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Laksmi FA, Dewi KS, Nuryana I, Yulianti SE, Ramadhan KP, Hadi MI, Nugraha Y. High-level expression of codon-optimized Taq DNA polymerase under the control of rhaBAD promoter. Anal Biochem 2024; 692:115581. [PMID: 38815728 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2024.115581] [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] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
A DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus remains the most popular among DNA polymerases. It was widely applied in various fields involving the application of polymerase chain reaction (PCR), implying the high commercial value of this enzyme. For this reason, an attempt to obtain a high yield of Taq DNA polymerase is continuously conducted. In this study, the l-rhamnose-inducible promoter rhaBAD was utilized due to its ability to produce recombinant protein under tight control in E. coli expression system. Instead of full-length Taq polymerase, an N-terminal deletion of Taq polymerase was selected. To obtain a high-level expression, we attempted to optimize the codon by reducing the rare codon and GC content, and in a second attempt, we optimized the culture conditions for protein expression. The production of Taq polymerase using the optimum culture condition improved the level of expression by up to 3-fold. This approach further proved that a high level of recombinant protein expression could be achieved by yielding a purified Taq polymerase of about 8.5 mg/L of culture. This is the first research publication on the production of Taq polymerase with N-terminal deletion in E. coli with the control of the rhaBAD promoter system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fina Amreta Laksmi
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, West Java, Indonesia.
| | - Kartika Sari Dewi
- Research Center for Genetic Engineering, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Isa Nuryana
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Siti Eka Yulianti
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Kharisma Panji Ramadhan
- Research Center for Applied Microbiology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, West Java, Indonesia
| | - Moch Irfan Hadi
- Department of Biology, Sunan Ampel State Islamic University, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Yudhi Nugraha
- Research Center for Molecular Biology Eijkman, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jalan Raya Bogor KM 46, Cibinong, Bogor, 16911, West Java, Indonesia.
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2
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Laatri S, El Khayari S, Qriouet Z. Exploring the molecular aspect and updating evolutionary approaches to the DNA polymerase enzymes for biotechnological needs: A comprehensive review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 276:133924. [PMID: 39033894 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 07/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
DNA polymerases are essential enzymes that play a key role in living organisms, as they participate in the synthesis and maintenance of the DNA molecule. The intrinsic properties of these enzymes have been widely observed and studied to understand their functions, activities, and behavior, which has allowed their natural power in DNA synthesis to be exploited in modern biotechnology, to the point of making them true pillars of the field. In this context, the laboratory evolution of these enzymes, either by directed evolution or rational design, has led to the generation of a wide range of new DNA polymerases with novel properties, suitable for a variety of biotechnological needs. In this review, we examine DNA polymerases at the molecular level, their biotechnological use, and their evolutionary methods in relation to the novel properties sought, providing a chronological selection of evolved DNA polymerases cited in the literature that we consider to be of great interest. To our knowledge, this work is the first to bring together the molecular, functional and evolutionary aspects of the DNA polymerase enzyme. We believe it will be of great interest to researchers whose aim is to produce new lines of evolved DNA polymerases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Said Laatri
- Microbiology and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V-Souissi University, Rabat 10100, Morocco.
| | | | - Zidane Qriouet
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Mohammed V-Souissi University, Rabat 10100, Morocco
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3
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Doganay MT, Roman E, Hujer AM, Bonomo RA, Deeks SG, Kuritzkes DR, Draz MS. AMPLON: Amplifying DNA with Multiarm Priming and Looping Optimization of Nucleic Acid. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2311634. [PMID: 38657970 PMCID: PMC11239297 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202311634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification, the bedrock of biotechnology and molecular diagnostics, surges in applications-especially isothermal approaches-heightening the demand for advanced and precisely engineered methods. Here, a novel approach for amplifying DNA with multiarm priming and looping optimization of nucleic acid (AMPLON) is presented. AMPLON relies on a novel polymeric material with unique set of multiarm polyethylene glycol-DNA primers for efficient DNA amplification under isothermal conditions. Each arm carries single-stranded DNA complementing the sense or antisense sequence of the target DNA. The amplification reaction begins with antisense arms binding to the target DNA, forming a template for sense-carrying arms to direct multiarm large DNA amplicon synthesis through successive DNA looping and unlooping steps. Using human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) as a model clinical target, AMPLON exhibits high sensitivity, detecting target concentrations as low as 100 copies mL-1. Compared to a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay using sensitive primers, AMPLON reliably identifies HIV-1 RNA in plasma samples (n = 20) with a significant agreement rate of 95%. With its ability to achieve highly specific and sensitive target amplification within 30 min, AMPLON holds immense potential to transform the field of nucleic acid research and unleashing new possibilities in medicine and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mert Tunca Doganay
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Ethan Roman
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Andrea M. Hujer
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Robert A. Bonomo
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Research Service, Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Steven G. Deeks
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Daniel R. Kuritzkes
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02139, USA
| | - Mohamed S. Draz
- Department of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
- Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
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4
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Zhang S, Zhou N, Chen J, Li Q, Wang Y, Sun W, Lv C. DNA Polymerase-Endonuclease Efficiently Synthesizes DNA to Prepare DNA Materials and Develop Novel Signal Amplification System. Anal Chem 2024; 96:9285-9293. [PMID: 38768388 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.4c01964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
DNA biosynthesis, a focus of fundamental and applied research, typically involves DNA polymerases by using templates, primers, and dNTPs. Some polymerases can polymerize dNTPs for DNA de novo synthesis, although this is generally to occur randomly. This novel synthesis method has garnered our attention and practical use. Herein, we observed that the addition of endonuclease significantly enhances the efficiency of the de novo synthesis reaction catalyzed by the DNA polymerase. We further investigated the reaction conditions that influence this efficiency. Building on the optimal reaction conditions, we developed a rapid and efficient strategy for preparing DNA hydrogel. Further, coupled with the CRISPR-Cas system, we developed a nucleic acid signal amplification system characterized by versatility, sensitivity, specificity, and no risk of aerosol contamination. We successfully detected viral nucleic acids in clinical samples. In summary, our study demonstrates the significant potential of DNA polymerase- and endonuclease-catalyzed DNA de novo synthesis in diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Zhang
- Department of Emergency Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P. R. China
| | - Ning Zhou
- Central People's Hospital of Zhanjiang, Zhanjiang, Guangdong 524045, P. R. China
| | - Jiao Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P. R. China
| | - Quan Li
- Department of Emergency Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P. R. China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Emergency Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P. R. China
| | - Wen Sun
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P. R. China
| | - ChuanZhu Lv
- Department of Emergency Medicine Center, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan 610000, P. R. China
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Hernández-Rollán C, Ehrmann AK, Vlassis A, Kandasamy V, Nørholm MHH. Neq2X7: a multi-purpose and open-source fusion DNA polymerase for advanced DNA engineering and diagnostics PCR. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:17. [PMID: 38566117 PMCID: PMC10988834 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00844-7] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Thermostable DNA polymerases, such as Taq isolated from the thermophilic bacterium Thermus aquaticus, enable one-pot exponential DNA amplification known as polymerase chain reaction (PCR). However, properties other than thermostability - such as fidelity, processivity, and compatibility with modified nucleotides - are important in contemporary molecular biology applications. Here, we describe the engineering and characterization of a fusion between a DNA polymerase identified in the marine archaea Nanoarchaeum equitans and a DNA binding domain from the thermophile Sulfolobus solfataricus. The fusion creates a highly active enzyme, Neq2X7, capable of amplifying long and GC-rich DNA, unaffected by replacing dTTP with dUTP in PCR, and tolerant to various known PCR inhibitors. This makes it an attractive DNA polymerase for use, e.g., with uracil excision (USER) DNA assembly and for contamination-free diagnostics. Using a magnification via nucleotide imbalance fidelity assay, Neq2X7 was estimated to have an error rate lower than 2 ∙ 10-5 bp-1 and an approximately 100x lower fidelity than the parental variant Neq2X, indicating a trade-off between fidelity and processivity - an observation that may be of importance for similarly engineered DNA polymerases. Neq2X7 is easy to produce for routine application in any molecular biology laboratory, and the expression plasmid is made freely available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Hernández-Rollán
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 220, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
| | - Anja K Ehrmann
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 220, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
| | - Arsenios Vlassis
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 220, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
| | - Vijayalakshmi Kandasamy
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 220, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark
| | - Morten H H Nørholm
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Søltofts Plads, Building 220, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark.
