1
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Brahmachari S, Tripathi S, Onuchic JN, Levine H. Nucleosomes play a dual role in regulating transcription dynamics. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2319772121. [PMID: 38968124 PMCID: PMC11252751 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2319772121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Transcription has a mechanical component, as the translocation of the transcription machinery or RNA polymerase (RNAP) on DNA or chromatin is dynamically coupled to the chromatin torsion. This posits chromatin mechanics as a possible regulator of eukaryotic transcription, however, the modes and mechanisms of this regulation are elusive. Here, we first take a statistical mechanics approach to model the torsional response of topology-constrained chromatin. Our model recapitulates the experimentally observed weaker torsional stiffness of chromatin compared to bare DNA and proposes structural transitions of nucleosomes into chirally distinct states as the driver of the contrasting torsional mechanics. Coupling chromatin mechanics with RNAP translocation in stochastic simulations, we reveal a complex interplay of DNA supercoiling and nucleosome dynamics in governing RNAP velocity. Nucleosomes play a dual role in controlling the transcription dynamics. The steric barrier aspect of nucleosomes in the gene body counteracts transcription via hindering RNAP motion, whereas the chiral transitions facilitate RNAP motion via driving a low restoring torque upon twisting the DNA. While nucleosomes with low dissociation rates are typically transcriptionally repressive, highly dynamic nucleosomes offer less of a steric barrier and enhance the transcription elongation dynamics of weakly transcribed genes via buffering DNA twist. We use the model to predict transcription-dependent levels of DNA supercoiling in segments of the budding yeast genome that are in accord with available experimental data. The model unveils a paradigm of DNA supercoiling-mediated interaction between genes and makes testable predictions that will guide experimental design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shubham Tripathi
- PhD Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, TX77005
| | - José N. Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX77005
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, TX77005
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX77005
- Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX77005
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA02115
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA02115
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2
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Shepherd JW, Guilbaud S, Zhou Z, Howard JAL, Burman M, Schaefer C, Kerrigan A, Steele-King C, Noy A, Leake MC. Correlating fluorescence microscopy, optical and magnetic tweezers to study single chiral biopolymers such as DNA. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2748. [PMID: 38553446 PMCID: PMC10980717 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47126-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Biopolymer topology is critical for determining interactions inside cell environments, exemplified by DNA where its response to mechanical perturbation is as important as biochemical properties to its cellular roles. The dynamic structures of chiral biopolymers exhibit complex dependence with extension and torsion, however the physical mechanisms underpinning the emergence of structural motifs upon physiological twisting and stretching are poorly understood due to technological limitations in correlating force, torque and spatial localization information. We present COMBI-Tweez (Combined Optical and Magnetic BIomolecule TWEEZers), a transformative tool that overcomes these challenges by integrating optical trapping, time-resolved electromagnetic tweezers, and fluorescence microscopy, demonstrated on single DNA molecules, that can controllably form and visualise higher order structural motifs including plectonemes. This technology combined with cutting-edge MD simulations provides quantitative insight into complex dynamic structures relevant to DNA cellular processes and can be adapted to study a range of filamentous biopolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack W Shepherd
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Sebastien Guilbaud
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Zhaokun Zhou
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jamieson A L Howard
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Matthew Burman
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Charley Schaefer
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Adam Kerrigan
- The York-JEOL Nanocentre, University of York, York, YO10 5BR, England
| | - Clare Steele-King
- Bioscience Technology Facility, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Agnes Noy
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England
| | - Mark C Leake
- School of Physics, Engineering and Technology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England.
- Department of Biology, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, England.
