1
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Hoetzel J, Suess B. Structural changes in aptamers are essential for synthetic riboswitch engineering. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167631. [PMID: 35595164 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167631] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic riboswitches are powerful tools in synthetic biology in which sensing and execution are consolidated in a single RNA molecule. By using SELEX to select aptamers in vitro, synthetic riboswitches can in theory be engineered against any ligand of choice. Surprisingly, very few in vitro selected aptamers have been used for the engineering of synthetic riboswitches. In-depth studies of these aptamers suggest that the key characteristics of such regulatory active RNAs are their structural switching abilities and their binding dynamics. Conventional SELEX approaches seem to be inadequate to select for these characteristics, which may explain the lack of in vitro selected aptamers suited for engineering of synthetic riboswitches. In this review, we explore the functional principles of synthetic riboswitches, identify key characteristics of regulatory active in vitro selected aptamers and integrate these findings in context with available in vitro selection methods. Based on these insights, we propose to use a combination of capture-SELEX and subsequent functional screening for a more successful in vitro selection of aptamers that can be applied for the engineering of synthetic riboswitches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janis Hoetzel
- Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany. https://www.twitter.com/J_Hoetzel
| | - Beatrix Suess
- Department of Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany; Center for Synthetic Biology, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany.
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2
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Li Y, Liu J. Aptamer-based strategies for recognizing adenine, adenosine, ATP and related compounds. Analyst 2021; 145:6753-6768. [PMID: 32909556 DOI: 10.1039/d0an00886a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adenine is a key nucleobase, adenosine is an endogenous regulator of the immune system, while adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the energy source of many biological reactions. Selective detection of these molecules is useful for understanding biological processes, biochemical reactions and signaling. Since 1993, various aptamers have been reported to bind to adenine and its derivatives. In addition, the adenine riboswitch was later discovered. This review summarizes the efforts for the selection of RNA and DNA aptamers for adenine derivatives, and we pay particular attention to the specificity of binding. In addition, other molecular recognition strategies based on rational sequence design are also introduced. Most of the work in the field was performed on the classic DNA aptamer for adenosine and ATP reported by the Szostak group. Based on this aptamer, some representative applications such as the design of fluorescent, colorimetric and electrochemical biosensors, intracellular imaging, and ATP-responsive materials are also described. In addition, we critically review the limit of the reported aptamers and also important problems in the field, which can give future research opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqing Li
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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3
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Kaiser C, Schneider J, Groher F, Suess B, Wachtveitl J. What defines a synthetic riboswitch? - Conformational dynamics of ciprofloxacin aptamers with similar binding affinities but varying regulatory potentials. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:3661-3671. [PMID: 33772594 PMCID: PMC8053125 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Among the many in vitro-selected aptamers derived from SELEX protocols, only a small fraction has the potential to be applied for synthetic riboswitch engineering. Here, we present a comparative study of the binding properties of three different aptamers that bind to ciprofloxacin with similar KD values, yet only two of them can be applied as riboswitches. We used the inherent ligand fluorescence that is quenched upon binding as the reporter signal in fluorescence titration and in time-resolved stopped-flow experiments. Thus, we were able to demonstrate differences in the binding kinetics of regulating and non-regulating aptamers. All aptamers studied underwent a two-step binding mechanism that suggests an initial association step followed by a reorganization of the aptamer to accommodate the ligand. We show that increasing regulatory potential is correlated with a decreasing back-reaction rate of the second binding step, thus resulting in a virtually irreversible last binding step of regulating aptamers. We suggest that a highly favoured structural adaption of the RNA to the ligand during the final binding step is essential for turning an aptamer into a riboswitch. In addition, our results provide an explanation for the fact that so few aptamers with regulating capacity have been found to date. Based on our data, we propose an adjustment of the selection protocol for efficient riboswitch detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Kaiser
- Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 8, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jeannine Schneider
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Florian Groher
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Beatrix Suess
- Department of Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schnittspahnstraße 10, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany.,Centre for Synthetic Biology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Josef Wachtveitl
- Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 8, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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4
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Townshend B, Xiang JS, Manzanarez G, Hayden EJ, Smolke CD. A multiplexed, automated evolution pipeline enables scalable discovery and characterization of biosensors. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1437. [PMID: 33664255 PMCID: PMC7933316 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Biosensors are key components in engineered biological systems, providing a means of measuring and acting upon the large biochemical space in living cells. However, generating small molecule sensing elements and integrating them into in vivo biosensors have been challenging. Here, using aptamer-coupled ribozyme libraries and a ribozyme regeneration method, de novo rapid in vitro evolution of RNA biosensors (DRIVER) enables multiplexed discovery of biosensors. With DRIVER and high-throughput characterization (CleaveSeq) fully automated on liquid-handling systems, we identify and validate biosensors against six small molecules, including five for which no aptamers were previously found. DRIVER-evolved biosensors are applied directly to regulate gene expression in yeast, displaying activation ratios up to 33-fold. DRIVER biosensors are also applied in detecting metabolite production from a multi-enzyme biosynthetic pathway. This work demonstrates DRIVER as a scalable pipeline for engineering de novo biosensors with wide-ranging applications in biomanufacturing, diagnostics, therapeutics, and synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent Townshend
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joy S Xiang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Eric J Hayden
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Biological Science, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA
| | - Christina D Smolke
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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5
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Ender A, Etzel M, Hammer S, Findeiß S, Stadler P, Mörl M. Ligand-dependent tRNA processing by a rationally designed RNase P riboswitch. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:1784-1800. [PMID: 33469651 PMCID: PMC7897497 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe a synthetic riboswitch element that implements a regulatory principle which directly addresses an essential tRNA maturation step. Constructed using a rational in silico design approach, this riboswitch regulates RNase P-catalyzed tRNA 5′-processing by either sequestering or exposing the single-stranded 5′-leader region of the tRNA precursor in response to a ligand. A single base pair in the 5′-leader defines the regulatory potential of the riboswitch both in vitro and in vivo. Our data provide proof for prior postulates on the importance of the structure of the leader region for tRNA maturation. We demonstrate that computational predictions of ligand-dependent structural rearrangements can address individual maturation steps of stable non-coding RNAs, thus making them amenable as promising target for regulatory devices that can be used as functional building blocks in synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ender
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maja Etzel
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Hammer
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sven Findeiß
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Peter Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstr. 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.,Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Science, Inselstr. 22, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstr. 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.,Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Mario Mörl
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstr. 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Wrist A, Sun W, Summers RM. The Theophylline Aptamer: 25 Years as an Important Tool in Cellular Engineering Research. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:682-697. [PMID: 32142605 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The theophylline aptamer was isolated from an oligonucleotide library in 1994. Since that time, the aptamer has found wide utility, particularly in synthetic biology, cellular engineering, and diagnostic applications. The primary application of the theophylline aptamer is in the construction and characterization of synthetic riboswitches for regulation of gene expression. These riboswitches have been used to control cellular motility, regulate carbon metabolism, construct logic gates, screen for mutant enzymes, and control apoptosis. Other applications of the theophylline aptamer in cellular engineering include regulation of RNA interference and genome editing through CRISPR systems. Here we describe the uses of the theophylline aptamer for cellular engineering over the past 25 years. In so doing, we also highlight important synthetic biology applications to control gene expression in a ligand-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Wrist
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
| | - Wanqi Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
| | - Ryan M. Summers
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, United States
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7
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Sengupta RN, Herschlag D. Enhancement of RNA/Ligand Association Kinetics via an Electrostatic Anchor. Biochemistry 2019; 58:2760-2768. [PMID: 31117387 PMCID: PMC6586055 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.9b00231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
![]()
The diverse biological
processes mediated by RNA rest upon its
recognition of various ligands, including small molecules and nucleic
acids. Nevertheless, a recent literature survey suggests that RNA
molecular recognition of these ligands is slow, with association rate
constants orders of magnitude below the diffusional limit. Thus, we
were prompted to consider strategies for increasing RNA association
kinetics. Proteins can accelerate ligand association via electrostatic
forces, and here, using the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme,
we provide evidence that electrostatic forces can accelerate RNA/ligand
association. This RNA enzyme (E) catalyzes cleavage of an oligonucleotide
substrate (S) by an exogenous guanosine (G) cofactor. The G 2′-
and 3′-OH groups interact with an active site metal ion, termed
MC, within E·S·G, and we perturbed each of these
contacts via −NH3+ substitution. New
and prior data indicate that G(2′NH3+) and G(3′NH3+) bind as strongly as
G, suggesting that the −NH3+ substituents
of these analogues avoid repulsive interactions with MC and make alternative interactions. Unexpectedly, removal of the
adjacent −OH via −H substitution to give G(2′H,3′NH3+) and G(2′NH3+,3′H) enhanced binding, in stark contrast to the deleterious
effect of these substitutions on G binding. Pulse–chase experiments
indicate that the −NH3+ moiety of G(2′H,3′NH3+) increases the rate of G association. These results