- Mycropt ApS, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark.
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6
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Kuznetsova AA, Kuznetsov NA. Direct Enzyme Engineering of B Family DNA Polymerases for Biotechnological Approaches. Bioengineering (Basel) 2023; 10:1150. [PMID: 37892880 PMCID: PMC10604792 DOI: 10.3390/bioengineering10101150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA-dependent DNA polymerases have been intensively studied for more than 60 years and underlie numerous biotechnological and diagnostic applications. In vitro, DNA polymerases are used for DNA manipulations, including cloning, PCR, site-directed mutagenesis, sequencing, and others. Understanding the mechanisms of action of DNA polymerases is important for the creation of new enzymes possessing improved or modified properties. This review is focused on archaeal family B DNA polymerases. These enzymes have high fidelity and thermal stability and are finding many applications in molecular biological methods. Nevertheless, the search for and construction of new DNA polymerases with altered properties is constantly underway, including enzymes for synthetic biology. This brief review describes advances in the development of family B DNA polymerases for PCR, synthesis of xeno-nucleic acids, and reverse transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra A. Kuznetsova
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), 8 Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Nikita A. Kuznetsov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), 8 Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, 2 Pirogova Str., Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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7
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Bai J, Zou J, Cao Y, Du Y, Chen T. Recognition of an Unnatural Base Pair by Tool Enzymes from Bacteriophages and Its Application in the Enzymatic Preparation of DNA with an Expanded Genetic Alphabet. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:2676-2690. [PMID: 37590442 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00250] [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: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Unnatural base pairs (UBPs) have been developed to expand the genetic alphabet in vitro and in vivo. UBP dNaM-dTPT3 and its analogues have been successfully used to construct the first set of semi-synthetic organisms, which suggested the great potential of UBPs to be used for producing novel synthetic biological parts. Two prerequisites for doing so are the facile manipulation of DNA containing UBPs with common tool enzymes, including DNA polymerases and ligases, and the easy availability of UBP-containing DNA strands. Besides, for the application of UBPs in phage synthetic biology, the recognition of UBPs by phage enzymes is essential. Here, we first explore the recognition of dNaM-dTPT3 by a family B DNA polymerase from bacteriophage, T4 DNA polymerase D219A. Results from primer extension, steady-state kinetics, and gap-filling experiments suggest that T4 DNA polymerase D219A can efficiently and faithfully replicate dNaM-dTPT3, and efficiently fill a gap by inserting dTPT3TP or its analogues opposite dNaM. We then systematically explore the recognition of dNaM-dTPT3 and its analogues by different DNA ligases from bacteriophages and find that these DNA ligases are generally able to efficiently ligate the DNA nick next to dNaM-dTPT3 or its analogues, albeit with slightly different efficiencies. These results suggest more enzymatic tools for the manipulation of dNaM-dTPT3 and indicate the potential use of dNaM-dTPT3 for expanding the genetic alphabet in bacteriophages. Based on these results, we next develop and comprehensively optimize an upgraded method for enzymatic preparation of unnatural nucleobase (UB)-containing DNA oligonucleotides with good simplicity and universality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsi Bai
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Jinrong Zou
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Yijun Cao
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Yuhui Du
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
| | - Tingjian Chen
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, P. R. China
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8
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Zasedateleva OA, Surzhikov SA, Kuznetsova VE, Shershov VE, Barsky VE, Zasedatelev AS, Chudinov AV. Non-Covalent Interactions between dUTP C5-Substituents and DNA Polymerase Decrease PCR Efficiency. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13643. [PMID: 37686447 PMCID: PMC10487964 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713643] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The approach based on molecular modeling was developed to study dNTP derivatives characterized by new polymerase-specific properties. For this purpose, the relative efficiency of PCR amplification with modified dUTPs was studied using Taq, Tth, Pfu, Vent, Deep Vent, Vent (exo-), and Deep Vent (exo-) DNA polymerases. The efficiency of PCR amplification with modified dUTPs was compared with the results of molecular modeling using the known 3D structures of KlenTaq polymerase-DNA-dNTP complexes. The dUTPs were C5-modified with bulky functional groups (the Cy5 dye analogs) or lighter aromatic groups. Comparing the experimental data and the results of molecular modeling revealed the decrease in PCR efficiency in the presence of modified dUTPs with an increase in the number of non-covalent bonds between the substituents and the DNA polymerase (about 15% decrease per one extra non-covalent bond). Generalization of the revealed patterns to all the studied polymerases of the A and B families is discussed herein. The number of non-covalent bonds between the substituents and polymerase amino acid residues is proposed to be a potentially variable parameter for regulating enzyme activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga A. Zasedateleva
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 32 Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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9
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Wang Y, Shi Y, Hellinga HW, Beese LS. Thermally controlled intein splicing of engineered DNA polymerases provides a robust and generalizable solution for accurate and sensitive molecular diagnostics. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5883-5894. [PMID: 37166959 PMCID: PMC10287962 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad368] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases are essential for nucleic acid synthesis, cloning, sequencing and molecular diagnostics technologies. Conditional intein splicing is a powerful tool for controlling enzyme reactions. We have engineered a thermal switch into thermostable DNA polymerases from two structurally distinct polymerase families by inserting a thermally activated intein domain into a surface loop that is integral to the polymerase active site, thereby blocking DNA or RNA template access. The fusion proteins are inactive, but retain their structures, such that the intein excises during a heat pulse delivered at 70-80°C to generate spliced, active polymerases. This straightforward thermal activation step provides a highly effective, one-component 'hot-start' control of PCR reactions that enables accurate target amplification by minimizing unwanted by-products generated by off-target reactions. In one engineered enzyme, derived from Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase, both DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase activities are controlled by the intein, enabling single-reagent amplification of DNA and RNA under hot-start conditions. This engineered polymerase provides high-sensitivity detection for molecular diagnostics applications, amplifying 5-6 copies of the tested DNA and RNA targets with >95% certainty. The design principles used to engineer the inteins can be readily applied to construct other conditionally activated nucleic acid processing enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yuqian Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Homme W Hellinga
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lorena S Beese
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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Ordóñez CD, Redrejo-Rodríguez M. DNA Polymerases for Whole Genome Amplification: Considerations and Future Directions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119331. [PMID: 37298280 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the same way that specialized DNA polymerases (DNAPs) replicate cellular and viral genomes, only a handful of dedicated proteins from various natural origins as well as engineered versions are appropriate for competent exponential amplification of whole genomes and metagenomes (WGA). Different applications have led to the development of diverse protocols, based on various DNAPs. Isothermal WGA is currently widely used due to the high performance of Φ29 DNA polymerase, but PCR-based methods are also available and can provide competent amplification of certain samples. Replication fidelity and processivity must be considered when selecting a suitable enzyme for WGA. However, other properties, such as thermostability, capacity to couple replication, and double helix unwinding, or the ability to maintain DNA replication opposite to damaged bases, are also very relevant for some applications. In this review, we provide an overview of the different properties of DNAPs widely used in WGA and discuss their limitations and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos D Ordóñez
- CIC bioGUNE, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Building 800, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | - Modesto Redrejo-Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", CSIC-UAM, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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11
