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Islam F, Mishra PP. Molecular Insight into the Structural Dynamics of Holliday Junctions Modulated by Integration Host Factor. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5642-5657. [PMID: 38812070 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
The integration host factor (IHF) in Escherichia coli is a nucleoid-associated protein with multifaceted roles that encompass DNA packaging, viral DNA integration, and recombination. IHF binds to double-stranded DNA featuring a 13-base pair (bp) consensus sequence with high affinity, causing a substantial bend of approximately 160° upon binding. Although wild-type IHF (WtIHF) is principally involved in DNA bending to facilitate foreign DNA integration into the host genome, its engineered counterpart, single-chain IHF (ScIHF), was specifically designed for genetic engineering and biotechnological applications. Our study delves into the interactions of both IHF variants with Holliday junctions (HJs), pivotal intermediates in DNA repair, and homologous recombination. HJs are dynamic structures capable of adopting open or stacked conformations, with the open conformation facilitating processes such as branch migration and strand exchange. Using microscale thermophoresis, we quantitatively assessed the binding of IHF to four-way DNA junctions that harbor specific binding sequences H' and H1. Our findings demonstrate that both IHF variants exhibit a strong affinity for HJs, signifying a structure-based recognition mechanism. Circular dichroism (CD) experiments unveiled the impact of the protein on the junction's conformation. Furthermore, single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) confirmed the influence of IHF on the junction's dynamicity. Intriguingly, our results revealed that WtIHF and ScIHF binding shifts the population toward the open conformation of the junction and stabilizes it in that state. In summary, our findings underscore the robust affinity of the IHF for HJs and its capacity to stabilize the open conformation of these junctions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhana Islam
- Single Molecule Biophysics Lab, Chemical Sciences Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Padmaja Prasad Mishra
- Single Molecule Biophysics Lab, Chemical Sciences Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
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2
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Craig JS, Melidis L, Williams HD, Dettmer SJ, Heidecker AA, Altmann PJ, Guan S, Campbell C, Browning DF, Sigel RKO, Johannsen S, Egan RT, Aikman B, Casini A, Pöthig A, Hannon MJ. Organometallic Pillarplexes That Bind DNA 4-Way Holliday Junctions and Forks. J Am Chem Soc 2023. [PMID: 37318835 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Holliday 4-way junctions are key to important biological DNA processes (insertion, recombination, and repair) and are dynamic structures that adopt either open or closed conformations, the open conformation being the biologically active form. Tetracationic metallo-supramolecular pillarplexes display aryl faces about a cylindrical core, an ideal structure to interact with open DNA junction cavities. Combining experimental studies and MD simulations, we show that an Au pillarplex can bind DNA 4-way (Holliday) junctions in their open form, a binding mode not accessed by synthetic agents before. Pillarplexes can bind 3-way junctions too, but their large size leads them to open up and expand that junction, disrupting the base pairing, which manifests in an increased hydrodynamic size and lower junction thermal stability. At high loading, they rearrange both 4-way and 3-way junctions into Y-shaped forks to increase the available junction-like binding sites. Isostructural Ag pillarplexes show similar DNA junction binding behavior but lower solution stability. This pillarplex binding contrasts with (but complements) that of metallo-supramolecular cylinders, which prefer 3-way junctions and can rearrange 4-way junctions into 3-way junction structures. The pillarplexes' ability to bind open 4-way junctions creates exciting possibilities to modulate and switch such structures in biology, as well as in synthetic nucleic acid nanostructures. In human cells, the pillarplexes do reach the nucleus, with antiproliferative activity at levels similar to those of cisplatin. The findings provide a new roadmap for targeting higher-order junction structures using a metallo-supramolecular approach, as well as expanding the toolbox available to design bioactive junction binders into organometallic chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Roland K O Sigel
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Silke Johannsen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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3