suggest that the positively charged −NH3+ group can act as a molecular “anchor” to increase
the residence time of the encounter complex and thereby enhance productive
binding. Electrostatic anchors may provide a broadly applicable strategy
for the development of fast binding RNA ligands and RNA-targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghuvir N Sengupta
- Department of Biochemistry , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States.,Departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States.,Stanford ChEM-H (Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health) , Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 , United States
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8
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Findeiß S, Hammer S, Wolfinger MT, Kühnl F, Flamm C, Hofacker IL. In silico design of ligand triggered RNA switches. Methods 2018; 143:90-101. [PMID: 29660485 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2018.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 03/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
This contribution sketches a work flow to design an RNA switch that is able to adapt two structural conformations in a ligand-dependent way. A well characterized RNA aptamer, i.e., knowing its Kd and adaptive structural features, is an essential ingredient of the described design process. We exemplify the principles using the well-known theophylline aptamer throughout this work. The aptamer in its ligand-binding competent structure represents one structural conformation of the switch while an alternative fold that disrupts the binding-competent structure forms the other conformation. To keep it simple we do not incorporate any regulatory mechanism to control transcription or translation. We elucidate a commonly used design process by explicitly dissecting and explaining the necessary steps in detail. We developed a novel objective function which specifies the mechanistics of this simple, ligand-triggered riboswitch and describe an extensive in silico analysis pipeline to evaluate important kinetic properties of the designed sequences. This protocol and the developed software can be easily extended or adapted to fit novel design scenarios and thus can serve as a template for future needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Findeiß
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; University of Vienna, Faculty of Computer Science, Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Währingerstraße 29, 1090 Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Währingerstraße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Stefan Hammer
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany; University of Vienna, Faculty of Computer Science, Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Währingerstraße 29, 1090 Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Währingerstraße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael T Wolfinger
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Währingerstraße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Medical University of Vienna, Center for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Währingerstraße 13, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix Kühnl
- Bioinformatics, Institute of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Flamm
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Währingerstraße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ivo L Hofacker
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Computer Science, Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Währingerstraße 29, 1090 Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Währingerstraße 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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9
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Findeiß S, Etzel M, Will S, Mörl M, Stadler PF. Design of Artificial Riboswitches as Biosensors. SENSORS 2017; 17:s17091990. [PMID: 28867802 PMCID: PMC5621056 DOI: 10.3390/s17091990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
RNA aptamers readily recognize small organic molecules, polypeptides, as well as other nucleic acids in a highly specific manner. Many such aptamers have evolved as parts of regulatory systems in nature. Experimental selection techniques such as SELEX have been very successful in finding artificial aptamers for a wide variety of natural and synthetic ligands. Changes in structure and/or stability of aptamers upon ligand binding can propagate through larger RNA constructs and cause specific structural changes at distal positions. In turn, these may affect transcription, translation, splicing, or binding events. The RNA secondary structure model realistically describes both thermodynamic and kinetic aspects of RNA structure formation and refolding at a single, consistent level of modelling. Thus, this framework allows studying the function of natural riboswitches in silico. Moreover, it enables rationally designing artificial switches, combining essentially arbitrary sensors with a broad choice of read-out systems. Eventually, this approach sets the stage for constructing versatile biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Findeiß
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
- Faculty of Computer Science, Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Vienna, Währingerstraße 29, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
- Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Maja Etzel
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Will
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
- Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Mario Mörl
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Peter F Stadler
- Bioinformatics Group, Department of Computer Science, and Interdisciplinary Center for Bioinformatics, University Leipzig, Härtelstraße 16-18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany.
- Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währingerstraße 17, A-1090 Vienna, Austria.
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Inselstraße 22, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Center for RNA in Technology and Health, University of Copenhagen, Grønnegårdsvej 3, 1870 Frederiksberg , Denmark.
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.
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10
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Warfield BM, Anderson PC. Molecular simulations and Markov state modeling reveal the structural diversity and dynamics of a theophylline-binding RNA aptamer in its unbound state. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0176229. [PMID: 28437473 PMCID: PMC5402969 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 04/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA aptamers are oligonucleotides that bind with high specificity and affinity to target ligands. In the absence of bound ligand, secondary structures of RNA aptamers are generally stable, but single-stranded and loop regions, including ligand binding sites, lack defined structures and exist as ensembles of conformations. For example, the well-characterized theophylline-binding aptamer forms a highly stable binding site when bound to theophylline, but the binding site is unstable and disordered when theophylline is absent. Experimental methods have not revealed at atomic resolution the conformations that the theophylline aptamer explores in its unbound state. Consequently, in the present study we applied 21 microseconds of molecular dynamics simulations to structurally characterize the ensemble of conformations that the aptamer adopts in the absence of theophylline. Moreover, we apply Markov state modeling to predict the kinetics of transitions between unbound conformational states. Our simulation results agree with experimental observations that the theophylline binding site is found in many distinct binding-incompetent states and show that these states lack a binding pocket that can accommodate theophylline. The binding-incompetent states interconvert with binding-competent states through structural rearrangement of the binding site on the nanosecond to microsecond timescale. Moreover, we have simulated the complete theophylline binding pathway. Our binding simulations supplement prior experimental observations of slow theophylline binding kinetics by showing that the binding site must undergo a large conformational rearrangement after the aptamer and theophylline form an initial complex, most notably, a major rearrangement of the C27 base from a buried to solvent-exposed orientation. Theophylline appears to bind by a combination of conformational selection and induced fit mechanisms. Finally, our modeling indicates that when Mg2+ ions are present the population of binding-competent aptamer states increases more than twofold. This population change, rather than direct interactions between Mg2+ and theophylline, accounts for altered theophylline binding kinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Becka M. Warfield
- Department of Physical Sciences, University of Washington, Bothell, Washington, United States of America
| | - Peter C. Anderson
- Department of Physical Sciences, University of Washington, Bothell, Washington, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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11
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Etzel M, Mörl M. Synthetic Riboswitches: From Plug and Pray toward Plug and Play. Biochemistry 2017; 56:1181-1198. [PMID: 28206750 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.6b01218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, and gene therapy, there is a strong demand for orthogonal or externally controlled regulation of gene expression. Here, RNA-based regulatory devices represent a promising emerging alternative to proteins, allowing a fast and direct control of gene expression, as no synthesis of regulatory proteins is required. Besides programmable ribozyme elements controlling mRNA stability, regulatory RNA structures in untranslated regions are highly interesting for engineering approaches. Riboswitches are especially well suited, as they show a modular composition of sensor and response elements, allowing a free combination of different modules in a plug-and-play-like mode. The sensor or aptamer domain specifically interacts with a trigger molecule as a ligand, modulating the activity of the adjacent response domain that controls the expression of the genes located downstream, in most cases at the level of transcription or translation. In this review, we discuss the recent advances and strategies for designing such synthetic riboswitches based on natural or artificial components and readout systems, from trial-and-error approaches to rational design strategies. As the past several years have shown dramatic development in this fascinating field of research, we can give only a limited overview of the basic riboswitch design principles that is far from complete, and we apologize for not being able to consider every successful and interesting approach described in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Etzel
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University , Brüderstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mario Mörl
- Institute for Biochemistry, Leipzig University , Brüderstrasse 34, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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12
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Entzian C, Schubert T. Mapping the Binding Site of an Aptamer on ATP Using MicroScale Thermophoresis. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 28117825 DOI: 10.3791/55070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Characterization of molecular interactions in terms of basic binding parameters such as binding affinity, stoichiometry, and thermodynamics is an essential step in basic and applied science. MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST) is a sensitive biophysical method to obtain this important information. Relying on a physical effect called thermophoresis, which describes the movement of molecules through temperature gradients, this technology allows for the fast and precise determination of binding parameters in solution and allows the free choice of buffer conditions (from buffer to lysates/sera). MST uses the fact that an unbound molecule displays a different thermophoretic movement than a molecule that is in complex with a binding partner. The thermophoretic movement is altered in the moment of molecular interaction due to changes in size, charge, and hydration shell. By comparing the movement profiles of different molecular ratios of the two binding partners, quantitative information such as binding affinity (pM to mM) can be determined. Even challenging interactions between molecules of small sizes, such as aptamers and small compounds, can be studied by MST. Using the well-studied model interaction between the DH25.42 DNA aptamer and ATP, this manuscript provides a protocol to characterize aptamer-small molecule interactions. This study demonstrates that MST is highly sensitive and permits the mapping of the binding site of the 7.9 kDa DNA aptamer to the adenine of ATP.