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Ahmad S, Ali SF, Iftikhar S, Rashid N. Engineering a DNA polymerase from Pyrobaculum calidifontis for improved activity, processivity and extension rate. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 233:123545. [PMID: 36740112 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Positively charged amino acids in the DNA polymerase domain are important for interaction with DNA. Two potential residues in the palm domain of Pca-Pol, a DNA polymerase from Pyrobaculum calidifontis, were identified and mutated to arginine in order to improve the properties of this enzyme. The mutant proteins were heterologously produced in Escherichia coli. Biochemical characterization revealed that there was no significant difference in pH, metal ion, buffer preferences, 3' - 5' exonuclease activity and error rate of the wild-type and the mutant enzymes. However, the specific activity, processivity and extension rate of the mutant enzymes increased significantly. Specific activity of one of the mutants (G522R-E555R) was nearly 9-fold higher than that of the wild-type enzyme. These properties make G522R-E555R mutant enzyme a potential candidate for commercial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shazeel Ahmad
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Syed Farhat Ali
- KAM-School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Ferozepur Road, Lahore 54600, Pakistan
| | - Saima Iftikhar
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Rashid
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
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12
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Zhou Y, Bo F, Tian T, Wu B, Zhu B. Excessive addition split peak formed by the non-templated nucleotide addition property of Taq DNA polymerase after PCR amplification. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1180542. [PMID: 37180044 PMCID: PMC10174434 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1180542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Because of its non-template addition feature, Taq DNA polymerase can catalyze one or more extra nucleotides onto the 3' terminus of PCR products. An extra peak is observed at DYS391 locus after the PCR products stored for 4 days at 4°C. To explore the formation mechanism of this artifact, PCR primers and amplicon sequences of Y-STR loci are analyzed, furthermore, PCR products storage conditions and termination of PCR are discussed. The extra peak is a + 2 addition product, which we call excessive addition split peak (EASP). The most significant difference between EASP and the incomplete addition of adenine product is that the size of EASP is about one base larger than the true allele, and the EASP locates on the right side of the real allelic peak. The EASP cannot be eliminated by increasing loading mixture volume and conducting heat denaturation prior to electrophoresis injection. However, the EASP is not observed when the PCR is terminated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or formamide. These findings suggest that formation of EASP is a result of 3' end non-template extension by Taq DNA polymerase, rather than being the result of DNA fragment secondary structure produced under a suboptimal electrophoresis condition. In addition, the EASP formation is affected by the primer sequences and the storage conditions of PCR products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongsong Zhou
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fan Bo
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Tian Tian
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Buling Wu
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- *Correspondence: Buling Wu, ; Bofeng Zhu,
| | - Bofeng Zhu
- Shenzhen Stomatology Hospital (Pingshan), Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Forensic Multi-Omics for Precision Identification, School of Forensic Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province for Craniofacial Precision Medicine Research, College of Stomatology, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shanxi, China
- *Correspondence: Buling Wu, ; Bofeng Zhu,
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13
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Wang G, Du Y, Ma X, Ye F, Qin Y, Wang Y, Xiang Y, Tao R, Chen T. Thermophilic Nucleic Acid Polymerases and Their Application in Xenobiology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314969. [PMID: 36499296 PMCID: PMC9738464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases, isolated from organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments, possess great DNA/RNA synthesis activities under high temperatures. These enzymes play indispensable roles in central life activities involved in DNA replication and repair, as well as RNA transcription, and have already been widely used in bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine. Xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), which are analogs of DNA/RNA with unnatural moieties, have been developed as new carriers of genetic information in the past decades, which contributed to the fast development of a field called xenobiology. The broad application of these XNA molecules in the production of novel drugs, materials, and catalysts greatly relies on the capability of enzymatic synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of them, which have been partially achieved with natural or artificially tailored thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases. In this review, we first systematically summarize representative thermophilic and hyperthermophilic polymerases that have been extensively studied and utilized, followed by the introduction of methods and approaches in the engineering of these polymerases for the efficient synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of XNAs. The application of XNAs facilitated by these polymerases and their mutants is then discussed. In the end, a perspective for the future direction of further development and application of unnatural nucleic acid polymerases is provided.
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14
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Maseh K, Ali SF, Ahmad S, Rashid N. Cost-effective, high-yield production of Pyrobaculum calidifontis DNA polymerase for PCR application. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2022:1-8. [DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2022.2137731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kashif Maseh
- KAM School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Syed Farhat Ali
- KAM School of Life Sciences, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University), Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Shazeel Ahmad
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Naeem Rashid
- School of Biological Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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15
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Zhu W, Wang H, Li X, Tie W, Huo B, Zhu A, Li L. Amplification, Enrichment, and Sequencing of Mutagenic Methylated DNA Adduct through Specifically Pairing with Unnatural Nucleobases. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:20165-20170. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c06110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wuyuan Zhu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Regulation and Target Drug, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
| | - Honglei Wang
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Xiaohuan Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Wenchao Tie
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Bianbian Huo
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Anlian Zhu
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
| | - Lingjun Li
- Henan Key Laboratory of Organic Functional Molecule and Drug Innovation, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Innovative Drug, Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Green Manufacturing of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Media and Reactions, Ministry of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan 453007, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation Regulation and Target Drug, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
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16
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Turvey MW, Gabriel KN, Lee W, Taulbee JJ, Kim JK, Chen S, Lau CJ, Kattan RE, Pham JT, Majumdar S, Garcia D, Weiss GA, Collins PG. Single-molecule Taq DNA polymerase dynamics. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabl3522. [PMID: 35275726 PMCID: PMC8916733 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abl3522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Taq DNA polymerase functions at elevated temperatures with fast conformational dynamics-regimes previously inaccessible to mechanistic, single-molecule studies. Here, single-walled carbon nanotube transistors recorded the motions of Taq molecules processing matched or mismatched template-deoxynucleotide triphosphate pairs from 22° to 85°C. By using four enzyme orientations, the whole-enzyme closures of nucleotide incorporations were distinguished from more rapid, 20-μs closures of Taq's fingers domain testing complementarity and orientation. On average, one transient closure was observed for every nucleotide binding event; even complementary substrate pairs averaged five transient closures between each catalytic incorporation at 72°C. The rate and duration of the transient closures and the catalytic events had almost no temperature dependence, leaving all of Taq's temperature sensitivity to its rate-determining open state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mackenzie W. Turvey
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Kristin N. Gabriel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3900, USA
| | - Wonbae Lee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Jeffrey J. Taulbee
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Joshua K. Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
| | - Silu Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
| | - Calvin J. Lau
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
