1
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Wu Y, Chang D, Chang Y, Zhang Q, Liu Y, Brennan JD, Li Y, Liu M. Nucleic Acid Enzyme-Activated CRISPR-Cas12a With Circular CRISPR RNA for Biosensing. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2303007. [PMID: 37294164 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202303007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas systems are increasingly used in biosensor development. However, directly translating recognition events for non-nucleic acid targets by CRISPR into effective measurable signals represents an important ongoing challenge. Herein, it is hypothesized and confirmed that CRISPR RNAs (crRNAs) in a circular topology efficiently render Cas12a incapable of both site-specific double-stranded DNA cutting and nonspecific single-stranded DNA trans cleavage. Importantly, it is shown that nucleic acid enzymes (NAzymes) with RNA-cleaving activity can linearize the circular crRNAs, activating CRISPR-Cas12a functions. Using ligand-responsive ribozymes and DNAzymes as molecular recognition elements, it is demonstrated that target-triggered linearization of circular crRNAs offers great versatility for biosensing. This strategy is termed as "NAzyme-Activated CRISPR-Cas12a with Circular CRISPR RNA (NA3C)." Use of NA3C for clinical evaluation of urinary tract infections using an Escherichia coli-responsive RNA-cleaving DNAzyme to test 40 patient urine samples, providing a diagnostic sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 90%, is further demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunping Wu
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian POCT Laboratory, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Dingran Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4K1, Canada
| | - Yangyang Chang
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian POCT Laboratory, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024, China
| | - Yi Liu
- Department of Neurology, Dalian Municipal Central Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116033, China
| | - John D Brennan
- Biointerfaces Institute, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4O3, Canada
| | - Yingfu Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S4K1, Canada
| | - Meng Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Technology, Key Laboratory of Industrial Ecology and Environmental Engineering (Ministry of Education), Dalian University of Technology, Dalian POCT Laboratory, Dalian, 116024, China
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2
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Rossi JJ. FANAZymes: A new class of nucleic acid enzymes. Mol Ther 2023; 31:304. [PMID: 36549301 PMCID: PMC9931595 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- John J Rossi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
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3
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Acquisition of Dual Ribozyme-Functions in Nonfunctional Short Hairpin RNAs through Kissing-Loop Interactions. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12101561. [PMID: 36294996 PMCID: PMC9604999 DOI: 10.3390/life12101561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The acquisition of functions via the elongation of nucleotides is an important factor in the development of the RNA world. In our previous study, we found that the introduction of complementary seven-membered kissing loops into inactive R3C ligase ribozymes revived their ligation activity. In this study, we applied the kissing complex formation-induced rearrangement of RNAs to two nonfunctional RNAs by introducing complementary seven-membered loops into each of them. By combining these two forms of RNAs, the ligase activity (derived from the R3C ligase ribozyme) as well as cleavage activity (derived from the hammerhead ribozyme) was obtained. Thus, effective RNA evolution toward the formation of a life system may require the achievement of “multiple” functions via kissing-loop interactions, as indicated in this study. Our results point toward the versatility of kissing-loop interactions in the evolution of RNA, i.e., two small nonfunctional RNAs can gain dual functions via a kissing-loop interaction.
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4
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Stitz M, Chaparro C, Lu Z, Olzog VJ, Weinberg CE, Blom J, Goesmann A, Grunau C, Grevelding CG. Satellite-Like W-Elements: Repetitive, Transcribed, and Putative Mobile Genetic Factors with Potential Roles for Biology and Evolution of Schistosoma mansoni. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:6361599. [PMID: 34469545 PMCID: PMC8490949 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A large portion of animal and plant genomes consists of noncoding DNA. This part includes tandemly repeated sequences and gained attention because it offers exciting insights into genome biology. We investigated satellite-DNA elements of the platyhelminth Schistosoma mansoni, a parasite with remarkable biological features. Schistosoma mansoni lives in the vasculature of humans causing schistosomiasis, a disease of worldwide importance. Schistosomes are the only trematodes that have evolved separate sexes, and the sexual maturation of the female depends on constant pairing with the male. The schistosome karyotype comprises eight chromosome pairs, males are homogametic (ZZ) and females are heterogametic (ZW). Part of the repetitive DNA of S. mansoni are W-elements (WEs), originally discovered as female-specific satellite DNAs in the heterochromatic block of the W-chromosome. Based on new genome and transcriptome data, we performed a reanalysis of the W-element families (WEFs). Besides a new classification of 19 WEFs, we provide first evidence for stage-, sex-, pairing-, gonad-, and strain-specific/preferential transcription of WEs as well as their mobile nature, deduced from autosomal copies of full-length and partial WEs. Structural analyses suggested roles as sources of noncoding RNA-like hammerhead ribozymes, for which we obtained functional evidence. Finally, the variable WEF occurrence in different schistosome species revealed remarkable divergence. From these results, we propose that WEs potentially exert enduring influence on the biology of S. mansoni. Their variable occurrence in different strains, isolates, and species suggests that schistosome WEs may represent genetic factors taking effect on variability and evolution of the family Schistosomatidae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Stitz
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Cristian Chaparro
- IHPE, CNRS, IFREMER, UPVD, University Montpellier, Perpignan, France
| | - Zhigang Lu
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | | | - Jochen Blom
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Alexander Goesmann
- Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Christoph Grunau
- IHPE, CNRS, IFREMER, UPVD, University Montpellier, Perpignan, France
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5
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Davis AN, Samlali K, Kapadia JB, Perreault J, Shih SCC, Kharma N. Digital Microfluidics Chips for the Execution and Real-Time Monitoring of Multiple Ribozymatic Cleavage Reactions. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:22514-22524. [PMID: 34514224 PMCID: PMC8427639 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we describe the design and performance of two digital microfluidics (DMF) chips capable of executing multiple ribozymatic reactions, with proper controls, in response to short single-stranded DNA inducers. Since the fluorescence output of a reaction is measurable directly from the chip, without the need for gel electrophoresis, a complete experiment involving up to eight reactions (per chip) can be carried out reliably, relatively quickly, and efficiently. The ribozymes can also be used as biosensors of the concentration of oligonucleotide inputs, with high sensitivity, low limits of quantification and of detection, and excellent signal-to-noise ratio. The presented chips are readily usable devices that can be used to automate, speed up, and reduce the costs of ribozymatic reaction experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alen N. Davis
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
| | - Kenza Samlali
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre
for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia
University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Jay B. Kapadia
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
| | - Jonathan Perreault
- Centre
for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia
University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
- Armand-Frappier
Health Biotechnology Center, Institut national
de la recherche scientifique, Laval, Québec H7V 1B7, Canada
| | - Steve C. C. Shih
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre
for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia
University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
- Department
of Biology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
| | - Nawwaf Kharma
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec H3G 1M8, Canada
- Centre
for Applied Synthetic Biology, Concordia
University, Montréal, Québec H4B 1R6, Canada
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6
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Li M, Yin F, Song L, Mao X, Li F, Fan C, Zuo X, Xia Q. Nucleic Acid Tests for Clinical Translation. Chem Rev 2021; 121:10469-10558. [PMID: 34254782 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acids, including deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA), are natural biopolymers composed of nucleotides that store, transmit, and express genetic information. Overexpressed or underexpressed as well as mutated nucleic acids have been implicated in many diseases. Therefore, nucleic acid tests (NATs) are extremely important. Inspired by intracellular DNA replication and RNA transcription, in vitro NATs have been extensively developed to improve the detection specificity, sensitivity, and simplicity. The principles of NATs can be in general classified into three categories: nucleic acid hybridization, thermal-cycle or isothermal amplification, and signal amplification. Driven by pressing needs in clinical diagnosis and prevention of infectious diseases, NATs have evolved to be a rapidly advancing field. During the past ten years, an explosive increase of research interest in both basic research and clinical translation has been witnessed. In this review, we aim to provide comprehensive coverage of the progress to analyze nucleic acids, use nucleic acids as recognition probes, construct detection devices based on nucleic acids, and utilize nucleic acids in clinical diagnosis and other important fields. We also discuss the new frontiers in the field and the challenges to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Fangfei Yin
