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Kuznetsova AA, Kuznetsov NA. Direct Enzyme Engineering of B Family DNA Polymerases for Biotechnological Approaches. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1150. [PMID: 37892880 PMCID: PMC10604792 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101150] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-dependent DNA polymerases have been intensively studied for more than 60 years and underlie numerous biotechnological and diagnostic applications. In vitro, DNA polymerases are used for DNA manipulations, including cloning, PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, sequencing, and others. Understanding the mechanisms of action of DNA polymerases is important for the creation of new enzymes possessing improved or modified properties. This review is focused on archaeal family B DNA polymerases. These enzymes have high fidelity and thermal stability and are finding many applications in molecular biological methods. Nevertheless, the search for and construction of new DNA polymerases with altered properties is constantly underway, including enzymes for synthetic biology. This brief review describes advances in the development of family B DNA polymerases for PCR, synthesis of xeno-nucleic acids, and reverse transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra A. Kuznetsova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), 8 Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Nikita A. Kuznetsov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), 8 Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 2 Pirogova Str., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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2
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Ahmad S, Ali SF, Iftikhar S, Rashid N. Engineering a DNA polymerase from Pyrobaculum calidifontis for improved activity, processivity and extension rate. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 233:123545. [PMID: 36740112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123545] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Positively charged amino acids in the DNA polymerase domain are important for interaction with DNA. Two potential residues in the palm domain of Pca-Pol, a DNA polymerase from Pyrobaculum calidifontis, were identified and mutated to arginine in order to improve the properties of this enzyme. The mutant proteins were heterologously produced in Escherichia coli. Biochemical characterization revealed that there was no significant difference in pH, metal ion, buffer preferences, 3' - 5' exonuclease activity and error rate of the wild-type and the mutant enzymes. However, the specific activity, processivity and extension rate of the mutant enzymes increased significantly. Specific activity of one of the mutants (G522R-E555R) was nearly 9-fold higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. These properties make G522R-E555R mutant enzyme a potential candidate for commercial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shazeel Ahmad
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Syed Farhat Ali
- KAM-School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Ferozepur Road, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
| | - Saima Iftikhar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Rashid
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
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3
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Fujita T, Nagata S, Fujii H. Oligoribonucleotide-Mediated Blockade of DNA Extension by Taq DNA Polymerases Increases Specificity and Sensitivity for Detecting Single-Nucleotide Differences. Anal Chem 2023; 95:3442-3451. [PMID: 36738294 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Blocking PCR is a method that inhibits amplification of DNA possessing a nucleotide sequence complementary to that of a blocker; the method can be used to suppress amplification of target wild-type DNA while amplifying mutated DNA. Previously, we demonstrated that an oligoribonucleotide (ORN) functions as a cost-effective and sequence-specific blocker. This blocking PCR system, named ORN interference-PCR (ORNi-PCR), is compatible with DNA polymerases lacking 5'-3' exonuclease activity but not with those possessing the activity (e.g., Taq DNA polymerase), which can remove a hybridized ORN during DNA extension. Here, we demonstrate that under specific experimental conditions, an intact or phosphorothioated ORN strongly suppresses extension of target DNA by Taq DNA polymerases. This method was applied successfully to real-time ORNi-PCR and one-step real-time reverse transcription-ORNi-PCR using a dual-labeled fluorescent probe to detect a single-nucleotide mutation in DNA and RNA in a sequence-specific manner. The results reaffirm the utility of blocking PCR and provide technical hints for its improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshitsugu Fujita
- Department of Biochemistry and Genome Biology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, 036-8562 Aomori, Japan
| | - Shoko Nagata
- Department of Biochemistry and Genome Biology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, 036-8562 Aomori, Japan
| | - Hodaka Fujii
- Department of Biochemistry and Genome Biology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, Hirosaki, 036-8562 Aomori, Japan
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Zhou Y, Bo F, Tian T, Wu B, Zhu B. Excessive addition split peak formed by the non-templated nucleotide addition property of Taq DNA polymerase after PCR amplification. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1180542. [PMID: 37180044 PMCID: PMC10174434 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1180542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of its non-template addition feature, Taq DNA polymerase can catalyze one or more extra nucleotides onto the 3' terminus of PCR products. An extra peak is observed at DYS391 locus after the PCR products stored for 4 days at 4°C. To explore the formation mechanism of this artifact, PCR primers and amplicon sequences of Y-STR loci are analyzed, furthermore, PCR products storage conditions and termination of PCR are discussed. The extra peak is a + 2 addition product, which we call excessive addition split peak (EASP). The most significant difference between EASP and the incomplete addition of adenine product is that the size of EASP is about one base larger than the true allele, and the EASP locates on the right side of the real allelic peak. The EASP cannot be eliminated by increasing loading mixture volume and conducting heat denaturation prior to electrophoresis injection. However, the EASP is not observed when the PCR is terminated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or formamide. These findings suggest that formation of EASP is a result of 3' end non-template extension by Taq DNA polymerase, rather than being the result of DNA fragment secondary structure produced under a suboptimal electrophoresis condition. In addition, the EASP formation is affected by the primer sequences and the storage conditions of PCR products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsong Zhou
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fan Bo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Buling Wu
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- *Correspondence: Buling Wu, ; Bofeng Zhu,
| | - Bofeng Zhu
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shanxi, China
- *Correspondence: Buling Wu, ; Bofeng Zhu,
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Reddy Banda S, Klapproth H, Smit N, Bednar S, Brandstetter T, Rühe J. An advanced and efficient asymmetric PCR method for microarray applications. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1045154. [PMID: 36532575 PMCID: PMC9748121 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1045154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The sensitivity of a PCR based biochip assay relies on the efficiency of PCR amplicons in binding to the microarray spots. The essential factor determining the sensitivity is the amount of single stranded (ss) amplicons available for biochip hybridization. Asymmetric PCR can generate ss-amplicons depending on the ratio of primers used in the amplification process, but this process is often inefficient. We report a novel variant of PCR called the Asymmetric Exponential and Linear Amplification (AELA) which can overcome these issues and generate large amounts of single stranded amplicons. AELA-PCR introduces an amplification strategy that makes use of both exponential and linear amplification of the target nucleic acid. This is done by specifically designed primers and choice of adequate thermal profiles. In conventional PCR with a classical thermal profile, these specifically designed primers will work normally and contribute to an exponential increase of amplicons. A designed sequence extension of one of the primers and a very specific thermal profile, will result in a situation that the extended primer will be the only functional one for amplification, resulting in a linear phase of the amplification process. That is why during this step only one of the two strands of the target is amplified linearly and no longer exponentially. The result of the whole process is an amplification product enriched very strongly in one of the two single strands of the target. These adaptions in PCR are particularly favorable where the generation of ss-DNA/RNA is required. We demonstrate the higher biochip sensitivity of AELA-PCR compared to conventional amplification methods with an example of the Staphylococcus aureus detection on a DNA oligonucleotide microarray.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Reddy Banda
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Physics of Interfaces, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Holger Klapproth
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Physics of Interfaces, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Safeguard Biosystems Holding Ltd., London, United Kingdom
| | - Nicolaas Smit
- Safeguard Biosystems Holding Ltd., London, United Kingdom
| | - Sonja Bednar
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Physics of Interfaces, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Safeguard Biosystems Holding Ltd., London, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Brandstetter
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Physics of Interfaces, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jürgen Rühe
- Laboratory for Chemistry and Physics of Interfaces, Department of Microsystems Engineering (IMTEK), University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Wang G, Du Y, Ma X, Ye F, Qin Y, Wang Y, Xiang Y, Tao R, Chen T. Thermophilic Nucleic Acid Polymerases and Their Application in Xenobiology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314969. [PMID: 36499296 PMCID: PMC9738464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases, isolated from organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments, possess great DNA/RNA synthesis activities under high temperatures. These enzymes play indispensable roles in central life activities involved in DNA replication and repair, as well as RNA transcription, and have already been widely used in bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine. Xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), which are analogs of DNA/RNA with unnatural moieties, have been developed as new carriers of genetic information in the past decades, which contributed to the fast development of a field called xenobiology. The broad application of these XNA molecules in the production of novel drugs, materials, and catalysts greatly relies on the capability of enzymatic synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of them, which have been partially achieved with natural or artificially tailored thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases. In this review, we first systematically summarize representative thermophilic and hyperthermophilic polymerases that have been extensively studied and utilized, followed by the introduction of methods and approaches in the engineering of these polymerases for the efficient synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of XNAs. The application of XNAs facilitated by these polymerases and their mutants is then discussed. In the end, a perspective for the future direction of further development and application of unnatural nucleic acid polymerases is provided.