| | - Rebecca E. Kattan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3900, USA
| | - Jenifer T. Pham
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
| | - Sudipta Majumdar
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
| | | | - Gregory A. Weiss
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3900, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-2025, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-3958, USA
| | - Philip G. Collins
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697-4575, USA
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17
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Kesici MZ, Tinnefeld P, Vera AM. A simple and general approach to generate photoactivatable DNA processing enzymes. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 50:e31. [PMID: 34904657 PMCID: PMC8989547 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA processing enzymes, such as DNA polymerases and endonucleases, have found many applications in biotechnology, molecular diagnostics, and synthetic biology, among others. The development of enzymes with controllable activity, such as hot-start or light-activatable versions, has boosted their applications and improved the sensitivity and specificity of the existing ones. However, current approaches to produce controllable enzymes are experimentally demanding to develop and case-specific. Here, we introduce a simple and general method to design light-start DNA processing enzymes. In order to prove its versatility, we applied our method to three DNA polymerases commonly used in biotechnology, including the Phi29 (mesophilic), Taq, and Pfu polymerases, and one restriction enzyme. Light-start enzymes showed suppressed polymerase, exonuclease, and endonuclease activity until they were re-activated by an UV pulse. Finally, we applied our enzymes to common molecular biology assays and showed comparable performance to commercial hot-start enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve-Zeynep Kesici
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München 81377, Germany
| | - Philip Tinnefeld
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München 81377, Germany
| | - Andrés Manuel Vera
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München 81377, Germany
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18
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Kropp HM, Ludmann S, Diederichs K, Betz K, Marx A. Structural Basis for The Recognition of Deaminated Nucleobases by An Archaeal DNA Polymerase. Chembiochem 2021; 22:3060-3066. [PMID: 34486208 PMCID: PMC8596578 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
With increasing temperature, nucleobases in DNA become increasingly damaged by hydrolysis of exocyclic amines. The most prominent damage includes the conversion of cytosine to uracil and adenine to hypoxanthine. These damages are mutagenic and put the integrity of the genome at risk if not repaired appropriately. Several archaea live at elevated temperatures and thus, are exposed to a higher risk of deamination. Earlier studies have shown that DNA polymerases of archaea have the property of sensing deaminated nucleobases in the DNA template and thereby stalling the DNA synthesis during DNA replication providing another layer of DNA damage recognition and repair. However, the structural basis of uracil and hypoxanthine sensing by archaeal B-family DNA polymerases is sparse. Here we report on three new crystal structures of the archaeal B-family DNA polymerase from Thermococcus kodakarensis (KOD) DNA polymerase in complex with primer and template strands that have extended single stranded DNA template 5'-overhangs. These overhangs contain either the canonical nucleobases as well as uracil or hypoxanthine, respectively, and provide unprecedented structural insights into their recognition by archaeal B-family DNA polymerases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heike M. Kropp
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
- Konstanz Research School Chemical BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
| | - Samra Ludmann
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
| | - Kay Diederichs
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
- Konstanz Research School Chemical BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
| | - Karin Betz
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
| | - Andreas Marx
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
- Konstanz Research School Chemical BiologyUniversity of KonstanzUniversitätsstraße 1078457KonstanzGermany
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19
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Xue Y, Braslavsky I, Quake SR. Temperature effect on polymerase fidelity. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101270. [PMID: 34695416 PMCID: PMC8592868 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of extremophiles helped enable the development of groundbreaking technology such as PCR. Temperature variation is often an essential step of these technology platforms, but the effect of temperature on the error rate of polymerases from different origins is underexplored. Here, we applied high-throughput sequencing to profile the error rates of DNA polymerases from psychrophilic, mesophilic, and thermophilic origins with single-molecule resolution. We found that the reaction temperature substantially increases substitution and deletion error rates of psychrophilic and mesophilic DNA polymerases. Our motif analysis shows that the substitution error profiles cluster according to phylogenetic similarity of polymerases, not the reaction temperature, thus suggesting that the reaction temperature increases the global error rate of polymerases independent of the sequence context. Intriguingly, we also found that the DNA polymerase I of psychrophilic bacteria exhibits higher polymerization activity than its mesophilic ortholog across all temperature ranges, including down to −19 °C, which is well below the freezing temperature of water. Our results provide a useful reference for how the reaction temperature, a crucial parameter of biochemistry, can affect DNA polymerase fidelity in organisms adapted to a wide range of thermal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xue
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Ido Braslavsky
- The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Stephen R Quake
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Mission Bay, California, USA.
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20
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Arsın H, Jasilionis A, Dahle H, Sandaa RA, Stokke R, Nordberg Karlsson E, Steen IH. Exploring Codon Adjustment Strategies towards Escherichia coli-Based Production of Viral Proteins Encoded by HTH1, a Novel Prophage of the Marine Bacterium Hypnocyclicus thermotrophus. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071215. [PMID: 34201869 PMCID: PMC8310279 DOI: 10.3390/v13071215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Marine viral sequence space is immense and presents a promising resource for the discovery of new enzymes interesting for research and biotechnology. However, bottlenecks in the functional annotation of viral genes and soluble heterologous production of proteins hinder access to downstream characterization, subsequently impeding the discovery process. While commonly utilized for the heterologous expression of prokaryotic genes, codon adjustment approaches have not been fully explored for viral genes. Herein, the sequence-based identification of a putative prophage is reported from within the genome of Hypnocyclicus thermotrophus, a Gram-negative, moderately thermophilic bacterium isolated from the Seven Sisters hydrothermal vent field. A prophage-associated gene cluster, consisting of 46 protein coding genes, was identified and given the proposed name Hypnocyclicus thermotrophus phage H1 (HTH1). HTH1 was taxonomically assigned to the viral family Siphoviridae, by lowest common ancestor analysis of its genome and phylogeny analyses based on proteins predicted as holin and DNA polymerase. The gene neighbourhood around the HTH1 lytic cassette was found most similar to viruses infecting Gram-positive bacteria. In the HTH1 lytic cassette, an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (Amidase_2) with a peptidoglycan binding motif (LysM) was identified. A total of nine genes coding for enzymes putatively related to lysis, nucleic acid modification and of unknown function were subjected to heterologous expression in Escherichia coli. Codon optimization and codon harmonization approaches were applied in parallel to compare their effects on produced proteins. Comparison of protein yields and thermostability demonstrated that codon optimization yielded higher levels of soluble protein, but codon harmonization led to proteins with higher thermostability, implying a higher folding quality. Altogether, our study suggests that both codon optimization and codon harmonization are valuable approaches for successful heterologous expression of viral genes in E. coli, but codon harmonization may be preferable in obtaining recombinant viral proteins of higher folding quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hasan Arsın
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway; (R.-A.S.); (R.S.)
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway;
- Correspondence: (H.A.); (I.H.S.); Tel.: +47-555-88-375 (I.H.S.)
| | - Andrius Jasilionis
- Division of Biotechnology, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden; (A.J.); (E.N.K.)
| | - Håkon Dahle
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway;
- Computational Biology Unit, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway
| | - Ruth-Anne Sandaa
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway; (R.-A.S.); (R.S.)
| | - Runar Stokke
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway; (R.-A.S.); (R.S.)
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway;
| | - Eva Nordberg Karlsson
- Division of Biotechnology, Lund University, P.O. Box 124, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden; (A.J.); (E.N.K.)
| | - Ida Helene Steen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway; (R.-A.S.); (R.S.)