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Integration Host Factor Binds DNA Holliday Junctions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010580. [PMID: 36614023 PMCID: PMC9820253 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Integration host factor (IHF) is a nucleoid-associated protein involved in DNA packaging, integration of viral DNA and recombination. IHF binds with nanomolar affinity to duplex DNA containing a 13 bp consensus sequence, inducing a bend of ~160° upon binding. We determined that IHF binds to DNA Four-way or Holliday junctions (HJ) with high affinity regardless of the presence of the consensus sequence, signifying a structure-based mechanism of recognition. Junctions, important intermediates in DNA repair and homologous recombination, are dynamic and can adopt either an open or stacked conformation, where the open conformation facilitates branch migration and strand exchange. Using ensemble and single molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) methods, we investigated IHF-induced changes in the population distribution of junction conformations and determined that IHF binding shifts the population to the open conformation. Further analysis of smFRET dynamics revealed that even in the presence of protein, the junctions remain dynamic as fast transitions are observed for the protein-bound open state. Protein binding alters junction conformational dynamics, as cross correlation analyses reveal the protein slows the transition rate at 1 mM Mg2+ but accelerates the transition rate at 10 mM Mg2+. Stopped flow kinetic experiments provide evidence for two binding steps, a rapid, initial binding step followed by a slower step potentially associated with a conformational change. These measurements also confirm that the protein remains bound to the junction during the conformer transitions and further suggest that the protein forms a partially dissociated state that allows junction arms to be dynamic. These findings, which demonstrate that IHF binds HJs with high affinity and stabilizes junctions in the open conformation, suggest that IHF may play multiple roles in the processes of integration and recombination in addition to stabilizing bacterial biofilms.
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4
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Mahmoud R, Dhakal S. Single-Molecule Analysis of DNA Branch Migration under Biomimetic Environments. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7252-7261. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c03153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Roaa Mahmoud
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 West Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23284, United States
| | - Soma Dhakal
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 West Main Street, Richmond, Virginia 23284, United States
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5
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Kaufhold WT, Pfeifer W, Castro CE, Di Michele L. Probing the Mechanical Properties of DNA Nanostructures with Metadynamics. ACS NANO 2022; 16:8784-8797. [PMID: 35580231 PMCID: PMC9245350 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c08999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations are often used to provide feedback in the design workflow of DNA nanostructures. However, even with coarse-grained models, the convergence of distributions from unbiased simulation is slow, limiting applications to equilibrium structural properties. Given the increasing interest in dynamic, reconfigurable, and deformable devices, methods that enable efficient quantification of large ranges of motion, conformational transitions, and mechanical deformation are critically needed. Metadynamics is an automated biasing technique that enables the rapid acquisition of molecular conformational distributions by flattening free energy landscapes. Here we leveraged this approach to sample the free energy landscapes of DNA nanostructures whose unbiased dynamics are nonergodic, including bistable Holliday junctions and part of a bistable DNA origami structure. Taking a DNA origami-compliant joint as a case study, we further demonstrate that metadynamics can predict the mechanical response of a full DNA origami device to an applied force, showing good agreement with experiments. Our results exemplify the efficient computation of free energy landscapes and force response in DNA nanodevices, which could be applied for rapid feedback in iterative design workflows and generally facilitate the integration of simulation and experiments. Metadynamics will be particularly useful to guide the design of dynamic devices for nanorobotics, biosensing, or nanomanufacturing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will T. Kaufhold
- Department
of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry and fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - Wolfgang Pfeifer
- Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, Ohio, United States
| | - Carlos E. Castro
- Department
of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, Ohio, United States
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Department
of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K.