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Detecting MUC1 Variants in Patients Clinicopathologically Diagnosed With Having Autosomal Dominant Tubulointerstitial Kidney Disease. Kidney Int Rep 2022; 7:857-866. [PMID: 35497811 PMCID: PMC9039432 DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2021.12.037] [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] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Autosomal dominant tubulointerstitial kidney disease (ADTKD)-MUC1 is predominantly caused by frameshift mutations owing to a single-base insertion into the variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) region in MUC1. Because of the complexity of the variant hotspot, identification using short-read sequencers (SRSs) is challenging. Although recent studies have revealed the usefulness of long-read sequencers (LRSs), the prevalence of MUC1 variants in patients with clinically suspected ADTKD remains unknown. We aimed to clarify this prevalence and the genetic characteristics and clinical manifestations of ADTKD-MUC1 in a Japanese population using an SRS and an LRS. Methods From January 2015 to December 2019, genetic analysis was performed using an SRS in 48 patients with clinically suspected ADTKD. Additional analyses were conducted using an LRS in patients with negative SRS results. Results Short-read sequencing results revealed MUC1 variants in 1 patient harboring a cytosine insertion in the second repeat unit of the VNTR region; however, deeper VNTR regions could not be read by the SRS. Therefore, we conducted long-read sequencing analysis of 39 cases and detected MUC1 VNTR variants in 8 patients (in total, 9 patients from unrelated families). With the inclusion of family-affected patients (n = 31), the median age at the development of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) was 45 years (95% CI: 40–40 years). Conclusion In Japan, the detection rate of MUC1 variants in patients with clinically suspected ADTKD was 18.8%. More than 20% of patients with negative SRS results had MUC1 variants detected by an LRS.
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Kesici MZ, Tinnefeld P, Vera AM. A simple and general approach to generate photoactivatable DNA processing enzymes. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:e31. [PMID: 34904657 PMCID: PMC8989547 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA processing enzymes, such as DNA polymerases and endonucleases, have found many applications in biotechnology, molecular diagnostics, and synthetic biology, among others. The development of enzymes with controllable activity, such as hot-start or light-activatable versions, has boosted their applications and improved the sensitivity and specificity of the existing ones. However, current approaches to produce controllable enzymes are experimentally demanding to develop and case-specific. Here, we introduce a simple and general method to design light-start DNA processing enzymes. In order to prove its versatility, we applied our method to three DNA polymerases commonly used in biotechnology, including the Phi29 (mesophilic), Taq, and Pfu polymerases, and one restriction enzyme. Light-start enzymes showed suppressed polymerase, exonuclease, and endonuclease activity until they were re-activated by an UV pulse. Finally, we applied our enzymes to common molecular biology assays and showed comparable performance to commercial hot-start enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve-Zeynep Kesici
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München 81377, Germany
| | - Philip Tinnefeld
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München 81377, Germany
| | - Andrés Manuel Vera
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München 81377, Germany
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Rodríguez-Frías F, Quer J, Tabernero D, Cortese MF, Garcia-Garcia S, Rando-Segura A, Pumarola T. Microorganisms as Shapers of Human Civilization, from Pandemics to Even Our Genomes: Villains or Friends? A Historical Approach. Microorganisms 2021; 9:2518. [PMID: 34946123 PMCID: PMC8708650 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9122518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Universal history is characterized by continuous evolution, in which civilizations are born and die. This evolution is associated with multiple factors, among which the role of microorganisms is often overlooked. Viruses and bacteria have written or decisively contributed to terrible episodes of history, such as the Black Death in 14th century Europe, the annihilation of pre-Columbian American civilizations, and pandemics such as the 1918 Spanish flu or the current COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Nevertheless, it is clear that we could not live in a world without these tiny beings. Endogenous retroviruses have been key to our evolution and for the regulation of gene expression, and the gut microbiota helps us digest compounds that we could not otherwise process. In addition, we have used microorganisms to preserve or prepare food for millennia and more recently to obtain drugs such as antibiotics or to develop recombinant DNA technologies. Due to the enormous importance of microorganisms for our survival, they have significantly influenced the population genetics of different human groups. This paper will review the role of microorganisms as "villains" who have been responsible for tremendous mortality throughout history but also as "friends" who help us survive and evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Rodríguez-Frías
- Clinical Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Vall d’Hebron Institut Recerca-Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (M.F.C.); (S.G.-G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Liver Pathology Unit, Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Josep Quer
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Liver Unit, Liver Disease Laboratory-Viral Hepatitis, Vall d’Hebron Institut Recerca, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Tabernero
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Maria Francesca Cortese
- Clinical Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Vall d’Hebron Institut Recerca-Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (M.F.C.); (S.G.-G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Selene Garcia-Garcia
- Clinical Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biochemistry, Vall d’Hebron Institut Recerca-Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain; (M.F.C.); (S.G.-G.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Ariadna Rando-Segura
- Liver Pathology Unit, Departments of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Tomas Pumarola
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Passeig Vall d’Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain;
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Hafez M, Abdelmagid A, Aboukhaddour R, Adam LR, Daayf F. Fusarium Root Rot Complex in Soybean: Molecular Characterization, Trichothecene Formation, and Cross-Pathogenicity. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2021; 111:2287-2302. [PMID: 33938238 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-03-21-0083-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Soybean is threatened by many pathogens that negatively affect this crop's yield and quality, such as various Fusarium species that cause wilting and root rot diseases. Fusarium root rot (FRR) in soybean can be caused by F. graminearum and other Fusarium spp. that are associated with Fusarium head blight (FHB) in cereals. Therefore, it was important to inquire whether Fusarium pathogens from soybean can cause disease in wheat and vice versa. Here, we investigated the FRR complex in Manitoba (Canada) from symptomatic plants, using both culture- and molecular-based methods. We developed a molecular diagnostic toolkit to detect and differentiate between several Fusarium spp. involved in FHB and FRR, then we evaluated cross-pathogenicity of selected Fusarium isolates collected from soybean and wheat, and the results indicate that isolates recovered from one host can infect the other host. Trichothecene production by selected Fusarium spp. was also analyzed chemically via liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in both soybean (root) and wheat (spike) tissues. Trichothecenes were also analyzed in soybean seeds from plants with FRR to check the potentiality of trichothecene translocation from infected roots to the seeds. All of the tested Fusarium isolates were capable of producing trichothecenes in wheat spikes and soybean roots, but no trichothecenes were detected in soybean seeds. This study provided evidence, for the first time, that trichothecenes were produced by several Fusarium spp. (F. cerealis, F. culmorum, and F. sporotrichioides) during FRR development in soybean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Hafez