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Lu Song
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.,Division of Physical Biology, CAS Key Laboratory of Interfacial Physics and Technology, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
| | - Xiuhai Mao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Fan Li
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xiaolei Zuo
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China.,School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Department of Liver Surgery, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
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7
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Yu Q, Ren K, You M. Genetically encoded RNA nanodevices for cellular imaging and regulation. NANOSCALE 2021; 13:7988-8003. [PMID: 33885099 PMCID: PMC8122502 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr08301a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid-based nanodevices have been widely used in the fields of biosensing and nanomedicine. Traditionally, the majority of these nanodevices were first constructed in vitro using synthetic DNA or RNA oligonucleotides and then delivered into cells. Nowadays, the emergence of genetically encoded RNA nanodevices has provided a promising alternative approach for intracellular analysis and regulation. These genetically encoded RNA-based nanodevices can be directly transcribed and continuously produced inside living cells. A variety of highly precise and programmable nanodevices have been constructed in this way during the last decade. In this review, we will summarize the recent advances in the design and function of these artificial genetically encoded RNA nanodevices. In particular, we will focus on their applications in regulating cellular gene expression, imaging, logic operation, structural biology, and optogenetics. We believe these versatile RNA-based nanodevices will be broadly used in the near future to probe and program cells and other biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qikun Yu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
| | - Kewei Ren
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
| | - Mingxu You
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.
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8
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Abstract
Self-cleaving ribozymes are RNA molecules that catalyze a site-specific self-scission reaction. Analysis of self-cleavage is a crucial aspect of the biochemical study and understanding of these molecules. Here we describe a co-transcriptional assay that allows the analysis of self-cleaving ribozymes in different reaction conditions and in the presence of desired ligands and/or cofactors. Utilizing a standard T7 RNA polymerase in vitro transcription system under limiting Mg2+ concentration, followed by a 25-fold dilution of the reaction in desired conditions of self-cleavage (buffer, ions, ligands, pH, temperature, etc.) to halt the synthesis of new RNA molecules, allows the study of self-scission of these molecules without the need for purification or additional preparation steps, such as refolding procedures. Furthermore, because the transcripts are not denatured, this assay likely yields RNAs in conformations relevant to co-transcriptionally folded species in vivo.
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9
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Najeh S, Zandi K, Djerroud S, Kharma N, Perreault J. Computer-Aided Design of Active Pseudoknotted Hammerhead Ribozymes. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2167:91-111. [PMID: 32712917 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0716-9_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Pseudoknots are important motifs for stabilizing the structure of functional RNAs. As an example, pseudoknotted hammerhead ribozymes are highly active compared to minimal ribozymes. The design of new RNA sequences that retain the function of a model RNA structure includes taking in account pseudoknots presence in the structure, which is usually a challenge for bioinformatics tools. Our method includes using "Enzymer," a software for designing RNA sequences with desired secondary structures that may include pseudoknots. Enzymer implements an efficient stochastic search and optimization algorithm to sample RNA sequences from low ensemble defect mutational landscape of an initial design template to generate an RNA sequence that is predicted to fold into the desired target structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrine Najeh
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Kasra Zandi
- Software Engineering and Computer Science Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Samia Djerroud
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, QC, Canada
| | - Nawwaf Kharma
- Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
| | - Jonathan Perreault
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Laval, QC, Canada.
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10
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Badar U, Venkataraman S, AbouHaidar M, Hefferon K. Molecular interactions of plant viral satellites. Virus Genes 2020; 57:1-22. [PMID: 33226576 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-020-01806-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Plant viral satellites fall under the category of subviral agents. Their genomes are composed of small RNA or DNA molecules a few hundred nucleotides in length and contain an assortment of highly complex and overlapping functions. Each lacks the ability to either replicate or undergo encapsidation or both in the absence of a helper virus (HV). As the number of known satellites increases steadily, our knowledge regarding their sequence conservation strategies, means of replication and specific interactions with host and helper viruses is improving. This review demonstrates that the molecular interactions of these satellites are unique and highly complex, largely influenced by the highly specific host plants and helper viruses that they associate with. Circularized forms of single-stranded RNA are of particular interest, as they have recently been found to play a variety of novel cellular functions. Linear forms of satRNA are also of great significance as they may complement the helper virus genome in exacerbating symptoms, or in certain instances, actively compete against it, thus reducing symptom severity. This review serves to describe the current literature with respect to these molecular mechanisms in detail as well as to discuss recent insights into this emerging field in terms of evolution, classification and symptom development. The review concludes with a discussion of future steps in plant viral satellite research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Uzma Badar
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Mounir AbouHaidar
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kathleen Hefferon
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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11
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Olmedo-Velarde A, Navarro B, Hu JS, Melzer MJ, Di Serio F. Novel Fig-Associated Viroid-Like RNAs Containing Hammerhead Ribozymes in Both Polarity Strands Identified by High-Throughput Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:1903. [PMID: 33013728 PMCID: PMC7461866 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.01903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on high-throughput sequencing (HTS) data, the existence of viroid-like RNAs (Vd-LRNAs) associated with fig trees grown in the Hawaiian Islands has been predicted. One of these RNAs has been characterized as a circular RNA ranging in size from 357 to 360 nucleotides. Structural and biochemical features of this RNA, tentatively named fig hammerhead viroid-like RNA (FHVd-LR), markedly resemble those previously reported for several viroids and viroid-like satellite RNAs (Vd-LsatRNAs), which are non-protein-coding RNAs infecting their hosts autonomously and in combination with a helper virus, respectively. The full-length sequence of FHVd-LR variants was determined by RT-PCR, cloning, and sequencing. Despite a low global sequence identity with known viroids and Vd-LsatRNAs, FHVd-LR contains a hammerhead ribozyme (HRz) in each polarity strand. Northern blot hybridization assays identified the circular and linear forms of both polarity strands of FHVd-LR and showed that one strand, assigned the (+) polarity, accumulates at higher levels than the (-) polarity strand in vivo. The (+) polarity RNA assumes a rod-like secondary structure of minimal free energy with the conserved domains of the HRzs located in opposition to each other, a feature typical of several viroids and Vd-LRNAs. The HRzs of both FHVd-LR polarity strands were shown to be active in vitro during transcription, self-cleaving the RNAs at the predicted sites. These data, together with the sequence variability observed in the cloned and sequenced full-length variants, indicate that FHVd-LR is a novel viroid or Vd-LsatRNA. According to HTS data, the coexistence of FHVd-LR of different sizes in the same host cannot be excluded. The relationships of FHVd-LR with previously reported viroids and Vd-LsatRNAs, and the need to perform bioassays to conclusively clarify the biological nature of this circular RNA, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Olmedo-Velarde
- Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Beatriz Navarro
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - John S. Hu
- Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michael J. Melzer
- Plant and Environmental Protection Sciences, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Francesco Di Serio
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
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12
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Wrist A, Sun W, Summers RM. The Theophylline Aptamer: 25 Years as an Important Tool in Cellular Engineering Research. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:682-697. [PMID: 32142605 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The theophylline aptamer was isolated from an oligonucleotide library in 1994. Since that time, the aptamer has found wide utility, particularly in synthetic biology, cellular engineering, and diagnostic applications. The primary application of the theophylline aptamer is in the construction and characterization of synthetic riboswitches for regulation of gene expression. These riboswitches have been used to control cellular motility, regulate carbon metabolism, construct logic gates, screen for mutant enzymes, and control apoptosis. Other applications of the theophylline aptamer in cellular engineering include regulation of RNA interference and genome editing through CRISPR systems. Here we describe the uses of the theophylline aptamer for cellular engineering over the past 25 years. In so doing, we also highlight important synthetic biology applications to control gene expression in a ligand-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Wrist