- Department
of Chemistry and fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
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6
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Kaufhold WT, Pfeifer W, Castro CE, Di Michele L. Probing the Mechanical Properties of DNA Nanostructures with Metadynamics. ACS NANO 2022; 16:8784-8797. [PMID: 35580231 DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2110.01477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations are often used to provide feedback in the design workflow of DNA nanostructures. However, even with coarse-grained models, the convergence of distributions from unbiased simulation is slow, limiting applications to equilibrium structural properties. Given the increasing interest in dynamic, reconfigurable, and deformable devices, methods that enable efficient quantification of large ranges of motion, conformational transitions, and mechanical deformation are critically needed. Metadynamics is an automated biasing technique that enables the rapid acquisition of molecular conformational distributions by flattening free energy landscapes. Here we leveraged this approach to sample the free energy landscapes of DNA nanostructures whose unbiased dynamics are nonergodic, including bistable Holliday junctions and part of a bistable DNA origami structure. Taking a DNA origami-compliant joint as a case study, we further demonstrate that metadynamics can predict the mechanical response of a full DNA origami device to an applied force, showing good agreement with experiments. Our results exemplify the efficient computation of free energy landscapes and force response in DNA nanodevices, which could be applied for rapid feedback in iterative design workflows and generally facilitate the integration of simulation and experiments. Metadynamics will be particularly useful to guide the design of dynamic devices for nanorobotics, biosensing, or nanomanufacturing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Will T Kaufhold
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
- Department of Chemistry and fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
| | - Wolfgang Pfeifer
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, Ohio, United States
| | - Carlos E Castro
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus 43210, Ohio, United States
| | - Lorenzo Di Michele
- Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, U.K
- Department of Chemistry and fabriCELL, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, U.K
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7
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The influence of Holliday junction sequence and dynamics on DNA crystal self-assembly. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3112. [PMID: 35662248 PMCID: PMC9166708 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30779-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The programmable synthesis of rationally engineered crystal architectures for the precise arrangement of molecular species is a foundational goal in nanotechnology, and DNA has become one of the most prominent molecules for the construction of these materials. In particular, branched DNA junctions have been used as the central building block for the assembly of 3D lattices. Here, crystallography is used to probe the effect of all 36 immobile Holliday junction sequences on self-assembling DNA crystals. Contrary to the established paradigm in the field, most junctions yield crystals, with some enhancing the resolution or resulting in unique crystal symmetries. Unexpectedly, even the sequence adjacent to the junction has a significant effect on the crystal assemblies. Six of the immobile junction sequences are completely resistant to crystallization and thus deemed “fatal,” and molecular dynamics simulations reveal that these junctions invariably lack two discrete ion binding sites that are pivotal for crystal formation. The structures and dynamics detailed here could be used to inform future designs of both crystals and DNA nanostructures more broadly, and have potential implications for the molecular engineering of applied nanoelectronics, nanophotonics, and catalysis within the crystalline context. Engineered crystal architectures from DNA have become a foundational goal for nanotechnological precise arrangement. Here, the authors systematically investigate the structures of 36 immobile Holliday junction sequences and identify the features allowing the crystallisation of most of them, while 6 are considered fatal.
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8
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Mondal T, Nerantzaki M, Flesch K, Loth C, Maaloum M, Cong Y, Sheiko SS, Lutz JF. Large Sequence-Defined Supramolecules Obtained by the DNA-Guided Assembly of Biohybrid Poly(phosphodiester)s. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tathagata Mondal
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron UPR22, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Maria Nerantzaki
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron UPR22, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Kevin Flesch
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron UPR22, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Capucine Loth
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron UPR22, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Mounir Maaloum
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron UPR22, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
| | - Yidan Cong
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Sergei S. Sheiko
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-3290, United States
| | - Jean-François Lutz
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, Institut Charles Sadron UPR22, 23 rue du Loess, 67034 Strasbourg Cedex 2, France
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9