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T2N2, Canada
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Center, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Suez University, Suez, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Abdelmagid
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T2N2, Canada
- Department of Plant Pathology, Assiut University, Assiut, 71515, Egypt
| | - Reem Aboukhaddour
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research and Development Center, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada
| | - Lorne R Adam
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T2N2, Canada
| | - Fouad Daayf
- Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T2N2, Canada
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11
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Sakhabutdinova AR, Kamalov MI, Salakhieva DV, Mavzyutov AR, Garafutdinov RR. Inhibition of nonspecific polymerase activity using Poly(Aspartic) acid as a model anionic polyelectrolyte. Anal Biochem 2021; 628:114267. [PMID: 34089699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2021.114267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerases with strand-displacement activity allow to amplify nucleic acids under isothermal conditions but often lead to undesirable by-products. Here, we report the increase of specificity of isothermal amplification in the presence of poly (aspartic) acids (pAsp). We hypothesized that side reactions occur due to the binding of the phosphate backbone of synthesized DNA strands with surface amino groups of the polymerase, and weakly acidic polyelectrolytes could shield polymerase molecules from DNA and thereby inhibit nonspecific amplification. Suppression of nonspecific polymerase activity by pAsp was studied on multimerization as a model side reaction. It was found that a low concentration of pAsp (0.01%) provides successful amplification of specific DNA targets. The inhibitory effect of pAsp is due to its polymeric structure since aspartic acid did affect neither specific nor nonspecific amplification. Strongly acidic polyelectrolyte heparin does not possess the same selectivity since it suppresses any DNA synthesis. The applicability of pAsp to prevent nonspecific reactions and reliable detection of the specific target has been demonstrated on the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus using Loop-mediated isothermal amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assol R Sakhabutdinova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054, Prosp. Oktyabrya, 71, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia.
| | - Marat I Kamalov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420021, Parizhskoy Kommuny Str., 9, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia.
| | - Diana V Salakhieva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420021, Parizhskoy Kommuny Str., 9, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia.
| | - Ayrat R Mavzyutov
- Bashkir State Medical University, 450008, Lenin Str., 3, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia; Research Center «LABORATORY», Ltd, 450501, PO Box, 147, Bulgakovo, Ufa District, Bashkortostan, Russia.
| | - Ravil R Garafutdinov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054, Prosp. Oktyabrya, 71, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia.
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12
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Saghatelyan A, Panosyan H, Trchounian A, Birkeland NK. Characteristics of DNA polymerase I from an extreme thermophile, Thermus scotoductus strain K1. Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1149. [PMID: 33415847 PMCID: PMC7884927 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1149] [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: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Several native and engineered heat‐stable DNA polymerases from a variety of sources are used as powerful tools in different molecular techniques, including polymerase chain reaction, medical diagnostics, DNA sequencing, biological diversity assessments, and in vitro mutagenesis. The DNA polymerase from the extreme thermophile, Thermus scotoductus strain K1, (TsK1) was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and characterized. This enzyme belongs to a distinct phylogenetic clade, different from the commonly used DNA polymerase I enzymes, including those from Thermus aquaticus and Thermus thermophilus. The enzyme demonstrated an optimal temperature and pH value of 72–74°C and 9.0, respectively, and could efficiently amplify 2.5 kb DNA products. TsK1 DNA polymerase did not require additional K+ ions but it did need Mg2+ at 3–5 mM for optimal activity. It was stable for at least 1 h at 80°C, and its half‐life at 88 and 95°C was 30 and 15 min, respectively. Analysis of the mutation frequency in the amplified products demonstrated that the base insertion fidelity for this enzyme was significantly better than that of Taq DNA polymerase. These results suggest that TsK1 DNA polymerase could be useful in various molecular applications, including high‐temperature DNA polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ani Saghatelyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Hovik Panosyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Armen Trchounian
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
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13
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Extremophilic Fungi and Their Role in Control of Pathogenic Microbes. Fungal Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-60659-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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14
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Tang Y, Chen X, Zhang J, Wang J, Hu W, Liu S, Luo Z, Xu H. Generation and Characterization of Monoclonal Antibodies Against Tth DNA Polymerase and its Application to Hot-Start PCR. Protein Pept Lett 2021; 28:1090-1098. [PMID: 34353249 DOI: 10.2174/0929866528666210805122117] [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: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As a heat-resistant polymerase, Thermus thermophilus (Tth) DNA polymerase can be widely used in Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). However, its non-specific amplification phenomenon is serious, which greatly limits development. OBJECTIVE In this study, we prepared Tth monoclonal antibodies against Tth DNA polymerase and researched their application in hot-start PCR. METHODS Tth was recombinantly expressed and purified, and used as an antigen to immunize BALB/ c mice to obtain monoclonal antibodies. The qualified monoclonal antibody and Tth were incubated for a period of time at a certain temperature to obtain the hot-start Tth. We tested the polymerase activity and exonuclease activity blocking the performance of hot-start Tth. Finally, the hot-start Tth was applied to one-step RT-PCR. RESULTS Tth with a purity of >95% was obtained, and ten monoclonal antibodies were obtained by immunization. After incubation, three monoclonal antibodies were identified that could inhibit the polymerase activity of Tth at low temperature. Furthermore, these three antibodies successfully eliminated non-specific amplification in practical applications. CONCLUSION Three monoclonal antibodies were successfully validated. Among them, monoclonal antibody 9 had the best overall effect. They possess the function of inhibiting at low temperature and releasing at high temperature, which can be used as Tth polymerase inhibitors in the field of molecular diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Wenhao Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Songbai Liu