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
| | - Wanqi Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
| | - Ryan M. Summers
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
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13
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Li J, Mohammed-Elsabagh M, Paczkowski F, Li Y. Circular Nucleic Acids: Discovery, Functions and Applications. Chembiochem 2020; 21:1547-1566. [PMID: 32176816 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Circular nucleic acids (CNAs) are nucleic acid molecules with a closed-loop structure. This feature comes with a number of advantages including complete resistance to exonuclease degradation, much better thermodynamic stability, and the capability of being replicated by a DNA polymerase in a rolling circle manner. Circular functional nucleic acids, CNAs containing at least a ribozyme/DNAzyme or a DNA/RNA aptamer, not only inherit the advantages of CNAs but also offer some unique application opportunities, such as the design of topology-controlled or enabled molecular devices. This article will begin by summarizing the discovery, biogenesis, and applications of naturally occurring CNAs, followed by discussing the methods for constructing artificial CNAs. The exploitation of circular functional nucleic acids for applications in nanodevice engineering, biosensing, and drug delivery will be reviewed next. Finally, the efforts to couple functional nucleic acids with rolling circle amplification for ultra-sensitive biosensing and for synthesizing multivalent molecular scaffolds for unique applications in biosensing and drug delivery will be recapitulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiuxing Li
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Mostafa Mohammed-Elsabagh
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Freeman Paczkowski
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Yingfu Li
- M.G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, L8S 4K1, Canada
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14
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Deng M, Li M, Mao X, Li F, Zuo X. Nucleic Acid Nanoprobes for Biosensor Development in Complex Matrices. Chem Res Chin Univ 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s40242-020-9073-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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15
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Weinberg CE, Weinberg Z, Hammann C. Novel ribozymes: discovery, catalytic mechanisms, and the quest to understand biological function. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:9480-9494. [PMID: 31504786 PMCID: PMC6765202 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Revised: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Small endonucleolytic ribozymes promote the self-cleavage of their own phosphodiester backbone at a specific linkage. The structures of and the reactions catalysed by members of individual families have been studied in great detail in the past decades. In recent years, bioinformatics studies have uncovered a considerable number of new examples of known catalytic RNA motifs. Importantly, entirely novel ribozyme classes were also discovered, for most of which both structural and biochemical information became rapidly available. However, for the majority of the new ribozymes, which are found in the genomes of a variety of species, a biological function remains elusive. Here, we concentrate on the different approaches to find catalytic RNA motifs in sequence databases. We summarize the emerging principles of RNA catalysis as observed for small endonucleolytic ribozymes. Finally, we address the biological functions of those ribozymes, where relevant information is available and common themes on their cellular activities are emerging. We conclude by speculating on the possibility that the identification and characterization of proteins that we hypothesize to be endogenously associated with catalytic RNA might help in answering the ever-present question of the biological function of the growing number of genomically encoded, small endonucleolytic ribozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina E Weinberg
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Zasha Weinberg
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstraße 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Hammann
- Ribogenetics & Biochemistry, Department of Life Sciences and Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany
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16
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Kikuchi Y, Umekage S. Extracellular nucleic acids of the marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum and recombinant RNA production technology using bacteria. FEMS Microbiol Lett 2019; 365:4705897. [PMID: 29228187 DOI: 10.1093/femsle/fnx268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular nucleic acids of high molecular weight are detected ubiquitously in seawater. Recent studies have indicated that these nucleic acids are, at least in part, derived from active production by some bacteria. The marine bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum is one of those bacteria. Rhodovulumsulfidophilum is a non-sulfur phototrophic marine bacterium that is known to form structured communities of cells called flocs, and to produce extracellular nucleic acids in culture media. Recently, it has been revealed that this bacterium produces gene transfer agent-like particles and that this particle production may be related to the extracellular nucleic acid production mechanism. This review provides a summary of recent physiological and genetic studies of these phenomena and also introduces a new method for extracellular production of artificial and biologically functional RNAs using this bacterium. In addition, artificial RNA production using Escherichia coli, which is related to this topic, will also be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yo Kikuchi
- Department of Integrative Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - So Umekage
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences, Toyohashi University of Technology, Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan
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17
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Abstract
The nucleolytic ribozymes carry out site-specific RNA cleavage reactions by nucleophilic attack of the 2'-oxygen atom on the adjacent phosphorus with an acceleration of a million-fold or greater. A major part of this arises from concerted general acid-base catalysis. Recent identification of new ribozymes has expanded the group to a total of nine and this provides a new opportunity to identify sub-groupings according to the nature of the general base and acid. These include nucleobases, hydrated metal ions, and 2'-hydroxyl groups. Evolution has selected a number of different combinations of these elements that lead to efficient catalysis. These differences provide a new mechanistic basis for classifying these ribozymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M.J. Lilley
- Cancer Research UK Nucleic Acid Structure Research Group, MSI/WTB Complex, The University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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18
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Abstract
Recent advances in RNA engineering during the last two decades have supported the development of RNA-based therapeutics targeting a variety of human diseases. The broad scope of these emerging drugs clearly demonstrates the versatility of RNA. Ribozymes have been seen as promising candidates in this area. However, efficient intracellular application of ribozymes remains challenging, and other strategies appear to have outperformed ribozymes as molecular drugs. Nevertheless, trans-cleaving ribozymes have been applied for specific cleavage of target mRNAs in order to inhibit undesired gene expression. Furthermore, ribozymes have been engineered to allow site-directed RNA sequence alterations, enabling the correction of genetic misinformation at the RNA level. This chapter provides an overview of ribozyme-based strategies, highlighting the promises and pitfalls for potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Balke
- University of Greifswald, Institute of Biochemistry Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4 17487 Greifswald Germany
| | - Sabine Müller
- University of Greifswald, Institute of Biochemistry Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4 17487 Greifswald Germany
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19
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Trujillo AJ, Myers JM, Fayazi ZS, Butler MC, Sullivan JM. A Discovery with Potential to Revitalize Hammerhead Ribozyme Therapeutics for Treatment of Inherited Retinal Degenerations. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1185:119-124. [PMID: 31884599 PMCID: PMC7029959 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-27378-1_20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Hammerhead ribozymes (hhRzs), RNA enzymes capable of site-specific cleavage of arbitrary target mRNAs, have faced significant hurdles in development and optimization as gene therapeutics for clinical translation. Chemical and biological barriers must be overcome to realize an effective therapeutic. A new Facilitated ribozyme has been identified with greatly enhanced kinetic properties that lead new insight on the capacity of ribozymes to target mutant genes to treat inherited retinal degenerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandria J Trujillo
- Research Service, VA Western NY Healthcare System, Departments of Ophthalmology (Ross Eye Institute), Pharmacology/Toxicology, University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jason M Myers
- Research Service, VA Western NY Healthcare System, Department of Ophthalmology (Ross Eye Institute), University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Zahra S Fayazi
- Research Service, VA Western NY Healthcare System, Department of Ophthalmology (Ross Eye Institute), University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Mark C Butler
- Research Service, VA Western NY Healthcare System, Department of Ophthalmology (Ross Eye Institute), University at Buffalo, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Jack M Sullivan
- Research Service, VA Western NY Healthcare System, Departments of Ophthalmology (Ross Eye Institute), Pharmacology/Toxicology, Physiology/Biophysics, Program in Neuroscience, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- University at Buffalo-SUNY, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA.
