1
|
Hassim A, Lekota KE. Isolation of Bacteriophages from Soil Samples in a Poorly Equipped Field Laboratory in Kruger National Park. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2738:91-103. [PMID: 37966593 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3549-0_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. Bacteriophages are ubiquitous and are the most abundant organisms on the planet. Despite this, very little is known about the influence and effect of bacteriophages within terrestrial environments. Additionally, the natural soil microbiome profiles remain largely unexplored. Here we describe protocols that can be used, in field or rural laboratories containing only basic equipment, to make bacteriophage isolation more accessible and to facilitate such research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Hassim
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Disease, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Kgaugelo Edward Lekota
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, Microbiology, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chen YW, Su BY, Van Duyne GD, Fogg P, Fan HF. The influence of coiled-coil motif of serine recombinase toward the directionality regulation. Biophys J 2023; 122:4656-4669. [PMID: 37974397 PMCID: PMC10754689 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Serine integrases promote the recombination of two complementary DNA sequences, attP and attB, to create hybrid sequences, attL and attR. The reaction is unidirectional in the absence of an accessory protein called recombination directionality factor. We utilized tethered particle motion (TPM) experiments to investigate the reaction behaviors of two model serine integrases from Listeria innocua phage LI and Streptomyces coelicolor phage C31. Detailed kinetic analyses of wild-type and mutant proteins were carried out to verify the mechanisms of recombination directionality. In particular, we assessed the influence of a coiled-coil motif (CC) that is conserved in the C-terminal domain of serine integrases and is an important prerequisite for efficient recombination. Compared to wild type, we found that CC deletions in both serine integrases reduced the overall abundance of integrase (Int) att-site complexes and favored the formation of nonproductive complexes over recombination-competent complexes. Furthermore, the rate at which CC mutants formed productive synaptic complexes and disassembled aberrant nonproductive complexes was significantly reduced. It is notable that while the φC31 Int CC is essential for recombination, the LI Int CC plays an auxiliary role for recombination to stabilize protein-protein interactions and to control the directionality of the reaction.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yei-Wei Chen
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Bo-Yu Su
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Gregory D Van Duyne
- Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Paul Fogg
- Biology Department and York Biomedical Research Institute (YBRI), University of York, York, United Kingdom.
| | - Hsiu-Fang Fan
- Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Chemistry, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Aerosol Science Research Center, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kronheim S, Solomon E, Ho L, Glossop M, Davidson AR, Maxwell KL. Complete genomes and comparative analyses of Streptomyces phages that influence secondary metabolism and sporulation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9820. [PMID: 37330527 PMCID: PMC10276819 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36938-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria in the genus Streptomyces are found ubiquitously in nature and are known for the number and diversity of specialized metabolites they produce, as well as their complex developmental lifecycle. Studies of the viruses that prey on Streptomyces, known as phages, have aided the development of tools for genetic manipulation of these bacteria, as well as contributing to a deeper understanding of Streptomyces and their behaviours in the environment. Here, we present the genomic and biological characterization of twelve Streptomyces phages. Genome analyses reveal that these phages are closely related genetically, while experimental approaches show that they have broad overlapping host ranges, infect early in the Streptomyces lifecycle, and induce secondary metabolite production and sporulation in some Streptomyces species. This work expands the group of characterized Streptomyces phages and improves our understanding of Streptomyces phage-host dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Kronheim
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Ethan Solomon
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Louis Ho
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Michelle Glossop
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Alan R Davidson
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada
| | - Karen L Maxwell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, 661 University Avenue, Suite 1600, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cui J, Zhong W, Liu W, Zhang C, Zou L, Ren H. Whole genome sequencing and annotation of a lysogenic phage vB_EcoP_DE5 isolated from donkey-derived Escherichia coli. Virus Genes 2023; 59:290-300. [PMID: 36607487 DOI: 10.1007/s11262-022-01964-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
