Direct comparison of nick-joining activity of the nucleic acid ligases from bacteriophage T4

Quantitative and spatially resolved detection of multiplexed microRNA from plant tissue via hybridization to hydrogel-bound DNA probes in nanoliter well arrays

Understanding complex regulatory networks in plant systems requires elucidating the roles of various gene regulators under a spatial landscape. MicroRNA are key regulators that impart high information value through their tissue specificity and stability when using expression patterns for evaluating network outcomes. However, current techniques that utilize spatial multiplexing and quantitation of microRNA are limited to primarily mammalian systems. Here, we present a method to spatially resolve and quantify multiple endogenous microRNA in situ using ethanol fixed, paraffin embedded model plant species. This method utilizes target-specific microRNA capture along with universal ligating and labelling, all within functionalized hydrogel posts containing DNA probes in nanoliter well arrays. We demonstrate the platform's multiplexing capabilities through analyzing three endogenous microRNA in Arabidopsis thaliana rosettes which provide useful answers to fundamental plant growth and development from the unique expression patterns. The spatial tissue technique is also validated using non-spatial small RNA assays to demonstrate the versatility of the well array platform. Our new platform expands the toolkit of spatial omics technologies for plants.

Template-dependent DNA ligation for the synthesis of modified oligonucleotides

Chemical modification of DNA is a common strategy to improve the properties of oligonucleotides, particularly for therapeutics and nanotechnology. Existing synthetic methods essentially rely on phosphoramidite chemistry or the polymerization of nucleoside triphosphates but are limited in terms of size, scalability, and sustainability. Herein, we report a robust alternative method for the de novo synthesis of modified oligonucleotides using template-dependent DNA ligation of shortmer fragments. Our approach is based on the fast and scaled accessibility of chemically modified shortmer monophosphates as substrates for the T3 DNA ligase. This method has shown high tolerance to chemical modifications, flexibility, and overall efficiency, thereby granting access to a broad range of modified oligonucleotides of different lengths (20 → 120 nucleotides). We have applied this method to the synthesis of clinically relevant antisense drugs and ultramers containing diverse modifications. Furthermore, the designed chemoenzymatic approach has great potential for diverse applications in therapeutics and biotechnology.

A review on the impact of single-stranded library preparation on plasma cell-free diversity for cancer detection

In clinical oncology, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) has shown immense potential in its ability to noninvasively detect cancer at various stages and monitor the progression of therapy. Despite the rapid improvements in cfDNA liquid biopsy approaches, achieving the required sensitivity to detect rare tumor-derived cfDNA still remains a challenge. For next-generation sequencing, the perceived presentation of cfDNA is strongly linked to the extraction and library preparation protocols. Conventional double-stranded DNA library preparation (dsDNA-LP) focuses on assessing ~167bp double-stranded mononucleosomal (mncfDNA) and its other oligonucleosomal cell-free DNA counterparts in plasma. However, dsDNA-LP methods fail to include short, single-stranded, or nicked DNA in the final library preparation, biasing the representation of the actual cfDNA populations in plasma. The emergence of single-stranded library preparation (ssDNA-LP) strategies over the past decade has now allowed these other populations of cfDNA to be studied from plasma. With the use of ssDNA-LP, single-stranded, nicked, and ultrashort cfDNA can be comprehensively assessed for its molecular characteristics and clinical potential. In this review, we overview the current literature on applications of ssDNA-LP on plasma cfDNA from a potential cancer liquid biopsy perspective. To this end, we discuss the molecular principles of single-stranded DNA adapter ligation, how library preparation contributes to the understanding of native cfDNA characteristics, and the potential for ssDNA-LP to improve the sensitivity of circulating tumor DNA detection. Additionally, we review the current literature on the newly reported species of plasma ultrashort single-stranded cell-free DNA plasma, which appear biologically distinct from mncfDNA. We conclude with a discussion of future perspectives of ssDNA-LP for liquid biopsy endeavors.

R2D ligase: Unveiling a novel DNA ligase with surprising DNA-to-RNA ligation activity

DNA ligases catalyze bond formation in the backbone of nucleic acids via the formation of a phosphodiester bond between adjacent 5' phosphates and 3' hydroxyl groups on one strand of the duplex. While DNA ligases preferentially ligate single breaks in double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), they are capable of ligating a multitude of other nucleic acid substrates like blunt-ended dsDNA, TA overhangs, short overhangs and various DNA-RNA hybrids. Here we report a novel DNA ligase from Cronobacter phage CR 9 (R2D Ligase) with an unexpected DNA-to-RNA ligation activity. The R2D ligase shows excellent efficiency when ligating DNA to either end of RNA molecules using a DNA template. Furthermore, we show that DNA can be ligated simultaneously to both the 5' and 3' ends of microRNA-like molecules in a single reaction mixture. Abortive adenylated side product formation is suppressed at lower ATP concentrations and the ligase reaction reaches near completion when ligating RNA-to-DNA or DNA-to-RNA. The ligation of a DNA strand to the 5'-PO4 2- end of RNA is unique among the commercially available ligases and may facilitate novel workflows in microRNA analysis, RNA sequencing and the preparation of chimeric guide DNA-RNA for gene editing applications.

Advances in methods for tRNA sequencing and quantification

In the past decade tRNA sequencing (tRNA-seq) has attracted considerable attention as an important tool for the development of novel approaches to quantify highly modified tRNA species and to propel tRNA research aimed at understanding the cellular physiology and disease and development of tRNA-based therapeutics. Many methods are available to quantify tRNA abundance while accounting for modifications and tRNA charging/acylation. Advances in both library preparation methods and bioinformatic workflows have enabled developments in next-generation sequencing (NGS) workflows. Other approaches forgo NGS applications in favor of hybridization-based approaches. In this review we provide a brief comparative overview of various tRNA quantification approaches, focusing on the advantages and disadvantages of these methods, which together facilitate reliable tRNA quantification.

Quantitative analysis of tRNA abundance and modifications by nanopore RNA sequencing

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play a central role in protein translation. Studying them has been difficult in part because a simple method to simultaneously quantify their abundance and chemical modifications is lacking. Here we introduce Nano-tRNAseq, a nanopore-based approach to sequence native tRNA populations that provides quantitative estimates of both tRNA abundances and modification dynamics in a single experiment. We show that default nanopore sequencing settings discard the vast majority of tRNA reads, leading to poor sequencing yields and biased representations of tRNA abundances based on their transcript length. Re-processing of raw nanopore current intensity signals leads to a 12-fold increase in the number of recovered tRNA reads and enables recapitulation of accurate tRNA abundances. We then apply Nano-tRNAseq to Saccharomyces cerevisiae tRNA populations, revealing crosstalks and interdependencies between different tRNA modification types within the same molecule and changes in tRNA populations in response to oxidative stress.