- SUNY Eye Institute, Syracuse, NY, USA.
- RNA Institute (SUNY Albany), Albany, NY, USA.
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20
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Ge Z, Gu H, Li Q, Fan C. Concept and Development of Framework Nucleic Acids. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:17808-17819. [PMID: 30516961 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b10529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 165] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhilei Ge
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hongzhou Gu
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedical Engineering, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and Institute of Molecular Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Division of Physical Biology & Bioimaging Center, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China
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21
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Automated Recognition of RNA Structure Motifs by Their SHAPE Data Signatures. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9060300. [PMID: 29904019 PMCID: PMC6027059 DOI: 10.3390/genes9060300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Revised: 06/04/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
High-throughput structure profiling (SP) experiments that provide information at nucleotide resolution are revolutionizing our ability to study RNA structures. Of particular interest are RNA elements whose underlying structures are necessary for their biological functions. We previously introduced patteRNA, an algorithm for rapidly mining SP data for patterns characteristic of such motifs. This work provided a proof-of-concept for the detection of motifs and the capability of distinguishing structures displaying pronounced conformational changes. Here, we describe several improvements and automation routines to patteRNA. We then consider more elaborate biological situations starting with the comparison or integration of results from searches for distinct motifs and across datasets. To facilitate such analyses, we characterize patteRNA’s outputs and describe a normalization framework that regularizes results. We then demonstrate that our algorithm successfully discerns between highly similar structural variants of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Rev response element (RRE) and readily identifies its exact location in whole-genome structure profiles of HIV-1. This work highlights the breadth of information that can be gleaned from SP data and broadens the utility of data-driven methods as tools for the detection of novel RNA elements.
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22
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23
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Du X, Zhong X, Li W, Li H, Gu H. Retraining and Optimizing DNA-Hydrolyzing Deoxyribozymes for Robust Single- and Multiple-Turnover Activities. ACS Catal 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.8b01466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Du
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xin Zhong
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Wei Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hua Li
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Hongzhou Gu
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
- Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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24
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Serra P, Messmer A, Sanderson D, James D, Flores R. Apple hammerhead viroid-like RNA is a bona fide viroid: Autonomous replication and structural features support its inclusion as a new member in the genus Pelamoviroid. Virus Res 2018; 249:8-15. [PMID: 29510173 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2018.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 03/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Apple hammerhead viroid-like RNA (AHVd RNA) has been reported in different apple cultivars and geographic regions and, considering the presence of hammerhead ribozymes in both polarity strands, suspected to be either a viroid of the family Avsunviroidae or a viroid-like satellite RNA. Here we report that dimeric head-to-tail in vitro transcripts of a 433-nt reference variant of AHVd RNA from cultivar "Pacific Gala" are infectious when mechanically inoculated to apple, thus showing that this RNA is a bona fide viroid for which we have kept the name apple hammerhead viroid (AHVd) until its pathogenicity, if any, is better assessed. By combining thermodynamics-based predictions with co-variation analyses of the natural genetic diversity found in AHVd we have inferred the most likely conformations for both AHVd polarity strands in vivo, with that of the (+) polarity strand being stabilized by a kissing loop-interaction similar to those reported in peach latent mosaic viroid and chrysathemum chlorotic mottle viroid, the two known members of the genus Pelamoviroid (family Avsunviroidae). Therefore, AHVd RNA fulfills the biological and molecular criteria to be allocated to this genus, the members of which, intriguingly, display low global sequence identity but high structural conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Serra
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Plantas (UPV-CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Avenida de los Naranjos, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Amber Messmer
- Centre for Plant Health-Sidney Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 8801 East Saanich Road, North Saanich, British Columbia, V8L 1H3, Canada
| | - Daniel Sanderson
- Centre for Plant Health-Sidney Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 8801 East Saanich Road, North Saanich, British Columbia, V8L 1H3, Canada
| | - Delano James
- Centre for Plant Health-Sidney Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 8801 East Saanich Road, North Saanich, British Columbia, V8L 1H3, Canada
| | - Ricardo Flores
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Plantas (UPV-CSIC), Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, Avenida de los Naranjos, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
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25
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Daròs JA, Aragonés V, Cordero T. A viroid-derived system to produce large amounts of recombinant RNA in Escherichia coli. Sci Rep 2018; 8:1904. [PMID: 29382906 PMCID: PMC5789856 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20314-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Viruses have been engineered into useful biotechnological tools for gene therapy or to induce the synthesis of products of interest, such as therapeutic proteins and vaccines, in animal and fungal cells, bacteria or plants. Viroids are a particular class of infectious agents of higher plants that exclusively consist of a small non-protein-coding circular RNA molecule. In the same way as viruses have been transformed into useful biotechnological devices, can viroids be converted into beneficial tools? We show herein that, by expressing Eggplant latent viroid (ELVd) derived RNAs in Escherichia coli together with the eggplant tRNA ligase, this being the enzyme involved in viroid circularization in the infected plant, RNAs of interest like aptamers, extended hairpins, or other structured RNAs are produced in amounts of tens of milligrams per liter of culture. Although ELVd fails to replicate in E. coli, ELVd precursors self-cleave through the embedded hammerhead ribozymes and the resulting monomers are, in part, circularized by the co-expressed enzyme. The mature viroid forms and the protein likely form a ribonucleoprotein complex that transitorily accumulates in E. coli cells at extraordinarily amounts.