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3
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Brouwer TB, Kaczmarczyk A, Zarguit I, Pham C, Dame RT, van Noort J. Unravelling DNA Organization with Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy Using Magnetic Tweezers. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2819:535-572. [PMID: 39028523 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3930-6_25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Genomes carry the genetic blueprint of all living organisms. Their organization requires strong condensation as well as carefully regulated accessibility to specific genes for proper functioning of their hosts. The study of the structure and dynamics of the proteins that organize the genome has benefited tremendously from the development of single-molecule force spectroscopy techniques that allow for real-time, nanometer accuracy measurements of the compaction of DNA and manipulation with pico-Newton scale forces. Magnetic tweezers, in particular, have the unique ability to complement such force spectroscopy with the control over the linking number of the DNA molecule, which plays an important role when DNA-organizing proteins form or release wraps, loops, and bends in DNA. Here, we describe all the necessary steps to prepare DNA substrates for magnetic tweezers experiments, assemble flow cells, tether DNA to a magnetic bead inside a flow cell, and manipulate and record the extension of such DNA tethers. Furthermore, we explain how mechanical parameters of nucleoprotein filaments can be extracted from the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B Brouwer
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Artur Kaczmarczyk
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Ilias Zarguit
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Chi Pham
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Remus T Dame
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Centre for Microbial Cell Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - John van Noort
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Genome Research, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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4
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Lu W, Onuchic JN, Di Pierro M. An associative memory Hamiltonian model for DNA and nucleosomes. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1011013. [PMID: 36972316 PMCID: PMC10079229 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
A model for DNA and nucleosomes is introduced with the goal of studying chromosomes from a single base level all the way to higher-order chromatin structures. This model, dubbed the Widely Editable Chromatin Model (WEChroM), reproduces the complex mechanics of the double helix including its bending persistence length and twisting persistence length, and their respective temperature dependence. The WEChroM Hamiltonian is composed of chain connectivity, steric interactions, and associative memory terms representing all remaining interactions leading to the structure, dynamics, and mechanical characteristics of the B-DNA. Several applications of this model are discussed to demonstrate its applicability. WEChroM is used to investigate the behavior of circular DNA in the presence of positive and negative supercoiling. We show that it recapitulates the formation of plectonemes and of structural defects that relax mechanical stress. The model spontaneously manifests an asymmetric behavior with respect to positive or negative supercoiling, similar to what was previously observed in experiments. Additionally, we show that the associative memory Hamiltonian is also capable of reproducing the free energy of partial DNA unwrapping from nucleosomes. WEChroM is designed to emulate the continuously variable mechanical properties of the 10nm fiber and, by virtue of its simplicity, is ready to be scaled up to molecular systems large enough to investigate the structural ensembles of genes. WEChroM is implemented in the OpenMM simulation toolkits and is freely available for public use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqi Lu
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, & Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - José N. Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, & Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry, & Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JNO); (MDP)
| | - Michele Di Pierro
- Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (JNO); (MDP)
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5
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Tripathi S, Brahmachari S, Onuchic JN, Levine H. DNA supercoiling-mediated collective behavior of co-transcribing RNA polymerases. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:1269-1279. [PMID: 34951454 PMCID: PMC8860607 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple RNA polymerases (RNAPs) transcribing a gene have been known to exhibit collective group behavior, causing the transcription elongation rate to increase with the rate of transcription initiation. Such behavior has long been believed to be driven by a physical interaction or ‘push’ between closely spaced RNAPs. However, recent studies have posited that RNAPs separated by longer distances may cooperate by modifying the DNA segment under transcription. Here, we present a theoretical model incorporating the mechanical coupling between RNAP translocation and the DNA torsional response. Using stochastic simulations, we demonstrate DNA supercoiling-mediated long-range cooperation between co-transcribing RNAPs. We find that inhibiting transcription initiation can slow down the already recruited RNAPs, in agreement with recent experimental observations, and predict that the average transcription elongation rate varies non-monotonically with the rate of transcription initiation. We further show that while RNAPs transcribing neighboring genes oriented in tandem can cooperate, those transcribing genes in divergent or convergent orientations can act antagonistically, and that such behavior holds over a large range of intergenic separations. Our model makes testable predictions, revealing how the mechanical interplay between RNAPs and the DNA they transcribe can govern transcriptional dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubham Tripathi
- PhD Program in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.,Center for Theoretical Biological Physics & Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - José N Onuchic
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemistry, & Department of Biosciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Herbert Levine
- Center for Theoretical Biological Physics & Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
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6
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Duprey A, Groisman EA. The regulation of DNA supercoiling across evolution. Protein Sci 2021; 30:2042-2056. [PMID: 34398513 PMCID: PMC8442966 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
DNA supercoiling controls a variety of cellular processes, including transcription, recombination, chromosome replication, and segregation, across all domains of life. As a physical property, DNA supercoiling alters the double helix structure by under- or over-winding it. Intriguingly, the evolution of DNA supercoiling reveals both similarities and differences in its properties and regulation across the three domains of life. Whereas all organisms exhibit local, constrained DNA supercoiling, only bacteria and archaea exhibit unconstrained global supercoiling. DNA supercoiling emerges naturally from certain cellular processes and can also be changed by enzymes called topoisomerases. While structurally and mechanistically distinct, topoisomerases that dissipate excessive supercoils exist in all domains of life. By contrast, topoisomerases that introduce positive or negative supercoils exist only in bacteria and archaea. The abundance of topoisomerases is also transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally regulated in domain-specific ways. Nucleoid-associated proteins, metabolites, and physicochemical factors influence DNA supercoiling by acting on the DNA itself or by impacting the activity of topoisomerases. Overall, the unique strategies that organisms have evolved to regulate DNA supercoiling hold significant therapeutic potential, such as bactericidal agents that target bacteria-specific processes or anticancer drugs that hinder abnormal DNA replication by acting on eukaryotic topoisomerases specialized in this process. The investigation of DNA supercoiling therefore reveals general principles, conserved mechanisms, and kingdom-specific variations relevant to a wide range of biological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre Duprey