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13
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Challier L, Miranda-Castro R, Barbe B, Fave C, Limoges B, Peyrin E, Ravelet C, Fiore E, Labbé P, Coche-Guérente L, Ennifar E, Bec G, Dumas P, Mavré F, Noël V. Multianalytical Study of the Binding between a Small Chiral Molecule and a DNA Aptamer: Evidence for Asymmetric Steric Effect upon 3'- versus 5'-End Sequence Modification. Anal Chem 2016; 88:11963-11971. [PMID: 27934108 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b04046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers are involved in a broad field of applications ranging from therapeutics to analytics. Deciphering the binding mechanisms between aptamers and small ligands is therefore crucial to improve and optimize existing applications and to develop new ones. Particularly interesting is the enantiospecific binding mechanism involving small molecules with nonprestructured aptamers. One archetypal example is the chiral binding between l-tyrosinamide and its 49-mer aptamer for which neither structural nor mechanistic information is available. In the present work, we have taken advantage of a multiple analytical characterization strategy (i.e., using electroanalytical techniques such as kinetic rotating droplet electrochemistry, fluorescence polarization, isothermal titration calorimetry, and quartz crystal microbalance) for interpreting the nature of binding process. Screening of the binding thermodynamics and kinetics with a wide range of aptamer sequences revealed the lack of symmetry between the two ends of the 23-mer minimal binding sequence, showing an unprecedented influence of the 5' aptamer modification on the bimolecular binding rate constant kon and no significant effect on the dissociation rate constant koff. The results we have obtained lead us to conclude that the enantiospecific binding reaction occurs through an induced-fit mechanism, wherein the ligand promotes a primary nucleation binding step near the 5'-end of the aptamer followed by a directional folding of the aptamer around its target from 5'-end to 3'-end. Functionalization of the 5'-end position by a chemical label, a polydA tail, a protein, or a surface influences the kinetic/thermodynamic constants up to 2 orders of magnitude in the extreme case of a surface immobilized aptamer, while significantly weaker effect is observed for a 3'-end modification. The reason is that steric hindrance must be overcome to nucleate the binding complex in the presence of a modification near the nucleation site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lylian Challier
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Rebeca Miranda-Castro
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Bertrand Barbe
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Claire Fave
- Laboratoire d'Electrochimie Moléculaire, UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Benoît Limoges
- Laboratoire d'Electrochimie Moléculaire, UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Eric Peyrin
- Département de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire, UMR 5063 CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes , 470 rue de la chimie, 38400 Saint-Martin d'Hères, France
| | - Corinne Ravelet
- Département de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire, UMR 5063 CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes , 470 rue de la chimie, 38400 Saint-Martin d'Hères, France
| | - Emmanuelle Fiore
- Département de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire, UMR 5063 CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes , 470 rue de la chimie, 38400 Saint-Martin d'Hères, France
| | - Pierre Labbé
- Département de Chimie Moléculaire, CNRS, UMR 5250, Université Grenoble Alpes , FR 2607, 570 rue de la chimie, B.P. 53, 38400 Grenoble, France
| | - Liliane Coche-Guérente
- Département de Chimie Moléculaire, CNRS, UMR 5250, Université Grenoble Alpes , FR 2607, 570 rue de la chimie, B.P. 53, 38400 Grenoble, France
| | - Eric Ennifar
- "Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN", Biophysique et Biologie Structurale, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg , 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Guillaume Bec
- "Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN", Biophysique et Biologie Structurale, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg , 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - Philippe Dumas
- "Architecture et Réactivité de l'ARN", Biophysique et Biologie Structurale, Institut de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, Université de Strasbourg , 15 rue René Descartes, 67084 Strasbourg, France
| | - François Mavré
- Laboratoire d'Electrochimie Moléculaire, UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Vincent Noël
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité , 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
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14
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Álvarez-Martos I, Ferapontova EE. Electrochemical Label-Free Aptasensor for Specific Analysis of Dopamine in Serum in the Presence of Structurally Related Neurotransmitters. Anal Chem 2016; 88:3608-16. [PMID: 26916821 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b04207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Cellular and brain metabolism of dopamine can be correlated with a number of neurodegenerative disorders, and as such, in vivo analysis of dopamine in the presence of structurally related neurotransmitters (NT) represents a holy grail of neuroscience. Interference from those NTs generally does not allow selective electroanalysis of dopamine, which redox transformation overlaps with those of other catecholamines. In our previous work, we reported an electrochemical RNA-aptamer-based biosensor for specific analysis of dopamine (Analytical Chemistry, 2013; Vol. 85, p 121). However, the overall design of the biosensor restricted its stability and impeded its operation in serum. Here, we show that specific biorecognition and electroanalysis of dopamine in serum can be performed by the RNA aptamer tethered to cysteamine-modified gold electrodes via the alkanethiol linker. The stabilized dopamine aptasensor allowed continuous 20 h amperometric analysis of dopamine in 10% serum within the physiologically important 0.1-1 μM range and in the presence of catechol and such dopamine precursors and metabolites as norepinephrine and l-DOPA. In a flow-injection mode, the aptasensor response to dopamine was ∼1 s, the sensitivity of analysis, optimized by adjusting the aptamer surface coverage, was 67 ± 1 nA μM(-1) cm(-2), and the dopamine LOD was 62 nM. The proposed design of the aptasensor, exploiting both the aptamer alkanethiol tethering to the electrode and screening of the catecholamine-aptamer electrostatic interactions, allows direct monitoring of dopamine levels in biological fluids in the presence of competitive NT and thus may be further applicable in biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Álvarez-Martos
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and ‡Danish National Research Foundation: Center for DNA Nanotechnology (CDNA), Aarhus University , Gustav Wieds Vej 1590-14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Elena E Ferapontova
- Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO) and ‡Danish National Research Foundation: Center for DNA Nanotechnology (CDNA), Aarhus University , Gustav Wieds Vej 1590-14, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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15
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Sengupta RN, Van Schie SNS, Giambaşu G, Dai Q, Yesselman JD, York D, Piccirilli JA, Herschlag D. An active site rearrangement within the Tetrahymena group I ribozyme releases nonproductive interactions and allows formation of catalytic interactions. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2016; 22:32-48. [PMID: 26567314 PMCID: PMC4691833 DOI: 10.1261/rna.053710.115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 09/23/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Biological catalysis hinges on the precise structural integrity of an active site that binds and transforms its substrates and meeting this requirement presents a unique challenge for RNA enzymes. Functional RNAs, including ribozymes, fold into their active conformations within rugged energy landscapes that often contain misfolded conformers. Here we uncover and characterize one such "off-pathway" species within an active site after overall folding of the ribozyme is complete. The Tetrahymena group I ribozyme (E) catalyzes cleavage of an oligonucleotide substrate (S) by an exogenous guanosine (G) cofactor. We tested whether specific catalytic interactions with G are present in the preceding E•S•G and E•G ground-state complexes. We monitored interactions with G via the effects of 2'- and 3'-deoxy (-H) and -amino (-NH(2)) substitutions on G binding. These and prior results reveal that G is bound in an inactive configuration within E•G, with the nucleophilic 3'-OH making a nonproductive interaction with an active site metal ion termed MA and with the adjacent 2'-OH making no interaction. Upon S binding, a rearrangement occurs that allows both -OH groups to contact a different active site metal ion, termed M(C), to make what are likely to be their catalytic interactions. The reactive phosphoryl group on S promotes this change, presumably by repositioning the metal ions with respect to G. This conformational transition demonstrates local rearrangements within an otherwise folded RNA, underscoring RNA's difficulty in specifying a unique conformation and highlighting Nature's potential to use local transitions of RNA in complex function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghuvir N Sengupta