Convergent Biocatalytic Mediated Synthesis of siRNA

New technologies are required to combat the challenges faced with manufacturing commercial quantities of oligonucleotide drug substances which are required for treating large patient populations. Herein we report a convergent biocatalytic synthesis strategy for an Alnylam model siRNA. The siRNA chemical structure includes several of the unnatural modifications and conjugations typical of siRNA drug substances. Using Almac's 3-2-3-2 hybrid RNA ligase enzyme strategy that sequentially ligates short oligonucleotide fragments (blockmers), the target siRNA was produced to high purity at 1 mM concentration. Additional strategies were investigated including the use of polynucleotide kinase phosphorylation and the use of crude blockmer starting materials without chromatographic purification. These findings highlight a path toward a convergent synthesis of siRNAs for large-scale manufacture marrying both enzymatic liquid and classical solid-phase synthesis.

In Vitro Transcribed RNA-Based Platform Vaccines: Past, Present, and Future

mRNA was discovered in 1961, but it was not used as a vaccine until after three decades. Recently, the development of mRNA vaccine technology gained great impetus from the pursuit of vaccines against COVID-19. To improve the properties of RNA vaccines, and primarily their circulation time, self-amplifying mRNA and trans-amplifying mRNA were developed. A separate branch of mRNA technology is circular RNA vaccines, which were developed with the discovery of the possibility of translation on their protein matrix. Circular RNA has several advantages over mRNA vaccines and is considered a fairly promising platform, as is trans-amplifying mRNA. This review presents an overview of the mRNA platform and a critical discussion of the more modern self-amplifying mRNA, trans-amplifying mRNA, and circular RNA platforms created on its basis. Finally, the main features, advantages, and disadvantages of each of the presented mRNA platforms are discussed. This discussion will facilitate the decision-making process in selecting the most appropriate platform for creating RNA vaccines against cancer or viral diseases.

Profiling DNA Ligase Substrate Specificity with a Pacific Biosciences Single-Molecule Real-Time Sequencing Assay

DNA ligases catalyze the joining of breaks in nucleic acid backbones and are essential enzymes for in vivo genome replication and repair across all domains of life. These enzymes are also critically important to in vitro manipulation of DNA in applications such as cloning, sequencing, and molecular diagnostics. DNA ligases generally catalyze the formation of a phosphodiester bond between an adjacent 5'-phosphate and 3'-hydroxyl in DNA, but they exhibit different substrate structure preferences, sequence-dependent biases in reaction kinetics, and variable tolerance for mismatched base pairs. Information on substrate structure and sequence specificity can inform both biological roles and molecular biology applications of these enzymes. Given the high complexity of DNA sequence space, testing DNA ligase substrate specificity on individual nucleic acid sequences in parallel rapidly becomes impractical when a large sequence space is investigated. Here, we describe methods for investigating DNA ligase sequence bias and mismatch discrimination using Pacific Biosciences Single-Molecule Real-Time (PacBio SMRT) sequencing technology. Through its rolling-circle amplification methodology, SMRT sequencing can give multiple reads of the same insert. This feature permits high-quality top- and bottom-strand consensus sequences to be determined while preserving information on top-bottom strand mismatches that can be obfuscated or lost when using other sequencing methods. Thus, PacBio SMRT sequencing is uniquely suited to measuring substrate bias and enzyme fidelity through multiplexing a diverse set of sequences in a single reaction. The protocols describe substrate synthesis, library preparation, and data analysis methods suitable for measuring fidelity and bias of DNA ligases. The methods are easily adapted to different nucleic acid substrate structures and can be used to characterize many enzymes under a variety of reaction conditions and sequence contexts in a rapid and high-throughput manner. © 2023 New England Biolabs and The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Preparation of overhang DNA substrates for ligation Basic Protocol 2: Preparation of ligation fidelity libraries Support Protocol 1: Preparation of ligation libraries for PacBio Sequel II sequencing Support Protocol 2: Loading and sequencing of a prepared library on the Sequel II instrument Basic Protocol 3: Computational processing of ligase fidelity sequencing data.

Enzymatic Conjugation of Modified RNA Fragments by Ancestral RNA Ligase AncT4_2

Oligonucleotide therapeutics have great potential as a next-generation approach to treating intractable diseases. Large quantities of modified DNA/RNA containing xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNAs) must be synthesized before clinical application. In this study, the ancestral RNA ligase AncT4_2 was designed by ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) to perform the conjugation reaction of modified RNA fragments. AncT4_2 had superior properties to native RNA ligase 2 from T4 phage (T4Rnl2), including high productivity, a >2.5-fold-higher turnover number, and >10°C higher thermostability. One remarkable point is the broad substrate selectivity of AncT4_2; the activity of AncT4_2 toward 17 of the modified RNA fragments was higher than that of T4Rnl2. The activity was estimated by measuring the conjugation reaction of two RNA strands, 3'-OH (12 bp) and 5'-PO4 (12 bp), in which the terminal and penultimate positions of the 3'-OH fragment and the first and second positions of the 5'-PO4 fragment were substituted by 2'-fluoro, 2'-O-methyl, 2'-O-methoxyethyl, and 2'-H, respectively. The enzymatic properties of AncT4_2 allowed the enzyme to conjugate large quantities of double-stranded RNA coding for patisiran (>400 μM level), which was formed by four RNA fragments containing 2'-OMe-substituted nucleic acids. Structural analysis of modeled AncT4_2 suggested that protein dynamics were changed by mutation to Gly or indel during ASR and that this may positively impact the conjugation of modified RNA fragments with the enzyme. AncT4_2 is expected to be a key biocatalyst in synthesizing RNA therapeutics by an enzymatic reaction. IMPORTANCE RNA therapeutics is one of the next-generation medicines for treating various diseases. Our designed ancestral RNA ligase AncT4_2 exhibited excellent enzymatic properties, such as high thermal stability, productivity, specific activity, and broad substrate selectivity compared to native enzymes. These advantages create the potential for AncT4_2 to be applied in conjugating the modified RNA fragments containing various xenobiotic nucleic acids. In addition, patisiran, a known polyneuropathy therapeutic, could be synthesized from four fragmented oligonucleotides at a preparative scale. Taken together, these findings indicate AncT4_2 could open the door to synthesizing RNA therapeutics by enzymatic reaction at large-scale production.

Pros and Cons of In Vitro Methods for Circular RNA Preparation

mRNA is gaining success as a new therapeutic agent and vaccine. However, mRNA has limitations in stability. To overcome the shortcomings of mRNA, circular RNA is emerging as a new modality. In this review, several current methods of manufacturing circular RNA in vitro are introduced and their advantages and disadvantages are reviewed. Furthermore, this study discusses which fields and directions of research and development are needed for the increase in the efficacy and productivity of circular RNA as a therapeutic agent and vaccine formulation.

