1
|
Le TT, Gao X, Park SH, Lee J, Inman JT, Wang MD. An Effective Surface Passivation Assay for Single-Molecule Studies of Chromatin and Topoisomerase II. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.09.25.614989. [PMID: 39386467 PMCID: PMC11463425 DOI: 10.1101/2024.09.25.614989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
For single-molecule studies requiring surface anchoring of biomolecules, a poorly passivated surface can result in alterations of biomolecule structure and function that can result in artifacts. This protocol describes surface passivation and sample chamber preparation for mechanical manipulation of chromatin fibers and characterization of topoisomerase II activity in physiological buffer conditions. The method employs enhanced surface hydrophobicity and purified blocking proteins to reduce non-specific surface adsorption. This method is accessible, cost-effective, and potentially widely applicable to other biomolecules. For a complete list of publications that employ this protocol, see the paper references. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT B.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tung T. Le
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xiang Gao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Seong Ha Park
- Biophysics Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jaeyoon Lee
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - James T. Inman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Michelle D. Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Technical Contact
- Lead Contact
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lee J, Wu M, Inman JT, Singh G, Park SH, Lee JH, Fulbright RM, Hong Y, Jeong J, Berger JM, Wang MD. Chromatinization Modulates Topoisomerase II Processivity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.03.560726. [PMID: 37873421 PMCID: PMC10592930 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.03.560726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Type IIA topoisomerases are essential DNA processing enzymes that must robustly and reliably relax DNA torsional stress in vivo. While cellular processes constantly create different degrees of torsional stress, how this stress feeds back to control type IIA topoisomerase function remains obscure. Using a suite of single-molecule approaches, we examined the torsional impact on supercoiling relaxation of both naked DNA and chromatin by eukaryotic topoisomerase II (topo II). We observed that topo II was at least ~ 50-fold more processive on plectonemic DNA than previously estimated, capable of relaxing > 6000 turns. We further discovered that topo II could relax supercoiled DNA prior to plectoneme formation, but with a ~100-fold reduction in processivity; strikingly, the relaxation rate in this regime decreased with diminishing torsion in a manner consistent with the capture of transient DNA loops by topo II. Chromatinization preserved the high processivity of the enzyme under high torsional stress. Interestingly, topo II was still highly processive (~ 1000 turns) even under low torsional stress, consistent with the predisposition of chromatin to readily form DNA crossings. This work establishes that chromatin is a major stimulant of topo II function, capable of enhancing function even under low torsional stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaeyoon Lee
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Meiling Wu
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - James T. Inman
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Gundeep Singh
- Biophysics Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Seong ha Park
- Biophysics Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Joyce H. Lee
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | | | - Yifeng Hong
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Joshua Jeong
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - James M. Berger
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Michelle D. Wang
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bell NAW, Molloy JE. Efficient golden gate assembly of DNA constructs for single molecule force spectroscopy and imaging. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e77. [PMID: 35489063 PMCID: PMC9303394 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-molecule techniques such as optical tweezers and fluorescence imaging are powerful tools for probing the biophysics of DNA and DNA-protein interactions. The application of these methods requires efficient approaches for creating designed DNA structures with labels for binding to a surface or microscopic beads. In this paper, we develop a simple and fast technique for making a diverse range of such DNA constructs by combining PCR amplicons and synthetic oligonucleotides using golden gate assembly rules. We demonstrate high yield fabrication of torsionally-constrained duplex DNA up to 10 kbp in length and a variety of DNA hairpin structures. We also show how tethering to a cross-linked antibody substrate significantly enhances measurement lifetime under high force. This rapid and adaptable fabrication method streamlines the assembly of DNA constructs for single molecule biophysics.