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Zettl T, Shi X, Bonilla S, Sedlak SM, Lipfert J, Herschlag D. The structural ensemble of a Holliday junction determined by X-ray scattering interference. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:8090-8098. [PMID: 32597986 PMCID: PMC7641307 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 06/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA four-way (Holliday) junction is the central intermediate of genetic recombination, yet key aspects of its conformational and thermodynamic properties remain unclear. While multiple experimental approaches have been used to characterize the canonical X-shape conformers under specific ionic conditions, the complete conformational ensemble of this motif, especially at low ionic conditions, remains largely undetermined. In line with previous studies, our single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurements of junction dynamics revealed transitions between two states under high salt conditions, but smFRET could not determine whether there are fast and unresolvable transitions between distinct conformations or a broad ensemble of related states under low and intermediate salt conditions. We therefore used an emerging technique, X-ray scattering interferometry (XSI), to directly probe the conformational ensemble of the Holliday junction across a wide range of ionic conditions. Our results demonstrated that the four-way junction adopts an out-of-plane geometry under low ionic conditions and revealed a conformational state at intermediate ionic conditions previously undetected by other methods. Our results provide critical information to build toward a full description of the conformational landscape of the Holliday junction and underscore the utility of XSI for probing conformational ensembles under a wide range of solution conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Zettl
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xuesong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steve Bonilla
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steffen M Sedlak
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Jan Lipfert
- Department of Physics, Nanosystems Initiative Munich, and Center for Nanoscience, LMU Munich, 80799 Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Herschlag
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
- Stanford ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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10
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Snodin BEK, Schreck JS, Romano F, Louis AA, Doye JPK. Coarse-grained modelling of the structural properties of DNA origami. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:1585-1597. [PMID: 30605514 PMCID: PMC6379721 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 11/17/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
We use the oxDNA coarse-grained model to provide a detailed characterization of the fundamental structural properties of DNA origami, focussing on archetypal 2D and 3D origami. The model reproduces well the characteristic pattern of helix bending in a 2D origami, showing that it stems from the intrinsic tendency of anti-parallel four-way junctions to splay apart, a tendency that is enhanced both by less screened electrostatic interactions and by increased thermal motion. We also compare to the structure of a 3D origami whose structure has been determined by cryo-electron microscopy. The oxDNA average structure has a root-mean-square deviation from the experimental structure of 8.4 Å, which is of the order of the experimental resolution. These results illustrate that the oxDNA model is capable of providing detailed and accurate insights into the structure of DNA origami, and has the potential to be used to routinely pre-screen putative origami designs and to investigate the molecular mechanisms that regulate the properties of DNA origami.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedict E K Snodin
- Physical, and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - John S Schreck
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, 500 W 120th Street, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Flavio Romano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi, Universit Ca' Foscari, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Ard A Louis
- Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, 1 Keble Road, Oxford OX1 3NP, UK
| | - Jonathan P K Doye
- Physical, and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK
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11
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Suma A, Poppleton E, Matthies M, Šulc P, Romano F, Louis AA, Doye JPK, Micheletti C, Rovigatti L. TacoxDNA: A user-friendly web server for simulations of complex DNA structures, from single strands to origami. J Comput Chem 2019; 40:2586-2595. [PMID: 31301183 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.26029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Simulations of nucleic acids at different levels of structural details are increasingly used to complement and interpret experiments in different fields, from biophysics to medicine and materials science. However, the various structural models currently available for DNA and RNA and their accompanying suites of computational tools can be very rarely used in a synergistic fashion. The tacoxDNA webserver and standalone software package presented here are a step toward a long-sought interoperability of nucleic acids models. The webserver offers a simple interface for converting various common input formats of DNA structures and setting up molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Users can, for instance, design DNA rings with different topologies, such as knots, with and without supercoiling, by simply providing an XYZ coordinate file of the DNA centre-line. More complex DNA geometries, as designable in the cadnano, CanDo and Tiamat tools, can also be converted to all-atom or oxDNA representations, which can then be used to run MD simulations. Though the latter are currently geared toward the native and LAMMPS oxDNA representations, the open-source package is designed to be further expandable. TacoxDNA is available at http://tacoxdna.sissa.it. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Suma
- Institute for Computational Molecular Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19122.,SISSA-Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Via Bonomea, 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Erik Poppleton
- Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001, South McAllister Avenue, Tempe, Arizona 85281
| | - Michael Matthies
- Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed), Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, 01062, Dresden, Germany