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Sabine N S Van Schie
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 CC, The Netherlands
| | - George Giambaşu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Qing Dai
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Joseph D Yesselman
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Darrin York
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA
| | - Joseph A Piccirilli
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA Department of Chemical Engineering, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health (ChEM-H), Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA Department of Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health (ChEM-H), Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA Department of Chemistry, Engineering, and Medicine for Human Health (ChEM-H), Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
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16
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Zhou Q, Xia X, Luo Z, Liang H, Shakhnovich E. Searching the Sequence Space for Potent Aptamers Using SELEX in Silico. J Chem Theory Comput 2015; 11:5939-46. [PMID: 26642994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.5b00707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
To isolate functional nucleic acids that bind to defined targets with high affinity and specificity, which are known as aptamers, the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) methodology has emerged as the preferred approach. Here, we propose a computational approach, SELEX in silico, that allows the sequence space to be more thoroughly explored regarding binding of a certain target. Our approach consists of two steps: (i) secondary structure-based sequence screening, which aims to collect the sequences that can form a desired RNA motif as an enhanced initial library, followed by (ii) sequence enrichment regarding target binding by molecular dynamics simulation-based virtual screening. Our SELEX in silico method provided a practical computational solution to three key problems in aptamer sequence searching: design of nucleic acid libraries, knowledge of sequence enrichment, and identification of potent aptamers. Six potent theophylline-binding aptamers, which were isolated by SELEX in silico from a sequence space containing 4(13) sequences, were experimentally verified to bind theophylline with high affinity: Kd ranging from 0.16 to 0.52 μM, compared with the dissociation constant of the original aptamer-theophylline, 0.32 μM. These results demonstrate the significant potential of SELEX in silico as a new method for aptamer discovery and optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingtong Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Xiaole Xia
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.,Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Jiangnan University , Wuxi, Jiangsu 214122, People's Republic of China
| | | | | | - Eugene Shakhnovich
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
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17
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Souard F, Perrier S, Noël V, Fave C, Fiore E, Peyrin E, Garcia J, Vanhaverbeke C. Optimization of Experimental Parameters to Explore Small-Ligand/Aptamer Interactions through Use of (1) H NMR Spectroscopy and Molecular Modeling. Chemistry 2015; 21:15740-8. [PMID: 26356596 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201501527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers constitute an emerging class of molecules designed and selected to recognize any given target that ranges from small compounds to large biomolecules, and even cells. However, the underlying physicochemical principles that govern the ligand-binding process still have to be clarified. A major issue when dealing with short oligonucleotides is their intrinsic flexibility that renders their active conformation highly sensitive to experimental conditions. To overcome this problem and determine the best experimental parameters, an approach based on the design-of-experiments methodology has been developed. Here, the focus is on DNA aptamers that possess high specificity and affinity for small molecules, L-tyrosinamide, and adenosine monophosphate. Factors such as buffer, pH value, ionic strength, Mg(2+) -ion concentration, and ligand/aptamer ratio have been considered to find the optimal experimental conditions. It was then possible to gain new insight into the conformational features of the two ligands by using ligand-observed NMR spectroscopic techniques and molecular mechanics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Souard
- DPM, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 38000 (France). .,DPM, CNRS, Grenoble, 38000 (France).
| | - Sandrine Perrier
- DPM, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 38000 (France).,DPM, CNRS, Grenoble, 38000 (France)
| | - Vincent Noël
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, 75205 (France)
| | - Claire Fave
- Laboratoire d'Electrochimie Moléculaire, UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, 75205 (France)
| | - Emmanuelle Fiore
- DPM, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 38000 (France).,DPM, CNRS, Grenoble, 38000 (France)
| | - Eric Peyrin
- DPM, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 38000 (France).,DPM, CNRS, Grenoble, 38000 (France)
| | - Julian Garcia
- DCM, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 38000 (France).,DCM, CNRS, Grenoble, 38000 (France)
| | - Cécile Vanhaverbeke
- DPM, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, 38000 (France). .,DPM, CNRS, Grenoble, 38000 (France).
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18
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Entzian C, Schubert T. Studying small molecule-aptamer interactions using MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST). Methods 2015; 97:27-34. [PMID: 26334574 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2015.08.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 08/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are potent and versatile binding molecules recognizing various classes of target molecules. Even challenging targets such as small molecules can be identified and bound by aptamers. Studying the interaction between aptamers and drugs, antibiotics or metabolites in detail is however difficult due to the lack of sophisticated analysis methods. Basic binding parameters of these small molecule-aptamer interactions such as binding affinity, stoichiometry and thermodynamics are elaborately to access using the state of the art technologies. The innovative MicroScale Thermophoresis (MST) is a novel, rapid and precise method to characterize these small molecule-aptamer interactions in solution at microliter scale. The technology is based on the movement of molecules through temperature gradients, a physical effect referred to as thermophoresis. The thermophoretic movement of a molecule depends - besides on its size - on charge and hydration shell. Upon the interaction of a small molecule and an aptamer, at least one of these parameters is altered, leading to a change in the movement behavior, which can be used to quantify molecular interactions independent of the size of the target molecule. The MST offers free choice of buffers, even measurements in complex bioliquids are possible. The dynamic affinity range covers the pM to mM range and is therefore perfectly suited to analyze small molecule-aptamer interactions. This section describes a protocol how quantitative binding parameters for aptamer-small molecule interactions can be obtained by MST. This is demonstrated by mapping down the binding site of the well-known ATP aptamer DH25.42 to a specific region at the adenine of the ATP molecule.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemens Entzian
- 2bind GmbH, Josef Engertstraße 13, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schubert
- 2bind GmbH, Josef Engertstraße 13, 93053 Regensburg, Germany.