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Eduardo A. Groisman
- Department of Microbial PathogenesisYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Yale Microbial Sciences InstituteWest HavenConnecticutUSA
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7
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Guo MS, Kawamura R, Littlehale ML, Marko JF, Laub MT. High-resolution, genome-wide mapping of positive supercoiling in chromosomes. eLife 2021; 10:e67236. [PMID: 34279217 PMCID: PMC8360656 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Supercoiling impacts DNA replication, transcription, protein binding to DNA, and the three-dimensional organization of chromosomes. However, there are currently no methods to directly interrogate or map positive supercoils, so their distribution in genomes remains unknown. Here, we describe a method, GapR-seq, based on the chromatin immunoprecipitation of GapR, a bacterial protein that preferentially recognizes overtwisted DNA, for generating high-resolution maps of positive supercoiling. Applying this method to Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we find that positive supercoiling is widespread, associated with transcription, and particularly enriched between convergently oriented genes, consistent with the 'twin-domain' model of supercoiling. In yeast, we also find positive supercoils associated with centromeres, cohesin-binding sites, autonomously replicating sites, and the borders of R-loops (DNA-RNA hybrids). Our results suggest that GapR-seq is a powerful approach, likely applicable in any organism, to investigate aspects of chromosome structure and organization not accessible by Hi-C or other existing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica S Guo
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - Ryo Kawamura
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Megan L Littlehale
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
| | - John F Marko
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern UniversityEvanstonUnited States
| | - Michael T Laub
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridgeUnited States
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8
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Spakman D, Bakx JAM, Biebricher AS, Peterman EJG, Wuite GJL, King GA. Unravelling the mechanisms of Type 1A topoisomerases using single-molecule approaches. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:5470-5492. [PMID: 33963870 PMCID: PMC8191776 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Topoisomerases are essential enzymes that regulate DNA topology. Type 1A family topoisomerases are found in nearly all living organisms and are unique in that they require single-stranded (ss)DNA for activity. These enzymes are vital for maintaining supercoiling homeostasis and resolving DNA entanglements generated during DNA replication and repair. While the catalytic cycle of Type 1A topoisomerases has been long-known to involve an enzyme-bridged ssDNA gate that allows strand passage, a deeper mechanistic understanding of these enzymes has only recently begun to emerge. This knowledge has been greatly enhanced through the combination of biochemical studies and increasingly sophisticated single-molecule assays based on magnetic tweezers, optical tweezers, atomic force microscopy and Förster resonance energy transfer. In this review, we discuss how single-molecule assays have advanced our understanding of the gate opening dynamics and strand-passage mechanisms of Type 1A topoisomerases, as well as the interplay of Type 1A topoisomerases with partner proteins, such as RecQ-family helicases. We also highlight how these assays have shed new light on the likely functional roles of Type 1A topoisomerases in vivo and discuss recent developments in single-molecule technologies that could be applied to further enhance our understanding of these essential enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dian Spakman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Julia A M Bakx
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Andreas S Biebricher
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - 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
| | - Graeme A King
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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9
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Sengar A, Ouldridge TE, Henrich O, Rovigatti L, Šulc P. A Primer on the oxDNA Model of DNA: When to Use it, How to Simulate it and How to Interpret the Results. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:693710. [PMID: 34235181 PMCID: PMC8256390 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.693710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The oxDNA model of Deoxyribonucleic acid has been applied widely to systems in biology, biophysics and nanotechnology. It is currently available via two independent open source packages. Here we present a set of clearly documented exemplar simulations that simultaneously provide both an introduction to simulating the model, and a review of the model's fundamental properties. We outline how simulation results can be interpreted in terms of-and feed into our understanding of-less detailed models that operate at larger length scales, and provide guidance on whether simulating a system with oxDNA is worthwhile.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Sengar
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - T. E. Ouldridge
- Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - O. Henrich
- Department of Physics, SUPA, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - L. Rovigatti
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - P. Šulc
- Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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10
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Single-molecule micromanipulation studies of methylated DNA. Biophys J 2021; 120:2148-2155. [PMID: 33838135 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.03.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytosine methylated at the five-carbon position is the most widely studied reversible DNA modification. Prior findings indicate that methylation can alter mechanical properties. However, those findings were qualitative and sometimes contradictory, leaving many aspects unclear. By applying single-molecule magnetic force spectroscopy techniques allowing for direct manipulation and dynamic observation of DNA mechanics and mechanically driven strand separation, we investigated how CpG and non-CpG cytosine methylation affects DNA micromechanical properties. We quantitatively characterized DNA stiffness using persistence length measurements from force-extension curves in the nanoscale length regime and demonstrated that cytosine methylation results in longer contour length and increased DNA flexibility (i.e., decreased persistence length). In addition, we observed the preferential formation of plectonemes over unwound single-stranded "bubbles" of DNA under physiologically relevant stretching forces and supercoiling densities. The flexibility and high structural stability of methylated DNA is likely to have significant consequences on the recruitment of proteins recognizing cytosine methylation and DNA packaging.
