DNA sequence restricted by restriction endonuclease AP from Haemophilus aphirophilus

Isolation of restriction enzyme EcoVIII, an isoschizomer of HindIII, produced by Escherichia coli E1585-68

A restriction endonuclease designated EcoVIII, an isoschizomer of HindIII, was isolated from Escherichia coli E1585-68 and purified by dextran-polyethylene glycol (DPG) phase partition, ammonium sulfate precipitation, phospho- and DEAE-cellulose chromatography, and hydroxylapatite chromatography. The purified EcoVIII was stable during the purification procedure and its high specific activity required 10 mM Mg2+. Unlike HindIII, EcoVIII exhibited a high specific activity even at low pH (pH 6.3) and showed the highest activity at 48 degrees C. Transformation of purified plasmid DNA from E. coli E1585-68 into K-12 indicated that the EcoVIII gene was carried on a multicopy 4.4-kb miniplasmid. EcoVIII seems to be preferable to HindIII for its production and use because of easier handling of producer cells and a wider range of activity.

Recognition sequence of a restriction endonuclease from Haemophilus gallinarum

From comparison of the sequences in and around the cleavage sites of restriction endonuclease HgaI isolated from Haemophilus gallinarum, the recognition sequence and cleavage site of this enzyme was deduced as below: (formula: see text) This enzyme recognizes a specific but asymmetric penta-nucleotide sequence, GCGTC, and introduces staggered cleavages at appointed positions away from the recognition sequence, generating protruding 5'-ends of five nucleotides. The sequences surrounding the cleavage sites bear no obvious relation to one another.

Restriction endonucleases

This review provides a comprehensive account of the current status of the biology and biochemistry of restriction endonucleases. Both Class I and Class II restriction endonucleases will be considered. However, emphasis will be placed on the Class II group, which recognizes and cleaves a specific duplex DNA sequence. Their occurrence, purification, and characterization is discussed in detail. The characterization includes physical mapping information and determination of recognition sequences. In addition to detailed discussions of the biochemical properties of the enzymes, considerable attention is paid to the uses of these enzymes as tools for research in molecular biology. These uses include physical mapping of genomes and their transcripts, genetic analysis (marker rescue, etc.), DNA sequence analysis, analysis of complex genomes, and genetic engineering. Specific examples of each use are outlined. Practical aspects of both the isolation and use of the restriction endonucleases form the major theme of this review.

The restriction endonucleases in Bacillus amyloliquefaciens N strain. Substrate specificities

Two species of restriction endonuclease were isolated by gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose chromatography from a cell-free extract of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (B. subtilits) N strain; a lower molecular weight endonuclease (endonuclease R.BamNI) and a higher molecular-weight one (endonuclease R.BamNx). Both of them required only Mg2+ for their activities. Endonuclease R.BamNx introduced a larger number of site-specific scissions in Excherchia coli phage lambda DNA that endonuclease R.BamNI did. Endonuclease R.BamNx cleaved Bacillus phage phi 105C DNA at the specific sites which are classified into two groups: one type of sites is modified by B. amyloliquefaciens H strain in vivo while the other is not affected. It was also active on DNA'S OF E. coli phage T7, lambdadvl, Simian virus 40 (SV40) and colicinogenic factor ColEI and was inactive on DNAs of Bacillus phages phi 29 and M2. Endonuclease R.BamHI isolated from H strain by Wilson and Young. This endonuclease was active on DNAs of phage lambda, lambdadvl and SV40, adn was inactive on DNAs of phages phi 105C, phi 29, M2 and T7, and ColEI DNA.

Cleavage maps of the filamentous bacteriophages M13, fd, fl, and ZJ/2

The replicative form DNAs of bacteriophage M13, fd, f1, and ZJ/2 were found to be sensitive to cleavage by the restriction endonucleases endoR-HapII, endoR-HaeII, endoR-HaeIII, endoR-HindII, endoR-AluI, endoR-Hha, and endoR-Hinf. With respect to M13 DNA the number of cleavage sites varied from 21 for endoR-Hinf, 18 for endoR-AluI, 15 for endoR-Hha, 13 for endoR-HapII, 10 for endoR-HaeIII, 3 for endoR-HaeII, to only a single site for endoR-HindII. In contrast to M13, fd and f1, the ZJ/2 DNA molecule was not cleaved by the endoR-HindII endonuclease. No cleavage site on either phage DNA was detected for the endonucleases endoR-Hsu, endoR-EcoRI and endoR-Sma. When compared with M13 DNA, several differences were noted in the number and size of cleavage products obtained with DNA of phage fd, f1, and ZJ/2. From the results of these analyses, using the M13 enzyme cleavage maps as a reference, the endoR-HapII, endoR-HaeII, endoR-HaeIII, endoR-HindII and endoR-AluI maps of phage fd, f1, and ZJ/2 could be constructed. As is expected for very closely related phages, the enzyme cleavage patterns exhibit a high degree of homology. Phage f1 and ZJ/2 are most related since an identical pattern was obtained with seven different restriction endonucleases. Evidence is provided also that f1 is more similar to M13 than to fd. Furthermore, characteristic differences exist within the endoR-Hinf enzyme cleavage pattern of all the four phages tested. Digestion of phage DNA with this enzyme, therefore, provides a new and sensitive method of distinguishing these closely related filamentous coliphages .