| | - Petr Šulc
- Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, The Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, 1001, South McAllister Avenue, Tempe, Arizona 85281
| | - Flavio Romano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Molecolari e Nanosistemi, Universitá Ca Foscari di Venezia, Via Torino, 155, 30172, Venezia Mestre, Italy
| | - Ard A Louis
- Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, 1 Keble Road, Oxford, OX1 3NP, UK
| | - Jonathan P K Doye
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QZ, UK
| | - Cristian Micheletti
- SISSA-Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati, Via Bonomea, 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Rovigatti
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Universitá di Roma, Piazzale A. Moro, 2, 00185, Rome, Italy.,CNR-ISC, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale A. Moro, 2, 00185, Rome, Italy
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12
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Bera SC, Paul T, Iyengar ANS, Mishra PP. Direct observation of the external force mediated conformational dynamics of an IHF bound Holliday junction. Faraday Discuss 2019; 207:251-265. [PMID: 29383368 DOI: 10.1039/c7fd00184c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
We have investigated the isomerization dynamics and plausible energy landscape of 4-way Holliday junctions (4WHJs) bound to integration host factor (IHF, a DNA binding protein), considering the effect of applied external force, by single-molecule FRET methods. A slowing down of the forward as well as the backward rates of the isomerization process of the protein bound 4WHJ has been observed under the influence of an external force, which indicates an imposed restriction on the conformational switching. This has also been reflected by an increase in rigidity, as observed from the increase in the single-molecule FRET (smFRET)-anisotropy values (0.270 ± 0.012 to 0.360 ± 0.008). The application of an external force has assisted the conformational transitions to share the unstacked open structure intermediate, with different rate-limiting steps and a huge induced variation in the energy landscape. Furthermore, the associated landscape of the 4WHJ is visualized in terms of rarely interconverting states embedded into the two isoforms by using nonlinear dynamics analysis, which shows that the chaoticity of the system increases at intermediate force (0.4 to 1.6 pN). The identification of chaos in our investigation provides useful information for a comprehensive explanation of the origin of the complex behavior of the system, which effectively helps us to perceive the dynamics of IHF bound 4WHJs under the influence of external force, and also demonstrates the applicability of nonlinear dynamics analysis in the field of biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhas C Bera
- Chemical Sciences Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, HBNI Mumbai, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata 700064, India.
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13
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Maffeo C, Chou HY, Aksimentiev A. Molecular Mechanisms of DNA Replication and Repair Machinery: Insights from Microscopic Simulations. ADVANCED THEORY AND SIMULATIONS 2019; 2:1800191. [PMID: 31728433 PMCID: PMC6855400 DOI: 10.1002/adts.201800191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Reproduction, the hallmark of biological activity, requires making an accurate copy of the genetic material to allow the progeny to inherit parental traits. In all living cells, the process of DNA replication is carried out by a concerted action of multiple protein species forming a loose protein-nucleic acid complex, the replisome. Proofreading and error correction generally accompany replication but also occur independently, safeguarding genetic information through all phases of the cell cycle. Advances in biochemical characterization of intracellular processes, proteomics and the advent of single-molecule biophysics have brought about a treasure trove of information awaiting to be assembled into an accurate mechanistic model of the DNA replication process. In this review, we describe recent efforts to model elements of DNA replication and repair processes using computer simulations, an approach that has gained immense popularity in many areas of molecular biophysics but has yet to become mainstream in the DNA metabolism community. We highlight the use of diverse computational methods to address specific problems of the fields and discuss unexplored possibilities that lie ahead for the computational approaches in these areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Maffeo
- Department of Physics, Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,1110 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Han-Yi Chou
- Department of Physics, Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,1110 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Aleksei Aksimentiev
- Department of Physics, Center for the Physics of Living Cells, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,1110 W Green St, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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14
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Brady RA, Kaufhold WT, Brooks NJ, Foderà V, Di Michele L. Flexibility defines structure in crystals of amphiphilic DNA nanostars. JOURNAL OF PHYSICS. CONDENSED MATTER : AN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS JOURNAL 2019; 31:074003. [PMID: 30523829 DOI: 10.1088/1361-648x/aaf4a1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
DNA nanostructures with programmable shape and interactions can be used as building blocks for the self-assembly of crystalline materials with prescribed nanoscale features, holding a vast technological potential. Structural rigidity and bond directionality have been recognised as key design features for DNA motifs to sustain long-range order in 3D, but the practical challenges associated with prescribing building-block geometry with sufficient accuracy have limited the variety of available designs. We have recently introduced a novel platform for the one-pot preparation of crystalline DNA frameworks supported by a combination of Watson-Crick base pairing and hydrophobic forces (Brady et al 2017 Nano Lett. 17 3276-81). Here we use small angle x-ray scattering and coarse-grained molecular simulations to demonstrate that, as opposed to available all-DNA approaches, amphiphilic motifs do not rely on structural rigidity to support long-range order. Instead, the flexibility of amphiphilic DNA building-blocks is a crucial feature for successful crystallisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan A Brady
