalent and non-covalent base-pairs are geometrically compatible. A complete replication cycle was carried out starting from the oligotriazole template by covalent attachment of the primer, followed by template-directed elongation, and hydrolysis of the the ester base-pair in the resulting duplex to regenerate the template and liberate the copy strand. We have previously demonstrated sequence-selective oligomer replication using covalent base-pairing, but the trimer building block approach described here is suitable for replication of sequence information using non-covalent binding of the monomer building blocks to a template.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Núñez-Villanueva
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Christopher A Hunter
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
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8
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Li Z, Wang J, Willner I. Alternate Strategies to Induce Dynamically Modulated Transient Transcription Machineries. ACS NANO 2023; 17:18266-18279. [PMID: 37669432 PMCID: PMC10540262 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c05336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
Emulating native transient transcription machineries modulating temporal gene expression by synthetic circuits is a major challenge in the area of systems chemistry. Three different methods to operate transient transcription machineries and to modulate the gated transcription processes of target RNAs are introduced. One method involves the design of a reaction module consisting of transcription templates being triggered by promoter fuel strands transcribing target RNAs and in parallel generating functional DNAzymes in the transcription templates, modulating the dissipative depletion of the active templates and the transient operation of transcription circuits. The second approach involves the application of a reaction module consisting of two transcription templates being activated by a common fuel promoter strand. While one transcription template triggers the transcription of the target RNA, the second transcription template transcribes the anti-fuel strand, displacing the promoter strand associated with the transcription templates, leading to the depletion of the transcription templates and to the dynamic transient modulation of the transcription process. The third strategy involves the assembly of a reaction module consisting of a reaction template triggered by a fuel promoter strand transcribing the target RNA. The concomitant nickase-stimulated depletion of the promoter strand guides the transient modulation of the transcription process. Via integration of two parallel fuel-triggered transcription templates in the three transcription reaction modules and application of template-specific blocker units, the parallel and gated transiently modulated transcription of two different RNA aptamers is demonstrated. The nickase-stimulated transiently modulated transcription reaction module is applied as a functional circuit guiding the dynamic expression of gated, transiently operating, catalytic DNAzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Center
for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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9
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Qin Y, Ouyang Y, Willner I. Nucleic acid-functionalized nanozymes and their applications. NANOSCALE 2023; 15:14301-14318. [PMID: 37646290 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr02345a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
Nanozymes are inorganic, organic and metal-organic framework nanoparticles that reveal catalytic functions by emulating native enzyme activities. Recently, these nanozymes have attracted growing scientific interest, finding diverse analytical and medical applications. However, the catalytic activities and functions of nanozymes are limited, due to the lack of substrate binding sites that concentrate on the substrate at the catalytic site (molarity effect), introduce substrate specificity and allow functional complexity of the catalysts (cascaded, switchable and cooperative catalysis). The modification of nanozymes with functional nucleic acids provides means to overcome these limitations and engineer nucleic acid/nanozyme hybrids for diverse applications. This is exemplified with the synthesis of aptananozymes, which are supramolecular aptamer-modified nanozymes. Aptananozymes exhibit combined specific binding and catalytic properties that drive diverse chemical transformations, revealing enhanced catalytic activities, as compared to the separated nanozyme/aptamer constituents. Relationships of structure-catalytic functions in the aptananozyme constructs are demonstrated. In addition, modification of nanozymes exhibiting multimodal catalytic functions with aptamers allows the engineering of nanozyme-based bioreactors for cascaded catalysis. Also, the functionalization of reactive oxygen species (ROS)-generating nanozymes with cancer cell-recognizing aptamers yields aptananozymes for targeted chemodynamic treatment of cancer cells and cancer tumors elicited in mice. Finally, nucleic acid-modified enzyme (glucose oxidase)-loaded metal-organic framework nanoparticles yield switchable biocatalytic nanozymes that drive the ON/OFF biocatalyzed oxidation of Amplex Red, dopamine or the generation of chemiluminescence. Herein, future challenges of the topic are addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Qin
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Yu Ouyang
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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10
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Su J, Sun C, Du J, Xing X, Wang F, Dong H. RNA-Cleaving DNAzyme-Based Amplification Strategies for Biosensing and Therapy. Adv Healthc Mater 2023; 12:e2300367. [PMID: 37084038 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202300367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Since their first discovery in 1994, DNAzymes have been extensively applied in biosensing and therapy that act as recognition elements and signal generators with the outstanding properties of good stability, simple synthesis, and high sensitivity. One subset, RNA-cleaving DNAzymes, is widely employed for diverse applications, including as reporters capable of transmitting detectable signals. In this review, the recent advances of RNA-cleaving DNAzyme-based amplification strategies in scaled-up biosensing are focused, the application in diagnosis and disease treatment are also discussed. Two major types of RNA-cleaving DNAzyme-based amplification strategies are highlighted, namely direct response amplification strategies and combinational response amplification strategies. The direct response amplification strategies refer to those based on novel designed single-stranded DNAzyme, and the combinational response amplification strategies mainly include two-part assembled DNAzyme, cascade reactions, CHA/HCR/RCA, DNA walker, CRISPR-Cas12a and aptamer. Finally, the current status of DNAzymes, the challenges, and the prospects of DNAzyme-based biosensors are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Su
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Chenyang Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jinya Du
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Xiaotong Xing
- Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Nano-Biosensing Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
| | - Fang Wang
- Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Nano-Biosensing Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
- Guangdong Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy (SZ), Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, P. R. China
| | - Haifeng Dong
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry & Biological Engineering, University of Science & Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing, 100083, China
- Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Nano-Biosensing Technology, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518060, China
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11
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De Capitani J, Mutschler H. The Long Road to a Synthetic Self-Replicating Central Dogma. Biochemistry 2023; 62:1221-1232. [PMID: 36944355 PMCID: PMC10077596 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
The construction of a biochemical system capable of self-replication is a key objective in bottom-up synthetic biology. Throughout the past two decades, a rapid progression in the design of in vitro cell-free systems has provided valuable insight into the requirements for the development of a minimal system capable of self-replication. The main limitations of current systems can be attributed to their macromolecular composition and how the individual macromolecules use the small molecules necessary to drive RNA and protein synthesis. In this Perspective, we discuss the recent steps that have been taken to generate a minimal cell-free system capable of regenerating its own macromolecular components and maintaining the homeostatic balance between macromolecular biogenesis and consumption of primary building blocks. By following the flow of biological information through the central dogma, we compare the current versions of these systems to date and propose potential alterations aimed at designing a model system for self-replicative synthetic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo De Capitani
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Hannes Mutschler
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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12
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Li Z, Wang J, Willner B, Willner I. Topologically Triggered Dynamic DNA Frameworks. Isr J Chem 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.202300013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Li
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Bilha Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
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13