- Lianyungang Capital Bio Genemics Co., Ltd., Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Zhidan Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
| | - Henghao Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Pharmaceutical Compound Screening, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang 222005, China
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15
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Hoshino H, Kasahara Y, Kuwahara M, Obika S. DNA Polymerase Variants with High Processivity and Accuracy for Encoding and Decoding Locked Nucleic Acid Sequences. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:21530-21537. [PMID: 33306372 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c10902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNAs) are chemically modified nucleic acid analogues with potential applications in nucleic acid-based therapeutics including nucleic acid aptamers, ribozymes, small interfering RNAs, and antisense oligonucleotides. We have developed a promising XNA for therapeutic uses, 2',4'-bridged nucleic acid (2',4'-BNA), also known as locked nucleic acid (LNA). Unlike the rational design of small interfering and antisense oligonucleotides, the development of LNA aptamers and catalysts requires genetically engineered polymerases that enable the synthesis of LNA from DNA and the converse reverse transcription. However, no LNA decoders or encoders with sufficient performance have been developed. In this study, we developed variants of KOD DNA polymerase, a family B DNA polymerase derived from Thermococcus kodakarensis KOD1, which are effective LNA decoders and encoders, via structural analyses. KOD DGLNK (KOD: N210D/Y409G/A485L/D614N/E664K) enabled LNA synthesis from DNA (DNA → LNA), and KOD DLK (KOD: N210D/A485L/E664K) enabled LNA reverse transcription to DNA (LNA → DNA). Both variants exhibited greatly improved efficiency and accuracy. Notably, we synthesized LNAs longer than one kilobase using KOD DGLNK. We also showed that these variants can accept 2'-O-methyl (2'-OMe), a common modification for therapeutic uses. Here, we also show that LNA and 2'-OMe mix aptamer can be practically obtained via SELEX. The variants can be used as powerful tools for creating XNA aptamers and catalysts to completely eliminate the natural species, DNA and RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidekazu Hoshino
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yuuya Kasahara
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Masayasu Kuwahara
- Graduate School of Integrated Basic Sciences, Nihon University, 3-25-40 Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8550, Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition, 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan.,Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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16
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Abstract
We report here crystal structures of a reverse transcriptase RTX, which was evolved in vitro from the B family polymerase KOD, in complex with either a DNA duplex or an RNA-DNA hybrid. Compared with the apo, binary, and ternary complex structures of the original KOD polymerase, the 16 substitutions that result in the function of copying RNA to DNA do not change the overall protein structure. Only six substitutions occur at the substrate-binding surface, and the others change domain-domain interfaces in the polymerase to enable RNA-DNA hybrid binding and reverse transcription. Most notably, F587L at the Palm and Thumb interface stabilizes the open and apo conformation of the Thumb. The intrinsically flexible Thumb domain seems to play a major role in accommodating the RNA-DNA hybrid product distal to the active site. This is reminiscent of naturally occurring RNA-dependent DNA polymerases, including telomerase, which have a dramatically augmented Thumb domain, and of reverse transcriptase, which extends its Thumb with the RNase H domain.
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17
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Yersinia pestis detection using biotinylated dNTPs for signal enhancement in lateral flow assays. Anal Chim Acta 2020; 1112:54-61. [PMID: 32334682 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2020.03.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Due to the extreme infectivity of Yersinia pestis it poses a serious threat as a potential biowarfare agent, which can be rapidly and facilely disseminated. A cost-effective and specific method for its rapid detection at extremely low levels is required, in order to facilitate a timely intervention for containment. Here, we report an ultrasensitive method exploiting a combination of isothermal nucleic acid amplification with a tailed forward primer and biotinylated dNTPs, which is performed in less than 30 min. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme linked oligonucleotide assay (ELONA) were used to optimise assay parameters for implementation on the LFA, and achieved detection limits of 45 pM and 940 fM using SA-HRP and SA-polyHRP, respectively. Replacing PCR with isothermal amplification, namely recombinase polymerase amplification, similar signals were obtained (314 fM), with just 15 min of amplification. The lateral flow detection of the isothermally amplified and labelled amplicon was then explored and detection limits of 7 fM and 0.63 fg achieved for synthetic and genomic DNA, respectively. The incorporation of biotinylated dNTPs and their exploitation for the ultrasensitive molecular detection of a nucleic acid target has been demonstrated and this generic platform can be exploited for a multitude of diverse real life applications.
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18
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Deshpande S, Yang Y, Chilkoti A, Zauscher S. Enzymatic synthesis and modification of high molecular weight DNA using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Methods Enzymol 2019; 627:163-188. [PMID: 31630739 PMCID: PMC7241426 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2019.07.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The recognition that nucleic acids can be used as polymeric materials led to the blossoming of the field of DNA nanotechnology, with a broad range of applications in biotechnology, biosensors, diagnostics, and drug delivery. These applications require efficient methods to synthesize and chemically modify high molecular weight DNA. Here, we discuss terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-catalyzed enzymatic polymerization (TcEP) as an alternative to conventional enzymatic and solid-phase DNA synthesis. We describe biochemical requirements for TcEP and provide step-by-step protocols to carry out TcEP in solution and from surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonal Deshpande
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Yunqi Yang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Ashutosh Chilkoti
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
| | - Stefan Zauscher
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States; Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC, United States.