Direct RNA targeted in situ sequencing for transcriptomic profiling in tissue

Highly multiplexed spatial mapping of transcripts within tissues allows for investigation of the transcriptomic and cellular diversity of mammalian organs previously unseen. Here we explore a direct RNA (dRNA) detection approach incorporating the use of padlock probes and rolling circle amplification in combination with hybridization-based in situ sequencing chemistry. We benchmark a High Sensitivity Library Preparation Kit from CARTANA that circumvents the reverse transcription needed for cDNA-based in situ sequencing (ISS) via direct RNA detection. We found a fivefold increase in transcript detection efficiency when compared to cDNA-based ISS and also validated its multiplexing capability by targeting a curated panel of 50 genes from previous publications on mouse brain sections, leading to additional data interpretation such as de novo cell clustering. With this increased efficiency, we also found to maintain specificity, multiplexing capabilities and ease of implementation. Overall, the dRNA chemistry shows significant improvements in target detection efficiency, closing the gap to other fluorescent in situ hybridization-based technologies and opens up possibilities to explore new biological questions previously not possible with cDNA-based ISS.

Selective Cleavage at CCA Ends and Anticodon Loops of tRNAs by Stress-Induced RNases

Stress-induced tRNA cleavage has been implicated in various cellular processes, where tRNA fragments play diverse regulatory roles. Angiogenin (ANG), a member of the RNase A superfamily, induces cleavage of tRNAs resulting in the formation of tRNA-derived stress-induced RNAs (tiRNAs) that contribute to translational reprogramming aiming at cell survival. In addition to cleaving tRNA anticodon loops, ANG has been shown to cleave 3′-CCA termini of tRNAs in vitro, although it is not known whether this process occurs in cells. It has also been suggested that tiRNAs can be generated independently of ANG, although the role of other stress-induced RNases in tRNA cleavage is poorly understood. Using gene editing and biochemical approaches, we examined the involvement of ANG in stress-induced tRNA cleavage by focusing on its cleavage of CCA-termini as well as anticodon loops. We show that ANG is not responsible for CCA-deactivation under sodium arsenite (SA) treatment in cellulo, and although ANG treatment significantly increases 3′-tiRNA levels in cells, the majority of 3′-tiRNAs retain their 3′-CCA termini. Instead, other RNases can cleave CCA-termini in cells, although with low efficiency. Moreover, in the absence of ANG, other RNases are able to promote the production of tiRNAs in cells. Depletion of RNH1 (an endogenous inhibitor of RNase A superfamily) promotes constitutively-produced tiRNAs and CCA-deactivated tRNAs in cells. Interestingly, SA treatment in RNH1-depleted cells did not increase the amount of tiRNAs or CCA-deactivated tRNAs, suggesting that RNase A superfamily enzymes are largely responsible for SA-induced tRNA cleavage. We show that interplay between stress-induced RNases cause targeting tRNAs in a stress-specific manner in cellulo.

Circular RNA: Biosynthesis in vitro

Circular RNA (circRNA) is a unique type of noncoding RNA molecule. Compared with traditional linear RNA, circRNA is a covalently closed circle produced by a process called backsplicing. CircRNA is abundant in many cells and has rich functions in cells, such as acting as miRNA sponge, protein sponge, protein scaffold, and mRNA regulator. With the continuous development of circRNA study, circRNA has also played an important role in medical applications, including circRNA vaccines and gene therapy. In this review, we illustrate the synthesis of circRNAs in vitro. We focus on biological ligation methods, such as enzymatic ligation from the bacteriophage T4 and ribozyme method. In addition, we summarize the current challenges in the design, synthesis, application, and production of circRNAs, and propose possible solutions in the future. CircRNA is expected to play an essential role in basic research and medical applications.

A Ligation/Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assay for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to more than 117 million reported cases and 2.6 million deaths. Accurate diagnosis technologies are vital for controlling this pandemic. Reverse transcription (RT)-based nucleic acid detection assays have been developed, but the strict sample processing requirement of RT has posed obstacles on wider applications. This study established a ligation and recombinase polymerase amplification (L/RPA) combined assay for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 on genes N and ORF1ab targeting the specific biomarkers recommended by the China CDC. Ligase-based strategies usually have a low-efficiency problem on RNA templates. This study has addressed this problem by using a high concentration of the T4 DNA ligase and exploiting the high sensitivity of RPA. Through selection of the ligation probes and optimization of the RPA primers, the assay achieved a satisfactory sensitivity of 10¹ viral RNA copies per reaction, which was comparable to RT-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and other nucleic acid detection assays for SARS-CoV-2. The assay could be finished in less than 30 min with a simple procedure, in which the requirement for sophisticated thermocycling equipment had been avoided. In addition, it avoided the RT procedure and could potentially ease the requirement for sample processing. Once validated with clinical samples, the L/RPA assay would increase the practical testing availability of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, the principle of L/RPA has an application potential to the identification of concerned mutations of the virus.

Applications of phage-derived RNA-based technologies in synthetic biology

As the most abundant biological entities with incredible diversity, bacteriophages (also known as phages) have been recognized as an important source of molecular machines for the development of genetic-engineering tools. At the same time, phages are crucial for establishing and improving basic theories of molecular biology. Studies on phages provide rich sources of essential elements for synthetic circuit design as well as powerful support for the improvement of directed evolution platforms. Therefore, phages play a vital role in the development of new technologies and central scientific concepts. After the RNA world hypothesis was proposed and developed, novel biological functions of RNA continue to be discovered. RNA and its related elements are widely used in many fields such as metabolic engineering and medical diagnosis, and their versatility led to a major role of RNA in synthetic biology. Further development of RNA-based technologies will advance synthetic biological tools as well as provide verification of the RNA world hypothesis. Most synthetic biology efforts are based on reconstructing existing biological systems, understanding fundamental biological processes, and developing new technologies. RNA-based technologies derived from phages will offer abundant sources for synthetic biological components. Moreover, phages as well as RNA have high impact on biological evolution, which is pivotal for understanding the origin of life, building artificial life-forms, and precisely reprogramming biological systems. This review discusses phage-derived RNA-based technologies terms of phage components, the phage lifecycle, and interactions between phages and bacteria. The significance of RNA-based technology derived from phages for synthetic biology and for understanding the earliest stages of biological evolution will be highlighted.

Preferential production of RNA rings by T4 RNA ligase 2 without any splint through rational design of precursor strand

Rings of single-stranded RNA are promising for many practical applications, but the methods to prepare them in preparative scale have never been established. Previously, RNA circularization was achieved by T4 RNA ligase 2 (Rnl2, a dsRNA ligase) using splints, but the yield was low due to concurrent intermolecular polymerization. Here, various functional RNAs (siRNA, miRNA, ribozyme, etc.) are dominantly converted by Rnl2 to the rings without significant limitations in sizes and sequences. The key is to design a precursor RNA, which is highly activated for the efficient circularization without any splint. First, secondary structure of target RNA ring is simulated by Mfold, and then hypothetically cut at one site so that a few intramolecular base pairs are formed at the terminal. Simply by treating this RNA with Rnl2, the target ring was selectively and efficiently produced. Unexpectedly, circular RNA can be obtained in high yield (>90%), even when only 2 bp form in the 3'-OH side and no full match base pair forms in the 5'-phosphate side. Formation of polymeric by-products was further suppressed by diluting conventional Rnl2 buffer to abnormally low concentrations. Even at high-RNA concentrations (e.g. 50 μM), enormously high selectivity (>95%) was accomplished.