- Centre for Deep Sea Research, University of Bergen, N-5020 Bergen, Norway;
- Correspondence: (H.A.); (I.H.S.); Tel.: +47-555-88-375 (I.H.S.)
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21
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Sakhabutdinova AR, Kamalov MI, Salakhieva DV, Mavzyutov AR, Garafutdinov RR. Inhibition of nonspecific polymerase activity using Poly(Aspartic) acid as a model anionic polyelectrolyte. Anal Biochem 2021; 628:114267. [PMID: 34089699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2021.114267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerases with strand-displacement activity allow to amplify nucleic acids under isothermal conditions but often lead to undesirable by-products. Here, we report the increase of specificity of isothermal amplification in the presence of poly (aspartic) acids (pAsp). We hypothesized that side reactions occur due to the binding of the phosphate backbone of synthesized DNA strands with surface amino groups of the polymerase, and weakly acidic polyelectrolytes could shield polymerase molecules from DNA and thereby inhibit nonspecific amplification. Suppression of nonspecific polymerase activity by pAsp was studied on multimerization as a model side reaction. It was found that a low concentration of pAsp (0.01%) provides successful amplification of specific DNA targets. The inhibitory effect of pAsp is due to its polymeric structure since aspartic acid did affect neither specific nor nonspecific amplification. Strongly acidic polyelectrolyte heparin does not possess the same selectivity since it suppresses any DNA synthesis. The applicability of pAsp to prevent nonspecific reactions and reliable detection of the specific target has been demonstrated on the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus using Loop-mediated isothermal amplification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assol R Sakhabutdinova
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054, Prosp. Oktyabrya, 71, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia.
| | - Marat I Kamalov
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420021, Parizhskoy Kommuny Str., 9, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia.
| | - Diana V Salakhieva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, 420021, Parizhskoy Kommuny Str., 9, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia.
| | - Ayrat R Mavzyutov
- Bashkir State Medical University, 450008, Lenin Str., 3, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia; Research Center «LABORATORY», Ltd, 450501, PO Box, 147, Bulgakovo, Ufa District, Bashkortostan, Russia.
| | - Ravil R Garafutdinov
- Institute of Biochemistry and Genetics, Ufa Federal Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, 450054, Prosp. Oktyabrya, 71, Ufa, Bashkortostan, Russia.
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22
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Abstract
Genomes can be viewed as constantly updated memory systems where information propagated in cells is refined over time by natural selection. This process, commonly known as heredity and evolution, has been the sole domain of DNA since the origin of prokaryotes. Now, some 3.5 billion years later, the pendulum of discovery has swung in a new direction, with carefully trained practitioners enabling the replication and evolution of "xeno-nucleic acids" or "XNAs"-synthetic genetic polymers in which the natural sugar found in DNA and RNA has been replaced with a different type of sugar moiety. XNAs have attracted significant attention as new polymers for synthetic biology, biotechnology, and medicine because of their unique physicochemical properties that may include increased biological stability, enhanced chemical stability, altered helical geometry, or even elevated thermodynamics of Watson-Crick base pairing.This Account describes our contribution to the field of synthetic biology, where chemical synthesis and polymerase engineering have allowed my lab and others to extend the concepts of heredity and evolution to synthetic genetic polymers with backbone structures that are distinct from those found in nature. I will begin with a discussion of α-l-threofuranosyl nucleic acid (TNA), a specific type of XNA that was chosen as a model system to represent any XNA system. I will then proceed to discuss advances in organic chemistry that were made to enable the synthesis of gram quantities of TNA phosphoramidites and nucleoside triphosphates, the monomers used for solid-phase and polymerase-mediated TNA synthesis, respectively. Next, I will recount our development of droplet-based optical sorting (DrOPS), a single-cell microfluidic technique that was established to evolve XNA polymerases in the laboratory. This section will conclude with structural insights that have been gained by solving X-ray crystal structures of a laboratory-evolved TNA polymerase and a natural DNA polymerase that functions with general reverse transcriptase activity on XNA templates.The final passage of this Account will examine the role that XNAs have played in synthetic biology by highlighting examples in which engineered polymerases have enabled the evolution of biologically stable affinity reagents (aptamers) and catalysts (XNAzymes) as well as the storage and retrieval of binary information encoded in electronic word and picture file formats. Because these examples provide only a glimpse of what the future may have in store for XNA, I will conclude the Account with my thoughts on how synthetic genetic polymers could help drive new innovations in synthetic biology and molecular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C. Chaput
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
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23
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Palla M, Punthambaker S, Stranges B, Vigneault F, Nivala J, Wiegand D, Ayer A, Craig T, Gremyachinskiy D, Franklin H, Sun S, Pollard J, Trans A, Arnold C, Schwab C, Mcgaw C, Sarvabhowman P, Dalal D, Thai E, Amato E, Lederman I, Taing M, Kelley S, Qwan A, Fuller CW, Roever S, Church GM. Multiplex Single-Molecule Kinetics of Nanopore-Coupled Polymerases. ACS NANO 2021; 15:489-502. [PMID: 33370106 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.0c05226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerases have revolutionized the biotechnology field due to their ability to precisely replicate stored genetic information. Screening variants of these enzymes for specific properties gives the opportunity to identify polymerases with different features. We have previously developed a single-molecule DNA sequencing platform by coupling a DNA polymerase to an α-hemolysin pore on a nanopore array. Here, we use this approach to demonstrate a single-molecule method that enables rapid screening of polymerase variants in a multiplex manner. In this approach, barcoded DNA strands are complexed with polymerase variants and serve as templates for nanopore sequencing. Nanopore sequencing of the barcoded DNA reveals both the barcode identity and kinetic properties of the polymerase variant associated with the cognate barcode, allowing for multiplexed investigation of many polymerase variants in parallel on a single nanopore array. Further, we develop a robust classification algorithm that discriminates kinetic characteristics of the different polymerase mutants. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the utility of our approach by screening a library of ∼100 polymerases to identify variants for potential applications of biotechnological interest. We anticipate our screening method to be broadly useful for applications that require polymerases with altered physical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirkó Palla
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Sukanya Punthambaker
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Benjamin Stranges
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Frederic Vigneault
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jeff Nivala
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Daniel Wiegand
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Aruna Ayer
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Timothy Craig
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | | | - Helen Franklin
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Shaw Sun
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - James Pollard
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Andrew Trans
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Cleoma Arnold
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Charles Schwab
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Colin Mcgaw
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | | | - Dhruti Dalal
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Eileen Thai
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Evan Amato
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Ilya Lederman
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Meng Taing
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Sara Kelley
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Adam Qwan
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - Carl W Fuller
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
- Columbia University, Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, New York, New York 10027, United States
| | - Stefan Roever
- Roche Sequencing Solutions, Santa Clara, California 95050, United States
| | - George M Church
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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24