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19
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Witte AK, Sickha R, Mester P, Fister S, Schoder D, Rossmanith P. Essential role of polymerases for assay performance - Impact of polymerase replacement in a well-established assay. BIOMOLECULAR DETECTION AND QUANTIFICATION 2018; 16:12-20. [PMID: 30560063 PMCID: PMC6287537 DOI: 10.1016/j.bdq.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is one of the most commonly molecular methods used today. It is central to numerous assays that have since been developed and described around its optimization. The Listeria monocytogenes prfA qPCR assay has been studied in great detail and due to its comprehensive knowledge, excellent performance (sensitivity of one single copy), and internal amplification control, it represents a suitable test platform for qPCR examinations. In this study, we compared ten different polymerases (or ready-to-use mastermixes) as possible (economic) alternatives to our gold standard Platinum Taq polymerase. We sought to determine the reproducibility of these assays under modified conditions, which are realistic because published assays are frequently used with substituted polymerases. Surprisingly, there was no amplification at all with some of the tested polymerases, even although the internal amplification control worked well. Since adaptation of the thermal profile and of MgCl2 concentration could restore amplification, simple replacement of the polymerase can destroy a well-established assay leading up to >106-fold less analytical sensitivity. Further, validation using Poisson and PCR-Stop analyses revealed limits to some assay-polymerase combinations and emphasize the importance of validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kristina Witte
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Monitoring of Microbial Contaminants, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Romana Sickha
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Monitoring of Microbial Contaminants, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick Mester
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Monitoring of Microbial Contaminants, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Susanne Fister
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Monitoring of Microbial Contaminants, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dagmar Schoder
- Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Peter Rossmanith
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Monitoring of Microbial Contaminants, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
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20
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Cabrera MÁ, Blamey JM. Biotechnological applications of archaeal enzymes from extreme environments. Biol Res 2018; 51:37. [PMID: 30290805 PMCID: PMC6172850 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-018-0186-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
To date, many industrial processes are performed using chemical compounds, which are harmful to nature. An alternative to overcome this problem is biocatalysis, which uses whole cells or enzymes to carry out chemical reactions in an environmentally friendly manner. Enzymes can be used as biocatalyst in food and feed, pharmaceutical, textile, detergent and beverage industries, among others. Since industrial processes require harsh reaction conditions to be performed, these enzymes must possess several characteristics that make them suitable for this purpose. Currently the best option is to use enzymes from extremophilic microorganisms, particularly archaea because of their special characteristics, such as stability to elevated temperatures, extremes of pH, organic solvents, and high ionic strength. Extremozymes, are being used in biotechnological industry and improved through modern technologies, such as protein engineering for best performance. Despite the wide distribution of archaea, exist only few reports about these microorganisms isolated from Antarctica and very little is known about thermophilic or hyperthermophilic archaeal enzymes particularly from Antarctica. This review summarizes current knowledge of archaeal enzymes with biotechnological applications, including two extremozymes from Antarctic archaea with potential industrial use, which are being studied in our laboratory. Both enzymes have been discovered through conventional screening and genome sequencing, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ma Ángeles Cabrera
- Fundación Científica y Cultural Biociencia, José Domingo Cañas, 2280, Santiago, Chile.,Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jenny M Blamey
- Fundación Científica y Cultural Biociencia, José Domingo Cañas, 2280, Santiago, Chile. .,Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins, 3363, Santiago, Chile.
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21
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Daimon K, Ishino S, Imai N, Nagumo S, Yamagami T, Matsukawa H, Ishino Y. Two Family B DNA Polymerases From Aeropyrum pernix, Based on Revised Translational Frames. Front Mol Biosci 2018; 5:37. [PMID: 29713633 PMCID: PMC5911459 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2018.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms are divided into three domains, Bacteria, Eukarya, and Archaea. Comparative studies in the three domains have provided useful information to understand the evolution of the DNA replication machinery. DNA polymerase is the central enzyme of DNA replication. The presence of multiple family B DNA polymerases is unique in Crenarchaeota, as compared with other archaeal phyla, which have a single enzyme each for family B (PolB) and family D (PolD). We analyzed PolB1 and PolB3 in the hyperthermophilic crenarchaeon, Aeropyrum pernix, and found that they are larger proteins than those predicted from the coding regions in our previous study and from public database annotations. The recombinant larger PolBs exhibited the same DNA polymerase activities as previously reported. However, the larger PolB3 showed remarkably higher thermostability, which made this enzyme applicable to PCR. In addition, the high tolerance to salt and heparin suggests that PolB3 will be useful for amplification from the samples with contaminants, and therefore it has a great potential for diagnostic use in the medical and environmental field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsuya Daimon
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Sonoko Ishino
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Namiko Imai
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Sachiyo Nagumo
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Yamagami
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Matsukawa
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshizumi Ishino
- Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
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22
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Takahashi M, Takahashi E, Joudeh LI, Marini M, Das G, Elshenawy MM, Akal A, Sakashita K, Alam I, Tehseen M, Sobhy MA, Stingl U, Merzaban JS, Di Fabrizio E, Hamdan SM. Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea. FASEB J 2018; 32:3346-3360. [PMID: 29401622 PMCID: PMC6051491 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700862rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The deep-sea brines of the Red Sea are remote and unexplored environments characterized by high temperatures, anoxic water, and elevated concentrations of salt and heavy metals. This environment provides a rare system to study the interplay between halophilic and thermophilic adaptation in biologic macromolecules. The present article reports the first DNA polymerase with halophilic and thermophilic features. Biochemical and structural analysis by Raman and circular dichroism spectroscopy showed that the charge distribution on the protein’s surface mediates the structural balance between stability for thermal adaptation and flexibility for counteracting the salt-induced rigid and nonfunctional hydrophobic packing. Salt bridge interactions via increased negative and positive charges contribute to structural stability. Salt tolerance, conversely, is mediated by a dynamic structure that becomes more fixed and functional with increasing salt concentration. We propose that repulsive forces among excess negative charges, in addition to a high percentage of negatively charged random coils, mediate this structural dynamism. This knowledge enabled us to engineer a halophilic version of Thermococcus kodakarensis DNA polymerase.—Takahashi, M., Takahashi, E., Joudeh, L. I., Marini, M., Das, G., Elshenawy, M. M., Akal, A., Sakashita, K., Alam, I., Tehseen, M., Sobhy, M. A., Stingl, U., Merzaban, J. S., Di Fabrizio, E., Hamdan, S. M. Dynamic structure mediates halophilic adaptation of a DNA polymerase from the deep-sea brines of the Red Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masateru Takahashi
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Etsuko Takahashi
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Luay I Joudeh
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Monica Marini
- Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gobind Das
- Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed M Elshenawy
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anastassja Akal
- Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,KAUST Catalysis Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kosuke Sakashita
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Intikhab Alam
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; and
| | - Muhammad Tehseen
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed A Sobhy
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ulrich Stingl
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Davie, Florida, USA
| | - Jasmeen S Merzaban
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Enzo Di Fabrizio
- Physical Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samir M Hamdan
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Fusion of DNA-binding domain of Pyrococcus furiosus ligase with TaqStoffel DNA polymerase as a useful tool in PCR with difficult targets. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 102:713-721. [PMID: 29103168 PMCID: PMC5756566 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8560-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The DNA coding sequence of TaqStoffel polymerase was fused with the DNA-binding domain of Pyrococcus furiosus ligase. The resulting novel recombinant gene was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The recombinant enzyme was purified and its enzymatic features were studied. The fusion protein (PfuDBDlig-TaqS) was found to have enhanced processivity as a result of the conversion of the TaqDNA polymerase from a relatively low processive to a highly processive enzyme. The abovementioned processivity enhancement was about threefold as compared to the recombinant TaqStoffel DNA polymerase (TaqS), and the recombinant fusion protein was more thermostable. It had a half-life of 23 min at 99 °C as compared to 10 min for TaqS. The fusion protein also showed a significantly higher resistance to PCR inhibitors such as heparin or lactoferrin and the fusion polymerase-amplified GC-rich templates much more efficiently and was efficient even with 78% GC pairs.