A lysogenic phage vB_EcoP_DE5 (hereafter designated DE5) was isolated from donkey-derived Escherichia coli. The bacteriophage was examined by transmission electron microscopy, and the result showed that DE5 belonged to the genus Kuravirus. DE5 was sensitive to changes in temperature and pH, and it could maintain its activity at pH 7 and below 60 ℃. The whole genome sequencing revealed that DE5 had a double-stranded DNA genome of 77, 305 bp with 42.09% G+C content. A total of 126 open reading frames (ORFs) were identified, including functional genes related to phage integration, DNA replication and modification, transcriptional regulation, structural and packaging proteins, and host cell lysis. One phage integrase gene, one autotransporter adhesin gene, and one tRNA gene were predicted in the whole genome, and no genes associated with drug resistance were identified. The phage DE5 integrase contained 187 amino acids and belonged to the small serine recombinase family. BLASTn analysis revealed that phage DE5 had a high-sequence identity (96%) with E. coli phage SU10. Phylogenetic analysis showed that phage DE5 was a member of the genus Kuravirus. The whole genome sequencing of lysogenic phage DE5 enhanced our understanding of lysogenic phages and their therapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiaqi Cui
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Wenshi Zhong
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Wenhua Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Can Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Ling Zou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Huiying Ren
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fan H. Single‐molecule tethered particle motion to study
protein‐DNA
interaction. J CHIN CHEM SOC-TAIP 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/jccs.202300051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
|
6
|
Alves CPA, Prazeres DMF, Monteiro GA. Real-Time PCR Method for Assessment of ParA-Mediated Recombination Efficiency in Minicircle Production. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2967:117-131. [PMID: 37608107 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3358-8_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
The in vivo intramolecular recombination of a parental plasmid allows excising prokaryotic backbone from the eukaryotic cassette of interest, leading to the formation of, respectively, a miniplasmid and a minicircle. Here we describe a real-time PCR protocol suitable for the determination of recombination efficiency of parental plasmids with multimer resolution sites (MRS). The protocol was successfully applied to purified DNA samples obtained from E. coli cultures, allowing a more reproducible determination of recombination efficiency than densitometry analysis of agarose gels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cláudia P A Alves
- iBB- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Duarte Miguel F Prazeres
- iBB- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Gabriel A Monteiro
- iBB- Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Department of Bioengineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Associate Laboratory i4HB - Institute for Health and Bioeconomy at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nguyen MHT, Netter Z, Angermeyer A, Seed KD. A phage weaponizes a satellite recombinase to subvert viral restriction. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:11138-11153. [PMID: 36259649 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria can acquire mobile genetic elements (MGEs) to combat infection by viruses (phages). Satellite viruses, including the PLEs (phage-inducible chromosomal island-like elements) in epidemic Vibrio cholerae, are MGEs that restrict phage replication to the benefit of their host bacterium. PLEs parasitize the lytic phage ICP1, unleashing multiple mechanisms to restrict phage replication and promote their own spread. In the arms race against PLE, ICP1 uses nucleases, including CRISPR-Cas, to destroy PLE's genome during infection. However, through an unknown CRISPR-independent mechanism, specific ICP1 isolates subvert restriction by PLE. Here, we discover ICP1-encoded Adi that counteracts PLE by exploiting the PLE's large serine recombinase (LSR), which normally mobilizes PLE in response to ICP1 infection. Unlike previously characterized ICP1-encoded anti-PLE mechanisms, Adi is not a nuclease itself but instead appears to modulate the activity of the LSR to promote destructive nuclease activity at the LSR's specific attachment site, attP. The PLE LSR, its catalytic activity, and attP are additionally sufficient to sensitize a PLE encoding a resistant variant of the recombination module to Adi activity. This work highlights a unique type of adaptation arising from inter-genome conflicts, in which the intended activity of a protein can be weaponized to overcome the antagonizing genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria H T Nguyen
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 271 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Zoe Netter