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Saghatelyan A, Panosyan H, Trchounian A, Birkeland NK. Characteristics of DNA polymerase I from an extreme thermophile, Thermus scotoductus strain K1. Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1149. [PMID: 33415847 PMCID: PMC7884927 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Several native and engineered heat‐stable DNA polymerases from a variety of sources are used as powerful tools in different molecular techniques, including polymerase chain reaction, medical diagnostics, DNA sequencing, biological diversity assessments, and in vitro mutagenesis. The DNA polymerase from the extreme thermophile, Thermus scotoductus strain K1, (TsK1) was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and characterized. This enzyme belongs to a distinct phylogenetic clade, different from the commonly used DNA polymerase I enzymes, including those from Thermus aquaticus and Thermus thermophilus. The enzyme demonstrated an optimal temperature and pH value of 72–74°C and 9.0, respectively, and could efficiently amplify 2.5 kb DNA products. TsK1 DNA polymerase did not require additional K+ ions but it did need Mg2+ at 3–5 mM for optimal activity. It was stable for at least 1 h at 80°C, and its half‐life at 88 and 95°C was 30 and 15 min, respectively. Analysis of the mutation frequency in the amplified products demonstrated that the base insertion fidelity for this enzyme was significantly better than that of Taq DNA polymerase. These results suggest that TsK1 DNA polymerase could be useful in various molecular applications, including high‐temperature DNA polymerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ani Saghatelyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Hovik Panosyan
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Armen Trchounian
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Yerevan State University, Yerevan, Armenia
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25
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Ouaray Z, Benner SA, Georgiadis MM, Richards NGJ. Building better polymerases: Engineering the replication of expanded genetic alphabets. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:17046-17059. [PMID: 33004440 PMCID: PMC7863901 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.013745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases are today used throughout scientific research, biotechnology, and medicine, in part for their ability to interact with unnatural forms of DNA created by synthetic biologists. Here especially, natural DNA polymerases often do not have the "performance specifications" needed for transformative technologies. This creates a need for science-guided rational (or semi-rational) engineering to identify variants that replicate unnatural base pairs (UBPs), unnatural backbones, tags, or other evolutionarily novel features of unnatural DNA. In this review, we provide a brief overview of the chemistry and properties of replicative DNA polymerases and their evolved variants, focusing on the Klenow fragment of Taq DNA polymerase (Klentaq). We describe comparative structural, enzymatic, and molecular dynamics studies of WT and Klentaq variants, complexed with natural or noncanonical substrates. Combining these methods provides insight into how specific amino acid substitutions distant from the active site in a Klentaq DNA polymerase variant (ZP Klentaq) contribute to its ability to replicate UBPs with improved efficiency compared with Klentaq. This approach can therefore serve to guide any future rational engineering of replicative DNA polymerases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Ouaray
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Steven A Benner
- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, USA
| | - Millie M Georgiadis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
| | - Nigel G J Richards
- School of Chemistry, Cardiff University, Park Place, Cardiff, United Kingdom; Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, Alachua, Florida, USA.
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26
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Structural Studies of HNA Substrate Specificity in Mutants of an Archaeal DNA Polymerase Obtained by Directed Evolution. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10121647. [PMID: 33302546 PMCID: PMC7763228 DOI: 10.3390/biom10121647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Archaeal DNA polymerases from the B-family (polB) have found essential applications in biotechnology. In addition, some of their variants can accept a wide range of modified nucleotides or xenobiotic nucleotides, such as 1,5-anhydrohexitol nucleic acid (HNA), which has the unique ability to selectively cross-pair with DNA and RNA. This capacity is essential to allow the transmission of information between different chemistries of nucleic acid molecules. Variants of the archaeal polymerase from Thermococcus gorgonarius, TgoT, that can either generate HNA from DNA (TgoT_6G12) or DNA from HNA (TgoT_RT521) have been previously identified. To understand how DNA and HNA are recognized and selected by these two laboratory-evolved polymerases, we report six X-ray structures of these variants, as well as an in silico model of a ternary complex with HNA. Structural comparisons of the apo form of TgoT_6G12 together with its binary and ternary complexes with a DNA duplex highlight an ensemble of interactions and conformational changes required to promote DNA or HNA synthesis. MD simulations of the ternary complex suggest that the HNA-DNA hybrid duplex remains stable in the A-DNA helical form and help explain the presence of mutations in regions that would normally not be in contact with the DNA if it were not in the A-helical form. One complex with two incorporated HNA nucleotides is surprisingly found in a one nucleotide-backtracked form, which is new for a DNA polymerase. This information can be used for engineering a new generation of more efficient HNA polymerase variants.
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27
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Engineered viral DNA polymerase with enhanced DNA amplification capacity: a proof-of-concept of isothermal amplification of damaged DNA. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15046. [PMID: 32929102 PMCID: PMC7490695 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71773-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of whole genome amplification (WGA) and related methods, coupled with the dramatic growth of sequencing capacities, has changed the paradigm of genomic and genetic analyses. This has led to a continual requirement of improved DNA amplification protocols and the elaboration of new tailored methods. As key elements in WGA, identification and engineering of novel, faithful and processive DNA polymerases is a driving force in the field. We have engineered the B-family DNA polymerase of virus Bam35 with a C-terminal fusion of DNA-binding motifs. The new protein, named B35-HhH, shows faithful DNA replication in the presence of magnesium or an optimised combination of magnesium and manganese divalent cofactors, which enhances the replication of damaged DNA substrates. Overall, the newly generated variant displays improved amplification performance, sensitivity, translesion synthesis and resistance to salt, which are of great interest for several applications of isothermal DNA amplification. Further, rolling-circle amplification of abasic site-containing minicircles provides a proof-of-concept for using B35-HhH for processive amplification of damaged DNA samples.
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28
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Chung ME, Goroncy K, Kolesnikova A, Schönauer D, Schwaneberg U. Display of functional nucleic acid polymerase on Escherichia coli surface and its application in directed polymerase evolution. Biotechnol Bioeng 2020; 117:3699-3711. [PMID: 32827316 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
We report a first of its kind functional cell surface display of nucleic acid polymerase and its directed evolution to efficiently incorporate 2'-O-methyl nucleotide triphosphates (2'-OMe-NTPs). In the development of polymerase cell surface display, two autotransporter proteins (Escherichia coli adhesin involved in diffuse adherence and Pseudomonas aeruginosa esterase A [EstA]) were employed to transport and anchor the 68-kDa Klenow fragment (KF) of E. coli DNA polymerase I on the surface of E. coli. The localization and function of the displayed KF were verified by analysis of cell outer membrane fractions, immunostaining, and fluorometric detection of synthesized DNA products. The EstA cell surface display system was applied to evolve KF for the incorporation of 2'-OMe-NTPs and a KF variant with a 50.7-fold increased ability to successively incorporate 2'-OMe-NTPs was discovered. Expanding the scope of cell-surface displayable proteins to the realm of polymerases provides a novel screening tool for tailoring polymerases to diverse application demands in a polymerase chain reaction and sequencing-based biotechnological and medical applications. Especially, cell surface display enables novel polymerase screening strategies in which the heat-lysis step is bypassed and thus allows the screening of mesophilic polymerases with broad application potentials ranging from diagnostics and DNA sequencing to replication of synthetic genetic polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mu-En Chung
- SeSaM-Biotech GmbH, Aachen, Germany.,Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Ulrich Schwaneberg
- Lehrstuhl für Biotechnologie, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.,DWI-Leibniz-Institute for Interactive Materials, Aachen, Germany
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29
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Abstract
We report here crystal structures of a reverse transcriptase RTX, which was evolved in vitro from the B family polymerase KOD, in complex with either a DNA duplex or an RNA-DNA hybrid. Compared with the apo, binary, and ternary complex structures of the original KOD polymerase, the 16 substitutions that result in the function of copying RNA to DNA do not change the overall protein structure. Only six substitutions occur at the substrate-binding surface, and the others change domain-domain interfaces in the polymerase to enable RNA-DNA hybrid binding and reverse transcription. Most notably, F587L at the Palm and Thumb interface stabilizes the open and apo conformation of the Thumb. The intrinsically flexible Thumb domain seems to play a major role in accommodating the RNA-DNA hybrid product distal to the active site. This is reminiscent of naturally occurring RNA-dependent DNA polymerases, including telomerase, which have a dramatically augmented Thumb domain, and of reverse transcriptase, which extends its Thumb with the RNase H domain.
