Specific and reversible photochemical labeling of plasmid DNA using photoresponsive oligonucleotides containing 3-cyanovinylcarbazole

UltraFast PhotoInduced double duplex DNA invasion into a 400-mer dsDNA target

BACKGROUND

Natural DNA restriction enzymes bind duplex DNA with high affinity at multiple sites; however, for some of the artificial chemical-based restriction moieties, invasion of the double-strand for efficient cleavage is an obstacle. We have previously reported photo-induced double-duplex invasion (pDDI) using 3-cyanovinylcarbazole (K)-containing probes for both the target strands that photo-crosslink with pyrimidine bases in a sequence-specific manner on both the strands, stabilizing the opened double-strand for cleavage. The drawback of the pDDI was low efficiency due to inter-probe cross-linking, solved by the inclusion of 5-cyano-uridine at -1 position on the complimentary strand with respect to K in both probes. Although this led to reduced inter-probe cross-linking, the pDDI efficiency was still low.

RESULTS

Here, we report that inter-probe cross-linking and intra-probe cross-linking of a single probe is also leading to reduced pDDI efficiency. We addressed this problem by designing DDI probes to inhibit both inter-probe and intra-probe cross-linking.

CONCLUSION

Based on the new design of pDDI probe with 5-cyano uridine led to a drastic increase in the efficiency of pDDI in (400-mer) double-stranded DNA with only 1 s of photo-irradiation.

Photochemical modifications for DNA/RNA oligonucleotides

Light-triggered chemical reactions can provide excellent tools to investigate the fundamental mechanisms important in biology. Light is easily applicable and orthogonal to most cellular events, and its dose and locality can be controlled in tissues and cells. Light-induced conversion of photochemical groups installed on small molecules, proteins, and oligonucleotides can alter their functional states and thus the ensuing biological events. Recently, photochemical control of DNA/RNA structure and function has garnered attention thanks to the rapidly expanding photochemistry used in diverse biological applications. Photoconvertible groups can be incorporated in the backbone, ribose, and nucleobase of an oligonucleotide to undergo various irreversible and reversible light-induced reactions such as cleavage, crosslinking, isomerization, and intramolecular cyclization reactions. In this review, we gather a list of photoconvertible groups used in oligonucleotides and summarize their reaction characteristics, impacts on DNA/RNA thermal stability and structure, as well as their biological applications.

Carbazole modified oligonucleotides: synthesis, hybridization studies and fluorescence properties

Synthesis of the novel thiophenyl carbazole phosphoramidite DNA building block 5 was accomplished in four steps using a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction from the core carbazole and it was seamlessly accommodated into a 9-mer DNA-based oligonucleotide by incorporation at the flanking 5'-end in combination with a central insertion of an LNA-T nucleotide. The carbazole-containing oligonucleotide was combined in different duplex hybrids, which were characterized by thermal denaturation, circular dichroism and fluorescence studies. The carbazole monomer modulates the duplex stability in various ways. Thus, monomer Z increased the thermal stability of the 9-mer towards the complementary 9-mer/15-mer DNA duplex by 4.2 °C. Furthermore, indications of its intercalation into the duplex were obtained by modeling studies and robust decreases in fluorescence emission intensities upon duplex formation. In contrast, no clear intercalating tendency was corroborated for monomer Z within the DNA/RNA hybrid duplex as indicated by moderate quenching of the fluorescence and similar duplex thermal stabilities relative to the corresponding control duplex. The recognition efficiencies of the carbazole modified oligonucleotide toward single nucleotide mismatches were studied with two 15-mer model targets (DNA and RNA). For both systems, mismatches positioned at the juxtaposition of the carbazole monomer showed pronounced deceases in thermal denaturation temperature. Steady-state fluorescence emission studies of all mismatched duplexes with incorporation of Z monomer typically displayed efficient fluorescence quenching.