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11
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Brouwer TB, Hermans N, van Noort J. Multiplexed Nanometric 3D Tracking of Microbeads Using an FFT-Phasor Algorithm. Biophys J 2020; 118:2245-2257. [PMID: 32053775 PMCID: PMC7202940 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Many single-molecule biophysical techniques rely on nanometric tracking of microbeads to obtain quantitative information about the mechanical properties of biomolecules such as chromatin fibers. Their three-dimensional (3D) position can be resolved by holographic analysis of the diffraction pattern in wide-field imaging. Fitting this diffraction pattern to Lorenz-Mie scattering theory yields the bead's position with nanometer accuracy in three dimensions but is computationally expensive. Real-time multiplexed bead tracking therefore requires a more efficient tracking method, such as comparison with previously measured diffraction patterns, known as look-up tables. Here, we introduce an alternative 3D phasor algorithm that provides robust bead tracking with nanometric localization accuracy in a z range of over 10 μm under nonoptimal imaging conditions. The algorithm is based on a two-dimensional cross correlation using fast Fourier transforms with computer-generated reference images, yielding a processing rate of up to 10,000 regions of interest per second. We implemented the technique in magnetic tweezers and tracked the 3D position of over 100 beads in real time on a generic CPU. The accuracy of 3D phasor tracking was extensively tested and compared to a look-up table approach using Lorenz-Mie simulations, avoiding experimental uncertainties. Its easy implementation, efficiency, and robustness can improve multiplexed biophysical bead-tracking applications, especially when high throughput is required and image artifacts are difficult to avoid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B Brouwer
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Nicolaas Hermans
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - John van Noort
- Biological and Soft Matter Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
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12
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Kaczmarczyk A, Meng H, Ordu O, Noort JV, Dekker NH. Chromatin fibers stabilize nucleosomes under torsional stress. Nat Commun 2020; 11:126. [PMID: 31913285 PMCID: PMC6949304 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13891-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Torsional stress generated during DNA replication and transcription has been suggested to facilitate nucleosome unwrapping and thereby the progression of polymerases. However, the propagation of twist in condensed chromatin remains yet unresolved. Here, we measure how force and torque impact chromatin fibers with a nucleosome repeat length of 167 and 197. We find that both types of fibers fold into a left-handed superhelix that can be stabilized by positive torsion. We observe that the structural changes induced by twist were reversible, indicating that chromatin has a large degree of elasticity. Our direct measurements of torque confirmed the hypothesis of chromatin fibers as a twist buffer. Using a statistical mechanics-based torsional spring model, we extracted values of the chromatin twist modulus and the linking number per stacked nucleosome that were in good agreement with values measured here experimentally. Overall, our findings indicate that the supercoiling generated by DNA-processing enzymes, predicted by the twin-supercoiled domain model, can be largely accommodated by the higher-order structure of chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Kaczmarczyk
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
- Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, Du Cane Road, W12 0NN, London, United Kingdom
| | - He Meng
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Orkide Ordu
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - John van Noort
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Nynke H Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, van der Maasweg 9, 2629 HZ, Delft, The Netherlands.