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30
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Thompson AS, Barrett SE, Weiden AG, Venkatesh A, Seto MKC, Gottlieb SZP, Leconte AM. Accurate and Efficient One-Pot Reverse Transcription and Amplification of 2'-Fluoro-Modified Nucleic Acids by Commercial DNA Polymerases. Biochemistry 2020; 59:2833-2841. [PMID: 32659079 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
DNA is a foundational tool in biotechnology and synthetic biology but is limited by sensitivity to DNA-modifying enzymes. Recently, researchers have identified DNA polymerases that can enzymatically synthesize long oligonucleotides of modified DNA (M-DNA) that are resistant to DNA-modifying enzymes. Most applications require M-DNA to be reverse transcribed, typically using a RNA reverse transcriptase, back into natural DNA for sequence analysis or further manipulation. Here, we tested commercially available DNA-dependent DNA polymerases for their ability to reverse transcribe and amplify M-DNA in a one-pot reaction. Three of the six polymerases chosen (Phusion, Q5, and Deep Vent) could reverse transcribe and amplify synthetic 2'F M-DNA in a single reaction with <5 × 10-3 error per base pair. We further used Q5 DNA polymerase to reverse transcribe and amplify M-DNA synthesized by two candidate M-DNA polymerases (SFP1 and SFM4-6), allowing for quantification of the frequency, types, and locations of errors made during M-DNA synthesis. From these studies, we identify SFP1 as one of the most accurate M-DNA polymerases identified to date. Collectively, these studies establish a simple, robust method for the conversion of 2'F M-DNA to DNA in <1 h using commercially available materials, significantly improving the ease of use of M-DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna S Thompson
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Susanna E Barrett
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Aurora G Weiden
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Ananya Venkatesh
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Madison K C Seto
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Simone Z P Gottlieb
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Aaron M Leconte
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
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31
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Kubosaki A, Kobayashi N, Watanabe M, Yoshinari T, Takatori K, Kikuchi Y, Hara-Kudo Y, Terajima J, Sugita-Konishi Y. A New Protocol for the Detection of Sterigmatocystin-producing Aspergillus Section Versicolores Using a High Discrimination Polymerase. Biocontrol Sci 2020; 25:113-118. [PMID: 32507789 DOI: 10.4265/bio.25.113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Aspergillus section Versicolores species, except Aspergillus sydowii, produce a carcinogenic mycotoxin sterigmatocystin (STC). Since these fungi are found in varied environmental milieu including indoor dust and food products, our aim was to develop a sensitive and convenient assay to detect STC producing fungal strains. We made use of a high discrimination DNA polymerase (HiDi DNA polymerase), for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based PCR amplification. Using specific primer pairs based on the SNPs between A. sydowii and other strains of Aspergillus section Versicolores, we succeeded in amplifying the genomic DNA all target strains except A. sydowii. These results confirm that the SNP-based PCR amplification technique, using a high discrimination DNA polymerase, was a reliable and robust screening method for target fungal strains.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Naoki Kobayashi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Azabu University
| | - Maiko Watanabe
- Division of Microbiology, National Institute of Health Sciences
| | | | - Kosuke Takatori
- Faculty of Healthcare Sciences, Center for Fungal Consultation, NPO Corporation
| | - Yutaka Kikuchi
- Division of Microbiology, National Institute of Health Sciences
| | | | - Jun Terajima
- Division of Microbiology, National Institute of Health Sciences
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32
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Polymerization Domain Translated from 0.9 kb Gene Fragment of DNA Polymerase I from a Thermo-Halophilic PLS A Strain. JURNAL KIMIA SAINS DAN APLIKASI 2020. [DOI: 10.14710/jksa.23.5.183-188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for novel DNA Polymerases I, with higher fidelity and better polymerization rate, is essential to improve the Polymerase Chain Reaction method. A thermo-halophilic bacterium has been isolated from an undersea hot spring, dubbed Pria Laot Sabang (PLS) A strain. The 0.9 kb DNA Polymerase I gene fragments from the isolate were amplified, sequenced, and identified. The fragments were part of the polymerization domain of the enzyme. Homological analysis of the gene sequence showed that the PLS A strain was closely related to Bacillus caldolyticusstrain XM. However, Swissprot structural analysis reveals that PLS A strain had high homology to Geobacillus stearathermophilus. Full sequence analysis is still needed to identify the species and evaluate the intact enzyme structure.
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33
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Jackson LN, Chim N, Shi C, Chaput JC. Crystal structures of a natural DNA polymerase that functions as an XNA reverse transcriptase. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:6973-6983. [PMID: 31170294 PMCID: PMC6649750 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Replicative DNA polymerases are highly efficient enzymes that maintain stringent geometric control over shape and orientation of the template and incoming nucleoside triphosphate. In a surprising twist to this paradigm, a naturally occurring bacterial DNA polymerase I member isolated from Geobacillus stearothermophilus (Bst) exhibits an innate ability to reverse transcribe RNA and other synthetic congeners (XNAs) into DNA. This observation raises the interesting question of how a replicative DNA polymerase is able to recognize templates of diverse chemical composition. Here, we present crystal structures of natural Bst DNA polymerase that capture the post-translocated product of DNA synthesis on templates composed entirely of 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-d-arabino nucleic acid (FANA) and α-l-threofuranosyl nucleic acid (TNA). Analysis of the enzyme active site reveals the importance of structural plasticity as a possible mechanism for XNA-dependent DNA synthesis and provides insights into the construction of variants with improved activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lynnette N Jackson
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3958, USA
| | - Nicholas Chim
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3958, USA
| | - Changhua Shi
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3958, USA
| | - John C Chaput
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3958, USA.,Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-3958, USA.,Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, CA 92697-3958, USA
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34
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Loan TD, Easton CJ, Alissandratos A. DNA amplification with in situ nucleoside to dNTP synthesis, using a single recombinant cell lysate of E. coli. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15621. [PMID: 31666578 PMCID: PMC6821818 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51917-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 10/07/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) is a cornerstone of modern molecular and synthetic biology. Routine application by non-specialists, however, is hampered by difficulties with storing and handling the requisite labile and expensive reagents, such as deoxynucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) and polymerases, and the complexity of protocols for their use. Here, a recombinant E. coli extract is reported that provides all the enzymes to support high-fidelity DNA amplification, and with labile dNTPs generated in situ from cheap and stable deoxynucleosides. Importantly, this is obtained from a single, engineered cell strain, through minimal processing, as a lysate capable of replacing the cold-stored commercial reagents in a typical PCR. This inexpensive preparation is highly active, as 1 L of bacterial culture is enough to supply ~106 NAA reactions. Lyophilized lysate can be used after a single-step reconstitution, resulting overall in a greatly simplified workflow and a promising synthetic biology tool, in particular for applications such as diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Loan
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Christopher J Easton
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Apostolos Alissandratos
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia. .,CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
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35