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Yang S, Silverman SK. Defining the substrate scope of DNAzyme catalysis for reductive amination with aliphatic amines. Org Biomol Chem 2023; 21:1910-1919. [PMID: 36786764 DOI: 10.1039/d3ob00070b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Amines can be alkylated using various reactions, such as reductive amination of aldehydes. In this study, we sought DNAzymes as catalytic DNA sequences that promote reductive amination with aliphatic amines, including DNA-anchored peptide substrates with lysine residues. By in vitro selection starting with either N40 or N20 random DNA pools, we identified many DNAzymes that catalyze reductive amination between the DNA oligonucleotide-anchored aliphatic amino group of DNA-C3-NH2 (C3 = short three-carbon tether) and a DNA-anchored benzaldehyde group in the presence of NaCNBH3 as reducing agent. At pH 5.2, 6.0, 7.5, or 9.0 in the presence of various divalent metal ion cofactors including Mg2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ and Ni2+, the DNAzymes have kobs up to 0.12 h-1 and up to 130-fold rate enhancement relative to the DNA-splinted but uncatalyzed background reaction. However, analogous selection experiments did not lead to any DNAzymes that function with DNA-HEG-NH2 [HEG = long hexa(ethylene glycol) tether], or with short- and long-tethered DNA-AAAKAA and DNA-HEG-AAAKAA lysine-containing hexapeptide substrates (A = alanine, K = lysine). Including a variety of other amino acids in place of the neighboring alanines also did not lead to DNAzymes. These findings establish a practical limit on the substrate scope of DNAzyme catalysis for N-alkylation of aliphatic amines by reductive amination. The lack of DNAzymes for reductive amination with any substrate more structurally complex than DNA-C3-NH2 is likely related to the challenge in binding and spatially organizing those other substrates. Because other reactions such as aliphatic amine N-acylation are feasible for DNAzymes with DNA-anchored peptides, our findings show that the ability to identify DNAzymes depends strongly on both the investigated reaction and the composition of the substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shukun Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Scott K Silverman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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14
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Pavlinova P, Lambert CN, Malaterre C, Nghe P. Abiogenesis through gradual evolution of autocatalysis into template-based replication. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:344-379. [PMID: 36203246 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
How life emerged from inanimate matter is one of the most intriguing questions posed to modern science. Central to this research are experimental attempts to build systems capable of Darwinian evolution. RNA catalysts (ribozymes) are a promising avenue, in line with the RNA world hypothesis whereby RNA pre-dated DNA and proteins. Since evolution in living organisms relies on template-based replication, the identification of a ribozyme capable of replicating itself (an RNA self-replicase) has been a major objective. However, no self-replicase has been identified to date. Alternatively, autocatalytic systems involving multiple RNA species capable of ligation and recombination may enable self-reproduction. However, it remains unclear how evolution could emerge in autocatalytic systems. In this review, we examine how experimentally feasible RNA reactions catalysed by ribozymes could implement the evolutionary properties of variation, heredity and reproduction, and ultimately allow for Darwinian evolution. We propose a gradual path for the emergence of evolution, initially supported by autocatalytic systems leading to the later appearance of RNA replicases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Pavlinova
- Laboratoire de Biophysique et Evolution, UMR CNRS-ESPCI 8231 Chimie Biologie Innovation, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Camille N Lambert
- Laboratoire de Biophysique et Evolution, UMR CNRS-ESPCI 8231 Chimie Biologie Innovation, PSL University, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Malaterre
- Laboratory of Philosophy of Science (LAPS) and Centre Interuniversitaire de Recherche sur la Science et la Technologie (CIRST), Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), Canada
| | - Philippe Nghe
- Laboratoire de Biophysique et Evolution, UMR CNRS-ESPCI 8231 Chimie Biologie Innovation, PSL University, Paris, France
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15
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Abstract
The landscape paradigm is revisited in the light of evolution in simple systems. A brief overview of different classes of fitness landscapes is followed by a more detailed discussion of the RNA model, which is currently the only evolutionary model that allows for a comprehensive molecular analysis of a fitness landscape. Neutral networks of genotypes are indispensable for the success of evolution. Important insights into the evolutionary mechanism are gained by considering the topology of sequence and shape spaces. The dynamic concept of molecular quasispecies is viewed in the light of the landscape paradigm. The distribution of fitness values in state space is mirrored by the population structures of mutant distributions. Two classes of thresholds for replication error or mutations are important: (i) the-conventional-genotypic error threshold, which separates ordered replication from random drift on neutral networks, and (ii) a phenotypic error threshold above which the molecular phenotype is lost. Empirical landscapes are reviewed and finally, the implications of the landscape concept for virus evolution are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Schuster
- Institut für Theoretische Chemie der Universität Wien, Währingerstraße 17, 1090, Wien, Austria.
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Institut für Informatik der Universität Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.,The Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
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16
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Dujardin A, Himbert S, Pudritz R, Rheinstädter MC. The Formation of RNA Pre-Polymers in the Presence of Different Prebiotic Mineral Surfaces Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 13:life13010112. [PMID: 36676060 PMCID: PMC9860743 DOI: 10.3390/life13010112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
We used all-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) computer simulations to study the formation of pre-polymers between the four nucleotides in RNA (AMP, UMP, CMP, GMP) in the presence of different substrates that could have been present in a prebiotic environment. Pre-polymers are C3'-C5' hydrogen-bonded nucleotides that have been suggested to be the precursors of phosphodiester-bonded RNA polymers. We simulated wet-dry cycles by successively removing water molecules from the simulations, from ~60 to 3 water molecules per nucleotide. The nine substrates in this study include three clay minerals, one mica, one phosphate mineral, one silica, and two metal oxides. The substrates differ in their surface charge and ability to form hydrogen bonds with the nucleotides. From the MD simulations, we quantify the interactions between different nucleotides, and between nucleotides and substrates. For comparison, we included graphite as an inert substrate, which is not charged and cannot form hydrogen bonds. We also simulated the dehydration of a nucleotide-only system, which mimics the drying of small droplets. The number of hydrogen bonds between nucleotides and nucleotides and substrates was found to increase significantly when water molecules were removed from the systems. The largest number of C3'-C5' hydrogen bonds between nucleotides occurred in the graphite and nucleotide-only systems. While the surface of the substrates led to an organization and periodic arrangement of the nucleotides, none of the substrates was found to be a catalyst for pre-polymer formation, neither at full hydration, nor when dehydrated. While confinement and dehydration seem to be the main drivers for hydrogen bond formation, substrate interactions reduced the interactions between nucleotides in all cases. Our findings suggest that small supersaturated water droplets that could have been produced by geysers or springs on the primitive Earth may play an important role in non-enzymatic RNA polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alix Dujardin
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Sebastian Himbert
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Ralph Pudritz
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
| | - Maikel C. Rheinstädter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Origins Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1, Canada
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(905)-525-9140-23134; Fax: +1-(905)-546-1252
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17
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Vibhute MA, Mutschler H. A Primer on Building Life‐Like Systems. CHEMSYSTEMSCHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/syst.202200033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mahesh A. Vibhute
- TU Dortmund University Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Otto-Hahn-Str. 4a 44227 Dortmund Germany
| | - Hannes Mutschler
- TU Dortmund University Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Otto-Hahn-Str. 4a 44227 Dortmund Germany
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18
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Núñez-Villanueva D, Hunter CA. Effect of backbone flexibility on covalent template-directed synthesis of linear oligomers. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:8285-8292. [PMID: 36226964 PMCID: PMC9629452 DOI: 10.1039/d2ob01627c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Covalent template-directed synthesis can be used to replicate synthetic oligomers, but success depends critically on the conformational properties of the backbone. Here we investigate how the choice of monomer building block affects the flexibility of the backbone and in turn the efficiency of the replication process for a series of different triazole oligomers. Two competing reaction pathways were identified for monomers attached to a template, resulting in the formation of either macrocyclic or linear products. For flexible backbones, macrocycles and linear oligomers are formed at similar rates, but a more rigid backbone gave exclusively the linear product. The experimental results are consistent with ring strain calculations using molecular mechanics: products with low ring strain (20-30 kJ mol-1) formed rapidly, and products with high ring strain (>100 kJ mol-1) were not observed. Template-directed replication of linear oligomers requires monomers that rigid enough to prevent the formation of undesired macrocycles, but not so rigid that the linear templating pathway leading to the duplex is inhibited. Molecular mechanics calculations of ring strain provide a straightforward tool for assessing the flexibility of potential backbones and the viability different monomer designs before embarking on synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Núñez-Villanueva
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Christopher A Hunter
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK.