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Affiliation(s)
- José-Antonio Daròs
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain.
| | - Verónica Aragonés
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain
| | - Teresa Cordero
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Politècnica de València), 46022, Valencia, Spain
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26
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Wurmthaler LA, Klauser B, Hartig JS. Highly motif- and organism-dependent effects of naturally occurring hammerhead ribozyme sequences on gene expression. RNA Biol 2017; 15:231-241. [PMID: 29106331 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1397870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent bioinformatics studies have demonstrated a wide-spread occurrence of the hammerhead ribozyme (HHR) and similar small endonucleolytic RNA motifs in all domains of life. It is becoming increasingly evident that such ribozyme motifs participate in important genetic processes in diverse organisms. Although the HHR motif has been studied for more than three decades, only little is known about the consequences of ribozyme activity on gene expression. In the present study we analysed eight different naturally occurring HHR sequences in diverse genetic and organismal contexts. We investigated the influence of active ribozymes incorporated into mRNAs in mammalian, yeast and bacterial expression systems. The experiments show an unexpectedly high degree of organism-specific variability of ribozyme-mediated effects on gene expression. The presented findings demonstrate that ribozyme cleavage profoundly affect gene expression. However, the extent of this effect varies and depends strongly on the respective genetic context. The fast-cleaving type 3 HHRs [CChMVd(-) and sLTSV(-)] generally tended to cause the strongest effects on intracellular gene expression. The presented results are important in order to address potential functions of naturally occurring ribozymes in RNA processing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Additionally, our results are of interest for biotechnology and synthetic biology approaches that aim at the utilisation of self-cleaving ribozymes as widely applicable tools for controlling genetic processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena A Wurmthaler
- a Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB) , University of Konstanz , Konstanz , Germany
| | - Benedikt Klauser
- a Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB) , University of Konstanz , Konstanz , Germany
| | - Jörg S Hartig
- a Department of Chemistry and Konstanz Research School Chemical Biology (KoRS-CB) , University of Konstanz , Konstanz , Germany
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27
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Lünse CE, Weinberg Z, Breaker RR. Numerous small hammerhead ribozyme variants associated with Penelope-like retrotransposons cleave RNA as dimers. RNA Biol 2017; 14:1499-1507. [PMID: 27858507 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2016.1251002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Hammerhead ribozymes represent the most common of the 9 natural classes of self-cleaving RNAs. The hammerhead catalytic core includes 11 highly-conserved nucleotides located largely within the unpaired regions of a junction formed by stems I, II and III. The vast majority of previously reported examples carry an additional pseudoknot or other tertiary interactions between nucleotides that precede stem I and nucleotides in the loop of stem II. These extra contacts are critical for high-speed RNA catalysis. Herein, we report the discovery of ∼150,000 additional variant hammerhead representatives that exhibit diminished stem III substructures. These variants are frequently associated with Penelope-like retrotransposons, which are a type of mobile genetic element. Kinetic analyses indicate that these RNAs form dimers to cleave RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina E Lünse
- a Department of Molecular , Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA
| | - Zasha Weinberg
- a Department of Molecular , Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA.,b Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA
| | - Ronald R Breaker
- a Department of Molecular , Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA.,b Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA.,c Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry , Yale University , New Haven , CT , USA
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28
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Structural and Biochemical Properties of Novel Self-Cleaving Ribozymes. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22040678. [PMID: 28441772 PMCID: PMC6154101 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22040678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Fourteen well-defined ribozyme classes have been identified to date, among which nine are site-specific self-cleaving ribozymes. Very recently, small self-cleaving ribozymes have attracted renewed interest in their structure, biochemistry, and biological function since the discovery, during the last three years, of four novel ribozymes, termed twister, twister sister, pistol, and hatchet. In this review, we mainly address the structure, biochemistry, and catalytic mechanism of the novel ribozymes. They are characterized by distinct active site architectures and divergent, but similar, biochemical properties. The cleavage activities of the ribozymes are highly dependent upon divalent cations, pH, and base-specific mutations, which can cause changes in the nucleotide arrangement and/or electrostatic potential around the cleavage site. It is most likely that a guanine and adenine in close proximity of the cleavage site are involved in general acid-base catalysis. In addition, metal ions appear to play a structural rather than catalytic role although some of their crystal structures have shown a direct metal ion coordination to a non-bridging phosphate oxygen at the cleavage site. Collectively, the structural and biochemical data of the four newest ribozymes could contribute to advance our mechanistic understanding of how self-cleaving ribozymes accomplish their efficient site-specific RNA cleavages.
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29
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de la Peña M, García-Robles I, Cervera A. The Hammerhead Ribozyme: A Long History for a Short RNA. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22010078. [PMID: 28054987 PMCID: PMC6155905 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22010078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Small nucleolytic ribozymes are a family of naturally occurring RNA motifs that catalyse a self-transesterification reaction in a highly sequence-specific manner. The hammerhead ribozyme was the first reported and the most extensively studied member of this family. However, and despite intense biochemical and structural research for three decades since its discovery, the history of this model ribozyme seems to be far from finished. The hammerhead ribozyme has been regarded as a biological oddity typical of small circular RNA pathogens of plants. More recently, numerous and new variations of this ribozyme have been found to inhabit the genomes of organisms from all life kingdoms, although their precise biological functions are not yet well understood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos de la Peña
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP) (CSIC-UPV), C/Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Inmaculada García-Robles
- Department of Genetics, University of Valencia, C/Dr. Moliner 50, Burjassot, 46100 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Amelia Cervera
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP) (CSIC-UPV), C/Ingeniero Fausto Elio s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
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30
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Zhang W, Feng Q, Chang D, Tram K, Li Y. In vitro selection of RNA-cleaving DNAzymes for bacterial detection. Methods 2016; 106:66-75. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 03/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
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31
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James W. Towards Gene-Inhibition Therapy: A Review of Progress and Prospects in the Field of Antiviral Antisense Nucleic Acids and Ribozymes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/095632029100200401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Antisense RNA and its derivatives may provide the basis for highly selective gene inhibition therapies of virus infections. In this review, I concentrate on advances made in the study of antisense RNA and ribozymes during the last five years and their implications for the development of such therapies. It appears that antisense RNAs synthesized at realistic levels within the cell can be much more effective inhibitors than originally supposed. Looking at those experiments that enable comparisons to be made, it seems that inhibitory antisense RNAs are not those that are complementary to particular sites within mRNAs but those that are able to make stable duplexes with their targets, perhaps by virtue of their secondary structure and length. The inclusion of ribozyme sequences within antisense RNAs confers RNA-cleaving activity upon them in vitro and possibly in cells, thereby offering the possibility of markedly increasing their therapeutic potential. The varieties of natural ribozyme and their adaptation as artificial catalysts are reviewed. The implications of these developments for antiviral therapy are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. James
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, U.K
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32