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19
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Duchardt-Ferner E, Weigand JE, Ohlenschläger O, Schmidtke SR, Suess B, Wöhnert J. Highly modular structure and ligand binding by conformational capture in a minimalistic riboswitch. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 49:6216-9. [PMID: 20632338 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201001339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elke Duchardt-Ferner
- Institute for Molecular Biosciences, Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance (BMRZ), Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
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20
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Badelt S, Hammer S, Flamm C, Hofacker IL. Thermodynamic and kinetic folding of riboswitches. Methods Enzymol 2015; 553:193-213. [PMID: 25726466 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2014.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Riboswitches are structured RNA regulatory elements located in the 5'-UTRs of mRNAs. Ligand-binding induces a structural rearrangement in these RNA elements, effecting events in downstream located coding sequences. Since they do not require proteins for their functions, they are ideally suited for computational analysis using the toolbox of RNA structure prediction methods. By their very definition riboswitch function depends on structural change. Methods that consider only the thermodynamic equilibrium of an RNA are therefore of limited use. Instead, one needs to employ computationally more expensive methods that consider the energy landscape and the folding dynamics on that landscape. Moreover, for the important class of kinetic riboswitches, the mechanism of riboswitch function can only be understood in the context of co-transcriptional folding. We present a computational approach to simulate the dynamic behavior of riboswitches during co-transcriptional folding in the presence and absence of a ligand. Our investigations show that the abstraction level of RNA secondary structure in combination with a dynamic folding landscape approach is expressive enough to understand how riboswitches perform their function. We apply our approach to a experimentally validated theophylline-binding riboswitch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Badelt
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Hammer
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christoph Flamm
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Ivo L Hofacker
- Institute for Theoretical Chemistry, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Research Group Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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21
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St-Pierre P, McCluskey K, Shaw E, Penedo JC, Lafontaine DA. Fluorescence tools to investigate riboswitch structural dynamics. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1839:1005-1019. [PMID: 24863161 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Revised: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 05/15/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Riboswitches are novel regulatory elements that respond to cellular metabolites to control gene expression. They are constituted of highly conserved domains that have evolved to recognize specific metabolites. Such domains, so-called aptamers, are folded into intricate structures to enable metabolite recognition. Over the years, the development of ensemble and single-molecule fluorescence techniques has allowed to probe most of the mechanistic aspects of aptamer folding and ligand binding. In this review, we summarize the current fluorescence toolkit available to study riboswitch structural dynamics. We fist describe those methods based on fluorescent nucleotide analogues, mostly 2-aminopurine (2AP), to investigate short-range conformational changes, including some key steady-state and time-resolved examples that exemplify the versatility of fluorescent analogues as structural probes. The study of long-range structural changes by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is mostly discussed in the context of single-molecule studies, including some recent developments based on the combination of single-molecule FRET techniques with controlled chemical denaturation methods. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Riboswitches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick St-Pierre
- RNA Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Kaley McCluskey
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, United Kingdom
| | - Euan Shaw
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, United Kingdom
| | - J C Penedo
- SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, United Kingdom; Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9SS, United Kingdom.
| | - D A Lafontaine
- RNA Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, J1K 2R1, Canada.
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22
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Global analysis of riboswitches by small-angle X-ray scattering and calorimetry. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2014; 1839:1020-1029. [PMID: 24769285 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2014] [Accepted: 04/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Riboswitches are phylogenetically widespread non-coding mRNA domains that directly bind cellular metabolites and regulate transcription, translation, RNA stability or splicing via alternative RNA structures modulated by ligand binding. The details of ligand recognition by many riboswitches have been elucidated using X-ray crystallography and NMR. However, the global dynamics of riboswitch-ligand interactions and their thermodynamic driving forces are less understood. By compiling the work of many laboratories investigating riboswitches using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), we uncover general trends and common themes. There is a pressing need for community-wide consensus experimental conditions to allow results of riboswitch studies to be compared rigorously. Nonetheless, our meta-analysis reveals considerable diversity in the extent to which ligand binding reorganizes global riboswitch structures. It also demonstrates a wide spectrum of enthalpy-entropy compensation regimes across riboswitches that bind a diverse set of ligands, giving rise to a relatively narrow range of physiologically relevant free energies and ligand affinities. From the strongly entropy-driven binding of glycine to the predominantly enthalpy-driven binding of c-di-GMP to their respective riboswitches, these distinct thermodynamic signatures reflect the versatile strategies employed by RNA to adapt to the chemical natures of diverse ligands. Riboswitches have evolved to use a combination of long-range tertiary interactions, conformational selection, and induced fit to work with distinct ligand structure, charge, and solvation properties. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Riboswitches.
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23
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Arnaut V, Langecker M, Simmel FC. Nanopore force spectroscopy of aptamer-ligand complexes. Biophys J 2014; 105:1199-207. [PMID: 24010663 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.07.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The stability of aptamer-ligand complexes is probed in nanopore-based dynamic force spectroscopy experiments. Specifically, the ATP-binding aptamer is investigated using a backward translocation technique, in which the molecules are initially pulled through an α-hemolysin nanopore from the cis to the trans side of a lipid bilayer membrane, allowed to refold and interact with their target, and then translocated back in the trans-cis direction. From these experiments, the distribution of bound and unbound complexes is determined, which in turn allows determination of the dissociation constant Kd ≈ 0.1 mM of the aptamer and of voltage-dependent unfolding rates. The experiments also reveal differences in binding of the aptamer to AMP, ADP, or ATP ligands. Investigation of an aptamer variant with a stabilized ATP-binding site indicates fast conformational switching of the original aptamer before ATP binding. Nanopore force spectroscopy is also used to study binding of the thrombin-binding aptamer to its target. To detect aptamer-target interactions in this case, the stability of the ligand-free aptamer-containing G-quadruplexes-is tuned via the potassium content of the buffer. Although the presence of thrombin was detected, limitations of the method for aptamers with strong secondary structures and complexes with nanomolar Kd were identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Arnaut
- Lehrstuhl für Bioelektronik, Physik Department, Technische Universität München, Garching, Germany
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24
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Chang AL, McKeague M, Liang JC, Smolke CD. Kinetic and equilibrium binding characterization of aptamers to small molecules using a label-free, sensitive, and scalable platform. Anal Chem 2014; 86:3273-8. [PMID: 24548121 PMCID: PMC3983011 DOI: 10.1021/ac5001527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Nucleic
acid aptamers function as versatile sensing and targeting
agents for analytical, diagnostic, therapeutic, and gene-regulatory
applications, but their limited characterization and functional validation
have hindered their broader implementation. We report the development
of a surface plasmon resonance-based platform for rapid characterization
of kinetic and equilibrium binding properties of aptamers to small
molecules. Our system is label-free and scalable and enables analysis
of different aptamer–target pairs and binding conditions with
the same platform. This method demonstrates improved sensitivity,
flexibility, and stability compared to other aptamer characterization
methods. We validated our assay against previously reported aptamer
affinity and kinetic measurements and further characterized a diverse
panel of 12 small molecule-binding RNA and DNA aptamers. We report
the first kinetic characterization for six of these aptamers and affinity
characterization of two others. This work is the first example of
direct comparison of in vitro selected and natural aptamers using
consistent characterization conditions, thus providing insight into
the influence of environmental conditions on aptamer binding kinetics
and affinities, indicating different possible regulatory strategies
used by natural aptamers, and identifying potential in vitro selection
strategies to improve resulting binding affinities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew L Chang
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University , Stanford, CA 94305, United States
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25