- Biological and Soft Systems, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
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15
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Fernandez-Castanon J, Bomboi F, Sciortino F. Binding branched and linear DNA structures: From isolated clusters to fully bonded gels. J Chem Phys 2018; 148:025103. [PMID: 29331126 DOI: 10.1063/1.5011720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The proper design of DNA sequences allows for the formation of well-defined supramolecular units with controlled interactions via a consecution of self-assembling processes. Here, we benefit from the controlled DNA self-assembly to experimentally realize particles with well-defined valence, namely, tetravalent nanostars (A) and bivalent chains (B). We specifically focus on the case in which A particles can only bind to B particles, via appropriately designed sticky-end sequences. Hence AA and BB bonds are not allowed. Such a binary mixture system reproduces with DNA-based particles the physics of poly-functional condensation, with an exquisite control over the bonding process, tuned by the ratio, r, between B and A units and by the temperature, T. We report dynamic light scattering experiments in a window of Ts ranging from 10 °C to 55 °C and an interval of r around the percolation transition to quantify the decay of the density correlation for the different cases. At low T, when all possible bonds are formed, the system behaves as a fully bonded network, as a percolating gel, and as a cluster fluid depending on the selected r.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Fernandez-Castanon
- Physics Department, Sapienza-Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - F Bomboi
- Physics Department, Sapienza-Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - F Sciortino
- Physics Department, Sapienza-Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
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16
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Carr CE, Marky LA. Effect of GCAA stabilizing loops on three- and four-way intramolecular junctions. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2018; 20:5046-5056. [PMID: 29388988 DOI: 10.1039/c7cp08329g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Tetraloops are a common way of changing the melting behavior of a DNA or RNA structure without changing the sequence of the stem. Because of the ubiquitous nature of tetraloops, our goal is to understand the effect a GCAA tetraloop, which belongs to the GNRA family of tetraloops, has on the unfolding thermodynamics of intramolecular junctions. Specifically, we have described the melting behavior of intramolecular three-way and four-way junctions where a T5 loop has been replaced with a GCAA tetraloops in different positions. Their thermodynamic profiles, including ΔnNa+ and ΔnW, were analyzed based on the position of the tetraloop. We obtained between -16.7 and -27.5 kcal mol-1 for all junctions studied. The experimental data indicates the influence of the GCAA tetraloop is primarily dictated by the native unfolding of the junction; if the tetraloop is placed on a stem that unfolds as a single domain when the tetraloop is not present, it will unfold as a single domain when the tetraloop is present but with a higher thermal stability. Conversely, if the tetraloop is placed on a stem which unfolds cooperatively with other stems when the tetraloop is not present, the tetraloop will increase the thermal stability of all the stems in the melting domain. The oligonucleotide structure and not the tetraloop itself affects ion uptake; three-way junctions do not gain an increase in ion uptake, but four-way junctions do. This is not the case for water immobilization, where the position of the tetraloop dictates the amount of water immobilized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn E Carr
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6025, USA.
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17
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DNA-RNA interactions are critical for chromosome condensation in Escherichia coli. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:12225-12230. [PMID: 29087325 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1711285114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacterial chromosome (nucleoid) conformation dictates faithful regulation of gene transcription. The conformation is condition-dependent and is guided by several nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) and at least one nucleoid-associated noncoding RNA, naRNA4. Here we investigated the molecular mechanism of how naRNA4 and the major NAP, HU, acting together organize the chromosome structure by establishing multiple DNA-DNA contacts (DNA condensation). We demonstrate that naRNA4 uniquely acts by forming complexes that may not involve long stretches of DNA-RNA hybrid. Also, uncommonly, HU, a chromosome-associated protein that is essential in the DNA-RNA interactions, is not present in the final complex. Thus, HU plays a catalytic (chaperone) role in the naRNA4-mediated DNA condensation process.
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18
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Carr CE, Marky LA. Melting Behavior of a DNA Four-Way Junction Using Spectroscopic and Calorimetric Techniques. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:14443-14455. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b06429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn E. Carr
- Department of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6025, United States
| | - Luis A. Marky
- Department of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986025 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6025, United States
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