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Nam JW, Choi SW, You BH. Incredible RNA: Dual Functions of Coding and Noncoding. Mol Cells 2016; 39:367-74. [PMID: 27137091 PMCID: PMC4870183 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2016.0039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the RNA world hypothesis was proposed, a large number of regulatory noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been identified in many species, ranging from microorganisms to mammals. During the characterization of these newly discovered RNAs, RNAs having both coding and noncoding functions were discovered, and these were considered bifunctional RNAs. The recent use of computational and high-throughput experimental approaches has revealed increasing evidence of various sources of bifunctional RNAs, such as protein-coding mRNAs with a noncoding isoform and long ncRNAs bearing a small open reading frame. Therefore, the genomic diversity of Janus-faced RNA molecules that have dual characteristics of coding and noncoding indicates that the functional roles of RNAs have to be revisited in cells on a genome-wide scale. Such studies would allow us to further understand the complex gene-regulatory network in cells. In this review, we discuss three major genomic sources of bifunctional RNAs and present a handful of examples of bifunctional RNA along with their functional roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Wu Nam
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763,
Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763,
Korea
| | - Seo-Won Choi
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763,
Korea
| | - Bo-Hyun You
- Department of Life Science, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763,
Korea
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33
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Vandivier LE, Anderson SJ, Foley SW, Gregory BD. The Conservation and Function of RNA Secondary Structure in Plants. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 67:463-88. [PMID: 26865341 PMCID: PMC5125251 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-043015-111754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
RNA transcripts fold into secondary structures via intricate patterns of base pairing. These secondary structures impart catalytic, ligand binding, and scaffolding functions to a wide array of RNAs, forming a critical node of biological regulation. Among their many functions, RNA structural elements modulate epigenetic marks, alter mRNA stability and translation, regulate alternative splicing, transduce signals, and scaffold large macromolecular complexes. Thus, the study of RNA secondary structure is critical to understanding the function and regulation of RNA transcripts. Here, we review the origins, form, and function of RNA secondary structure, focusing on plants. We then provide an overview of methods for probing secondary structure, from physical methods such as X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging to chemical and nuclease probing methods. Combining these latter methods with high-throughput sequencing has enabled them to scale across whole transcriptomes, yielding tremendous new insights into the form and function of RNA secondary structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee E Vandivier
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, and
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104;
| | | | - Shawn W Foley
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, and
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104;
| | - Brian D Gregory
- Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, and
- Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104;
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34
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35
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Rudchenko MN, Zamyatnin AA. Prospects for using self-assembled nucleic acid structures. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2016; 80:391-9. [PMID: 25869355 DOI: 10.1134/s000629791504001x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
According to the central dogma in molecular biology, nucleic acids are assigned with key functions on storing and executing genetic information in any living cell. However, features of nucleic acids are not limited only with properties providing template-dependent biosynthetic processes. Studies of DNA and RNA unveiled unique features of these polymers able to make various self-assembled three-dimensional structures that, among other things, use the complementarity principle. Here, we review various self-assembled nucleic acid structures as well as application of DNA and RNA to develop nanomaterials, molecular automata, and nanodevices. It can be expected that in the near future results of these developments will allow designing novel next-generation diagnostic systems and medicinal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M N Rudchenko
- Research Division, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY 10021, USA.
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Réblová M, Jaklitsch WM, Réblová K, Štěpánek V. Phylogenetic Reconstruction of the Calosphaeriales and Togniniales Using Five Genes and Predicted RNA Secondary Structures of ITS, and Flabellascus tenuirostris gen. et sp. nov. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144616. [PMID: 26699541 PMCID: PMC4689446 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 11/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The Calosphaeriales is revisited with new collection data, living cultures, morphological studies of ascoma centrum, secondary structures of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and phylogeny based on novel DNA sequences of five nuclear ribosomal and protein-coding loci. Morphological features, molecular evidence and information from predicted RNA secondary structures of ITS converged upon robust phylogenies of the Calosphaeriales and Togniniales. The current concept of the Calosphaeriales includes the Calosphaeriaceae and Pleurostomataceae encompassing five monophyletic genera, Calosphaeria, Flabellascus gen. nov., Jattaea, Pleurostoma and Togniniella, strongly supported by Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood methods. The structural elements of ITS1 form characteristic patterns that are phylogenetically conserved, corroborate observations based on morphology and have a high predictive value at the generic level. Three major clades containing 44 species of Phaeoacremonium were recovered in the closely related Togniniales based on ITS, actin and β-tubulin sequences. They are newly characterized by sexual and RNA structural characters and ecology. This approach is a first step towards understanding of the molecular systematics of Phaeoacremonium and possibly its new classification. In the Calosphaeriales, Jattaea aphanospora sp. nov. and J. ribicola sp. nov. are introduced, Calosphaeria taediosa is combined in Jattaea and epitypified. The sexual morph of Phaeoacremonium cinereum was encountered for the first time on decaying wood and obtained in vitro. In order to achieve a single nomenclature, the genera of asexual morphs linked with the Calosphaeriales are transferred to synonymy of their sexual morphs following the principle of priority, i.e. Calosphaeriophora to Calosphaeria, Phaeocrella to Togniniella and Pleurostomophora to Pleurostoma. Three new combinations are proposed, i.e. Pleurostoma ochraceum comb. nov., P. repens comb. nov. and P. richardsiae comb. nov. The morphology-based key is provided to facilitate identification of genera accepted in the Calosphaeriales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Réblová
- Department of Taxonomy, Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Průhonice, Czech Republic
- * E-mail:
| | - Walter M. Jaklitsch
- Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection, Institute of Forest Entomology, BOKU-University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, Division of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kamila Réblová
- Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Štěpánek
- Laboratory of Enzyme Technology, Institute of Microbiology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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37
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Jimenez RM, Polanco JA, Lupták A. Chemistry and Biology of Self-Cleaving Ribozymes. Trends Biochem Sci 2015; 40:648-661. [PMID: 26481500 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2015.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 08/28/2015] [Accepted: 09/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Self-cleaving ribozymes were discovered 30 years ago, but their biological distribution and catalytic mechanisms are only beginning to be defined. Each ribozyme family is defined by a distinct structure, with unique active sites accelerating the same transesterification reaction across the families. Biochemical studies show that general acid-base catalysis is the most common mechanism of self-cleavage, but metal ions and metabolites can be used as cofactors. Ribozymes have been discovered in highly diverse genomic contexts throughout nature, from viroids to vertebrates. Their biological roles include self-scission during rolling-circle replication of RNA genomes, co-transcriptional processing of retrotransposons, and metabolite-dependent gene expression regulation in bacteria. Other examples, including highly conserved mammalian ribozymes, suggest that many new biological roles are yet to be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randi M Jimenez
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Julio A Polanco
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Andrej Lupták
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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38
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Kun Á, Szathmáry E. Fitness Landscapes of Functional RNAs. Life (Basel) 2015; 5:1497-517. [PMID: 26308059 PMCID: PMC4598650 DOI: 10.3390/life5031497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 07/26/2015] [Accepted: 08/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The notion of fitness landscapes, a map between genotype and fitness, was proposed more than 80 years ago. For most of this time data was only available for a few alleles, and thus we had only a restricted view of the whole fitness landscape. Recently, advances in genetics and molecular biology allow a more detailed view of them. Here we review experimental and theoretical studies of fitness landscapes of functional RNAs, especially aptamers and ribozymes. We find that RNA structures can be divided into critical structures, connecting structures, neutral structures and forbidden structures. Such characterisation, coupled with theoretical sequence-to-structure predictions, allows us to construct the whole fitness landscape. Fitness landscapes then can be used to study evolution, and in our case the development of the RNA world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Kun
- Parmenides Center for the Conceptual Foundations of Science, Kirchplatz 1, 82049 Munich/Pullach, Germany.