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Challier L, Miranda-Castro R, Marchal D, Noël V, Mavré F, Limoges B. Kinetic Rotating Droplet Electrochemistry: A Simple and Versatile Method for Reaction Progress Kinetic Analysis in Microliter Volumes. J Am Chem Soc 2013; 135:14215-28. [DOI: 10.1021/ja405415q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lylian Challier
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, and ‡Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire,
UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Rebeca Miranda-Castro
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, and ‡Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire,
UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Damien Marchal
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, and ‡Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire,
UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Vincent Noël
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, and ‡Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire,
UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - François Mavré
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, and ‡Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire,
UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
| | - Benoît Limoges
- ITODYS, UMR 7086 CNRS, and ‡Laboratoire d’Electrochimie Moléculaire,
UMR 7591 CNRS, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, 15 rue Jean-Antoine de Baïf, F-75205 Paris Cedex 13, France
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26
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Kimoto M, Hikida Y, Hirao I. Site-Specific Functional Labeling of Nucleic Acids by In Vitro Replication and Transcription using Unnatural Base Pair Systems. Isr J Chem 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201300013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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27
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Šmuc T, Ahn IY, Ulrich H. Nucleic acid aptamers as high affinity ligands in biotechnology and biosensorics. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2013; 81-82:210-7. [PMID: 23666257 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2013.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Revised: 03/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2013] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are small nucleic acid molecules capable of binding to a wide range of target molecules with high affinity and specificity. They have been developed and widely used not only as research tools, but also as biosensors, specific antagonists, and diagnostic markers and as protein purification platform for many pharmaceutical and clinical applications. Here, in this paper we will explore biochemical aspects of aptamer-target interactions and show why aptamers rival antibodies in target recognition and purification procedures. This review will focus on strategies of using aptamers as affinity ligands for molecules of therapeutic and pharmaceutical interest including applications in chromatography and capillary electrophoresis for protein and small molecule purification. Moreover, we will also discuss aptamers whose binding parameters can be controlled on demand for diagnostic approaches and used as sensitive receptors in biosensorics. Aptamers have opened up exciting fields in basic and applied research of pharmaceutical and biotechnological interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina Šmuc
- Laboratory for Bio-instrumentation, Centre of Excellence for Biosensors, Instrumentation and Process Control, Velika pot 22, 5250 Solkan, Slovenia
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28
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Abstract
Chiral recognition phenomena play an important role in nature as well as analytical separation sciences. In separation sciences such as chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, enantiospecific interactions between the enantiomers of an analyte and the chiral selector are required in order to observe enantioseparations. Due to the large structural variety of chiral selectors applied, different mechanisms and structural features contribute to the chiral recognition process. This chapter briefly illustrates the current models of the enantiospecific recognition on the structural basics of various chiral selectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard K E Scriba
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
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29
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Walter JG, Stahl F, Scheper T. Aptamers as affinity ligands for downstream processing. Eng Life Sci 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/elsc.201100197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Johanna-Gabriela Walter
- Institut für Technische Chemie; Leibniz Universität Hannover; Callinstr. 3; 30167; Hannover; Germany
| | - Frank Stahl
- Institut für Technische Chemie; Leibniz Universität Hannover; Callinstr. 3; 30167; Hannover; Germany
| | - Thomas Scheper
- Institut für Technische Chemie; Leibniz Universität Hannover; Callinstr. 3; 30167; Hannover; Germany
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30
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31
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Zou M, Chen Y, Xu X, Huang H, Liu F, Li N. The homogeneous fluorescence anisotropic sensing of salivary lysozyme using the 6-carboxyfluorescein-labeled DNA aptamer. Biosens Bioelectron 2011; 32:148-54. [PMID: 22217604 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2011.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2011] [Revised: 11/26/2011] [Accepted: 11/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A simple and sensitive fluorescence anisotropy method was developed for lysozyme, employing the coupling of fluorophore, 6-carboxyfluorescein (FAM), with lysozyme upon recognition between the target molecule and its DNA aptamer. It was found in this study that the rotational dynamic of the detecting system is crucial to obtain a high anisotropy signal that cannot always be achieved by simply increasing the molecular volume, because molecular volume increase may not be able to efficiently retard the rotational movement of the fluorophore. FAM was selected as the label of the ssDNA aptamer to effectively facilitate the change of the fluorophore from a primarily independent segmental movement to slow global rotation. The time-resolved measurements, including lifetime and dynamic fluorescence anisotropy, were conducted to study the recognition interaction and to better understand the methodology. The proposed method had a wide linear dynamic range of 12.5-300 nM and a high sensitivity with the limit of detection of 4.9 nM (3S/N). This proposed method was successfully applied to assay of human salivary lysozyme. The results based on the standard addition recovery and comparison with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) demonstrated the feasibility of this method for biological samples. Using coupling between the fluorophore and the analyte can be one of the approaches working toward expanding the application of fluorescence anisotropy based on aptamer-target and antibody-antigen recognitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingjian Zou
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, Institute of Analytical Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
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32
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Sokoloski JE, Dombrowski SE, Bevilacqua PC. Thermodynamics of ligand binding to a heterogeneous RNA population in the malachite green aptamer. Biochemistry 2011; 51:565-72. [PMID: 22192051 DOI: 10.1021/bi201642p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The malachite green aptamer binds two closely related ligands, malachite green (MG) and tetramethylrosamine (TMR), with nearly equal affinity. The MG ligand consists of three phenyl rings emanating from a central carbon, while TMR has two of the three rings connected by an ether linkage. The binding pockets for MG and TMR in the aptamer, known from high-resolution structures, differ only in the conformation of a few nucleotides. Herein, we applied isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to compare the thermodynamics of binding of MG and TMR to the aptamer. Binding heat capacities were obtained from ITC titrations over the temperature range of 15-60 °C. Two temperature regimes were found for MG binding: one from 15 to 45 °C where MG bound with a large negative heat capacity and an apparent stoichiometry (n) of ~0.4 and another from 50 to 60 °C where MG bound with a positive heat capacity and an n of ~1.1. The binding of TMR, on the other hand, revealed only one temperature regime for binding, with a more modest negative heat capacity and an n of ~1.2. The large difference in heat capacity between the two ligands suggests that significantly more conformational rearrangement occurs upon the binding of MG than that of TMR, which is consistent with differences in solvent accessible surface area calculated for available ligand-bound structures. Lastly, we note that the binding stoichiometry of MG was improved not only by an increase in the temperature but also by a decrease in the concentration of Mg(2+) or an increase in the time between ITC injections. These studies suggest that binding of a dynamical ligand to a functional RNA requires the RNA itself to have significant dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua E Sokoloski
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
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33
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Förster U, Weigand JE, Trojanowski P, Suess B, Wachtveitl J. Conformational dynamics of the tetracycline-binding aptamer. Nucleic Acids Res 2011; 40:1807-17. [PMID: 22053085 PMCID: PMC3287181 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The conformational dynamics induced by ligand binding to the tetracycline-binding aptamer is monitored via stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopy and time-correlated single photon counting experiments. The fluorescence of the ligand is sensitive to changes within the tertiary structure of the aptamer during and after the binding process. In addition to the wild-type aptamer, the mutants A9G, A13U and A50U are examined, where bases important for regulation are changed to inhibit the aptamer’s function. Our results suggest a very fast two-step-mechanism for the binding of the ligand to the aptamer that can be interpreted as a binding step followed by a reorganization of the aptamer to accommodate the ligand. Binding to the two direct contact points A13 and A50 was found to occur in the first binding step. The exchange of the structurally important base A9 for guanine induces an enormous deceleration of the overall binding process, which is mainly rooted in an enhancement of the back reaction of the first binding step by several orders of magnitude. This indicates a significant loss of tertiary structure of the aptamer in the absence of the base A9, and underlines the importance of pre-organization on the overall binding process of the tetracycline-binding aptamer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Förster