Collapse
|
4
|
Brouwer T, Pham C, Kaczmarczyk A, de Voogd WJ, Botto M, Vizjak P, Mueller-Planitz F, van Noort J. A critical role for linker DNA in higher-order folding of chromatin fibers. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:2537-2551. [PMID: 33589918 PMCID: PMC7969035 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleosome-nucleosome interactions drive the folding of nucleosomal arrays into dense chromatin fibers. A better physical account of the folding of chromatin fibers is necessary to understand the role of chromatin in regulating DNA transactions. Here, we studied the unfolding pathway of regular chromatin fibers as a function of single base pair increments in linker length, using both rigid base-pair Monte Carlo simulations and single-molecule force spectroscopy. Both computational and experimental results reveal a periodic variation of the folding energies due to the limited flexibility of the linker DNA. We show that twist is more restrictive for nucleosome stacking than bend, and find the most stable stacking interactions for linker lengths of multiples of 10 bp. We analyzed nucleosomes stacking in both 1- and 2-start topologies and show that stacking preferences are determined by the length of the linker DNA. Moreover, we present evidence that the sequence of the linker DNA also modulates nucleosome stacking and that the effect of the deletion of the H4 tail depends on the linker length. Importantly, these results imply that nucleosome positioning in vivo not only affects the phasing of nucleosomes relative to DNA but also directs the higher-order structure of chromatin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Brouwer
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chi Pham
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Artur Kaczmarczyk
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Willem-Jan de Voogd
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Margherita Botto
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Petra Vizjak
- Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Felix Mueller-Planitz
- Biomedical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.,Institute of Physiological Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - John van Noort
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA Leiden, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhou BR, Feng H, Kale S, Fox T, Khant H, de Val N, Ghirlando R, Panchenko AR, Bai Y. Distinct Structures and Dynamics of Chromatosomes with Different Human Linker Histone Isoforms. Mol Cell 2021; 81:166-182.e6. [PMID: 33238161 PMCID: PMC7796963 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.10.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The repeating structural unit of metazoan chromatin is the chromatosome, a nucleosome bound to a linker histone, H1. There are 11 human H1 isoforms with diverse cellular functions, but how they interact with the nucleosome remains elusive. Here, we determined the cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of chromatosomes containing 197 bp DNA and three different human H1 isoforms, respectively. The globular domains of all three H1 isoforms bound to the nucleosome dyad. However, the flanking/linker DNAs displayed substantial distinct dynamic conformations. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and H1 tail-swapping cryo-EM experiments revealed that the C-terminal tails of the H1 isoforms mainly controlled the flanking DNA orientations. We also observed partial ordering of the core histone H2A C-terminal and H3 N-terminal tails in the chromatosomes. Our results provide insights into the structures and dynamics of the chromatosomes and have implications for the structure and function of chromatin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bing-Rui Zhou
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hanqiao Feng
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Seyit Kale
- Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center, Dokuz Eylul University Health Campus, Balcova, Izmir 35330, Turkey
| | - Tara Fox
- Center of Macromolecular Microscopy, National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Htet Khant
- Center of Macromolecular Microscopy, National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Natalia de Val
- Center of Macromolecular Microscopy, National Cancer Institute, Cancer Research Technology Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research Inc., Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Rodolfo Ghirlando
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anna R Panchenko
- Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Queen's University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - Yawen Bai
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Spakman D, King GA, Peterman EJG, Wuite GJL. Constructing arrays of nucleosome positioning sequences using Gibson Assembly for single-molecule studies. Sci Rep 2020; 10:9903. [PMID: 32555215 PMCID: PMC7303147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-66259-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