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19
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Núñez-Villanueva D, Hunter CA. Replication of a synthetic oligomer using chameleon base-pairs. Chem Commun (Camb) 2022; 58:11005-11008. [PMID: 36094173 DOI: 10.1039/d2cc04580j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Salt bridges were used to attach polymerisable amidine monomers to an oligomeric benzoic acid template. CuAAC oligomerisation reactions in the presence of a benzoic acid 3-mer template gave the amidine 3-mer copy as the major product. Cleavage of ester linkers was used to hydrolyse off the amidine recognition units and convert the product into a benzoic acid 3-mer copy of the original template.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Núñez-Villanueva
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Christopher A Hunter
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
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20
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Núñez-Villanueva D, Hunter CA. H-Bond Templated Oligomer Synthesis Using a Covalent Primer. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:17307-17316. [PMID: 36082527 PMCID: PMC9501907 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c08119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Template-directed synthesis of nucleic acids in the polymerase
chain reaction is based on the use of a primer, which is elongated
in the replication process. The attachment of a high affinity primer
to the end of a template chain has been implemented for templating
the synthesis of triazole oligomers. A covalent ester base-pair was
used to attach a primer to a mixed sequence template. The resulting
primed template has phenol recognition units on the template, which
can form noncovalent base-pairs with phosphine oxide monomers via
H-bonding, and an alkyne group on the primer, which can react with
the azide group on a phosphine oxide monomer. Competition reactions
between azides bearing phosphine oxide and phenol recognition groups
were used to demonstrate a substantial template effect, due to H-bonding
interactions between the phenols on the template and phosphine oxides
on the azide. The largest rate acceleration was observed when a phosphine
oxide 2-mer was used, because this compound binds to the template
with a higher affinity than compounds that can only make one H-bond.
The 31P NMR spectrum of the product duplex shows that the
H-bonds responsible for the template effect are present in the product,
and this result indicates that the covalent ester base-pairs and noncovalent
H-bonded base-pairs developed here are geometrically compatible. Following
the templated reaction, it is possible to regenerate the template
and liberate the copy strand by hydrolysis of the ester base-pair
used to attach the primer, thus completing a formal replication cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Núñez-Villanueva
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher A Hunter
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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21
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Dong J, O'Hagan MP, Willner I. Switchable and dynamic G-quadruplexes and their applications. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:7631-7661. [PMID: 35975685 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00317a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
G-Quadruplexes attract growing interest as functional constituents in biology, chemistry, nanotechnology, and material science. In particular, the reversible dynamic reconfiguration of G-quadruplexes provides versatile means to switch DNA nanostructures, reversibly control catalytic functions of DNA assemblies, and switch material properties and functions. The present review article discusses the switchable dynamic reconfiguration of G-quadruplexes as central functional and structural motifs that enable diverse applications in DNA nanotechnology and material science. The dynamic reconfiguration of G-quadruplexes has a major impact on the development of DNA switches and DNA machines. The integration of G-quadruplexes with enzymes yields supramolecular assemblies exhibiting switchable catalytic functions guided by dynamic G-quadruplex topologies. In addition, G-quadruplexes act as important building blocks to operate constitutional dynamic networks and transient dissipative networks mimicking complex biological dynamic circuitries. Furthermore, the integration of G-quadruplexes with DNA nanostructures, such as origami tiles, introduces dynamic and mechanical features into these static frameworks. Beyond the dynamic operation of G-quadruplex structures in solution, the assembly of G-quadruplexes on bulk surfaces such as electrodes or nanoparticles provides versatile means to engineer diverse electrochemical and photoelectrochemical devices and to switch the dynamic aggregation/deaggregation of nanoparticles, leading to nanoparticle assemblies that reveal switchable optical properties. Finally, the functionalization of hydrogels, hydrogel microcapsules, or nanoparticle carriers, such as SiO2 nanoparticles or metal-organic framework nanoparticles, yields stimuli-responsive materials exhibiting shape-memory, self-healing, and controlled drug release properties. Indeed, G-quadruplex-modified nanomaterials find growing interest in the area of nanomedicine. Beyond the impressive G-quadruplex-based scientific advances achieved to date, exciting future developments are still anticipated. The review addresses these goals by identifying the potential opportunities and challenges ahead of the field in the coming years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiantong Dong
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Michael P O'Hagan
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
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22
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Ouyang Y, Zhang P, Willner I. Dynamic Catalysis Guided by Nucleic Acid Networks and DNA Nanostructures. Bioconjug Chem 2022; 34:51-69. [PMID: 35973134 PMCID: PMC9853509 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.2c00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid networks conjugated to native enzymes and supramolecular DNA nanostructures modified with enzymes or DNAzymes act as functional reaction modules for guiding dynamic catalytic transformations. These systems are exemplified with the assembly of constitutional dynamic networks (CDNs) composed of nucleic acid-functionalized enzymes, as constituents, undergoing triggered structural reconfiguration, leading to dynamically switched biocatalytic cascades. By coupling two nucleic acid/enzyme networks, the intercommunicated feedback-driven dynamic biocatalytic operation of the system is demonstrated. In addition, the tailoring of a nucleic acid/enzyme reaction network driving a dissipative, transient, biocatalytic cascade is introduced as a model system for out-of-equilibrium dynamically modulated biocatalytic transformation in nature. Also, supramolecular nucleic acid machines or DNA nanostructures, modified with DNAzyme or enzyme constituents, act as functional reaction modules driving temporal dynamic catalysis. The design of dynamic supramolecular machines is exemplified with the introduction of an interlocked two-ring catenane device that is dynamically reversibly switched between two states operating two different DNAzymes, and with the tailoring of a DNA-tweezers device functionalized with enzyme/DNAzyme constituents that guides the dynamic ON/OFF operation of a biocatalytic cascade by opening and closing the molecular device. In addition, DNA origami nanostructures provide functional scaffolds for the programmed positioning of enzymes or DNAzyme for the switchable operation of catalytic transformations. This is introduced by the tailored functionalization of the edges of origami tiles with nucleic acids guiding the switchable formation of DNAzyme catalysts through the dimerization/separation of the tiles. In addition, the programmed deposition of two-enzyme/cofactor constituents on the origami raft allowed the dynamic photochemical activation of the cofactor-mediated biocatalytic cascade on the spatially biocatalytic assembly on the scaffold. Furthermore, photoinduced "mechanical" switchable and reversible unlocking and closing of nanoholes in the origami frameworks allow the "ON" and "OFF" operation of DNAzyme units in the nanoholes, confined environments. The future challenges and potential applications of dynamic nucleic acid/enzyme and DNAzyme conjugates are discussed in the conclusion paragraph.