Depletion of erythropoietic miR-486-5p and miR-451a improves detectability of rare microRNAs in peripheral blood-derived small RNA sequencing libraries

Erythroid-specific miR-451a and miR-486-5p are two of the most dominant microRNAs (miRNAs) in human peripheral blood. In small RNA sequencing libraries, their overabundance reduces diversity as well as complexity and consequently causes negative effects such as missing detectability and inaccurate quantification of low abundant miRNAs. Here we present a simple, cost-effective and easy to implement hybridization-based method to deplete these two erythropoietic miRNAs from blood-derived RNA samples. By utilization of blocking oligonucleotides, this method provides a highly efficient and specific depletion of miR-486-5p and miR-451a, which leads to a considerable increase of measured expression as well as detectability of low abundant miRNA species. The blocking oligos are compatible with common 5′ ligation-dependent small RNA library preparation protocols, including commercially available kits, such as Illumina TruSeq and Perkin Elmer NEXTflex. Furthermore, the here described method and oligo design principle can be easily adapted to target many other miRNA molecules, depending on context and research question.

Site-Specific Spin Labeling of RNA for NMR and EPR Structural Studies

Many RNA architectures were discovered to be involved in essential biological pathways acting as catalysts and/or regulators of gene expression, transcription, translation, splicing, or viral infection. The key to understand their diverse biological functions is to investigate their structure and dynamic. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful method to gain insight into these properties. However, the study of high-molecular-weight RNAs by NMR remains challenging. Advances in biochemical and NMR methods over the recent years allow to overcome the limitation of NMR. In particular, the incorporation of paramagnetic probes, coupled to the measurement of the induced effects on nuclear spins, has become an efficient tool providing long-range distance restraints and information on dynamic in solution. At the same time, the use of spin label enabled the application of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) to study biological macromolecules. Combining NMR and EPR is emerging as a new approach to investigate the architecture of biological systems.Here, we describe an efficient protocol to introduce a paramagnetic probe into a RNA at a specific position. This method enables various combinations of isotopic labeling for NMR and is also of interest for EPR studies.

LOTTE-seq (Long hairpin oligonucleotide based tRNA high-throughput sequencing): specific selection of tRNAs with 3'-CCA end for high-throughput sequencing

Transfer RNAs belong to the most abundant type of ribonucleic acid in the cell, and detailed investigations revealed correlations between alterations in the tRNA pool composition and certain diseases like breast cancer. However, currently available methods do not sample the entire tRNA pool or lack specificity for tRNAs. A specific disadvantage of such methods is that only full-length tRNAs are analysed, while tRNA fragments or incomplete cDNAs due to RT stops at modified nucleosides are lost. Another drawback in certain approaches is that the tRNA fraction has to be isolated and separated from high molecular weight RNA, resulting in considerable labour costs and loss of material. Based on a hairpin-shaped adapter oligonucleotide selective for tRNA transcripts, we developed a highly specific protocol for efficient and comprehensive high-throughput analysis of tRNAs that combines the benefits of existing methods and eliminates their disadvantages. Due to a 3'-TGG overhang, the adapter is specifically ligated to the tRNA 3'-CCA end. Reverse transcription prior to the ligation of a second adapter allows to include prematurely terminated cDNA products, increasing the number of tRNA reads. This strategy renders this approach a powerful and universal tool to analyse the tRNA pool of cells and organisms under different conditions in health and disease.

Highly efficient single-stranded DNA ligation technique improves low-input whole-genome bisulfite sequencing by post-bisulfite adaptor tagging

Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) is the current gold standard of methylome analysis. Post-bisulfite adaptor tagging (PBAT) is an increasingly popular WGBS protocol because of high sensitivity and low bias. PBAT originally relied on two rounds of random priming for adaptor-tagging of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to attain high efficiency but at a cost of library insert length. To overcome this limitation, we developed terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-assisted adenylate connector-mediated ssDNA (TACS) ligation as an alternative to random priming. In this method, TdT attaches adenylates to the 3′-end of input ssDNA, which are then utilized by RNA ligase as an efficient connector to the ssDNA adaptor. A protocol that uses TACS ligation instead of the second random priming step substantially increased the lengths of PBAT library fragments. Moreover, we devised a dual-library strategy that splits the input DNA to prepare two libraries with reciprocal adaptor polarity, combining them prior to sequencing. This strategy ensured an ideal base–color balance to eliminate the need for DNA spike-in for color compensation, further improving the throughput and quality of WGBS. Adopting the above strategies to the HiSeq X Ten and NovaSeq 6000 platforms, we established a cost-effective, high-quality WGBS, which should accelerate various methylome analyses.

Triazole linking for preparation of a next-generation sequencing library from single-stranded DNA

Next-generation sequencing of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is attracting increased attention from a wide variety of research fields. Accordingly, various methods are actively being tested for the efficient adaptor-tagging of ssDNA. We conceived a novel chemo-enzymatic method termed terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-assisted, copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC)-mediated ssDNA ligation (TCS ligation). In this method, TdT is used to incorporate a single 3′-azide-modified dideoxyribonucleotide onto the 3′-end of target ssDNA, followed by CuAAC-mediated click ligation of the azide-incorporated 3′-end to a 5′-ethynylated synthetic adaptor. This report presents the first proof-of-principle application of TCS ligation with its use in the preparation of a next-generation sequencing library.

Limited reverse transcriptase activity of phi29 DNA polymerase

Phi29 (Φ29) DNA polymerase is an enzyme commonly used in DNA amplification methods such as rolling circle amplification (RCA) and multiple strand displacement amplification (MDA), as well as in DNA sequencing methods such as single molecule real time (SMRT) sequencing. Here, we report the ability of phi29 DNA polymerase to amplify RNA-containing circular substrates during RCA. We found that circular substrates with single RNA substitutions are amplified at a similar amplification rate as non-chimeric DNA substrates, and that consecutive RNA pyrimidines were generally preferred over purines. We observed RCA suppression with higher number of ribonucleotide substitutions, which was partially restored by interspacing RNA bases with DNA. We show that supplementing manganese ions as cofactor supports replication of RNAs during RCA. Sequencing of the RCA products demonstrated accurate base incorporation at the RNA base with both Mn²⁺ and Mg²⁺ as cofactors during replication, proving reverse transcriptase activity of the phi29 DNA polymerase. In summary, the ability of phi29 DNA polymerase to accept RNA-containing substrates broadens the spectrum of applications for phi29 DNA polymerase-mediated RCA. These include amplification of chimeric circular probes, such as padlock probes and molecular inversion probes.