- Institut für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Straße 7, Germany
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34
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Lau JL, Baksh MM, Fiedler JD, Brown SD, Kussrow A, Bornhop DJ, Ordoukhanian P, Finn M. Evolution and protein packaging of small-molecule RNA aptamers. ACS NANO 2011; 5:7722-9. [PMID: 21899290 PMCID: PMC3209476 DOI: 10.1021/nn2006927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
A high-affinity RNA aptamer (K(d) = 50 nM) was efficiently identified by SELEX against a heteroaryldihydropyrimidine structure, chosen as a representative drug-like molecule with no cross reactivity with mammalian or bacterial cells. This aptamer, its weaker-binding variants, and a known aptamer against theophylline were each embedded in a longer RNA sequence that was encapsidated inside a virus-like particle by a convenient expression technique. These nucleoprotein particles were shown by backscattering interferometry to bind to the small-molecule ligands with affinities similar to those of the free (nonencapsidated) aptamers. The system therefore comprises a general approach to the production and sequestration of functional RNA molecules, characterized by a convenient label-free analytical technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jolene L. Lau
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michael M. Baksh
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jason D. Fiedler
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Steven D. Brown
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Amanda Kussrow
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Darryl J. Bornhop
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37235, USA
| | - Phillip Ordoukhanian
- Center for Protein and Nucleic Acid Research, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - M.G. Finn
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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35
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Hu X, Mu L, Zhou Q, Wen J, Pawliszyn J. ssDNA aptamer-based column for simultaneous removal of nanogram per liter level of illicit and analgesic pharmaceuticals in drinking water. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2011; 45:4890-4895. [PMID: 21539347 DOI: 10.1021/es104241z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are a new class of single-stranded DNA/RNA molecules selected from synthetic nucleic acid libraries for molecular recognition. Our group reports a novel aptamer column for the removal of trace (ng/L) pharmaceuticals in drinking water. In this study, cocaine and diclofenac were chosen as model molecules to test the aptamer column which presented high removal capacity, selectivity, and stability. The removal of pharmaceuticals was as high as 88-95%. The data of adsorption were fitted with Langmuir isotherm and a pseudo-second-order kinetic model. A thermodynamic experiment proved the adsorption processes were exothermic in spontaneity. The kinetics of aptamer was composed of three steps: activation, binding, and hybridization. The first step was the rate-controlling step. The adsorption system was divided into three parts: kinetic, mixed, and thermodynamic zones from 0% to 100% binding fraction of aptamer. Furthermore, the aptamer column was reusable and achieved strong removal efficiency from 4 to 30 °C at normal cation ion concentration (5-100 mg/L) for multipollutants without cross effects and secondary pollution. This work indicates that aptamer, as a new sorbent, can be used in the removal of persistent organic pollutants, biological toxins, and pathogenic bacteria from surface, drinking, and ground water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria (Ministry of Education), College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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36
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Lu J, Kadakkuzha BM, Zhao L, Fan M, Qi X, Xia T. Dynamic ensemble view of the conformational landscape of HIV-1 TAR RNA and allosteric recognition. Biochemistry 2011; 50:5042-57. [PMID: 21553929 DOI: 10.1021/bi200495d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
RNA conformational dynamics and the resulting structural heterogeneity play an important role in RNA functions, e.g., recognition. Recognition of HIV-1 TAR RNA has been proposed to occur via a conformational capture mechanism. Here, using ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, we have probed the complexity of the conformational landscape of HIV-1 TAR RNA and monitored the position-dependent changes in the landscape upon binding of a Tat protein-derived peptide and neomycin B. In the ligand-free state, the TAR RNA samples multiple families of conformations with various degrees of base stacking around the three-nucleotide bulge region. Some subpopulations partially resemble those ligand-bound states, but the coaxially stacked state is below the detection limit. When Tat or neomycin B binds, the bulge region as an ensemble undergoes a conformational transition in a position-dependent manner. Tat and neomycin B induce mutually exclusive changes in the TAR RNA underlying the mechanism of allosteric inhibition at an ensemble level with residue-specific details. Time-resolved anisotropy decay measurements revealed picosecond motions of bases in both ligand-free and ligand-bound states. Mutation of a base pair at the bulge--stem junction has differential effects on the conformational distributions of the bulge bases. A dynamic model of the ensemble view of the conformational landscape for HIV-1 TAR RNA is proposed, and the implication of the general mechanism of RNA recognition and its impact on RNA-based therapeutics are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Lu
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080, United States
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37
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Lam BJ, Joyce GF. An isothermal system that couples ligand-dependent catalysis to ligand-independent exponential amplification. J Am Chem Soc 2011; 133:3191-7. [PMID: 21322594 DOI: 10.1021/ja111136d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A system was devised that enables quantitative, ligand-dependent exponential amplification for various ligands that can be recognized by an RNA aptamer. The aptamer is linked to an RNA enzyme that catalyzes the joining of two oligonucleotide substrates. The product of this reaction is another RNA enzyme that undergoes self-sustained replication at constant temperature, increasing in copy number exponentially. The concentration of the ligand determines the amount of time required for the replication products to reach a threshold concentration. A standardized plot of time to threshold versus ligand concentration can be used to determine the concentration of ligand in an unknown sample. This system is analogous to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), linking rare recognition events to subsequent exponential amplification, but unlike PCR can be applied to the quantitative detection of non-nucleic acid ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca J Lam
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
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38
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Wilson RC, Smith AM, Fuchs RT, Kleckner IR, Henkin TM, Foster MP. Tuning riboswitch regulation through conformational selection. J Mol Biol 2011; 405:926-38. [PMID: 21075119 PMCID: PMC3019289 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2010.10.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2010] [Revised: 10/27/2010] [Accepted: 10/28/2010] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The S(MK) box riboswitch, which represents one of three known classes of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-responsive riboswitches, regulates gene expression in bacteria at the level of translation initiation. In contrast to most riboswitches, which contain separate domains responsible for ligand recognition and gene regulation, the ligand-binding and regulatory domains of the S(MK) box riboswitch are coincident. This property was exploited to allow the first atomic-level characterization of a functionally intact riboswitch in both the ligand-bound state and the ligand-free state. NMR spectroscopy revealed distinct mutually exclusive RNA conformations that are differentially populated in the presence or in the absence of the effector metabolite. Isothermal titration calorimetry and in vivo reporter assay results revealed the thermodynamic and functional consequences of this conformational equilibrium. We present a comprehensive model of the structural, thermodynamic, and functional properties of this compact RNA regulatory element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross C. Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Angela M. Smith
- Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Ryan T. Fuchs
- Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Ian R. Kleckner
- Department of Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Tina M. Henkin
- Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Department of Microbiology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Mark P. Foster
- Department of Biochemistry, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
- Center for RNA Biology, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
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39
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Stelzer AC, Kratz JD, Zhang Q, Al-Hashimi HM. RNA dynamics by design: biasing ensembles towards the ligand-bound state. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2011; 49:5731-3. [PMID: 20583015 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201000814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Stelzer
- Department of Chemistry and Biophysics, University of Michigan, 930 North University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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40
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Zhang J, Lau MW, Ferré-D'Amaré AR. Ribozymes and riboswitches: modulation of RNA function by small molecules. Biochemistry 2010; 49:9123-31. [PMID: 20931966 DOI: 10.1021/bi1012645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Diverse small molecules interact with catalytic RNAs (ribozymes) as substrates and cofactors, and their intracellular concentrations are sensed by gene-regulatory mRNA domains (riboswitches) that modulate transcription, splicing, translation, or RNA stability. Although recognition mechanisms vary from RNA to RNA, structural analyses reveal recurring strategies that arise from the intrinsic properties of RNA such as base pairing and stacking with conjugated heterocycles, and cation-dependent recognition of anionic functional groups. These studies also suggest that, to a first approximation, the magnitude of ligand-induced reorganization of an RNA is inversely proportional to the complexity of the riboswitch or ribozyme. How these small molecule binding-induced changes in RNA lead to alteration in gene expression is less well understood. While different riboswitches have been proposed to be under either kinetic or thermodynamic control, the biochemical and structural mechanisms that give rise to regulatory consequences downstream of small molecule recognition by RNAs mostly remain to be elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinwei Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Seattle, Washington 98109-1024, USA