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23
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Cascaded dissipative DNAzyme-driven layered networks guide transient replication of coded-strands as gene models. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4414. [PMID: 35906232 PMCID: PMC9338015 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32148-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic, transient, out-of-equilibrium networks guide cellular genetic, metabolic or signaling processes. Designing synthetic networks emulating natural processes imposes important challenges including the ordered connectivity of transient reaction modules, engineering of the appropriate balance between production and depletion of reaction constituents, and coupling of the reaction modules with emerging chemical functions dictated by the networks. Here we introduce the assembly of three coupled reaction modules executing a cascaded dynamic process leading to the transient formation and depletion of three different Mg2+-ion-dependent DNAzymes. The transient operation of the DNAzyme in one layer triggers the dynamic activation of the DNAzyme in the subsequent layer, leading to a three-layer transient catalytic cascade. The kinetics of the transient cascade is computationally simulated. The cascaded network is coupled to a polymerization/nicking DNA machinery guiding transient synthesis of three coded strands acting as “gene models”, and to the rolling circle polymerization machinery leading to the transient synthesis of fluorescent Zn(II)-PPIX/G-quadruplex chains or hemin/G-quadruplex catalytic wires. A reaction network executing a cascaded transient formation and depletion of three different catalytic strands is introduced. The system is coupled to the secondary temporal synthesis of different coded strands as gene models.
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24
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Vázquez-Salazar A, Chen IA. In vitro evolution: From monsters to mobs. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R580-R583. [PMID: 35728532 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
During an in vitro evolution experiment over hundreds of generations, a replicator system, begun with a single RNA species and the replicase it encodes, spontaneously generated a multi-member network where parasitism, altruism, and the environment play key roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Vázquez-Salazar
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Irene A Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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25
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Ouyang Y, Zhang P, Willner I. Dissipative biocatalytic cascades and gated transient biocatalytic cascades driven by nucleic acid networks. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabn3534. [PMID: 35522744 PMCID: PMC9075803 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Living systems consist of complex transient cellular networks guiding structural, catalytic, and switchable functions driven by auxiliary triggers, such as chemical or light energy inputs. We introduce two different transient, dissipative, biocatalytic cascades, the coupled glucose oxidase (GOx)/horseradish peroxidase (HRP) glucose-driven oxidation of 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS2-) to the radical anion (ABTS•-) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) lactate-driven reduction of NAD+ to NADH. The transient biocatalytic systems are driven by nucleic acid reaction modules using a nucleic acid fuel strand L1' and a nicking enzyme, Nt.BbvCI, as fuel-degrading catalyst, leading to the dynamic spatiotemporal transient formation of structurally proximate biocatalysts activating the biocatalytic cascades and transient coupled processes, including the generation of chemiluminescence and the synthesis of alanine. Subjecting the mixture of biocatalysts to selective inhibitors allows the gated transient operation of the biocatalysts. The kinetics of transient biocatalytic cascades are accompanied by kinetic models and computational simulations.
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26
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Dong J, Ouyang Y, Wang J, O’Hagan MP, Willner I. Assembly of Dynamic Gated and Cascaded Transient DNAzyme Networks. ACS NANO 2022; 16:6153-6164. [PMID: 35294174 PMCID: PMC9047661 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c11631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The dynamic transient formation and depletion of G-quadruplexes regulate gene replication and transcription. This process was found to be related to various diseases such as cancer and premature aging. We report on the engineering of nucleic acid modules revealing dynamic, transient assembly and disassembly of G-quadruplex structures and G-quadruplex-based DNAzymes, gated transient processes, and cascaded dynamic transient reactions that involve G-quadruplex and DNAzyme structures. The dynamic transient processes are driven by functional DNA reaction modules activated by a fuel strand and guided toward dissipative operation by a nicking enzyme (Nt.BbvCI). The dynamic networks were further characterized by computational simulation of the experiments using kinetic models, allowing us to predict the dynamic performance of the networks under different auxiliary conditions applied to the systems. The systems reported herein could provide functional DNA machineries for the spatiotemporal control of G-quadruplex structures perturbing gene expression and thus provide a therapeutic means for related emergent diseases.
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27
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Sebastianelli L, Mansy SS. Origins of life: Encapsulating Darwinian evolution. Curr Biol 2022; 32:R44-R46. [PMID: 35015996 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.11.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Encapsulation of RNA within model protocells promotes folding, promotes the binding of substrates, promotes catalysis, and protects against denaturation. A new study argues for an active role of lipid vesicles in the origins of life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sheref S Mansy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2G2, Canada.
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28
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Zhang P, Fischer A, Ouyang Y, Wang J, Sohn YS, Karmi O, Nechushtai R, Willner I. Biocatalytic cascades and intercommunicated biocatalytic cascades in microcapsule systems. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7437-7448. [PMID: 35872834 PMCID: PMC9241983 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc01542k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Dynamic dimerization of GOx-loaded microcapsules with β-gal//hemin/G-quadruplex-bridged T1/T2-loaded microcapsules guides the bi-directional intercommunication of the three catalysts cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu Zhang
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
- Key Laboratory of Luminescence and Real-Time Analytical Chemistry (Southwest University), Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, People's Republic of China
| | - Amit Fischer
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yu Ouyang
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yang Sung Sohn
- Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Ola Karmi
- Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Rachel Nechushtai
- Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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29
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Genome Evolution from Random Ligation of RNAs of Autocatalytic Sets. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222413526. [PMID: 34948321 PMCID: PMC8707343 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222413526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary origin of the genome remains elusive. Here, I hypothesize that its first iteration, the protogenome, was a multi-ribozyme RNA. It evolved, likely within liposomes (the protocells) forming in dry-wet cycling environments, through the random fusion of ribozymes by a ligase and was amplified by a polymerase. The protogenome thereby linked, in one molecule, the information required to seed the protometabolism (a combination of RNA-based autocatalytic sets) in newly forming protocells. If this combination of autocatalytic sets was evolutionarily advantageous, the protogenome would have amplified in a population of multiplying protocells. It likely was a quasispecies with redundant information, e.g., multiple copies of one ribozyme. As such, new functionalities could evolve, including a genetic code. Once one or more components of the protometabolism were templated by the protogenome (e.g., when a ribozyme was replaced by a protein enzyme), and/or addiction modules evolved, the protometabolism became dependent on the protogenome. Along with increasing fidelity of the RNA polymerase, the protogenome could grow, e.g., by incorporating additional ribozyme domains. Finally, the protogenome could have evolved into a DNA genome with increased stability and storage capacity. I will provide suggestions for experiments to test some aspects of this hypothesis, such as evaluating the ability of ribozyme RNA polymerases to generate random ligation products and testing the catalytic activity of linked ribozyme domains.