- MTA-ELTE-MTMT Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Eörs Szathmáry
- Parmenides Center for the Conceptual Foundations of Science, Kirchplatz 1, 82049 Munich/Pullach, Germany.
- Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös University, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
- MTA-ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, 1117 Budapest, Hungary.
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39
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Sõmera M, Sarmiento C, Truve E. Overview on Sobemoviruses and a Proposal for the Creation of the Family Sobemoviridae. Viruses 2015; 7:3076-115. [PMID: 26083319 PMCID: PMC4488728 DOI: 10.3390/v7062761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 06/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The genus Sobemovirus, unassigned to any family, consists of viruses with single-stranded plus-oriented single-component RNA genomes and small icosahedral particles. Currently, 14 species within the genus have been recognized by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) but several new species are to be recognized in the near future. Sobemovirus genomes are compact with a conserved structure of open reading frames and with short untranslated regions. Several sobemoviruses are important pathogens. Moreover, over the last decade sobemoviruses have become important model systems to study plant virus evolution. In the current review we give an overview of the structure and expression of sobemovirus genomes, processing and functions of individual proteins, particle structure, pathology and phylogenesis of sobemoviruses as well as of satellite RNAs present together with these viruses. Based on a phylogenetic analysis we propose that a new family Sobemoviridae should be recognized including the genera Sobemovirus and Polemovirus. Finally, we outline the future perspectives and needs for the research focusing on sobemoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merike Sõmera
- Department of Gene Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Cecilia Sarmiento
- Department of Gene Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Erkki Truve
- Department of Gene Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Akadeemia tee 15, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia.
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40
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Kun Á, Szilágyi A, Könnyű B, Boza G, Zachar I, Szathmáry E. The dynamics of the RNA world: insights and challenges. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1341:75-95. [PMID: 25735569 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The RNA world hypothesis of the origin of life, in which RNA emerged as both enzyme and information carrier, is receiving solid experimental support. The prebiotic synthesis of biomolecules, the catalytic aid offered by mineral surfaces, and the vast enzymatic repertoire of ribozymes are only pieces of the origin of life puzzle; the full picture can only emerge if the pieces fit together by either following from one another or coexisting with each other. Here, we review the theory of the origin, maintenance, and enhancement of the RNA world as an evolving population of dynamical systems. The dynamical view of the origin of life allows us to pinpoint the missing and the not fitting pieces: (1) How can the first self-replicating ribozyme emerge in the absence of template-directed information replication? (2) How can nucleotide replicators avoid competitive exclusion despite utilizing the very same resources (nucleobases)? (3) How can the information catastrophe be avoided? (4) How can enough genes integrate into a cohesive system in order to transition to a cellular stage? (5) How can the way information is stored and metabolic complexity coevolve to pave to road leading out of the RNA world to the present protein-DNA world?
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Kun
- Parmenides Center for the Conceptual Foundations of Science, Munich/Pullach, Germany; MTA-ELTE-MTMT Ecology Research Group, Budapest, Hungary
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41
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Nelissen FHT, Heus HA, Wijmenga SS. Production of Homogeneous Recombinant RNA Using a tRNA Scaffold and Hammerhead Ribozymes. Methods Mol Biol 2015; 1316:33-44. [PMID: 25967051 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2730-2_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Bacterial overproduction of recombinant RNA using a tRNA scaffold yields large amounts of chimeric RNA. For structural and functional characterizations of the RNA it is often necessary to remove the scaffold. Here we describe an efficient and facile method to release the RNA of interest from the tRNA scaffold by selective cleavage using cis-acting hammerhead ribozymes. After cleavage, the RNA of interest is purified to homogeneity using standard chromatographic and electrophoretic methods. Up to 5 mg of highly pure end-product RNA can be obtained from a single liter of bacterial culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank H T Nelissen
- Biophysical Chemistry, Institute for Molecules and Materials, Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525AJ, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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42
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Discovery of replicating circular RNAs by RNA-seq and computational algorithms. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004553. [PMID: 25503469 PMCID: PMC4263765 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 11/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Replicating circular RNAs are independent plant pathogens known as viroids, or act to modulate the pathogenesis of plant and animal viruses as their satellite RNAs. The rate of discovery of these subviral pathogens was low over the past 40 years because the classical approaches are technical demanding and time-consuming. We previously described an approach for homology-independent discovery of replicating circular RNAs by analysing the total small RNA populations from samples of diseased tissues with a computational program known as progressive filtering of overlapping small RNAs (PFOR). However, PFOR written in PERL language is extremely slow and is unable to discover those subviral pathogens that do not trigger in vivo accumulation of extensively overlapping small RNAs. Moreover, PFOR is yet to identify a new viroid capable of initiating independent infection. Here we report the development of PFOR2 that adopted parallel programming in the C++ language and was 3 to 8 times faster than PFOR. A new computational program was further developed and incorporated into PFOR2 to allow the identification of circular RNAs by deep sequencing of long RNAs instead of small RNAs. PFOR2 analysis of the small RNA libraries from grapevine and apple plants led to the discovery of Grapevine latent viroid (GLVd) and Apple hammerhead viroid-like RNA (AHVd-like RNA), respectively. GLVd was proposed as a new species in the genus Apscaviroid, because it contained the typical structural elements found in this group of viroids and initiated independent infection in grapevine seedlings. AHVd-like RNA encoded a biologically active hammerhead ribozyme in both polarities, and was not specifically associated with any of the viruses found in apple plants. We propose that these computational algorithms have the potential to discover novel circular RNAs in plants, invertebrates and vertebrates regardless of whether they replicate and/or induce the in vivo accumulation of small RNAs.