3' Branch ligation: a novel method to ligate non-complementary DNA to recessed or internal 3'OH ends in DNA or RNA

Nucleic acid ligases are crucial enzymes that repair breaks in DNA or RNA during synthesis, repair and recombination. Various genomic tools have been developed using the diverse activities of DNA/RNA ligases. Herein, we demonstrate a non-conventional ability of T4 DNA ligase to insert 5' phosphorylated blunt-end double-stranded DNA to DNA breaks at 3'-recessive ends, gaps, or nicks to form a Y-shaped 3'-branch structure. Therefore, this base pairing-independent ligation is termed 3'-branch ligation (3'BL). In an extensive study of optimal ligation conditions, the presence of 10% PEG-8000 in the ligation buffer significantly increased ligation efficiency to more than 80%. Ligation efficiency was slightly varied between different donor and acceptor sequences. More interestingly, we discovered that T4 DNA ligase efficiently ligated DNA to the 3'-recessed end of RNA, not to that of DNA, in a DNA/RNA hybrid, suggesting a ternary complex formation preference of T4 DNA ligase. These novel properties of T4 DNA ligase can be utilized as a broad molecular technique in many important genomic applications, such as 3'-end labelling by adding a universal sequence; directional tagmentation for NGS library construction that achieve theoretical 100% template usage; and targeted RNA NGS libraries with mitigated structure-based bias and adapter dimer problems.

Chimeric padlock and iLock probes for increased efficiency of targeted RNA detection

Many approaches exist to detect RNA using complementary oligonucleotides. DNA ligation-based techniques can improve discrimination of subtle sequence variations, but they have been difficult to implement for direct RNA analysis due to the infidelity and inefficiency of most DNA ligases on RNA. In this report, we have systematically studied if ribonucleotide substitutions in padlock probes can provide higher catalytic efficiencies for Chlorella virus DNA ligase (PBCV-1 DNA ligase) and T4 RNA ligase 2 (T4Rnl2) on RNA. We provide broad characterization of end-joining fidelity for both enzymes in RNA-templated 3'-OH RNA/5'-pDNA chimeric probe ligation. Both ligases showed increased ligation efficiency toward chimeric substrates on RNA. However, end-joining fidelity of PBCV-1 DNA ligase remained poor, while T4Rnl2 showed a somewhat better end-joining fidelity compared to PBCV-1 DNA ligase. The recently presented invader padlock (iLock) probes overcome the poor end-joining fidelity of PBCV-1 DNA ligase by the requirement of target-dependent 5' flap removal prior to ligation. Here we show that two particular ribonucleotide substitutions greatly improve the activation and ligation rate of chimeric iLock probes on RNA. We characterized the end-joining efficiency and fidelity of PBCV-1 DNA ligase and T4Rnl2 with chimeric iLock probes on RNA and found that both enzymes exhibit high ligation fidelities for single nucleotide polymorphisms on RNA. Finally, we applied the chimeric probe concept to directly differentiate between human and mouse ACTB mRNA in situ, demonstrating chimeric padlock and iLock probes as superior to their DNA equivalents.

RNA ligation of very small pseudo nick structures by T4 RNA ligase 2, leading to efficient production of versatile RNA rings

T4 RNA ligase 2 catalyses two types of reactions: (i) sealing of a nick structure in double-stranded RNA and (ii) connection of two single-stranded RNA strands. In order to obtain comprehensive views on these two types of reactions and widen the application scope of this RNA ligase, we here systematically analysed the connection of single-stranded RNA strands having different secondary structures. It has been found that the ligation is enormously promoted when a stem of only 4-bp or longer is formed in the 3′-OH side of the joining site. Additional placement of a stem in the 5′-phosphate side further facilitates the ligation. In contrast, perturbation of the stem structures in RNA substrates suppresses the ligation. These results indicate that ligation of two single-stranded RNA strands by T4 RNA ligase 2 is greatly promoted by forming a “nick-like intermediate”. Even the unstable intermediate, formed only temporarily in the solution, is sufficiently effective. By designing the synthetic systems in terms of this finding, short single-stranded RNA rings of versatile sizes, which are otherwise hard to be obtained, are efficiently prepared in high selectivity and yield.

T4 Rnl2 ligates ssRNA via nick-like structures, leading to efficient production of versatile RNA rings for various applications.

XNA ligation using T4 DNA ligase in crowding conditions

T4 DNA ligase is capable of ligating 2'OMe-RNA duplexes, HNA, LNA and FANA mixed sequences in the presence of 10% w/v PEG8000 and 3 M betaine. The enzymatic joining of oligonucleotides containing multiple consecutive XNA nucleotides at the ligation site has not been reported before.

Dumbbell-PCR for Discriminative Quantification of a Small RNA Variant

Cellular RNAs are often expressed as multiple isoforms of complex heterogeneity in both length and terminal sequences. IsomiRs, the isoforms of microRNAs, are such an example. Distinct quantification of each RNA variant is necessary to unravel the biogenesis mechanism and biological significance of heterogenetic RNA expression. Here we describe Dumbbell-PCR (Db-PCR), a TaqMan RT-PCR-based method that distinctively quantifies a specific small RNA variant with single-nucleotide resolution at terminal sequences. Db-PCR enables the quantitative analysis of RNA terminal heterogeneity without performing Next-Generation Sequencing.

RNase H-assisted RNA-primed rolling circle amplification for targeted RNA sequence detection

RNA-primed rolling circle amplification (RPRCA) is a useful laboratory method for RNA detection; however, the detection of RNA is limited by the lack of information on 3′-terminal sequences. We uncovered that conventional RPRCA using pre-circularized probes could potentially detect the internal sequence of target RNA molecules in combination with RNase H. However, the specificity for mRNA detection was low, presumably due to non-specific hybridization of non-target RNA with the circular probe. To overcome this technical problem, we developed a method for detecting a sequence of interest in target RNA molecules via RNase H-assisted RPRCA using padlocked probes. When padlock probes are hybridized to the target RNA molecule, they are converted to the circular form by SplintR ligase. Subsequently, RNase H creates nick sites only in the hybridized RNA sequence, and single-stranded DNA is finally synthesized from the nick site by phi29 DNA polymerase. This method could specifically detect at least 10 fmol of the target RNA molecule without reverse transcription. Moreover, this method detected GFP mRNA present in 10 ng of total RNA isolated from Escherichia coli without background DNA amplification. Therefore, this method can potentially detect almost all types of RNA molecules without reverse transcription and reveal full-length sequence information.