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30
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Wang C, O'Hagan MP, Willner B, Willner I. Bioinspired Artificial Photosynthetic Systems. Chemistry 2021; 28:e202103595. [PMID: 34854505 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202103595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Mimicking photosynthesis using artificial systems, as a means for solar energy conversion and green fuel generation, is one of the holy grails of modern science. This perspective presents recent advances towards developing artificial photosynthetic systems. In one approach, native photosystems are interfaced with electrodes to yield photobioelectrochemical cells that transform light energy into electrical power. This is exemplified by interfacing photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) as an electrically contacted assembly mimicking the native Z-scheme, and by the assembly of an electrically wired PSI/glucose oxidase biocatalytic conjugate on an electrode support. Illumination of the functionalized electrodes led to light-induced generation of electrical power, or to the generation of photocurrents using glucose as the fuel. The second approach introduces supramolecular photosensitizer nucleic acid/electron acceptor complexes as functional modules for effective photoinduced electron transfer stimulating the subsequent biocatalyzed generation of NADPH or the Pt-nanoparticle-catalyzed evolution of molecular hydrogen. Application of the DNA machineries for scaling-up the photosystems is demonstrated. A third approach presents the integration of artificial photosynthetic modules into dynamic nucleic acid networks undergoing reversible reconfiguration or dissipative transient operation in the presence of auxiliary triggers. Control over photoinduced electron transfer reactions and photosynthetic transformations by means of the dynamic networks is demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Wang
- Institute of Chemistry, The Minerva Centre for Bio-Hybrid Complex Systems, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michael P O'Hagan
- Institute of Chemistry, The Minerva Centre for Bio-Hybrid Complex Systems, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Bilha Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, The Minerva Centre for Bio-Hybrid Complex Systems, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, The Minerva Centre for Bio-Hybrid Complex Systems, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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31
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Zhang W, Li Y, Du S, Chai Z, He J. Activation of 8-17 DNAzyme with extra functional group at conserved residues is related to catalytic metal ion. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 48:128234. [PMID: 34214510 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In 8-17 DNAzyme, the end loop A6G7C8 is a highly conserved motif. Here we reported an activation approach by specific chemical modifications on A6 and C8 for more efficient Ca2+-mediated reaction. The importance of the end loop was further highlighted and its critical conservation broken for more powerful catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Shanshan Du
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Zhilong Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Junlin He
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
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32
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Wang J, Li Z, Zhou Z, Ouyang Y, Zhang J, Ma X, Tian H, Willner I. DNAzyme- and light-induced dissipative and gated DNA networks. Chem Sci 2021; 12:11204-11212. [PMID: 34522318 PMCID: PMC8386649 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc02091a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based dissipative, out-of-equilibrium systems are introduced as functional assemblies emulating transient dissipative biological transformations. One system involves a Pb2+-ion-dependent DNAzyme fuel strand-driven network leading to the transient cleavage of the fuel strand to “waste” products. Applying the Pb2+-ion-dependent DNAzyme to two competitive fuel strand-driven systems yields two parallel operating networks. Blocking the competitively operating networks with selective inhibitors leads, however, to gated transient operation of dictated networks, yielding gated catalytic operations. A second system introduces a “non-waste” generating out-of-equilibrium, dissipative network driven by light. The system consists of a trans-azobenzene-functionalized photoactive module that is reconfigured by light to an intermediary state consisting of cis-azobenzene units that are thermally recovered to the original trans-azobenzene-modified module. The cyclic transient photoinduced operation of the device is demonstrated. The kinetic simulation of the systems allows the prediction of the transient behavior of the networks under different auxiliary conditions. Functional DNA modules are triggered in the presence of appropriate inhibitors to yield transient gated catalytic functions, and a photoresponsive DNA module leads to “waste-free” operation of transient, dissipative dynamic transitions.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbang Wang
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Zhenzhen Li
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Zhixin Zhou
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Yu Ouyang
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Junji Zhang
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 P. R. China
| | - Xiang Ma
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 P. R. China
| | - He Tian
- Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, East China University of Science and Technology Shanghai 200237 P. R. China
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
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33
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Zhou Z, Ouyang Y, Wang J, Willner I. Dissipative Gated and Cascaded DNA Networks. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:5071-5079. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c00486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhixin Zhou
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yu Ouyang
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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34
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Núñez-Villanueva D, Hunter CA. Replication of Sequence Information in Synthetic Oligomers. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:1298-1306. [PMID: 33554599 PMCID: PMC7931443 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The holy grail identified by Orgel in his 1995 Account was the development of novel chemical systems that evolve using reactions in which replication and information transfer occur together. There has been some success in the adaption of nucleic acids to make artificial analogues and in templating oligomerization reactions to form synthetic homopolymers, but replication of sequence information in synthetic polymers remains a major unsolved problem. In this Account, we describe our efforts in this direction based on a covalent base-pairing strategy to transfer sequence information between a parent template and a daughter copy. Oligotriazoles, which carry information as a sequence of phenol and benzoic acid side chains, have been prepared from bifunctional monomers equipped with an azide and an alkyne. Formation of esters between phenols and benzoic acids is used as the equivalent of nucleic base pairing to covalently attach monomer building blocks to a template oligomer. Sequential protection of the phenol side chains on the template, ester coupling of the benzoic acid side chains, and deprotection and ester coupling of the phenol side chains allow quantitative selective base-pair formation on a mixed sequence template. Copper catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) is then used to oligomerize the monomers on the template. Finally, cleavage of the ester base pairs in the product duplex by hydrolysis releases the copy strand. This covalent template-directed synthesis strategy has been successfully used to copy the information encoded in a trimer template into a sequence-complementary oligomer in high yield.The use of covalent base pairing provides opportunities to manipulate the nature of the information transferred in the replication process. By using traceless linkers to connect the phenol and benzoic acid units, it is possible to carry out direct replication, reciprocal replication, and mutation. These preliminary results are promising, and methods have been developed to eliminate some of the side reactions that compete with the CuAAC process that zips up the duplex. In situ end-capping of the copy strand was found to be an effective general method for blocking intermolecular reactions between product duplexes. By selecting an appropriate concentration of an external capping agent, it is also possible to intercept macrocyclization of the reactive chain ends in the product duplex. The other side reaction observed is miscoupling of monomer units that are not attached to adjacent sites on the template, and optimization is required to eliminate these reactions. We are still some way from an evolvable synthetic polymer, but the chemical approach to molecular replication outlined here has some promise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Núñez-Villanueva
- Yusuf Hamied Department of
Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
| | - Christopher A. Hunter
- Yusuf Hamied Department of
Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K.