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13
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Brahmachari S, Dittmore A, Takagi Y, Neuman KC, Marko JF. Defect-facilitated buckling in supercoiled double-helix DNA. Phys Rev E 2018; 97:022416. [PMID: 29548184 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.97.022416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
We present a statistical-mechanical model for stretched twisted double-helix DNA, where thermal fluctuations are treated explicitly from a Hamiltonian without using any scaling hypotheses. Our model applied to defect-free supercoiled DNA describes the coexistence of multiple plectoneme domains in long DNA molecules at physiological salt concentrations (≈0.1M Na^{+}) and stretching forces (≈1pN). We find a higher (lower) number of domains at lower (higher) ionic strengths and stretching forces, in accord with experimental observations. We use our model to study the effect of an immobile point defect on the DNA contour that allows a localized kink. The degree of the kink is controlled by the defect size, such that a larger defect further reduces the bending energy of the defect-facilitated kinked end loop. We find that a defect can spatially pin a plectoneme domain via nucleation of a kinked end loop, in accord with experiments and simulations. Our model explains previously reported magnetic tweezer experiments [A. Dittmore et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 147801 (2017)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.119.147801] showing two buckling signatures: buckling and "rebuckling" in supercoiled DNA with a base-unpaired region. Comparing with experiments, we find that under 1 pN force, a kinked end loop nucleated at a base-mismatched site reduces the bending energy by ≈0.7 k_{B}T per unpaired base. Our model predicts the coexistence of three states at the buckling and rebuckling transitions, which warrants new experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumitabha Brahmachari
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
| | - Andrew Dittmore
- Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Yasuharu Takagi
- Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Keir C Neuman
- Laboratory of Single Molecule Biophysics, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - John F Marko
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.,Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA
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14
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Structure and Properties of DNA Molecules Over The Full Range of Biologically Relevant Supercoiling States. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6163. [PMID: 29670174 PMCID: PMC5906655 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24499-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Topology affects physical and biological properties of DNA and impacts fundamental cellular processes, such as gene expression, genome replication, chromosome structure and segregation. In all organisms DNA topology is carefully modulated and the supercoiling degree of defined genome regions may change according to physiological and environmental conditions. Elucidation of structural properties of DNA molecules with different topology may thus help to better understand genome functions. Whereas a number of structural studies have been published on highly negatively supercoiled DNA molecules, only preliminary observations of highly positively supercoiled are available, and a description of DNA structural properties over the full range of supercoiling degree is lacking. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool to study DNA structure at single molecule level. We here report a comprehensive analysis by AFM of DNA plasmid molecules with defined supercoiling degree, covering the full spectrum of biologically relevant topologies, under different observation conditions. Our data, supported by statistical and biochemical analyses, revealed striking differences in the behavior of positive and negative plasmid molecules.
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15
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Brouwer TB, Kaczmarczyk A, Pham C, van Noort J. Unraveling DNA Organization with Single-Molecule Force Spectroscopy Using Magnetic Tweezers. Methods Mol Biol 2018; 1837:317-349. [PMID: 30109618 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8675-0_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genomes carry the genetic blueprint of all living organisms. Their organization requires strong condensation as well as carefully regulated accessibility to specific genes for proper functioning of their hosts. The study of the structure and dynamics of the proteins that organize the genome has benefited tremendously from the development of single-molecule force spectroscopy techniques that allow for real-time, nanometer accuracy measurements of the compaction of DNA and manipulation with pico-Newton scale forces. Magnetic tweezers in particular have the unique ability to complement such force spectroscopy with the control over the linking number of the DNA molecule, which plays an important role when DNA organizing proteins form or release wraps, loops, and bends in DNA. Here, we describe all the necessary steps to prepare DNA substrates for magnetic tweezers experiments, assemble flow cells, tether DNA to magnetics bead inside flow cell, and manipulate and record the extension of such DNA tethers. Furthermore, we explain how mechanical parameters of nucleo-protein filaments can be extracted from the data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B Brouwer
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, Leiden, CA, The Netherlands
| | - Artur Kaczmarczyk
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, Leiden, CA, The Netherlands
| | - Chi Pham
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, Leiden, CA, The Netherlands
| | - John van Noort
- Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden Institute of Physics, Leiden University, Niels Bohrweg 2, Leiden, CA, The Netherlands.
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16
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Abstract
Optical tweezers are flexible and powerful single-molecule tools that have been extensively utilized in biophysical studies. With their ability to stretch and twist DNA, and measure its force and torque simultaneously, they provide excellent opportunities to gain novel insights into the function of protein motors and protein-DNA interactions. Recently, a novel DNA supercoiling assay using an angular optical tweezers (AOT) has been developed to investigate torque generation during transcription. Here, we provide a detailed and practical guide to performing this technique. Using bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP) as an example, we present protocols for constructing and calibrating an AOT instrument, preparing DNA templates, and acquiring and analyzing real-time data for transcription under DNA supercoiling. While these protocols were initially developed with E. coli RNAP, they can be readily adapted to study other DNA-based motor proteins.