Identification of miR-29b targets using 3-cyanovinylcarbazole containing mimics

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are highly conserved ∼22 nt small noncoding RNAs that bind partially complementary sequences in target transcripts. MicroRNAs regulate both translation and transcript stability, and play important roles in development, cellular homeostasis, and disease. There are limited approaches available to agnostically identify microRNA targets transcriptome-wide, and methods using miRNA mimics, which in principle identify direct miRNA:transcript pairs, have low sensitivity and specificity. Here, we describe a novel method to identify microRNA targets using miR-29b mimics containing 3-cyanovinylcarbazole (CNVK), a photolabile nucleoside analog. We demonstrate that biotin-tagged, CNVK-containing miR-29b (CNVK-miR-29b) mimics are nontoxic in cell culture, associate with endogenous mammalian Argonaute2, are sensitive for known targets and recapitulate endogenous transcript destabilization. Partnering CNVK-miR-29b with ultra-low-input RNA sequencing, we recover ∼40% of known miR-29b targets and find conservation of the focal adhesion and apoptotic target pathways in mouse and human. We also identify hundreds of novel targets, including NRAS, HOXA10, and KLF11, with a validation rate of 71% for a subset of 73 novel target transcripts interrogated using a high-throughput luciferase assay. Consistent with previous reports, we show that both endogenous miR-29b and CNVK-miR-29b are trafficked to the nucleus, but find no evidence of nuclear-specific miR-29b transcript binding. This may indicate that miR-29b nuclear sequestration is a regulatory mechanism in itself. We suggest that CNVK-containing small RNA mimics may find applicability in other experimental models.

DNA photo-cross-linking using 3-cyanovinylcarbazole modified oligonucleotide with threoninol linker

3-Cyanovinylcarbazole modified D-threoninol ((CNV)D) was incorporated in oligodeoxyribonucleotide and tested for a photo-cross-linking reaction with complementary oligodeoxyribonucleotide. The photoreactivity was 1.8- to 8-fold greater than that of 3-cyanovinylcarbazole modified deoxyribose ((CNV)K) previously reported. From the results of melting analysis and circular dichroism spectroscopy of the duplexes, the relatively flexible structure of (CNV)D compared with (CNV)K might be advantageous for [2 + 2] photocycloaddition between the cyanovinyl group on the (CNV)D and pyrimidine base in the complementary strand.

Photo-regulation of constitutive gene expression in living cells by using ultrafast photo-cross-linking oligonucleotides

We clearly demonstrated that photoreactive AS-ODNs having ^CNVK act as effective photo-regulators of constitutive GFP gene expression in living cells with only 10 s of 366 nm irradiation.

Quick regulation of mRNA functions by a few seconds of photoirradiation

3-Cyanovinylcarbazole nucleoside, which effectively photocrosslinks to the pyrimidine base in complementary RNA strands, was incorporated into antisense oligonucleotides, and we evaluated the photoreactivity and the sequence selectivity to mutated K-ras oligoRNAs, as well as the regulation of the function of K-ras mRNA. We demonstrated that the reverse transcription and the translation activity of K-ras mRNA were quickly suppressed by a few seconds of photoirradiation with the addition of the photoresponsive antisense ODN.

Quick, Selective and Reversible Photocrosslinking Reaction between 5-Methylcytosine and 3-Cyanovinylcarbazole in DNA Double Strand

Selective photocrosslinking reaction between 3-cyanovinylcarbazole nucleoside (CNVK) and 5-methylcytosine (mC), which is known as epigenetic modification in genomic DNA, was developed. The reaction was completely finished within 5 s of 366 nm irradiation, and the rate of this photocrosslinking reaction was ca. 30-fold higher than that in the case of unmodified normal cytosine. There were no significant differences in the thermodynamic parameters and the kinetics of hybrid formation of oligonucleotide (ODN) containing CNVK and its complementary ODN containing C or mC at the photocrosslinking site, and suggesting that the quick and selective photoreaction has potential for the selective detection of mC in the DNA strand via the photocrosslinking reaction.

A new modular approach to nanoassembly: stable and addressable DNA nanoconstructs via orthogonal click chemistries

Thermodynamic instability is a problem when assembling and purifying complex DNA nanostructures formed by hybridization alone. To address this issue, we have used photochemical fixation and orthogonal copper-free, ring-strain-promoted, click chemistry for the synthesis of dimeric, trimeric, and oligomeric modular DNA scaffolds from cyclic, double-stranded, 80-mer DNA nanoconstructs. This particular combination of orthogonal click reactions was more effective for nanoassembly than others explored. The complex nanostructures are stable to heat and denaturation agents and can therefore be purified and characterized. They are addressable in a sequence-specific manner by triplex formation, and they can be reversibly and selectively deconstructed. Nanostructures utilizing this orthogonal, chemical fixation methodology can be used as building blocks for nanomachines and functional DNA nanoarchitectures.