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24
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Kumar S, Arumugam N, Permaul K, Singh S. Chapter 5 Thermostable Enzymes and Their Industrial Applications. Microb Biotechnol 2016. [DOI: 10.1201/9781315367880-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023] Open
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25
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Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification is a hugely important technology for biology and medicine. While the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been highly useful and effective, its reliance on heating and cooling cycles places some constraints on its utility. For example, the heating step of PCR can destroy biological molecules under investigation and heat/cool cycles are not applicable in living systems. Thus, isothermal approaches to DNA and RNA amplification are under widespread study. Perhaps the simplest of these are the rolling circle approaches, including rolling circle amplification (RCA) and rolling circle transcription (RCT). In this strategy, a very small circular oligonucleotide (e.g., 25-100 nucleotides in length) acts as a template for a DNA or an RNA polymerase, producing long repeating product strands that serve as amplified copies of the circle sequence. Here we describe the early developments and studies involving circular oligonucleotides that ultimately led to the burgeoning rolling circle technologies currently under development. This Account starts with our studies on the design of circular oligonucleotides as novel DNA- and RNA-binding motifs. We describe how we developed chemical and biochemical strategies for synthesis of well-defined circular oligonucleotides having defined sequence and open (unpaired) structure, and we outline the unusual ways in which circular DNAs can interact with other nucleic acids. We proceed next to the discovery of DNA and RNA polymerase activity on these very small cyclic DNAs. DNA polymerase "rolling circle" activities were discovered concurrently in our laboratory and that of Andrew Fire. We describe the surprising efficiency of this process even on shockingly small circular DNAs, producing repeating DNAs thousands of nucleotides in length. RNA polymerase activity on circular oligonucleotides was first documented in our group in 1995; especially surprising in this case was the finding that the process occurs efficiently even without promoter sequences in the circle. We describe how one can encode cleavable sites into the product DNAs and RNAs from RCA/RCT, which can then be resolved into large quantities of almost pure oligonucleotides. Our Account then proceeds with a summary describing a broad variety of tools and methods built in many laboratories around the rolling circle concept. Among the important developments are the discovery of highly efficient DNA polymerases for RCA; the invention of exponential ("hyperbranched") RCA amplification made possible by use of a second primer; the development of the "padlock" process for detection of nucleic acids and proteins coupled with RCA; the use of circular oligonucleotides as vectors in cells to encode biologically active RNAs via RCT; and the use of small DNA circles to encode and extend human telomeres. Finally, we finish with some ideas about where the field may go in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Mohsen
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Eric T Kool
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University , Stanford, California 94305, United States
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26
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Nilsson M, Grånemo J, Buś MM, Havsjö M, Allen M. Comparison of DNA polymerases for improved forensic analysis of challenging samples. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2016; 24:55-59. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2016.05.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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27
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Charlesworth J, P. Burns B. Extremophilic adaptations and biotechnological applications in diverse environments. AIMS Microbiol 2016. [DOI: 10.3934/microbiol.2016.3.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
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28
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Zhou M, Liu Q, Xie Y, Dong B, Chen X. Draft genome sequence of Thermococcus sp. EP1, a novel hyperthermophilic archaeon isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise. Mar Genomics 2015; 26:9-11. [PMID: 26672397 DOI: 10.1016/j.margen.2015.11.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Revised: 11/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Thermococcus sp. strain EP1 is a novel anaerobic hyperthermophilic archaeon isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent on the East Pacific Rise. It grows optimally at 80 °C and can produce industrial enzymes at high temperature. We report here the draft genome of EP1, which contains 1,819,157 bp with a G+C content of 39.3%. The sequence will provide the genetic basis for better understanding of adaptation to hydrothermal environment and the development of novel thermostable enzymes for industrial application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meixian Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China.
| | - Qing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Yunbiao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Binbin Dong
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Xiaoyao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Xiamen 361005, China; Key Laboratory of Marine Genetic Resources of Fujian Province, Xiamen 361005, China
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Hoshino H, Kasahara Y, Fujita H, Kuwahara M, Morihiro K, Tsunoda SI, Obika S. Consecutive incorporation of functionalized nucleotides with amphiphilic side chains by novel KOD polymerase mutant. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2015; 26:530-533. [PMID: 26627581 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.11.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2015] [Revised: 11/19/2015] [Accepted: 11/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recently, 7-substituted 7-deazapurine nucleoside triphosphates and 5-substituted pyrimidine nucleoside triphosphates (dN(am)TPs) were synthesized to extend enzymatically using commercially available polymerase. However, extension was limited when we attempted to incorporate the substrates consecutively. To address this, we have produced a mutant polymerase that can efficiently accept the modified nucleotide with amphiphilic groups as substrates. Here we show that the KOD polymerase mutant, KOD exo(-)/A485L, had the ability to incorporate dN(am)TP continuously over 50nt, indicating that the mutant is sufficient for generating functional nucleic acid molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidekazu Hoshino
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN), 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Yuuya Kasahara
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN), 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Hiroto Fujita
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan
| | - Masayasu Kuwahara
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan.
| | - Kunihiko Morihiro
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN), 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Tsunoda
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN), 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan; National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN), 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0085, Japan.
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López-López O, Cerdán ME, González-Siso MI. Thermus thermophilus as a Source of Thermostable Lipolytic Enzymes. Microorganisms 2015; 3:792-808. [PMID: 27682117 PMCID: PMC5023265 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms3040792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2015] [Revised: 10/14/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lipolytic enzymes, esterases (EC 3.1.1.1) and lipases (EC 3.1.1.3), catalyze the hydrolysis of ester bonds between alcohols and carboxylic acids, and its formation in organic media. At present, they represent about 20% of commercialized enzymes for industrial use. Lipolytic enzymes from thermophilic microorganisms are preferred for industrial use to their mesophilic counterparts, mainly due to higher thermostability and resistance to several denaturing agents. However, the production at an industrial scale from the native organisms is technically complicated and expensive. The thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus (T. thermophilus) has high levels of lipolytic activity, and its whole genome has been sequenced. One esterase from the T. thermophilus strain HB27 has been widely characterized, both in its native form and in recombinant forms, being expressed in mesophilic microorganisms. Other putative lipases/esterases annotated in the T. thermophilus genome have been explored and will also be reviewed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olalla López-López
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, Campus de A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain.
| | - María-Esperanza Cerdán
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, Campus de A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain.
| | - María-Isabel González-Siso
- Grupo EXPRELA, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Departamento de Bioloxía Celular e Molecular, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, Campus de A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain.