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43
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Kennedy AB, Vowles JV, d'Espaux L, Smolke CD. Protein-responsive ribozyme switches in eukaryotic cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:12306-21. [PMID: 25274734 PMCID: PMC4231745 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic devices that directly detect and respond to intracellular concentrations of proteins are important synthetic biology tools, supporting the design of biological systems that target, respond to or alter specific cellular states. Here, we develop ribozyme-based devices that respond to protein ligands in two eukaryotic hosts, yeast and mammalian cells, to regulate the expression of a gene of interest. Our devices allow for both gene-ON and gene-OFF response upon sensing the protein ligand. As part of our design process, we describe an in vitro characterization pipeline for prescreening device designs to identify promising candidates for in vivo testing. The in vivo gene-regulatory activities in the two types of eukaryotic cells correlate with in vitro cleavage activities determined at different physiologically relevant magnesium concentrations. Finally, localization studies with the ligand demonstrate that ribozyme switches respond to ligands present in the nucleus and/or cytoplasm, providing new insight into their mechanism of action. By extending the sensing capabilities of this important class of gene-regulatory device, our work supports the implementation of ribozyme-based devices in applications requiring the detection of protein biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B Kennedy
- Department of Bioengineering, 443 Via Ortega, MC 4245 Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - James V Vowles
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 1200 E. California Boulevard, MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Leo d'Espaux
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 1200 E. California Boulevard, MC 210-41, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Christina D Smolke
- Department of Bioengineering, 443 Via Ortega, MC 4245 Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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44
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Novel coding, translation, and gene expression of a replicating covalently closed circular RNA of 220 nt. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:14542-7. [PMID: 25253891 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1402814111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly structured (64% GC) covalently closed circular (CCC) RNA (220 nt) of the virusoid associated with rice yellow mottle virus codes for a 16-kDa highly basic protein using novel modalities for coding, translation, and gene expression. This CCC RNA is the smallest among all known viroids and virusoids and the only one that codes proteins. Its sequence possesses an internal ribosome entry site and is directly translated through two (or three) completely overlapping ORFs (shifting to a new reading frame at the end of each round). The initiation and termination codons overlap UGAUGA (underline highlights the initiation codon AUG within the combined initiation-termination sequence). Termination codons can be ignored to obtain larger read-through proteins. This circular RNA with no noncoding sequences is a unique natural supercompact "nanogenome."
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45
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Blanchet MF, St-Onge K, Lisi V, Robitaille J, Hamel S, Major F. Computational identification of RNA functional determinants by three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:11261-71. [PMID: 25200082 PMCID: PMC4176186 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku816] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-infection drugs target vital functions of infectious agents, including their ribosome and other essential non-coding RNAs. One of the reasons infectious agents become resistant to drugs is due to mutations that eliminate drug-binding affinity while maintaining vital elements. Identifying these elements is based on the determination of viable and lethal mutants and associated structures. However, determining the structure of enough mutants at high resolution is not always possible. Here, we introduce a new computational method, MC-3DQSAR, to determine the vital elements of target RNA structure from mutagenesis and available high-resolution data. We applied the method to further characterize the structural determinants of the bacterial 23S ribosomal RNA sarcin–ricin loop (SRL), as well as those of the lead-activated and hammerhead ribozymes. The method was accurate in confirming experimentally determined essential structural elements and predicting the viability of new SRL variants, which were either observed in bacteria or validated in bacterial growth assays. Our results indicate that MC-3DQSAR could be used systematically to evaluate the drug-target potentials of any RNA sites using current high-resolution structural data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-Frédérick Blanchet
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Karine St-Onge
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Véronique Lisi
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Julie Robitaille
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Sylvie Hamel
- Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - François Major
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada Department of Computer Science and Operations Research, Université de Montréal, PO Box 6128, Downtown Station, Montréal, Québec H3C 3J7, Canada
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46
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Crystal structure and mechanistic investigation of the twister ribozyme. Nat Chem Biol 2014; 10:739-44. [DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.1587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/16/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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47
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Abstract
Because RNA can be a carrier of genetic information and a biocatalyst, there is a consensus that it emerged before DNA and proteins, which eventually assumed these roles and relegated RNA to intermediate functions. If such a scenario--the so-called RNA world--existed, we might hope to find its relics in our present world. The properties of viroids that make them candidates for being survivors of the RNA world include those expected for primitive RNA replicons: (a) small size imposed by error-prone replication, (b) high G + C content to increase replication fidelity, (c) circular structure for assuring complete replication without genomic tags, (d) structural periodicity for modular assembly into enlarged genomes, (e) lack of protein-coding ability consistent with a ribosome-free habitat, and (f) replication mediated in some by ribozymes, the fingerprint of the RNA world. With the advent of DNA and proteins, those protoviroids lost some abilities and became the plant parasites we now know.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Flores
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (UPV-CSIC), 46022 València, Spain;
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48
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Romero-López C, Díaz-González R, Berzal-Herranz A. RNA Selection and EvolutionIn Vitro:Powerful Techniques for the Analysis and Identification of new Molecular Tools. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2007.10817461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
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49
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Kamei M, Kasperski K, Fuller M, Parkinson-Lawrence EJ, Karageorgos L, Belakhov V, Baasov T, Hopwood JJ, Brooks DA. Aminoglycoside-Induced Premature Stop Codon Read-Through of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I Patient Q70X and W402X Mutations in Cultured Cells. JIMD Rep 2013; 13:139-47. [PMID: 24193436 DOI: 10.1007/8904_2013_270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/25/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The premature stop codon mutations, Q70X and W402X, are the most common α-L-iduronidase gene (IDUA) mutations in mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) patients. Read-through drugs have been used to suppress premature stop codons, and this can potentially be used to treat patients who have this type of mutation. We examined the effects of aminoglycoside treatment on the IDUA mutations Q70X and W402X in cultured cells and show that 4,5-disubstituted aminoglycosides induced more read-through for the W402X mutation, while 4,6-disubstituted aminoglycosides promoted more read-through for the Q70X mutation: lividomycin (4,5-disubstituted) induced a 7.8-fold increase in α-L-iduronidase enzyme activity for the W402X mutation; NB54 (4,5-disubstituted) induced a 3.7 fold increase in the amount of α-L-iduronidase enzyme activity for the W402X mutation, but had less effect on the Q70X mutation, whereas gentamicin (4,6-disubstituted) had the reverse effect on read-through for both mutations. The predicted mRNA secondary structural changes for both mutations were markedly different, which may explain these different effects on read-through for these two premature stop codons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Kamei
- Mechanisms in Cell Biology and Diseases Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia,
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50
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Lee TS, Wong KY, Giambasu GM, York DM. Bridging the gap between theory and experiment to derive a detailed understanding of hammerhead ribozyme catalysis. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2013; 120:25-91. [PMID: 24156941 PMCID: PMC4747252 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-381286-5.00002-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Herein we summarize our progress toward the understanding of hammerhead ribozyme (HHR) catalysis through a multiscale simulation strategy. Simulation results collectively paint a picture of HHR catalysis: HHR first folds to form an electronegative active site pocket to recruit a threshold occupation of cationic charges, either a Mg(2+) ion or multiple monovalent cations. Catalytically active conformations that have good in-line fitness are supported by specific metal ion coordination patterns that involve either a bridging Mg(2+) ion or multiple Na(+) ions, one of which is also in a bridging coordination pattern. In the case of a single Mg(2+) ion bound in the active site, the Mg(2+) ion undergoes a migration that is coupled with deprotonation of the nucleophile (C17:O2'). As the reaction proceeds, the Mg(2+) ion stabilizes the accumulating charge of the leaving group and significantly increases the general acid ability of G8:O2'. Further computational mutagenesis simulations suggest that the disruptions due to mutations may severely impact HHR catalysis at different stages of the reaction. Catalytic mechanisms supported by the simulation results are consistent with available structural and biochemical experiments, and together they advance our understanding of HHR catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tai-Sung Lee
- Center for Integrative Proteomics Research and BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kin-Yiu Wong
- Center for Integrative Proteomics Research and BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - George M. Giambasu
- Center for Integrative Proteomics Research and BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Darrin M. York
- Center for Integrative Proteomics Research and BioMaPS Institute for Quantitative Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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