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17
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Hermans N, Huisman JJ, Brouwer TB, Schächner C, van Heusden GPH, Griesenbeck J, van Noort J. Toehold-enhanced LNA probes for selective pull down and single-molecule analysis of native chromatin. Sci Rep 2017; 7:16721. [PMID: 29196662 PMCID: PMC5711847 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-16864-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 11/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The organization of DNA into chromatin is thought to regulate gene expression in eukaryotes. To study its structure in vitro, there is a need for techniques that can isolate specific chromosomal loci of natively assembled chromatin. Current purification methods often involve chemical cross-linking to preserve the chromatin composition. However, such cross-linking may affect the native structure. It also impedes single molecule force spectroscopy experiments, which have been instrumental to probe chromatin folding. Here we present a method for the incorporation of affinity tags, such as biotin, into native nucleoprotein fragments based on their DNA sequence, and subsequent single molecule analysis by magnetic tweezers. DNA oligos with several Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) nucleotides are shown to selectively bind to target DNA at room temperature, mediated by a toehold end in the target, allowing for selective purification of DNA fragments. The stability of the probe-target hybrid is sufficient to withstand over 65 pN of force. We employ these probes to obtain force-extension curves of native chromatin fragments of the 18S ribosomal DNA from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These experiments yield valuable insights in the heterogeneity in structure and composition of natively assembled chromatin at the single-molecule level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolaas Hermans
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Niels Bohrweg, 2 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Juriën Jori Huisman
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Niels Bohrweg, 2 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Bauke Brouwer
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Niels Bohrweg, 2 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Christopher Schächner
- Universität Regensburg, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg (BZR), Institut für Biochemie, Genetik und Mikrobiologie, Lehrstuhl Biochemie III, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - G Paul H van Heusden
- Department of Molecular and Developmental Genetics, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Joachim Griesenbeck
- Universität Regensburg, Biochemie-Zentrum Regensburg (BZR), Institut für Biochemie, Genetik und Mikrobiologie, Lehrstuhl Biochemie III, 93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - John van Noort
- Leiden Institute of Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Niels Bohrweg, 2 2333 CA, Leiden, The Netherlands.
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18
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Krajina BA, Spakowitz AJ. Large-Scale Conformational Transitions in Supercoiled DNA Revealed by Coarse-Grained Simulation. Biophys J 2017; 111:1339-1349. [PMID: 27705758 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.07.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 07/26/2016] [Accepted: 07/28/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Topological constraints, such as those associated with DNA supercoiling, play an integral role in genomic regulation and organization in living systems. However, physical understanding of the principles that underlie DNA organization at biologically relevant length scales remains a formidable challenge. We develop a coarse-grained simulation approach for predicting equilibrium conformations of supercoiled DNA. Our methodology enables the study of supercoiled DNA molecules at greater length scales and supercoiling densities than previously explored by simulation. With this approach, we study the conformational transitions that arise due to supercoiling across the full range of supercoiling densities that are commonly explored by living systems. Simulations of ring DNA molecules with lengths at the scale of topological domains in the Escherichia coli chromosome (∼10 kilobases) reveal large-scale conformational transitions elicited by supercoiling. The conformational transitions result in three supercoiling conformational regimes that are governed by a competition among chiral coils, extended plectonemes, and branched hyper-supercoils. These results capture the nonmonotonic relationship of size versus degree of supercoiling observed in experimental sedimentation studies of supercoiled DNA, and our results provide a physical explanation of the conformational transitions underlying this behavior. The length scales and supercoiling regimes investigated here coincide with those relevant to transcription-coupled remodeling of supercoiled topological domains, and we discuss possible implications of these findings in terms of the interplay between transcription and topology in bacterial chromosome organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad A Krajina
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Andrew J Spakowitz
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California; Biophysics Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California.