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35
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Núñez-Villanueva D, Hunter CA. Controlled mutation in the replication of synthetic oligomers. Chem Sci 2021; 12:4063-4068. [PMID: 34163677 PMCID: PMC8179503 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc06770a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Replication of sequence information with mutation is the molecular basis for the evolution of functional biopolymers. Covalent template-directed synthesis has been used to replicate sequence information in synthetic oligomers, and the covalent base-pairs used in these systems provide an opportunity to manipulate the outcome of the information transfer process through the use of traceless linkers. Two new types of covalent base-pair have been used to introduce mutation in the replication of an oligotriazole, where information is encoded as the sequence of benzoic acid and phenol monomer units. When a benzoic acid-benzoic acid base-pairing system was used, a direct copy of a benzoic acid homo-oligomer template was obtained. When a phenol-benzoic acid base-pairing system was used, a reciprocal copy, the phenol homo-oligomer, was obtained. The two base-pairing systems are isosteric, so they can be used interchangeably, allowing direct and reciprocal copying to take place simultaneously on the same template strand. As a result, it was possible to introduce mutations in the replication process by spiking the monomer used for direct copying with the monomer used for reciprocal copying. The mutation rate is determined precisely by the relative proportions of the two monomers. The ability to introduce mutation at a controlled rate is a key step in the development of synthetic systems capable of evolution, which requires replication with variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Núñez-Villanueva
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
| | - Christopher A Hunter
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge Lensfield Road Cambridge CB2 1EW UK
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36
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Yao T, Przybyla JJ, Yeh P, Woodard AM, Nilsson HJ, Brandsen BM, Silverman SK. DNAzymes for amine and peptide lysine acylation. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 19:171-181. [PMID: 33150349 PMCID: PMC7790989 DOI: 10.1039/d0ob02015j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
DNAzymes were previously identified by in vitro selection for a variety of chemical reactions, including several biologically relevant peptide modifications. However, finding DNAzymes for peptide lysine acylation is a substantial challenge. By using suitably reactive aryl ester acyl donors as the electrophiles, here we used in vitro selection to identify DNAzymes that acylate amines, including lysine side chains of DNA-anchored peptides. Some of the DNAzymes can transfer a small glutaryl group to an amino group. These results expand the scope of DNAzyme catalysis and suggest the future broader applicability of DNAzymes for sequence-selective lysine acylation of peptide and protein substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianjiong Yao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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37
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Yue L, Wang S, Zhou Z, Willner I. Nucleic Acid Based Constitutional Dynamic Networks: From Basic Principles to Applications. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:21577-21594. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c09891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liang Yue
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Shan Wang
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Zhixin Zhou
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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38
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Yokobayashi Y. High-Throughput Analysis and Engineering of Ribozymes and Deoxyribozymes by Sequencing. Acc Chem Res 2020; 53:2903-2912. [PMID: 33164502 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.0c00546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Ribozymes and deoxyribozymes are catalytic RNA and DNA, respectively, that catalyze chemical reactions such as self-cleavage or ligation reactions. While some ribozymes are found in nature, a larger variety of ribozymes and deoxyribozymes have been discovered by in vitro selection from random sequences. These catalytic nucleic acids, especially ribozymes, are of fundamental interest because they are crucial for the RNA world hypothesis, which suggests that RNA played a central role in both the propagation of genetic information and catalyzing metabolic reactions in primordial life prior to the emergence of proteins and DNA. On the practical side, catalytic nucleic acids have been extensively engineered for various applications, such as biosensors and genetic devices for synthetic biology. Therefore, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of the sequence-function relationships of ribozymes and deoxyribozymes.Mutational analysis, or measurements of activities of catalytic nucleic acid mutants, is one of the most fundamental approaches for that purpose. Mutations that abolish, reduce, retain, or even increase activity provide useful information about nucleic acid catalysts for engineering and other purposes. However, methods for mutational analysis of ribozymes and deoxyribozymes have not evolved much for decades, requiring tedious and low-throughput assays (e.g., gel electrophoresis) of individually prepared mutants. This has prevented researchers from performing quantitative mutational analysis of ribozymes and deoxyribozymes on a large scale.To address this limitation, we developed a massively parallel ribozyme and deoxyribozyme assay strategy that allows >104 assays using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). We used HTS to literally count the number of cleaved (or ligated) and uncleaved (or unligated) ribozyme (or deoxyribozyme) sequences and calculated the activities of each mutant in a reaction mixture. This simple yet powerful strategy was applied to analyze the mutational effects of various natural and synthetic ribozymes and deoxyribozymes at scales impossible for conventional mutational analysis. These large-scale sequence-function data sets were used to better understand the functional consequences of mutations and to engineer ribozymes for practical applications. Furthermore, these newly available data are motivating researchers to employ more rigorous computational methods to extract additional insights such as structural information and nonlinear effects of multiple mutations. The new HTS-based assay strategy is distinct from and complementary to a related strategy that uses HTS to analyze ribozyme and deoxyribozyme populations subjected to in vitro selection. Postselection sequencing can cover a larger sequence space, although it does not directly quantify the activities of ribozyme and deoxyribozyme mutants. With further advances in DNA sequencing technologies and computational methods, there should be more opportunities to harness the power of HTS to deepen our understanding of catalytic nucleic acids and enhance our ability to engineer them for even more applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohei Yokobayashi
- Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Engineering Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Onna, Okinawa 904-0495, Japan
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39
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Lilienthal S, Luo GF, Wang S, Yue L, Fischer A, Ehrlich A, Nahmias Y, Willner I. Constitutional Dynamic Networks-Guided Synthesis of Programmed "Genes", Transcription of mRNAs, and Translation of Proteins. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:21460-21468. [PMID: 33290051 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c10565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Inspired by nature, where dynamic networks control the levels of gene expression and the activities of transcribed/translated proteins, we introduce nucleic acid-based constitutional dynamic networks (CDNs) as functional modules mimicking native circuits by demonstrating CDNs-guided programmed synthesis of genes, controlled transcription of RNAs, and dictated transcription/translation synthesis of proteins. An auxiliary CDN consisting of four dynamically equilibrated constituents AA', AB', BA', and BB' is orthogonally triggered by two different inputs yielding two different compositionally reconfigured CDNs. Subjecting the parent auxiliary CDN to two hairpins, HA and HB, and two templates TA and TB and a nicking/replication machinery leads to the cleavage of the hairpins and to the activation of the nicking/replication machineries that synthesize two "genes", e.g., the histidine-dependent DNAzyme g1 and the Zn2+-ion-dependent DNAzyme g2. The triggered orthogonal reconfiguration of the parent CDN to the respective CDNs leads to the programmed preferred CDN-guided synthesis of g1 or g2. Similarly, the triggered reconfigured CDNs are subjected to two hairpins HC and HD, the templates I'/I and J'/J, and the RNA polymerase (RNAp)/NTPs machinery. While the cleavage of the hairpins by the constituents associated with the parent CDN leads to the transcription of the broccoli aptamer recognizing the DFHBI ligand and of the aptamer recognizing the malachite green (MG) ligand, the orthogonally triggered CDNs lead to the CDNs-guided enhanced transcription of either the DFHBI aptamer or the MG aptamer. In addition, subjecting the triggered reconfigured CDNs to predesigned hairpins HE and HF, the templates M'/M and N'/N, the RNAp/NTPs machinery, and the cell-free ribosome t-RNA machinery leads to the CDNs-guided transcription/translation of the green fluorescence protein (GFP) or red fluorescence protein (RFP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sivan Lilienthal