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41
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Duchardt-Ferner E, Weigand J, Ohlenschläger O, Schmidtke S, Suess B, Wöhnert J. Hochmodulare Struktur und Ligandenbindung durch “Conformational Capture” in einem minimalistischen RNA-Schalter. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2010. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201001339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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42
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Stelzer A, Kratz J, Zhang Q, Al-Hashimi H. RNA Dynamics by Design: Biasing Ensembles Towards the Ligand-Bound State. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2010. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201000814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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43
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Site-specific fluorescent probing of RNA molecules by unnatural base-pair transcription for local structural conformation analysis. Nat Protoc 2010; 5:1312-23. [DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2010.77] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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44
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Lee SW, Zhao L, Pardi A, Xia T. Ultrafast dynamics show that the theophylline and 3-methylxanthine aptamers employ a conformational capture mechanism for binding their ligands. Biochemistry 2010; 49:2943-51. [PMID: 20214401 DOI: 10.1021/bi100106c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
RNAs often exhibit a high degree of conformational dynamics and heterogeneity, leading to a rugged energy landscape. However, the roles of conformational heterogeneity and rapid dynamics in molecular recognition or RNA function have not been extensively elucidated. Ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopic experiments were used here to probe picosecond dynamics of the theophylline-binding RNA aptamer. These studies showed that multiple conformations are populated in the free RNA, indicating that this aptamer employs a conformational capture mechanism for ligand binding. The base on residue 27 in an internal loop exists in at least three conformational states in the free RNA, including binding competent and incompetent states that have distinct fluorescence decay signatures indicating different base stacking interactions. Picosecond dynamics were also detected by anisotropy experiments, where these motions indicate additional dynamics for base 27. The picosecond data show that theophylline binding shifts the equilibrium for conformations of base 27 from primarily stacked in the free RNA to mostly unstacked in the RNA-theophylline complex, as observed in the previous NMR structure. In contrast, base 10 in a second internal loop is mostly preorganized in the free RNA, consistent with it being stacked between G11 and G25, as is observed in the bound state. Picosecond dynamics were also measured on a modified aptamer that binds with higher affinity to 3-methylxanthine than theophylline. The modified aptamer shows less heterogeneity in the aptamer-3-methylxanthine complex than what is observed in the theophylline aptamer-theophylline complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Won Lee
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, Texas 75080-3021, USA
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45
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Prychyna O, Dahabieh MS, Chao J, O'Neill MA. Sequence-dependent folding and unfolding of ligand-bound purine riboswitches. Biopolymers 2009; 91:953-65. [PMID: 19603494 DOI: 10.1002/bip.21283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Riboswitch regulation of gene expression requires ligand-mediated RNA folding. From the fluorescence lifetime distribution of bound 2-aminopurine ligand, we resolve three RNA conformers (C(o), C(i), C(c)) of the liganded G- and A-sensing riboswitches from Bacillus subtilis. The ligand binding affinities, and sensitivity to Mg(2+), together with results from mutagenesis, suggest that C(o) and C(i) are partially unfolded species compromised in key loop-loop interactions present in the fully folded C(c). These data verify that the ligand-bound riboswitches may dynamically fold and unfold in solution, and reveal differences in the distribution of folded states between two structurally homologous purine riboswitches: Ligand-mediated folding of the G-sensing riboswitch is more effective, less dependent on Mg(2+), and less debilitated by mutation, than the A-sensing riboswitch, which remains more unfolded in its liganded state. We propose that these sequence-dependent RNA dynamics, which adjust the balance of ligand-mediated folding and unfolding, enable different degrees of kinetic discrimination in ligand binding, and fine-tuning of gene regulatory mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oksana Prychyna
- Department of Chemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada, V5A 1S6
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46
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Perrier S, Ravelet C, Guieu V, Fize J, Roy B, Perigaud C, Peyrin E. Rationally designed aptamer-based fluorescence polarization sensor dedicated to the small target analysis. Biosens Bioelectron 2009; 25:1652-7. [PMID: 20034782 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2009.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2009] [Revised: 11/27/2009] [Accepted: 12/02/2009] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
A direct fluorescence polarization (FP) assay strategy, dedicated to the small molecule sensing and based on the unique induced-fit binding mechanism of end-labelled nucleic acid aptamers, has been recently developed by our group. Small target binding has been successfully converted into a significant increase of the fluorescence anisotropy signal presumably produced by the reduction of the local motional freedom of the dye. In order to generalize the approach, a rational FP sensor methodology was established herein, by engineering instability in the secondary structure of an aptameric recognition element. The anti-adenosine DNA aptamer, labelled by a single fluorescein dye at its 3' extremity, was employed as a model functional nucleic acid probe. The terminal stem of the stem-loop structure was shortened to induce a destabilized/denatured conformation which promoted the local segmental mobility of the dye and then a significant depolarization process. Upon target binding, the structural change of the aptamer induced the formation of a stable stem-loop structure, leading to the reduction of the dye mobility and the increase in the fluorescence anisotropy signal. This reasoned approach was applied to the sensing of adenosine and adenosine monophosphate and their chiral analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine Perrier
- Département de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire UMR 5063 CNRS, ICMG FR 2607, Université Grenoble I, Campus universitaire, 70, rue de la Chimie, 38240 Saint-Martin d'Hères, France
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47
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Zhao L, Xia T. Probing RNA conformational dynamics and heterogeneity using femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Methods 2009; 49:128-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2009.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2009] [Revised: 03/26/2009] [Accepted: 04/02/2009] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
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48
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Peyrin E. Nucleic acid aptamer molecular recognition principles and application in liquid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. J Sep Sci 2009; 32:1531-6. [PMID: 19370736 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.200900061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers isolated from the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) have the capacity to recognize various classes of target molecules with high affinity and specificity. In this context, the development of aptamer-based molecular recognition tools has become a very interesting and promising analytical strategy during the last few years. In this review, the molecular recognition features of aptamers as well as the key factors for their practical applicability to the chromatographic and capillary electrophoretic fields are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Peyrin
- Département de Pharmacochimie Moléculaire UMR 5063 CNRS, Institut de Chimie Moléculaire de Grenoble FR 2607, Université Grenoble I (Joseph Fourier), Grenoble, France.
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49
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Latham MP, Zimmermann GR, Pardi A. NMR chemical exchange as a probe for ligand-binding kinetics in a theophylline-binding RNA aptamer. J Am Chem Soc 2009; 131:5052-3. [PMID: 19317486 DOI: 10.1021/ja900695m] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The apparent on and off rate constants for binding of theophylline to its RNA aptamer in the absence of Mg(2+) were determined here by 2D (1)H-(1)H ZZ-exchange NMR spectroscopy. Analysis of the buildup rate of the exchange cross peaks for several base-paired imino protons in the RNA yielded an apparent k(on) of 600 M(-1) s(-1). This small apparent k(on) results because the free RNA exist as a dynamic equilibrium of inactive states rapidly interconverting with a low population of active species. The data found here indicate that the RNA aptamer employs a conformational selection mechanism for binding theophylline in the absence of Mg(2+). The kinetic data found here also explain a very unusual property of this RNA-theophylline system: slow exchange on the NMR chemical shift time scale for a weakly binding complex. To our knowledge, it is unprecedented to have such a weakly binding complex (K(d) approximately 3.0 mM at 15 degrees C) show slow exchange on the NMR chemical shift time scale, but the results clearly demonstrate that slow exchange and weak binding are readily rationalized by a small k(on). Comparisons with other ligand-receptor interactions are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Latham
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 215 UCB, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0215, USA
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