Building expanded structures from tetrahedral DNA branching elements, RNA and TMV protein

By combining both chemical and enzymatic ligation with procedures guiding the self-assembly of nanotubular tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-like particles (TLPs), novel nucleoprotein structures based on DNA-terminated branching elements, RNA scaffolds and TMV coat protein (CP) are made accessible. Tetrahedral tetrakis(hydroxybiphenyl)adamantane cores with four 5'-phosphorylated dinucleotide arms were coupled to DNA linkers by chemical ligation. The resulting three-dimensional (3D) branching elements were enzymatically ligated to the 3' termini of RNA scaffolds either prior to or after the RNAs' incorporation into TLPs. Thus, architectures with interconnected nanotube domains in two different length classes were generated, each containing 70 CP subunits per 10 nm length. Short TMV origin-of-assembly-containing RNA scaffolds ligated to the DNA allowed the growth of protein-coated 34 nm tubes on the terminal RNA strands in situ. Alternatively, 290 nm pre-fabricated tubes with accessible RNA 3' termini, attained by DNA blocking elements hybridized to the RNAs, were ligated with the branched cores. Both approaches resulted in four-armed nanoobjects, demonstrating a so far unique combination of organic synthesis of branching elements, enzymatic modifications, nucleic acid-based scaffolding and RNA-guided and DNA-controlled assembly of tubular RNA-encapsidating protein domains, yielding a novel class of 3D nucleoprotein architectures with polyvalent protein elements. In the long term, the production route might give rise to supramolecular systems with complex functionalities, installed via the orthogonal coupling of effector molecules to TLP domains.

YAMAT-seq: an efficient method for high-throughput sequencing of mature transfer RNAs

Besides translation, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play many non-canonical roles in various biological pathways and exhibit highly variable expression profiles. To unravel the emerging complexities of tRNA biology and molecular mechanisms underlying them, an efficient tRNA sequencing method is required. However, the rigid structure of tRNA has been presenting a challenge to the development of such methods. We report the development of Y-shaped Adapter-ligated MAture TRNA sequencing (YAMAT-seq), an efficient and convenient method for high-throughput sequencing of mature tRNAs. YAMAT-seq circumvents the issue of inefficient adapter ligation, a characteristic of conventional RNA sequencing methods for mature tRNAs, by employing the efficient and specific ligation of Y-shaped adapter to mature tRNAs using T4 RNA Ligase 2. Subsequent cDNA amplification and next-generation sequencing successfully yield numerous mature tRNA sequences. YAMAT-seq has high specificity for mature tRNAs and high sensitivity to detect most isoacceptors from minute amount of total RNA. Moreover, YAMAT-seq shows quantitative capability to estimate expression levels of mature tRNAs, and has high reproducibility and broad applicability for various cell lines. YAMAT-seq thus provides high-throughput technique for identifying tRNA profiles and their regulations in various transcriptomes, which could play important regulatory roles in translation and other biological processes.

Production of DNA minicircles less than 250 base pairs through a novel concentrated DNA circularization assay enabling minicircle design with NF-κB inhibition activity

Double-stranded DNA minicircles of less than 1000 bp in length have great interest in both fundamental research and therapeutic applications. Although minicircles have shown promising activity in gene therapy thanks to their good biostability and better intracellular trafficking, minicircles down to 250 bp in size have not yet been investigated from the test tube to the cell for lack of an efficient production method. Herein, we report a novel versatile plasmid-free method for the production of DNA minicircles comprising fewer than 250 bp. We designed a linear nicked DNA double-stranded oligonucleotide blunt-ended substrate for efficient minicircle production in a ligase-mediated and bending protein-assisted circularization reaction at high DNA concentration of 2 μM. This one pot multi-step reaction based-method yields hundreds of micrograms of minicircle with sequences of any base composition and position and containing or not a variety of site-specifically chemical modifications or physiological supercoiling. Biochemical and cellular studies were then conducted to design a 95 bp minicircle capable of binding in vitro two NF-κB transcription factors per minicircle and to efficiently inhibiting NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activity in human cells. Therefore, our production method could pave the way for the design of minicircles as new decoy nucleic acids.

Efficient in situ detection of mRNAs using the Chlorella virus DNA ligase for padlock probe ligation

Padlock probes are single-stranded DNA molecules that are circularized upon hybridization to their target sequence by a DNA ligase. In the following, the circulated padlock probes are amplified and detected with fluorescently labeled probes complementary to the amplification product. The hallmark of padlock probe assays is a high detection specificity gained by the ligation reaction. Concomitantly, the ligation reaction is the largest drawback for a quantitative in situ detection of mRNAs due to the low affinities of common DNA or RNA ligases to RNA-DNA duplex strands. Therefore, current protocols require that mRNAs be reverse transcribed to DNA before detection with padlock probes. Recently, it was found that the DNA ligase from Paramecium bursaria Chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1) is able to efficiently ligate RNA-splinted DNA. Hence, we designed a padlock probe assay for direct in situ detection of mRNAs using the PBCV-1 DNA ligase. Experimental single-cell data were used to optimize and characterize the efficiency of mRNA detection with padlock probes. Our results demonstrate that the PBCV-1 DNA ligase overcomes the efficiency limitation of current protocols for direct in situ mRNA detection, making the PBCV-1 DNA ligase an attractive tool to simplify in situ ligation sequencing applications.

In vitro circularization of RNA

Over the past 2 decades, different types of circular RNAs have been discovered in all kingdoms of life, and apparently, those circular species are more abundant than previously thought. Apart from circRNAs in viroids and viruses, circular transcripts have been discovered in rodents more than 20 y ago and recently have been reported to be abundant in many organisms including humans. Their exact function remains still unknown, although one may expect extensive functional studies to follow the currently dominant research into identification and discovery of circRNA by sophisticated sequencing techniques and bioinformatics. Functional studies require models and as such methods for preparation of circRNA in vitro. Here, we will review current protocols for RNA circularization and discuss future prospects in the field.

Four-leaf clover qRT-PCR: A convenient method for selective quantification of mature tRNA

Transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play a central role in translation and also recently appear to have a variety of other functions in biological processes beyond translation. Here we report the development of Four-Leaf clover qRT-PCR (FL-PCR), a convenient PCR-based method, which can specifically quantify individual mature tRNA species. In FL-PCR, T4 RNA ligase 2 specifically ligates a stem-loop adapter to mature tRNAs but not to precursor tRNAs or tRNA fragments. Subsequent TaqMan qRT-PCR amplifies only unmodified regions of the tRNA-adapter ligation products; therefore, FL-PCR quantification is not influenced by tRNA post-transcriptional modifications. FL-PCR has broad applicability for the quantification of various tRNAs in different cell types, and thus provides a much-needed simple method for analyzing tRNA abundance and heterogeneity.

Detection and Quantification of MicroRNAs by Ligase-Assisted Sandwich Hybridization on a Microarray

Extracellular microRNAs (miRNAs) in body fluids have been identified as promising biomarkers for different human diseases. The high-throughput, multiplexed detection and quantification of these miRNAs are highly beneficial for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of diseases. Here, we developed a simple and convenient microarray-based technique, named ligase-assisted sandwich hybridization (LASH), for the detection and quantification of miRNAs. The LASH assay involves the hybridization of capture and detection probe pairs with the target miRNA to form a double-stranded structure which is then nick-sealed by T4 DNA ligase. Using this assay, we successfully demonstrated the multiplexed detection and quantification of different miRNAs in total RNA samples derived from blood obtained within 3 h. Here, we provide a detailed protocol for the LASH assay to detect a specific miRNA, as a model for the detection and quantification of extracellular miRNAs.