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Guo-Feng Luo
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Shan Wang
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Liang Yue
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Amit Fischer
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Avner Ehrlich
- Grass Center for Bioengineering, Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Yaakov Nahmias
- Grass Center for Bioengineering, Benin School of Computer Science and Engineering, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry, Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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40
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Synak J, Rybarczyk A, Blazewicz J. Multi-agent approach to sequence structure simulation in the RNA World hypothesis. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238253. [PMID: 32857812 PMCID: PMC7455006 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The origins of life on Earth have been the subject of inquiry since the early days of philosophical thought and are still intensively investigated by the researchers around the world. One of the theories explaining the life emergence, that gained the most attention recently is the RNA World hypothesis, which assumes that life on Earth was sparked by replicating RNA chains. Since wet lab analysis is time-consuming, many mathematical and computational approaches have been proposed that try to explain the origins of life. Recently proposed one, based on the work by Takeuchi and Hogeweg, addresses the problem of interplay between RNA replicases and RNA parasitic species, which is crucial for understanding the first steps of prebiotic evolution. In this paper, the aforementioned model has been extended and modified by introducing RNA sequence (structure) information and mutation rate close to real one. It allowed to observe the simple evolution mechanisms, which could have led to the more complicated systems and eventually, to the formation of the first cells. The main goal of this study was to determine the conditions that allowed the spontaneous emergence and evolution of the prebiotic replicases equipped with simple functional domains within a large population. Here we show that polymerase ribozymes could have appeared randomly and then quickly started to copy themselves in order for the system to reach equilibrium. It has been shown that evolutionary selection works even in the simplest systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaroslaw Synak
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland
- European Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Poznan, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Rybarczyk
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- European Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Poznan, Poland
- * E-mail: (JB); (AR)
| | - Jacek Blazewicz
- Institute of Computing Science, Poznan University of Technology, Poznan, Poland
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- European Center for Bioinformatics and Genomics, Poznan, Poland
- * E-mail: (JB); (AR)
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41
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Bendixsen DP, M Roberts J, Townshend B, Hayden EJ. Phased nucleotide inserts for sequencing low-diversity RNA samples from in vitro selection experiments. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 26:1060-1068. [PMID: 32300045 PMCID: PMC7373987 DOI: 10.1261/rna.072413.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In vitro selection combined with high-throughput sequencing is a powerful experimental approach with broad application in the engineering and characterization of RNA molecules. Diverse pools of starting sequences used for selection are often flanked by fixed sequences used as primer binding sites. These low diversity regions often lead to data loss from complications with Illumina image processing algorithms. A common method to alleviate this problem is the addition of fragmented bacteriophage PhiX genome, which improves sequence quality but sacrifices a portion of usable sequencing reads. An alternative approach is to insert nucleotides of variable length and composition ("phased inserts") at the beginning of each molecule when adding sequencing adaptors. This approach preserves read depth but reduces the length of each read. Here, we test the ability of phased inserts to replace PhiX in a low-diversity sample generated for a high-throughput sequencing based ribozyme activity screen. We designed a pool of 4096 RNA sequence variants of the self-cleaving twister ribozyme from Oryza sativa For each unique sequence, we determined the fraction of ribozyme cleaved during in vitro transcription via deep sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq. We found that libraries with the phased inserts produced high-quality sequence data without the addition of PhiX. We found good agreement between previously published data on twister ribozyme variants and our data produced with phased inserts even when PhiX was omitted. We conclude that phased inserts can be implemented following in vitro selection experiments to reduce or eliminate the use of PhiX and maximize read depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devin P Bendixsen
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, USA
| | - Jessica M Roberts
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, USA
| | - Brent Townshend
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Eric J Hayden
- Biomolecular Sciences Graduate Programs, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, Idaho 83725, USA
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42
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Luo G, Biniuri Y, Chen W, Wang J, Neumann E, Marjault H, Nechushtai R, Winkler M, Happe T, Willner I. Modelling Photosynthesis with Zn
II
‐Protoporphyrin All‐DNA G‐Quadruplex/Aptamer Scaffolds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202002915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Guo‐Feng Luo
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Yonatan Biniuri
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Wei‐Hai Chen
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Ehud Neumann
- Institute of Life Science The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | | | - Rachel Nechushtai
- Institute of Life Science The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
| | - Martin Winkler
- Department of Biochemistry of Plants Ruhr-University Bochum Germany
| | - Thomas Happe
- Department of Biochemistry of Plants Ruhr-University Bochum Germany
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jerusalem 91904 Israel
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43
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Luo GF, Biniuri Y, Chen WH, Wang J, Neumann E, Marjault HB, Nechushtai R, Winkler M, Happe T, Willner I. Modelling Photosynthesis with Zn II -Protoporphyrin All-DNA G-Quadruplex/Aptamer Scaffolds. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:9163-9170. [PMID: 32125762 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202002915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
All-DNA scaffolds act as templates for the organization of photosystem I model systems. A series of DNA templates composed of ZnII -protoporphyrin IX (ZnII PPIX)-functionalized G-quadruplex conjugated to the 3'- or 5'-end of the tyrosinamide (TA) aptamer and ZnII PPIX/G-quadruplex linked to the 3'- and 5'-ends of the TA aptamer through a four-thymidine bridge. Effective photoinduced electron transfer (ET) from ZnII PPIX/G-quadruplex to bipyridinium-functionalized tyrosinamide, TA-MV2+ , bound to the TA aptamer units is demonstrated. The effectiveness of the primary ET quenching of ZnII PPIX/G-quadruplex by TA-MV2+ controls the efficiency of the generation of TA-MV+. . The photosystem-controlled formation of TA-MV+. by the different photosystems dictates the secondary activation of the ET cascade corresponding to the ferredoxin-NADP+ reductase (FNR)-catalysed reduction of NADP+ to NADPH by TA-MV+. , and the sequestered alcohol dehydrogenase catalysed reduction of acetophenone to 1-phenylethanol by NADPH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Feng Luo
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Yonatan Biniuri
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Wei-Hai Chen
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Jianbang Wang
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Ehud Neumann
- Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | | | - Rachel Nechushtai
- Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Martin Winkler
- Department of Biochemistry of Plants, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
| | - Thomas Happe
- Department of Biochemistry of Plants, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
| | - Itamar Willner
- Institute of Chemistry and Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
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44
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Liu M, Wang J, Chang Y, Zhang Q, Chang D, Hui CY, Brennan JD, Li Y. In Vitro Selection of a DNA Aptamer Targeting Degraded Protein Fragments for Biosensing. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202000025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 China