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19
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Salerno D, Beretta GL, Zanchetta G, Brioschi S, Cristofalo M, Missana N, Nardo L, Cassina V, Tempestini A, Giovannoni R, Cerrito MG, Zaffaroni N, Bellini T, Mantegazza F. Platinum-Based Drugs and DNA Interactions Studied by Single-Molecule and Bulk Measurements. Biophys J 2017; 110:2151-61. [PMID: 27224480 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Revised: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Platinum-containing molecules are widely used as anticancer drugs. These molecules exert cytotoxic effects by binding to DNA through various mechanisms. The binding between DNA and platinum-based drugs hinders the opening of DNA, and therefore, DNA duplication and transcription are severely hampered. Overall, impeding the above-mentioned important DNA mechanisms results in irreversible DNA damage and the induction of apoptosis. Several molecules, including multinuclear platinum compounds, belong to the family of platinum drugs, and there is a body of research devoted to developing more efficient and less toxic versions of these compounds. In this study, we combined different biophysical methods, including single-molecule assays (magnetic tweezers) and bulk experiments (ultraviolet absorption for thermal denaturation) to analyze the differential stability of double-stranded DNA in complex with either cisplatin or multinuclear platinum agents. Specifically, we analyzed how the binding of BBR3005 and BBR3464, two representative multinuclear platinum-based compounds, to DNA affects its stability as compared with cisplatin binding. Our results suggest that single-molecule approaches can provide insights into the drug-DNA interactions that underlie drug potency and provide information that is complementary to that generated from bulk analysis; thus, single-molecule approaches have the potential to facilitate the selection and design of optimized drug compounds. In particular, relevant differences in DNA stability at the single-molecule level are demonstrated by analyzing nanomechanically induced DNA denaturation. On the basis of the comparison between the single-molecule and bulk analyses, we suggest that transplatinated drugs are able to locally destabilize small portions of the DNA chain, whereas other regions are stabilized.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Giovanni L Beretta
- Dipartimento di Oncologia Sperimentale e Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Giuliano Zanchetta
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Translazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Segrate, Italy
| | - Simone Brioschi
- School of Medicine, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | | | - Natalia Missana
- School of Medicine, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Luca Nardo
- School of Medicine, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Valeria Cassina
- School of Medicine, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | | | - Roberto Giovannoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | | | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Dipartimento di Oncologia Sperimentale e Medicina Molecolare, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milano, Italy
| | - Tommaso Bellini
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Mediche e Medicina Translazionale, Università degli Studi di Milano, Segrate, Italy
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20
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Lepage T, Junier I. Modeling Bacterial DNA: Simulation of Self-Avoiding Supercoiled Worm-Like Chains Including Structural Transitions of the Helix. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1624:323-337. [PMID: 28842893 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7098-8_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Under supercoiling constraints, naked DNA, such as a large part of bacterial DNA, folds into braided structures called plectonemes. The double-helix can also undergo local structural transitions, leading to the formation of denaturation bubbles and other alternative structures. Various polymer models have been developed to capture these properties, with Monte-Carlo (MC) approaches dedicated to the inference of thermodynamic properties. In this chapter, we explain how to perform such Monte-Carlo simulations, following two objectives. On one hand, we present the self-avoiding supercoiled Worm-Like Chain (ssWLC) model, which is known to capture the folding properties of supercoiled DNA, and provide a detailed explanation of a standard MC simulation method. On the other hand, we explain how to extend this ssWLC model to include structural transitions of the helix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Lepage
- CNRS, TIMC-IMAG, F-38000, Grenoble, France.,University of Grenoble Alpes, TIMC-IMAG, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Ivan Junier
- CNRS, TIMC-IMAG, F-38000, Grenoble, France. .,University of Grenoble Alpes, TIMC-IMAG, F-38000, Grenoble, France.
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21
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Berghuis BA, Köber M, van Laar T, Dekker NH. High-throughput, high-force probing of DNA-protein interactions with magnetic tweezers. Methods 2016; 105:90-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2016.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2015] [Revised: 03/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
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22
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King GA, Peterman EJG, Wuite GJL. Unravelling the structural plasticity of stretched DNA under torsional constraint. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11810. [PMID: 27263853 PMCID: PMC4897764 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2015] [Accepted: 04/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Regions of the genome are often held under torsional constraint. Nevertheless, the influence of such constraint on DNA-protein interactions during genome metabolism is still poorly understood. Here using a combined optical tweezers and fluorescence microscope, we quantify and explain how torsional constraint influences the structural stability of DNA under applied tension. We provide direct evidence that concomitant basepair melting and helical unwinding can occur in torsionally constrained DNA at forces >∼50 pN. This striking result indicates that local changes in linking number can be absorbed by the rest of the DNA duplex. We also present compelling new evidence that an overwound DNA structure (likely P-DNA) is created (alongside underwound structures) at forces >∼110 pN. These findings substantiate previous theoretical predictions and highlight a remarkable structural plasticity of torsionally constrained DNA. Such plasticity may be required in vivo to absorb local changes in linking number in DNA held under torsional constraint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graeme A King