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 271 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Angus Angermeyer
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 271 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Kimberley D Seed
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 271 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Gauthier CH, Abad L, Venbakkam AK, Malnak J, Russell D, Hatfull G. OUP accepted manuscript. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e75. [PMID: 35451479 PMCID: PMC9303363 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in genome sequencing have produced hundreds of thousands of bacterial genome sequences, many of which have integrated prophages derived from temperate bacteriophages. These prophages play key roles by influencing bacterial metabolism, pathogenicity, antibiotic resistance, and defense against viral attack. However, they vary considerably even among related bacterial strains, and they are challenging to identify computationally and to extract precisely for comparative genomic analyses. Here, we describe DEPhT, a multimodal tool for prophage discovery and extraction. It has three run modes that facilitate rapid screening of large numbers of bacterial genomes, precise extraction of prophage sequences, and prophage annotation. DEPhT uses genomic architectural features that discriminate between phage and bacterial sequences for efficient prophage discovery, and targeted homology searches for precise prophage extraction. DEPhT is designed for prophage discovery in Mycobacterium genomes but can be adapted broadly to other bacteria. We deploy DEPhT to demonstrate that prophages are prevalent in Mycobacterium strains but are absent not only from the few well-characterized Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains, but also are absent from all ∼30 000 sequenced M. tuberculosis strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ananya K Venbakkam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Julia Malnak
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Daniel A Russell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
| | - Graham F Hatfull
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 412 624 6975;
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sharma V, Kaur R, Salwan R. Streptomyces: host for refactoring of diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. 3 Biotech 2021; 11:340. [PMID: 34221811 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-021-02872-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial secondary metabolites are intensively explored due to their demands in pharmaceutical, agricultural and food industries. Streptomyces are one of the largest sources of secondary metabolites having diverse applications. In particular, the abundance of secondary metabolites encoding biosynthetic gene clusters and presence of wobble position in Streptomyces strains make it potential candidate as a native or heterologous host for secondary metabolite production including several cryptic gene clusters expression. Here, we have discussed the developments in Streptomyces strains genome mining, its exploration as a suitable host and application of synthetic biology for refactoring genetic systems for developing chassis for enhanced as well as novel secondary metabolites with reduced genome and cleaned background.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Sharma
- University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Randhir Kaur
- University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Richa Salwan
- College of Horticulture and Forestry, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Neri, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh 177001 India
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Recombination efficiency measurement by real-time PCR: A strategy to evaluate ParA-mediated minicircle production. Anal Biochem 2021; 628:114285. [PMID: 34118213 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2021.114285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Minicircles (MCs) are DNA molecules that are produced in Escherichia coli by replicating a parental plasmid (PP) and inducing its site-specific intramolecular recombination into miniplasmid (MP; containing the prokaryotic backbone) and MC molecules (comprised by the eukaryotic cassette). The determination of the recombination efficiency and the monitoring of PP, MC and MP species during processing and in the final product are critical aspects of MC manufacturing. This work describes a real-time PCR method for the specific identification of PP, MP or MC that uses sets of primers specific for each species. The method was evaluated using artificial mixtures of (i) PP and MP, (ii) PP and MC and (iii) MP and MC that were probed for all three DNA molecules. The ratio of molecules of each DNA species in these mixtures were determined with differences lower than 10% relatively to the expected ratio of the species in 90% of the mixtures. Next, the recombination efficiency was successfully estimated by analysing pre-purified DNA samples obtained from cell cultures. A standard deviation < 2% was obtained between replicas and results closely correlated with those obtained by densitometry analysis of agarose gels. Further optimization is required to determine recombination efficiency directly from whole cells.