| | - Jiayi Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 China
| | - Yangyang Chang
- School of Environmental Science and Technology Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education) Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Bioengineering Dalian University of Technology Dalian 116024 China
| | - Dingran Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Michael G. DeGroote Institute of Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton Ontario L8S4K1 Canada
| | - Christy Y. Hui
- Biointerfaces Institute McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton Ontario L8S4O3 Canada
| | - John D. Brennan
- Biointerfaces Institute McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton Ontario L8S4O3 Canada
| | - Yingfu Li
- Biointerfaces Institute McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton Ontario L8S4O3 Canada
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences Michael G. DeGroote Institute of Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton Ontario L8S4K1 Canada
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Liu M, Wang J, Chang Y, Zhang Q, Chang D, Hui CY, Brennan JD, Li Y. In Vitro Selection of a DNA Aptamer Targeting Degraded Protein Fragments for Biosensing. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:7706-7710. [PMID: 32155319 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202000025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Protein biomarkers often exist as degradation fragments in biological samples, and affinity agents derived using a purified protein may not recognize them, limiting their value for clinical diagnosis. Herein, we present a method to overcome this issue, by selecting aptamers against a degraded form of the toxin B protein, which is a marker for diagnosing toxigenic Clostridium difficile infections. This approach has led to isolation of a DNA aptamer that recognizes degraded toxin B, fresh toxin B, and toxin B spiked into human stool samples. DNA aptamers selected using intact recombinant toxin B failed to recognize degraded toxin B, which is the form present in stored stool samples. Using this new aptamer, we produced a simple paper-based analytical device for colorimetric detection of toxin B in stool samples, or in the NAP1 strain of Clostridium difficile. The combined aptamer-selection and paper-sensing strategy can expand the practical utility of DNA aptamers in clinical diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Jiayi Wang
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Yangyang Chang
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Dingran Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Institute of Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4K1, Canada
| | - Christy Y Hui
- Biointerfaces Institute, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4O3, Canada
| | - John D Brennan
- Biointerfaces Institute, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4O3, Canada
| | - Yingfu Li
- Biointerfaces Institute, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4O3, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Michael G. DeGroote Institute of Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4K1, Canada
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Markel U, Essani KD, Besirlioglu V, Schiffels J, Streit WR, Schwaneberg U. Advances in ultrahigh-throughput screening for directed enzyme evolution. Chem Soc Rev 2020; 49:233-262. [PMID: 31815263 DOI: 10.1039/c8cs00981c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 142] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes are versatile catalysts and their synthetic potential has been recognized for a long time. In order to exploit their full potential, enzymes often need to be re-engineered or optimized for a given application. (Semi-) rational design has emerged as a powerful means to engineer proteins, but requires detailed knowledge about structure function relationships. In turn, directed evolution methodologies, which consist of iterative rounds of diversity generation and screening, can improve an enzyme's properties with virtually no structural knowledge. Current diversity generation methods grant us access to a vast sequence space (libraries of >1012 enzyme variants) that may hide yet unexplored catalytic activities and selectivity. However, the time investment for conventional agar plate or microtiter plate-based screening assays represents a major bottleneck in directed evolution and limits the improvements that are obtainable in reasonable time. Ultrahigh-throughput screening (uHTS) methods dramatically increase the number of screening events per time, which is crucial to speed up biocatalyst design, and to widen our knowledge about sequence function relationships. In this review, we summarize recent advances in uHTS for directed enzyme evolution. We shed light on the importance of compartmentalization to preserve the essential link between genotype and phenotype and discuss how cells and biomimetic compartments can be applied to serve this function. Finally, we discuss how uHTS can inspire novel functional metagenomics approaches to identify natural biocatalysts for novel chemical transformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Markel
- Institute of Biotechnology, RWTH Aachen University, Worringer Weg 3, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
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Abstract
The chemistry of abiotic nucleotide synthesis of RNA and DNA in the context of their prebiotic origins on early earth is a continuing challenge. How did (or how can) the nucleotides form and assemble from the small molecule inventories and under conditions that prevailed on early earth 3.5-4 billion years ago? This review provides a background and up-to-date progress that will allow the reader to judge where the field stands currently and what remains to be achieved. We start with a brief primer on the biological synthesis of nucleotides, followed by an extensive focus on the prebiotic formation of the components of nucleotides-either via the synthesis of ribose and the canonical nucleobases and then joining them together or by building both the conjoined sugar and nucleobase, part-by-part-toward the ultimate goal of forming RNA and DNA by polymerization. The review will emphasize that there are-and will continue to be-many more questions than answers from the synthetic, mechanistic, and analytical perspectives. We wrap up the review with a cautionary note in this context about coming to conclusions as to whether the problem of chemistry of prebiotic nucleotide synthesis has been solved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahipal Yadav
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.,NSF-NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Ravi Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.,NSF-NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Ramanarayanan Krishnamurthy
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States.,NSF-NASA Center for Chemical Evolution, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
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Peng H, Newbigging AM, Reid MS, Uppal JS, Xu J, Zhang H, Le XC. Signal Amplification in Living Cells: A Review of microRNA Detection and Imaging. Anal Chem 2019; 92:292-308. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hanyong Peng
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Ashley M. Newbigging
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Michael S. Reid
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Jagdeesh S. Uppal
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Jingyang Xu
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - Hongquan Zhang
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
| | - X. Chris Le
- Division of Analytical and Environmental Toxicology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, 10-102 Clinical
Sciences Building, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G3, Canada
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Taylor AI, Houlihan G, Holliger P. Beyond DNA and RNA: The Expanding Toolbox of Synthetic Genetics. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2019; 11:11/6/a032490. [PMID: 31160351 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a032490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable physicochemical properties of the natural nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, define modern biology at the molecular level and are widely believed to have been central to life's origins. However, their ability to form repositories of information as well as functional structures such as ligands (aptamers) and catalysts (ribozymes/DNAzymes) is not unique. A range of nonnatural alternatives, collectively termed xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), are also capable of supporting genetic information storage and propagation as well as evolution. This gives rise to a new field of "synthetic genetics," which seeks to expand the nucleic acid chemical toolbox for applications in both biotechnology and molecular medicine. In this review, we outline XNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase engineering as a key enabling technology and summarize the application of "synthetic genetics" to the development of aptamers, enzymes, and nanostructures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander I Taylor
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian Houlihan
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Philipp Holliger
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
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