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and LaserLaB Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - 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
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23
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Vlijm R, v.d. Torre J, Dekker C. Counterintuitive DNA Sequence Dependence in Supercoiling-Induced DNA Melting. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141576. [PMID: 26513573 PMCID: PMC4625975 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The metabolism of DNA in cells relies on the balance between hybridized double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and local de-hybridized regions of ssDNA that provide access to binding proteins. Traditional melting experiments, in which short pieces of dsDNA are heated up until the point of melting into ssDNA, have determined that AT-rich sequences have a lower binding energy than GC-rich sequences. In cells, however, the double-stranded backbone of DNA is destabilized by negative supercoiling, and not by temperature. To investigate what the effect of GC content is on DNA melting induced by negative supercoiling, we studied DNA molecules with a GC content ranging from 38% to 77%, using single-molecule magnetic tweezer measurements in which the length of a single DNA molecule is measured as a function of applied stretching force and supercoiling density. At low force (<0.5pN), supercoiling results into twisting of the dsDNA backbone and loop formation (plectonemes), without inducing any DNA melting. This process was not influenced by the DNA sequence. When negative supercoiling is introduced at increasing force, local melting of DNA is introduced. We measured for the different DNA molecules a characteristic force Fchar, at which negative supercoiling induces local melting of the dsDNA. Surprisingly, GC-rich sequences melt at lower forces than AT-rich sequences: Fchar = 0.56pN for 77% GC but 0.73pN for 38% GC. An explanation for this counterintuitive effect is provided by the realization that supercoiling densities of a few percent only induce melting of a few percent of the base pairs. As a consequence, denaturation bubbles occur in local AT-rich regions and the sequence-dependent effect arises from an increased DNA bending/torsional energy associated with the plectonemes. This new insight indicates that an increased GC-content adjacent to AT-rich DNA regions will enhance local opening of the double-stranded DNA helix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rifka Vlijm
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Jaco v.d. Torre
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Cees Dekker
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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24
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Vlijm R, Mashaghi A, Bernard S, Modesti M, Dekker C. Experimental phase diagram of negatively supercoiled DNA measured by magnetic tweezers and fluorescence. NANOSCALE 2015; 7:3205-3216. [PMID: 25615283 DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04332d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The most common form of DNA is the well-known B-structure of double-helix DNA. Many processes in the cell, however, exert force and torque, inducing structural changes to the DNA that are vital to biological function. Virtually all DNA in cells is in a state of negative supercoiling, with a DNA structure that is complex. Using magnetic tweezers combined with fluorescence imaging, we here study DNA structure as a function of negative supercoiling at the single-molecule level. We classify DNA phases based on DNA length as a function of supercoiling, down to a very high negative supercoiling density σ of -2.5, and forces up to 4.5 pN. We characterize plectonemes using fluorescence imaging. DNA bubbles are visualized by the binding of fluorescently labelled RPA, a eukaryotic single-strand-binding protein. The presence of Z-DNA, a left-handed form of DNA, is probed by the binding of Zα77, the minimal binding domain of a Z-DNA-binding protein. Without supercoiling, DNA is in the relaxed B-form. Upon going toward negative supercoiling, plectonemic B-DNA is being formed below 0.6 pN. At higher forces and supercoiling densities down to about -1.9, a mixed state occurs with plectonemes, multiple bubbles and left-handed L-DNA. Around σ = -1.9, a buckling transition occurs after which the DNA end-to-end length linearly decreases when applying more negative turns, into a state that we interpret as plectonemic L-DNA. By measuring DNA length, Zα77 binding, plectoneme and ssDNA visualisation, we thus have mapped the co-existence of many DNA structures and experimentally determined the DNA phase diagram at (extreme) negative supercoiling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rifka Vlijm
- Department of Bionanoscience, Kavli Institute of Nanoscience, Delft University of Technology, Lorentzweg 1, 2628 CJ Delft, The Netherlands.
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25
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Plectoneme tip bubbles: coupled denaturation and writhing in supercoiled DNA. Sci Rep 2015; 5:7655. [PMID: 25563652 PMCID: PMC5224516 DOI: 10.1038/srep07655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 12/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We predict a novel conformational regime for DNA, where denaturation bubbles form at the tips of plectonemes, and study its properties using coarse-grained simulations. For negative supercoiling, this regime lies between bubble-dominated and plectoneme-dominated phases, and explains the broad transition between the two observed in experiment. Tip bubbles cause localisation of plectonemes within thermodynamically weaker AT-rich sequences, and can greatly suppress plectoneme diffusion by a pinning mechanism. They occur for supercoiling densities and forces that are typically encountered for DNA in vivo, and may be exploited for biological control of genomic processes.
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26
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Fathizadeh A, Schiessel H, Ejtehadi MR. Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Supercoiled DNA Rings. Macromolecules 2014. [DOI: 10.1021/ma501660w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Arman Fathizadeh
- School
of Physics, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences (IPM), Tehran, Iran
- Institute
for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Helmut Schiessel
- Instituut-Lorentz
for Theoretical Physics, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mohammad Reza Ejtehadi
- Department
of Physics, Sharif University of Technology, P.O. Box 11155-8639, Tehran, Iran
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