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Yamagami T, Matsukawa H, Tsunekawa S, Kawarabayasi Y, Ishino S, Ishino Y. A longer finger-subdomain of family A DNA polymerases found by metagenomic analysis strengthens DNA binding and primer extension abilities. Gene 2015; 576:690-5. [PMID: 26476294 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2015.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The family A DNA polymerases from thermophilic bacteria are useful for PCR. The DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq polymerase) was the original enzyme used when practical PCR was developed, and it has remained the standard enzyme for PCR to date. Knowledge gained from structure-function relationship studies of Taq polymerase is applicable to create PCR enzymes with enhanced performance. We collected the deduced amino acid sequences of the regions from motif A to motif C in the family A DNA polymerases from metagenomic sequence data, obtained by sequencing DNAs from microorganisms isolated from various hot spring areas in Japan. The corresponding regions of the polA gene for Taq polymerase were substituted with the metagenomic DNA gene fragments, and various chimeric DNA polymerases were prepared. Based on the properties of these chimeric enzymes and their sequences, we found an insertion sequence that affects the primer extension ability of the family A DNA polymerases. The insertion sequence is located in the finger subdomain, and it may enhance the affinity of the enzyme to DNA. Mutant Taq polymerases with the corresponding 9 amino acid insertion displayed enhanced PCR performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Yamagami
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; JST, CREST, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Matsukawa
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Sae Tsunekawa
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kawarabayasi
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Sonoko Ishino
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; JST, CREST, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Yoshizumi Ishino
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan; JST, CREST, Tokyo, Japan.
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32
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Why Johnny can't clone: Common pitfalls and not so common solutions. Biotechniques 2015; 59:IV-XIII. [PMID: 26345511 DOI: 10.2144/000114324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2015] [Accepted: 08/14/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The demand for cloned genes has increased incessantly over the past 32 years, but some who need recombinant plasmids struggle to produce them. While the pitfalls of traditional ligation-dependent cloning are non-trivial, most can be avoided with sufficient effort and attention to detail. Here, the chemical properties of enzymes and reagents used to clone genes into plasmids are reviewed to draw attention to the most pertinent details. In particular, the virtues of agarose gel electrophoresis monitoring, the nature of the interactions between DNA and silica, and challenges associated with thermostable DNA polymerases, restriction endonucleases, and T4 DNA ligase are explored. Common pitfalls associated with Escherichia coli transformation and DNA modifying enzymes are also described. A thorough understanding of established methods is essential for troubleshooting, implementing alternative approaches, and inventing new techniques in response to changes in technology and demand.
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33
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Archaeal DNA polymerases in biotechnology. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 99:6585-97. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-6781-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 06/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Bartsch MS, Edwards HS, Lee D, Moseley CE, Tew KE, Renzi RF, Van de Vreugde JL, Kim H, Knight DL, Sinha A, Branda SS, Patel KD. The rotary zone thermal cycler: a low-power system enabling automated rapid PCR. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118182. [PMID: 25826708 PMCID: PMC4380418 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in molecular biology, microfluidics, and laboratory automation continue to expand the accessibility and applicability of these methods beyond the confines of conventional, centralized laboratory facilities and into point of use roles in clinical, military, forensic, and field-deployed applications. As a result, there is a growing need to adapt the unit operations of molecular biology (e.g., aliquoting, centrifuging, mixing, and thermal cycling) to compact, portable, low-power, and automation-ready formats. Here we present one such adaptation, the rotary zone thermal cycler (RZTC), a novel wheel-based device capable of cycling up to four different fixed-temperature blocks into contact with a stationary 4-microliter capillary-bound sample to realize 1-3 second transitions with steady state heater power of less than 10 W. We demonstrate the utility of the RZTC for DNA amplification as part of a highly integrated rotary zone PCR (rzPCR) system that uses low-volume valves and syringe-based fluid handling to automate sample loading and unloading, thermal cycling, and between-run cleaning functionalities in a compact, modular form factor. In addition to characterizing the performance of the RZTC and the efficacy of different online cleaning protocols, we present preliminary results for rapid single-plex PCR, multiplex short tandem repeat (STR) amplification, and second strand cDNA synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Bartsch
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Daniel Lee
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Karen E. Tew
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | - Ronald F. Renzi
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Hanyoup Kim
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Anupama Sinha
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | - Steven S. Branda
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
| | - Kamlesh D. Patel
- Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, United States of America
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35
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Long-Range PCR Amplification of DNA by DNA Polymerase III Holoenzyme from Thermus thermophilus. Enzyme Res 2015; 2015:837842. [PMID: 25688300 PMCID: PMC4320859 DOI: 10.1155/2015/837842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2014] [Revised: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA replication in bacteria is accomplished by a multicomponent replicase, the DNA polymerase III holoenzyme (pol III HE). The three essential components of the pol III HE are the α polymerase, the β sliding clamp processivity factor, and the DnaX clamp-loader complex. We report here the assembly of the functional holoenzyme from Thermus thermophilus (Tth), an extreme thermophile. The minimal holoenzyme capable of DNA synthesis consists of α, β and DnaX (τ and γ), δ and δ′ components of the clamp-loader complex. The proteins were each cloned and expressed in a native form. Each component of the system was purified extensively. The minimum holoenzyme from these five purified subunits reassembled is sufficient for rapid and processive DNA synthesis. In an isolated form the α polymerase was found to be unstable at temperatures above 65°C. We were able to increase the thermostability of the pol III HE to 98°C by addition and optimization of various buffers and cosolvents. In the optimized buffer system we show that a replicative polymerase apparatus, Tth pol III HE, is capable of rapid amplification of regions of DNA up to 15,000 base pairs in PCR reactions.