A restriction cleavage map of phiX 174 DNA by pulse-chase labelling using E. coli DNA polymerase

A pulse chase labelling technique using E. coli DNA polymerase I has been used to determine a number of restriction endonuclease cleavage maps of ØX 174 DNA. In addition to verifying the accuracy of the method by confirming some previously published maps, the Hha I and Alu I maps have also been constructed.Images

Specific cleavage and physical mapping of simian-virus-40 DNA by the restriction endonuclease of Arthrobacter luteus

Simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA (strain 776) is cleaved by the restriction endonuclease from Arthrobacter luteus into 32 specific fragments including 20 large pieces designated Alu-A through T as well as 12 minor products named Alu m1 through m8. These were mapped on the SV40 genome by double digestion experiments. Alu fragments were treated with Hind enzymes and vice versa. Similar reciprocal digestions were also carried out with Hae III enzyme. In this way a detailed cleavage map of the SV40 genome could be constructed.

Cleavage map of the simian-virus-40 genome by the restriction endonuclease III of Haemopholus aegyptius

Enzymic digestion of Simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA with Haemophilus aegyptius restriction endonuclease Hae III results in 10 major and eight minor fragments. These were resolved by electrophoresis on graduated polyacrylamide slab gels. All fragments have been characterized with respect to the size relative to the Haemophilus influenzae Rd fragments (Hind). They were ordered on the SV40 DNA map by means of overlap analysis of the double cleavage products derived from sequential digestion of Hind fragments with Hae III endonuclease and Hae fragments with Hind II + III enzyme, as well as by other reciprocal cleavage experiments, including those involving Haemophilus para-influenzae fragments. In this way the 18 Hae III cleavage sites and the 13 Hind sites have been localized on the circular SV40 DNA map.

The organization of genes in yeast mitochondrial DNA II. The physical map of EcoRI and HindII + III fragments

1. We have isolated large fragments of the mtDNA of the yeast Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and digested these with restriction endonucleases. The digestion products were separated by electrophoresis in agarose gels. 2. Endonucleases EcoRI, HindII + III, HpaI, HindIII and HapII yield 9, 11, 6, 0 and greater than 80 fragments, respectively. 3. By analysis of partial digestion products and by redigesting the fragments obtained with one endonuclease with a second, we have established the order of all EcoRI and HindII + III fragments. The map is circular and its contour length is 22.1 +/- 0.35 mum, in good agreement with earlier estimates of the size of yeast mtDNA, using electron microscopy and renaturation kinetics. 4. A comparison of the fragmentation pattern of mtDNAs from S. carlsbergensis and various strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with endonuclease HindII + III suggests that the overall gene order is similar.

Restriction and modification in B. subtilis. Purification and general properties of a restriction endonuclease from strain R

All Bacillus subtilis R-type strains showing the phenomena of restriction and modification contain an endonuclease that inactivates in vitro the biological activity of a variety of DNAs lacking R-specific modification, such as transfecting SPPI, SPO2 and phi105 DNA, and transforming B. subtilis 168-type DNA. The corresponding DNAs carrying R-specific modification are resistant to the enzyme. The enzyme has been purified approximately 400-fold and is essentially free from contaminating double strand-directed unspecific exo- or endonuclease activity. Only Mg2+ is required as cofactor. The substrate DNAs are cleaved at specific sites. The double-stranded fragments produced from SPP1 DNA (molecular weight 2.5 x 10(7)) have an average molecular weight of about 3 x 10(5).

Restriction and modification in B. subtilis. Nucleotide sequence recognised by restriction endonuclease R. Bsu R from strain R

Restriction endonuclease R from Bacillus subtilis strain R cleaves nonmodified SPP 1 DNA in approximately 80, and lambda DNA in about 200 different sites. DNA digests with this endonuclease and with endonuclease Hae III from Haemophilus aegyptius show identical fragmentation patterns on gel electrophoresis, indicating that the two enzymes recognise the same nucleotide sequence. The polynucleotide kinase reaction was used in conjunction with two-dimensional ionophoretic nucleotide mapping methods to identify the 5'-nucleotide sequences at the sites of cleavage by the B. subtilis restriction endonuclease. The results show that the recognition sequence is (see article) where arrows indicate the points of strand scission. Each of the four possible nucleotides can occur in the positions flanking the recognition site.