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Kottur J, Nair DT. Pyrophosphate hydrolysis is an intrinsic and critical step of the DNA synthesis reaction. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:5875-5885. [PMID: 29850882 PMCID: PMC6159520 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA synthesis by DNA polymerases (dPols) is central to duplication and maintenance of the genome in all living organisms. dPols catalyze the formation of a phosphodiester bond between the incoming deoxynucleoside triphosphate and the terminal primer nucleotide with the release of a pyrophosphate (PPi) group. It is believed that formation of the phosphodiester bond is an endergonic reaction and PPi has to be hydrolyzed by accompanying pyrophosphatase enzymes to ensure that the free energy change of the DNA synthesis reaction is negative and it can proceed in the forward direction. The fact that DNA synthesis proceeds in vitro in the absence of pyrophosphatases represents a long-standing conundrum regarding the thermodynamics of the DNA synthesis reaction. Using time-resolved crystallography, we show that hydrolysis of PPi is an intrinsic and critical step of the DNA synthesis reaction catalyzed by dPols. The hydrolysis of PPi occurs after the formation of the phosphodiester bond and ensures that the DNA synthesis reaction is energetically favorable without the need for additional enzymes. Also, we observe that DNA synthesis is a two Mg2+ ion assisted stepwise associative SN2 reaction. Overall, this study provides deep temporal insight regarding the primary enzymatic reaction responsible for genome duplication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jithesh Kottur
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121 001, India
| | - Deepak T Nair
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121 001, India
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36
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Vallejo D, Nikoomanzar A, Paegel BM, Chaput JC. Fluorescence-Activated Droplet Sorting for Single-Cell Directed Evolution. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:1430-1440. [PMID: 31120731 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic biology aims to improve human health and the environment by repurposing biological enzymes for use in practical applications. However, natural enzymes often function with suboptimal activity when engineered into biological pathways or challenged to recognize unnatural substrates. Overcoming this problem requires efficient directed evolution methods for discovering new enzyme variants that function with a desired activity. Here, we describe the construction, validation, and application of a fluorescence-activated droplet sorting (FADS) instrument that was established to evolve enzymes for synthesizing and modifying artificial genetic polymers (XNAs). The microfluidic system enables droplet sorting at ∼2-3 kHz using fluorescent sensors that are responsive to enzymatic activity. The ability to evolve nucleic acid enzymes with customized properties will uniquely drive emerging applications in synthetic biology, biotechnology, and healthcare.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Brian M. Paegel
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
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37
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Engineering Polymerases for New Functions. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 37:1091-1103. [PMID: 31003719 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerases are critical tools in biotechnology, enabling efficient and accurate amplification of DNA templates, yet many desired functions are not readily available in natural DNA polymerases. New or improved functions can be engineered in DNA polymerases by mutagenesis or through the creation of protein chimeras. Engineering often necessitates the development of new techniques, such as selections in water-in-oil emulsions that connect genotype to phenotype and allow more flexibility in engineering than phage display. Engineering efforts have led to DNA polymerases that can withstand extreme conditions or the presence of inhibitors, as well as polymerases with the ability to copy modified DNA templates. In this review we discuss polymerases for biotechnology that have been reported along with tools to enable further development.
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38
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Sarac I, Hollenstein M. Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase in the Synthesis and Modification of Nucleic Acids. Chembiochem 2019; 20:860-871. [PMID: 30451377 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) belongs to the X family of DNA polymerases. This unusual polymerase catalyzes the template-independent addition of random nucleotides on 3'-overhangs during V(D)J recombination. The biological function and intrinsic biochemical properties of the TdT have spurred the development of numerous oligonucleotide-based tools and methods, especially if combined with modified nucleoside triphosphates. Herein, we summarize the different applications stemming from the incorporation of modified nucleotides by the TdT. The structural, mechanistic, and biochemical properties of this polymerase are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivo Sarac
- Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724, Paris Cedex 15, France
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39
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Röthlisberger P, Levi-Acobas F, Sarac I, Marlière P, Herdewijn P, Hollenstein M. Towards the enzymatic formation of artificial metal base pairs with a carboxy-imidazole-modified nucleotide. J Inorg Biochem 2018; 191:154-163. [PMID: 30529723 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The identification of synthetic nucleotides that sustain the formation of orthogonal, unnatural base pairs is an important goal in synthetic biology. Such artificial synthons have been used for the generation of semi-synthetic organisms as well as functional nucleic acids with enhanced binding properties. The enzymatic formation of artificial metal-base pairs is a vastly underexplored and alluring alternative to existing systems. Here, we report the synthesis and biochemical characterization of 1‑(2-deoxy‑β‑d‑ribofuranosyl) imidazole‑4‑carboxylate nucleoside triphosphate (dImCTP) which is equipped with a carboxylic acid moiety on the imidazole moiety in order to increase the coordination environment to [2 + 2] and [2 + 1]. A clear metal dependence was observed for the single incorporation of the modified nucleotide into DNA by the DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq). The presence of AgI in primer extension reactions conducted with combinations of 1‑(2‑deoxy‑β‑d‑ribofuranosyl) imidazole nucleoside triphosphate (dImTP) and dImCTP supported the unusual [2 + 1] coordination pattern. The efficiency of the tailing reactions mediated by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) was markedly improved when using dImCTP instead of dImTP. Even though products with multiple modified nucleotides were not observed, the appendage of additional metal binding ligands on the imidazole nucleobase appears to be a valid approach to improve the biochemical properties of modified triphosphates in the context of an expansion of the genetic alphabet with metal base pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Röthlisberger
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Fabienne Levi-Acobas
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Ivo Sarac
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Philippe Marlière
- University of Paris Saclay, CNRS, iSSB, UEVE, Genopole, 5 Rue Henri Desbrueres, 91030 Evry, France
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
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Röthlisberger P, Levi-Acobas F, Sarac I, Ricoux R, Mahy JP, Herdewijn P, Marlière P, Hollenstein M. Incorporation of a minimal nucleotide into DNA. Tetrahedron Lett 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tetlet.2018.10.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Röthlisberger P, Hollenstein M. Aptamer chemistry. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2018; 134:3-21. [PMID: 29626546 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules capable of tightly binding to specific targets. These functional nucleic acids are obtained by an in vitro Darwinian evolution method coined SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment). Compared to their proteinaceous counterparts, aptamers offer a number of advantages including a low immunogenicity, a relative ease of large-scale synthesis at affordable costs with little or no batch-to-batch variation, physical stability, and facile chemical modification. These alluring properties have propelled aptamers into the forefront of numerous practical applications such as the development of therapeutic and diagnostic agents as well as the construction of biosensing platforms. However, commercial success of aptamers still proceeds at a weak pace. The main factors responsible for this delay are the susceptibility of aptamers to degradation by nucleases, their rapid renal filtration, suboptimal thermal stability, and the lack of functional group diversity. Here, we describe the different chemical methods available to mitigate these shortcomings. Particularly, we describe the chemical post-SELEX processing of aptamers to include functional groups as well as the inclusion of modified nucleoside triphosphates into the SELEX protocol. These methods will be illustrated with successful examples of chemically modified aptamers used as drug delivery systems, in therapeutic applications, and as biosensing devices.
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Bala S, Liao JY, Zhang L, Tran CN, Chim N, Chaput JC. Synthesis of 2′-Deoxy-α-l-threofuranosyl Nucleoside Triphosphates. J Org Chem 2018; 83:8840-8850. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.8b00875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Saikat Bala
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Jen-Yu Liao
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Li Zhang
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Chantel N. Tran
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Nicholas Chim
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - John C. Chaput
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
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