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36
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Lebuhn M, Weiß S, Munk B, Guebitz GM. Microbiology and Molecular Biology Tools for Biogas Process Analysis, Diagnosis and Control. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2015; 151:1-40. [PMID: 26337842 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-21993-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Many biotechnological processes such as biogas production or defined biotransformations are carried out by microorganisms or tightly cooperating microbial communities. Process breakdown is the maximum credible accident for the operator. Any time savings that can be provided by suitable early-warning systems and allow for specific countermeasures are of great value. Process disturbance, frequently due to nutritional shortcomings, malfunction or operational deficits, is evidenced conventionally by process chemistry parameters. However, knowledge on systems microbiology and its function has essentially increased in the last two decades, and molecular biology tools, most of which are directed against nucleic acids, have been developed to analyze and diagnose the process. Some of these systems have been shown to indicate changes of the process status considerably earlier than the conventionally applied process chemistry parameters. This is reasonable because the triggering catalyst is determined, activity changes of the microbes that perform the reaction. These molecular biology tools have thus the potential to add to and improve the established process diagnosis system. This chapter is dealing with the actual state of the art of biogas process analysis in practice, and introduces molecular biology tools that have been shown to be of particular value in complementing the current systems of process monitoring and diagnosis, with emphasis on nucleic acid targeted molecular biology systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lebuhn
- Department for Quality Assurance and Analytics, Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture (LfL), Lange Point 6, 85354, Freising, Germany
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37
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Yamagami T, Ishino S, Kawarabayasi Y, Ishino Y. Mutant Taq DNA polymerases with improved elongation ability as a useful reagent for genetic engineering. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:461. [PMID: 25232352 PMCID: PMC4153296 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases are widely used for DNA manipulation in vitro, including DNA cloning, sequencing, DNA labeling, mutagenesis, and other experiments. Thermostable DNA polymerases are especially useful and became quite valuable after the development of PCR technology. A DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq polymerase) is the most famous DNA polymerase as a PCR enzyme, and has been widely used all over the world. In this study, the gene fragments of the family A DNA polymerases were amplified by PCR from the DNAs from microorganisms within environmental soil samples, using a primer set for the two conserved regions. The corresponding region of the pol gene for Taq polymerase was substituted with the amplified gene fragments, and various chimeric DNA polymerases were prepared. Based on the properties of these chimeric enzymes and their sequences, two residues, E742 and A743, in Taq polymerase were found to be critical for its elongation ability. Taq polymerases with mutations at 742 and 743 actually showed higher DNA affinity and faster primer extension ability. These factors also affected the PCR performance of the DNA polymerase, and improved PCR results were observed with the mutant Taq polymerase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Yamagami
- Protein Chemistry and Engineering, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Sonoko Ishino
- Protein Chemistry and Engineering, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yutaka Kawarabayasi
- Protein Chemistry and Engineering, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University Fukuoka, Japan ; Health Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Amagasaki, Japan
| | - Yoshizumi Ishino
- Protein Chemistry and Engineering, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University Fukuoka, Japan
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38
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Jozwiakowski SK, Keith BJ, Gilroy L, Doherty AJ, Connolly BA. An archaeal family-B DNA polymerase variant able to replicate past DNA damage: occurrence of replicative and translesion synthesis polymerases within the B family. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:9949-63. [PMID: 25063297 PMCID: PMC4150786 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
A mutant of the high fidelity family-B DNA polymerase from the archaeon Thermococcus gorgonarius (Tgo-Pol), able to replicate past DNA lesions, is described. Gain of function requires replacement of the three amino acid loop region in the fingers domain of Tgo-Pol with a longer version, found naturally in eukaryotic Pol ζ (a family-B translesion synthesis polymerase). Inactivation of the 3′–5′ proof-reading exonuclease activity is also necessary. The resulting Tgo-Pol Z1 variant is proficient at initiating replication from base mismatches and can read through damaged bases, such as abasic sites and thymine photo-dimers. Tgo-Pol Z1 is also proficient at extending from primers that terminate opposite aberrant bases. The fidelity of Tgo-Pol Z1 is reduced, with a marked tendency to make changes at G:C base pairs. Together, these results suggest that the loop region of the fingers domain may play a critical role in determining whether a family-B enzyme falls into the accurate genome-replicating category or is an error-prone translesion synthesis polymerase. Tgo-Pol Z1 may also be useful for amplification of damaged DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislaw K Jozwiakowski
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Brian J Keith
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Louise Gilroy
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Aidan J Doherty
- Genome Damage and Stability Centre, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RQ, UK
| | - Bernard A Connolly
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
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Elshawadfy AM, Keith BJ, Ee Ooi H, Kinsman T, Heslop P, Connolly BA. DNA polymerase hybrids derived from the family-B enzymes of Pyrococcus furiosus and Thermococcus kodakarensis: improving performance in the polymerase chain reaction. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:224. [PMID: 24904539 PMCID: PMC4034419 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is widely applied across the biosciences, with archaeal Family-B DNA polymerases being preferred, due to their high thermostability and fidelity. The enzyme from Pyrococcus furiosus (Pfu-Pol) is more frequently used than the similar protein from Thermococcus kodakarensis (Tkod-Pol), despite the latter having better PCR performance. Here the two polymerases have been comprehensively compared, confirming that Tkod-Pol: (1) extends primer-templates more rapidly; (2) has higher processivity; (3) demonstrates superior performance in normal and real time PCR. However, Tkod-Pol is less thermostable than Pfu-Pol and both enzymes have equal fidelities. To understand the favorable properties of Tkod-Pol, hybrid proteins have been prepared. Single, double and triple mutations were used to site arginines, present at the “forked-point” (the junction of the exonuclease and polymerase channels) of Tkod-Pol, at the corresponding locations in Pfu-Pol, slightly improving PCR performance. The Pfu-Pol thumb domain, responsible for double-stranded DNA binding, has been entirely replaced with that from Tkod-Pol, again giving better PCR properties. Combining the “forked-point” and thumb swap mutations resulted in a marked increase in PCR capability, maintenance of high fidelity and retention of the superior thermostability associated with Pfu-Pol. However, even the arginine/thumb swap mutant falls short of Tkod-Pol in PCR, suggesting further improvement within the Pfu-Pol framework is attainable. The significance of this work is the observation that improvements in PCR performance are easily attainable by blending elements from closely related archaeal polymerases, an approach that may, in future, be extended by using more polymerases from these organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashraf M Elshawadfy
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Brian J Keith
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - H'Ng Ee Ooi
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Thomas Kinsman
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Pauline Heslop
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Bernard A Connolly
- Institute of Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
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40
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Killelea T, Ralec C, Bossé A, Henneke G. PCR performance of a thermostable heterodimeric archaeal DNA polymerase. Front Microbiol 2014; 5:195. [PMID: 24847315 PMCID: PMC4019886 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2014.00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 04/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases are versatile tools used in numerous important molecular biological core technologies like the ubiquitous polymerase chain reaction (PCR), cDNA cloning, genome sequencing, and nucleic acid based diagnostics. Taking into account the multiple DNA amplification techniques in use, different DNA polymerases must be optimized for each type of application. One of the current tendencies is to reengineer or to discover new DNA polymerases with increased performance and broadened substrate spectra. At present, there is a great demand for such enzymes in applications, e.g., forensics or paleogenomics. Current major limitations hinge on the inability of conventional PCR enzymes, such as Taq, to amplify degraded or low amounts of template DNA. Besides, a wide range of PCR inhibitors can also impede reactions of nucleic acid amplification. Here we looked at the PCR performances of the proof-reading D-type DNA polymerase from P. abyssi, Pab-polD. Fragments, 3 kilobases in length, were specifically PCR-amplified in its optimized reaction buffer. Pab-polD showed not only a greater resistance to high denaturation temperatures than Taq during cycling, but also a superior tolerance to the presence of potential inhibitors. Proficient proof-reading Pab-polD enzyme could also extend a primer containing up to two mismatches at the 3' primer termini. Overall, we found valuable biochemical properties in Pab-polD compared to the conventional Taq, which makes the enzyme ideally suited for cutting-edge PCR-applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Killelea
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; Ifremer, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; CNRS, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France
| | - Céline Ralec
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; Ifremer, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; CNRS, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France
| | - Audrey Bossé
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; Ifremer, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; CNRS, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France
| | - Ghislaine Henneke
- Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; Ifremer, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France ; CNRS, UMR 6197, Laboratoire de Microbiologie des Environnements Extrêmes Plouzané, France
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