DNA methylase from HeLa cell nuclei

A DNA methylase has been purified 270-fold from HeLa cell nuclei by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, phosphocellulose, and hydroxyapatite. The enzyme transfers methyl groups from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to cytosine residues in DNA. The sole product of the reaction has been identified as 5-methylcytosine. The enzyme is able to methylate homologous (HeLa) DNA, although to a lesser extent than heterologous DNA. This may be due to incomplete methylation of HeLa DNA synthesized in vivo. The HeLa enzyme can methylate single-stranded DNA, and does so to an extent three times greater than that of the corresponding double-stranded DNA. In single-stranded M. luteus DNA, at least 2.4% of the cytosine residues can be methylated in vitro by the enzyme. The enzyme also can methylate poly (dG-dC-dG-dC) and poly (dG, dC). Bilateral nearest neighbors to the 5-methylcytosine have been determined with M. luteus DNA in vitro and HeLa DNA in vivo. The 5' neighbor can be either G or C while the 3' neighbor is always G and this sequence is, thus, p(G/C)pmCpG.

Site-specific cleavage of single-stranded DNA by a Hemophilus restriction endonuclease

Single-stranded viral DNA of bacteriophage f1 is cleaved into specific fragments by endo R-HaeIII, a restriction endonuclease isolated from Hemophilus aegyptius. The sites of the single strand cleavage correspond to those of the double strand cleavage. A single-stranded DNA fragment containing only one HaeIII site is also cleaved by this enzyme. This observation suggests that the reaction of single-stranded DNA cleavage does not require the formation of a symmetrical double-stranded structure that would result from the intramolecular base-pairing between two different HaeIII sites. Other restriction endonucleases may also cleave single-stranded DNA.

Studies on bacteriophage M13 DNA. 1. A cleavage map of the M13 genome

A physical map of the bacteriophage M13 genome has been constructed on the basis of specific cleavage of M13 replicative form DNA by bacterial restriction endonucleases. The 13 fragments produced by the enzyme from Haemophilus aphirophilus (endonuclease R.Hap II) as well as the 10 fragments produced by the enzyme from Haemophilus aegyptius (endonuclease R.Hae III) have been ordered by analysis of partial digest products and by analysis of overlapping sets of fragments. In addition, the single site in M13 replicative form DNA cleaved by the restriction enzyme from Haemophilus influenzae Rd (endonuclease R.Hin dII) has been located more precisely. With this unique site as a reference point, the H. aphirophilus cleavage sites and the H. aegyptius cleavage sites have been localized on the map.

DNA sequence analysis: a formula to predict electrophoretic mobilities of oligonucleotides on cellulose acetate

A simple method has recently become available for sequence analysis of large oligonucleotide fragments. Sequences are derived from the characteristic mobility shifts of the sequential partial degradation products of the oligonucleotide on two dimensional homochromatography. We have now developed an empirical formula for predicting the relative mobilities of each of the partial products in the first dimension (electrophoresis on cellulose acetate gel). The formula allows a more precise interpretation of the sequence of the oligonucleotide. It eliminates the ambiguities present in the method previously reported for sequence analysis by simple inspection of the mobility shifts. In order to amplify the mobility shifts so that they may be more easily and accurately measured, methods have been developed for preparing and fractionating the oligonucleotides on 40 x 40 cm DEAE-cellulose plates. Both improvements have proven valuable for direct sequence analysis by mapping.

Fragment maps of phiX-174 replicative DNA produced by restriction enzymes from haemophilus aphirophilus and haemophilus influenzae H-I

phiX-174 replicative form (RF) DNA was cleaved by restriction enzymes from Haemophilus aphirophilus (Hap) and H. influenzae (H-I strain Osaka) (HinH). Five fragments were produced by Hap and eight by HinH. The positions of all of the Hap fragments and six of the HinH fragments were mapped on the genome by heteroduplex transfection and DNA-DNA hybridization methods. In addition, fragment sizes of phiX-174 RF DNA and S13 RF DNA by Hap and HinH were compared. Considerable differences of the size of the fragments produced from these closely related phage genomes were observed.

Sites of cleavage by restriction enzymes in viral DNAs: comparison of observed and expected frequencies

Observed frequencies of restriction enzyme cleavage in viral DNAs are compared to those expected from the cleavage site sequence and the known size and nearest neighbour frequencies of the DNAs. It is found that a number of significant deviations from expectation occur, and possible explanations are put forward.