As the basic building blocks of chromatin, nucleosomes play a key role in dictating the accessibility of the eukaryotic genome. Consequently, nucleosomes are involved in essential genomic transactions such as DNA transcription, replication and repair. In order to unravel the mechanisms by which nucleosomes can influence, or be altered by, DNA-binding proteins, single-molecule techniques are increasingly employed. To this end, DNA molecules containing a defined series of nucleosome positioning sequences are often used to reconstitute arrays of nucleosomes in vitro. Here, we describe a novel method to prepare DNA molecules containing defined arrays of the ‘601’ nucleosome positioning sequence by exploiting Gibson Assembly cloning. The approaches presented here provide a more accessible and efficient means to generate arrays of nucleosome positioning motifs, and facilitate a high degree of control over the linker sequences between these motifs. Nucleosomes reconstituted on such arrays are ideal for interrogation with single-molecule techniques. To demonstrate this, we use dual-trap optical tweezers, in combination with fluorescence microscopy, to monitor nucleosome unwrapping and histone localisation as a function of tension. We reveal that, although nucleosomes unwrap at ~20 pN, histones (at least histone H3) remain bound to the DNA, even at tensions beyond 60 pN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dian Spakman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Graeme A King
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. .,Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | - Erwin J G Peterman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Gijs J L Wuite
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Le TT, Gao X, Park SH, Lee J, Inman JT, Lee JH, Killian JL, Badman RP, Berger JM, Wang MD. Synergistic Coordination of Chromatin Torsional Mechanics and Topoisomerase Activity. Cell 2020; 179:619-631.e15. [PMID: 31626768 PMCID: PMC6899335 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.09.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
DNA replication in eukaryotes generates DNA supercoiling, which may intertwine (braid) daughter chromatin fibers to form precatenanes, posing topological challenges during chromosome segregation. The mechanisms that limit precatenane formation remain unclear. By making direct torque measurements, we demonstrate that the intrinsic mechanical properties of chromatin play a fundamental role in dictating precatenane formation and regulating chromatin topology. Whereas a single chromatin fiber is torsionally soft, a braided fiber is torsionally stiff, indicating that supercoiling on chromatin substrates is preferentially directed in front of the fork during replication. We further show that topoisomerase II relaxation displays a strong preference for a single chromatin fiber over a braided fiber. These results suggest a synergistic coordination-the mechanical properties of chromatin inherently suppress precatenane formation during replication elongation by driving DNA supercoiling ahead of the fork, where supercoiling is more efficiently removed by topoisomerase II. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tung T Le
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Xiang Gao
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Seong Ha Park
- Biophysics Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Jaeyoon Lee
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - James T Inman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Joyce H Lee
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jessica L Killian
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ryan P Badman
- Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - James M Berger
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Michelle D Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Physics Department & LASSP, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Chen Z, Gabizon R, Brown AI, Lee A, Song A, Díaz-Celis C, Kaplan CD, Koslover EF, Yao T, Bustamante C. High-resolution and high-accuracy topographic and transcriptional maps of the nucleosome barrier. eLife 2019; 8:48281. [PMID: 31364986 PMCID: PMC6744274 DOI: 10.7554/elife.48281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleosomes represent mechanical and energetic barriers that RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) must overcome during transcription. A high-resolution description of the barrier topography, its modulation by epigenetic modifications, and their effects on Pol II nucleosome crossing dynamics, is still missing. Here, we obtain topographic and transcriptional (Pol II residence time) maps of canonical, H2A.Z, and monoubiquitinated H2B (uH2B) nucleosomes at near base-pair resolution and accuracy. Pol II crossing dynamics are complex, displaying pauses at specific loci, backtracking, and nucleosome hopping between wrapped states. While H2A.Z widens the barrier, uH2B heightens it, and both modifications greatly lengthen Pol II crossing time. Using the dwell times of Pol II at each nucleosomal position we extract the energetics of the barrier. The orthogonal barrier modifications of H2A.Z and uH2B, and their effects on Pol II dynamics rationalize their observed enrichment in +1 nucleosomes and suggest a mechanism for selective control of gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Chen
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Ronen Gabizon
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Aidan I Brown
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Antony Lee
- Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Aixin Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - César Díaz-Celis
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| | - Craig D Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Elena F Koslover
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, United States
| | - Tingting Yao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, United States
| | - Carlos Bustamante
- Institute for Quantitative Biosciences-QB3, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Jason L Choy Laboratory of Single-Molecule Biophysics, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Biophysics Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States.,Kavli Energy Nanoscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, United States
| |
Collapse
|