Assessing long-distance RNA sequence connectivity via RNA-templated DNA-DNA ligation

Many RNAs, including pre-mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, can be thousands of nucleotides long and undergo complex post-transcriptional processing. Multiple sites of alternative splicing within a single gene exponentially increase the number of possible spliced isoforms, with most human genes currently estimated to express at least ten. To understand the mechanisms underlying these complex isoform expression patterns, methods are needed that faithfully maintain long-range exon connectivity information in individual RNA molecules. In this study, we describe SeqZip, a methodology that uses RNA-templated DNA–DNA ligation to retain and compress connectivity between distant sequences within single RNA molecules. Using this assay, we test proposed coordination between distant sites of alternative exon utilization in mouse Fn1, and we characterize the extraordinary exon diversity of Drosophila melanogaster Dscam1.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03700.001

A flow chart can show how an outcome can be achieved from a particular start point by breaking down an activity into a list of possible steps. Often, a flow chart contains several alternative steps, not all of which are taken every time the flow chart is used. The same can be said of genes, which are biological instructions that often contain many options within their DNA sequences.

Proteins—which perform many roles in cells—are built following the instructions contained in genes. First, the DNA sequence of the gene is copied. This produces a molecule of ribonucleic acid (RNA), which is able to move around the cell to find the machinery that can use the genetic information to make a protein. Genes and their RNA copies contain instructions with more steps—called exons—than are necessary to make a working protein, so extra exons are removed (‘spliced’) from the RNA copies. Different combinations of exons can be removed, so splicing can make different versions of the RNA called isoforms. These allow a single gene to build many different proteins. In fruit flies, for example, the different exons of the gene Dscam1 can be spliced into one of 38,016 unique RNA isoforms.

Current technology only allows researchers to deduce the sequence of RNA molecules by combining sequences recorded from short fragments of the molecule. However, before splicing, RNA molecules tend to be much longer than this, so this restricts our understanding of the RNA isoforms found in cells. Here, Roy et al. devised and tested a new method called SeqZip to solve this problem.

SeqZip uses short fragments of DNA called ligamers that can only stick to the sections of RNA that will remain after the molecule has been spliced. After splicing, the ligamers can be stuck together to make a DNA replica of the spliced RNA. The end product is at least 49 times shorter than the original RNA, so it is easier to sequence. In addition, the combinations of the ligamers in the DNA replica show which exons of a specific gene are kept and which ones are spliced out.

To test the method, Roy et al. studied a mouse gene that has six RNA isoforms. SeqZip reduced the length of the RNA by five times and made it possible to measure how frequently the different isoforms naturally arise. Roy et al. also used SeqZip to work out which isoforms of the Dscam1 gene are used at different stages in the life of fruit fly larvae. SeqZip can provide insights into how complex organisms like flies, mice, and humans have evolved with relatively few—a little over 20,000—genes in their genomes.

DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03700.002

Dumbbell-PCR: a method to quantify specific small RNA variants with a single nucleotide resolution at terminal sequences

Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have revealed that cellular functional RNAs are not always expressed as single entities with fixed terminal sequences but as multiple isoforms bearing complex heterogeneity in both length and terminal sequences, such as isomiRs, the isoforms of microRNAs. Unraveling the biogenesis and biological significance of heterogenetic RNA expression requires distinctive analysis of each RNA variant. Here, we report the development of dumbbell PCR (Db-PCR), an efficient and convenient method to distinctively quantify a specific individual small RNA variant. In Db-PCR, 5′- and 3′-stem–loop adapters are specifically hybridized and ligated to the 5′- and 3′-ends of target RNAs, respectively, by T4 RNA ligase 2 (Rnl2). The resultant ligation products with ‘dumbbell-like’ structures are subsequently quantified by TaqMan RT-PCR. We confirmed that high specificity of Rnl2 ligation and TaqMan RT-PCR toward target RNAs assured both 5′- and 3′-terminal sequences of target RNAs with single nucleotide resolution so that Db-PCR specifically detected target RNAs but not their corresponding terminal variants. Db-PCR had broad applicability for the quantification of various small RNAs in different cell types, and the results were consistent with those from other quantification method. Therefore, Db-PCR provides a much-needed simple method for analyzing RNA terminal heterogeneity.

RNA circularization strategies in vivo and in vitro

In the plenitude of naturally occurring RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) and their biological role were underestimated for years. However, circRNAs are ubiquitous in all domains of life, including eukaryotes, archaea, bacteria and viruses, where they can fulfill diverse biological functions. Some of those functions, as for example playing a role in the life cycle of viral and viroid genomes or in the maturation of tRNA genes, have been elucidated; other putative functions still remain elusive. Due to the resistance to exonucleases, circRNAs are promising tools for in vivo application as aptamers, trans-cleaving ribozymes or siRNAs. How are circRNAs generated in vivo and what approaches do exist to produce ring-shaped RNAs in vitro? In this review we illustrate the occurrence and mechanisms of RNA circularization in vivo, survey methods for the generation of circRNA in vitro and provide appropriate protocols.

Discriminative identification of miRNA let-7 family members with high specificity and sensitivity using rolling circle amplification

Rolling circle amplification (RCA) is a new method based on virus DNA reproduction, which has been widely used in the field of miRNA detection. However, discrimination of highly homologous miRNAs is a bottleneck in the research of miRNA. In this study, the RCA process was creatively used to conduct the discrimination of miRNAs. Results showed that T4 RNA ligase 2 could reach the highest circularization efficiency during the RCA process with higher specificity. By using RCA technology, a member of highly homologous miRNAs, let-7, could be discriminated at the amount of 2.5 fmol. This sensitivity could not be achieved by using traditional reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. In addition, detection of miRNAs by using RCA could reach the amount limit of fmol with a good linearity. Optimal RCA technology used in this study is better than RT-qPCR in discriminating highly homologous family miRNAs. Results from this study can promote the applications of RCA in clinical diagnosis, environment protection, health care, disease inspection and prevention, and national security.

Effects of 2'-O-methyl nucleotide on ligation capability of T4 DNA ligase

To further understand the ligation mechanism, effects of 2'-O-methyl nucleotide (2'-OMeN) on the T4 DNA ligation efficiency were investigated. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer assay was used to monitor the nick-joining process by T4 DNA ligase. Results showed that substitutions at 5'- and 3'-ends of the nick decreased the ligation efficiency by 48.7% ± 6.7% and 70.6% ± 4.0%, respectively. Substitutions at both 5'- and 3'-ends decreased the ligation efficiency by 76.6% ± 1.3%. Corresponding kinetic parameters, Vmax, Km, and kcat, have been determined in each case by using the Michaelis-Menten equation. The kinetic data showed that the 2'-OMeN substitutions reduced the maximal initial velocity and increased the Michaelis constant of T4 DNA ligase. Mismatches at 5'- and 3'-ends of the nick have also shown different influences on the ligation. Results here showed that the sugar pucker conformation at 3'-end impairs the ligation efficiency more profoundly than that at 5'-end. Different concentrations of Mg(2+), Ca(2+), K(+), Na(+), and ATP were also demonstrated to affect the T4 DNA ligase activity. These results enriched our knowledge about the effects of 2'-OMeN substitutions on the T4 DNA ligase.

Sensitive, multiplex and direct quantification of RNA sequences using a modified RASL assay

A sensitive and highly multiplex method to directly measure RNA sequence abundance without requiring reverse transcription would be of value for a number of biomedical applications, including high throughput small molecule screening, pathogen transcript detection and quantification of short/degraded RNAs.

R NA A

nnealing, S: election and L: igation (RASL) assays, which are based on RNA template-dependent oligonucleotide probe ligation, have been developed to meet this need, but technical limitations have impeded their adoption. Whereas DNA ligase-based RASL assays suffer from extremely low and sequence-dependent ligation efficiencies that compromise assay robustness, Rnl2 can join a fully DNA donor probe to a 3'-diribonucleotide-terminated acceptor probe with high efficiency on an RNA template strand. Rnl2-based RASL exhibits sub-femtomolar transcript detection sensitivity, and permits the rational tuning of probe signals for optimal analysis by massively parallel DNA sequencing (RASL-seq). A streamlined Rnl2-based RASL-seq protocol was assessed in a small molecule screen using 77 probe sets designed to monitor complex human B cell phenotypes during antibody class switch recombination. Our data demonstrate the robustness, cost-efficiency and broad applicability of Rnl2-based RASL assays.

A fully enzymatic method for site-directed spin labeling of long RNA

Site-directed spin labeling is emerging as an essential tool to investigate the structural and dynamical features of RNA. We propose here an enzymatic method, which allows the insertion of a paramagnetic center at a specific position in an RNA molecule. The technique is based on a segmental approach using a ligation protocol with T4 RNA ligase 2. One transcribed acceptor RNA is ligated to a donor RNA in which a thio-modified nucleotide is introduced at its 5′-end by in vitro transcription with T7 RNA polymerase. The paramagnetic thiol-specific reagent is subsequently attached to the RNA ligation product. This novel strategy is demonstrated by introducing a paramagnetic probe into the 55 nucleotides long RNA corresponding to K-turn and Specifier Loop domains from the Bacillus subtilis tyrS T-Box leader RNA. The efficiency of the coupling reaction and the quality of the resulting spin-labeled RNA were assessed by Mass Spectrometry, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). This method enables various combinations of isotopic segmental labeling and spin labeling schemes, a strategy that will be of particular interest to investigate the structural and dynamical properties of large RNA complexes by NMR and EPR spectroscopies.

Increased sensitivity and accuracy of a single-stranded DNA splint-mediated ligation assay (sPAT) reveals poly(A) tail length dynamics of developmentally regulated mRNAs

Poly(A) tail length is a readout of an mRNA's translatability and stability, especially in developmental systems. PolyAdenylation Test (PAT) assays attempt to quickly measure the average poly(A) tail length of RNAs of experimental interest. Here we present sPAT, splint-mediated PAT, a procedure that uses a DNA splint to aid in the ligation of an RNA-tag to the poly(A) tail of an mRNA. In comparison to other PAT methodologies, including ePAT, sPAT is highly sensitive to low-abundance mRNAs, gives a more accurate profile of the poly(A) tail distribution, and requires little starting material. To demonstrate its strength, we calibrated sPAT on defined poly(A) tails of synthetic mRNAs, reassessed developmentally regulated poly(A) tail-length changes of known mRNAs from established model organisms, and extended it to the emerging evolutionary developmental nematode model Pristionchus pacificus. Lastly, we used sPAT to analyze the contribution of the two cytoplasmic poly(A) polymerases GLD-2 and GLD-4, and the deadenylase CCR-4, onto Caenorhabditis elegans gld-1 mRNA that encodes a translationally controlled tumor suppressor whose poly(A) tail length measurement proved elusive.

Kinetic mechanism of nick sealing by T4 RNA ligase 2 and effects of 3'-OH base mispairs and damaged base lesions

T4 RNA ligase 2 (Rnl2) repairs 3'-OH/5'-PO4 nicks in duplex nucleic acids in which the broken 3'-OH strand is RNA. Ligation entails three chemical steps: reaction of Rnl2 with ATP to form a covalent Rnl2-(lysyl-Nζ)-AMP intermediate (step 1); transfer of AMP to the 5'-PO4 of the nick to form an activated AppN- intermediate (step 2); and attack by the nick 3'-OH on the AppN- strand to form a 3'-5' phosphodiester (step 3). Here we used rapid mix-quench methods to analyze the kinetic mechanism and fidelity of single-turnover nick sealing by Rnl2-AMP. For substrates with correctly base-paired 3'-OH nick termini, kstep2 was fast (9.5 to 17.9 sec(-1)) and similar in magnitude to kstep3 (7.9 to 32 sec(-1)). Rnl2 fidelity was enforced mainly at the level of step 2 catalysis, whereby 3'-OH base mispairs and oxoguanine, oxoadenine, or abasic lesions opposite the nick 3'-OH elicited severe decrements in the rate of 5'-adenylylation and relatively modest slowing of the rate of phosphodiester synthesis. The exception was the noncanonical A:oxoG base pair, which Rnl2 accepted as a correctly paired end for rapid sealing. These results underscore (1) how Rnl2 requires proper positioning of the 3'-terminal ribonucleoside at the nick for optimal 5'-adenylylation and (2) the potential for nick-sealing ligases to embed mutations during the repair of oxidative damage.

Efficient DNA ligation in DNA-RNA hybrid helices by Chlorella virus DNA ligase

Single-stranded DNA molecules (ssDNA) annealed to an RNA splint are notoriously poor substrates for DNA ligases. Herein we report the unexpectedly efficient ligation of RNA-splinted DNA by Chlorella virus DNA ligase (PBCV-1 DNA ligase). PBCV-1 DNA ligase ligated ssDNA splinted by RNA with kcat ≈ 8 x 10(-3) s(-1) and K(M) < 1 nM at 25 °C under conditions where T4 DNA ligase produced only 5'-adenylylated DNA with a 20-fold lower kcat and a K(M) ≈ 300 nM. The rate of ligation increased with addition of Mn(2+), but was strongly inhibited by concentrations of NaCl >100 mM. Abortive adenylylation was suppressed at low ATP concentrations (<100 µM) and pH >8, leading to increased product yields. The ligation reaction was rapid for a broad range of substrate sequences, but was relatively slower for substrates with a 5'-phosphorylated dC or dG residue on the 3' side of the ligation junction. Nevertheless, PBCV-1 DNA ligase ligated all sequences tested with 10-fold less enzyme and 15-fold shorter incubation times than required when using T4 DNA ligase. Furthermore, this ligase was used in a ligation-based detection assay system to show increased sensitivity over T4 DNA ligase in the specific detection of a target mRNA.