Collapse
|
11
|
Yang M, Xia Q, Du S, Zhang Z, Qin F, Zhao Y. Genomic Characterization and Distribution Pattern of a Novel Marine OM43 Phage. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:651326. [PMID: 33841378 PMCID: PMC8024684 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.651326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages have a significant impact on the structure and function of marine microbial communities. Phages of some major bacterial lineages have recently been shown to dominate the marine viral communities. However, phages that infect many important bacterial clades still remained unexplored. Members of the marine OM43 clade are methylotrophs that play important roles in C1 metabolism. OM43 phages (phages that infect the OM43 bacteria) represent an understudied viral group with only one known isolate. In this study, we describe the genomic characterization and biogeography of an OM43 phage that infects the strain HTCC2181, designated MEP301. MEP301 has a genome size of 34,774 bp. We found that MEP301 is genetically distinct from other known phage isolates and only displays significant sequence similarity with some metagenomic viral genomes (MVGs). A total of 12 MEP301-type MVGs were identified from metagenomic datasets. Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analyses revealed that MEP301-type phages can be separated into two subgroups (subgroup I and subgroup II). We also performed a metagenomic recruitment analysis to determine the relative abundance of reads mapped to these MEP301-type phages, which suggested that subgroup I MEP301-type phages are present predominantly in the cold upper waters with lower salinity. Notably, subgroup II phages have an inverse different distribution pattern, implying that they may infect hosts from a distinct OM43 subcluster. Our study has expanded the knowledge about the genomic diversity of marine OM43 phages and identified a new phage group that is widespread in the ocean.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Qian Xia
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Sen Du
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Zefeng Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Fang Qin
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yanlin Zhao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Agroecological Processing and Safety Monitoring, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abe K, Takahashi T, Sato T. Extreme C-terminal element of SprA serine integrase is a potential component of the "molecular toggle switch" which controls the recombination and its directionality. Mol Microbiol 2020; 115:1110-1121. [PMID: 33244797 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In Bacillus subtilis, a sporulation-related gene, spsM, is disrupted by SPβ prophage, but reconstituted during sporulation through SPβ excision. The spsM reconstitution is catalyzed by a site-specific DNA recombinase, SprA, and its cognate recombination directionality factor, SprB. SprB interacts with SprA, directing the SprA-mediated recombination reaction from integration to excision; however, the details of the directionality control remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate the importance of the extreme C-terminal region (ECT) of SprA in the DNA recombination and directionality control. We created a series of SprA C-terminal deletants and examined their DNA-binding and recombination activities. Deletions in the ECT caused a loss of integration and excision activity, the magnitudes of which positively correlated with the deletion size. Gel shift study revealed that the loss of the integration activity was attributable to the failure of synaptic complex formation. The excision deficiency was caused by defective interaction with SprB. Moreover, alanine scanning analysis revealed that Phe532 is essential to interact with SprB. SprAF532A , therefore, showed almost no excision activity, while retaining the integration activity. Collectively, these results suggest that the ECT plays the crucial roles in the interaction of SprA with SprB and possibly in the directional control of the recombination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimihiro Abe
- Research Center of Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
| | - Takumi Takahashi
- Department of Frontier Bioscience, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Sato
- Research Center of Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan.,Department of Frontier Bioscience, Hosei University, Koganei, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Srirangan K, Loignon M, Durocher Y. The use of site-specific recombination and cassette exchange technologies for monoclonal antibody production in Chinese Hamster ovary cells: retrospective analysis and future directions. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2020; 40:833-851. [DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2020.1768043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kajan Srirangan
- Mammalian Cell Expression, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Martin Loignon
- Mammalian Cell Expression, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Yves Durocher
- Mammalian Cell Expression, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Département de biochimie et médecine moléculaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hosur V, Skelly DA, Francis C, Low BE, Kohar V, Burzenski LM, Amiji MM, Shultz LD, Wiles MV. Improved mouse models and advanced genetic and genomic technologies for the study of neutrophils. Drug Discov Today 2020; 25:1013-1025. [PMID: 32387410 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2020.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Mice have been excellent surrogates for studying neutrophil biology and, furthermore, murine models of human disease have provided fundamental insights into the roles of human neutrophils in innate immunity. The emergence of novel humanized mice and high-diversity mouse populations offers the research community innovative and powerful platforms for better understanding, respectively, the mechanisms by which human neutrophils drive pathogenicity, and how genetic differences underpin the variation in neutrophil biology observed among humans. Here, we review key examples of these new resources. Additionally, we provide an overview of advanced genetic engineering tools available to further improve such murine model systems, of sophisticated neutrophil-profiling technologies, and of multifunctional nanoparticle (NP)-based neutrophil-targeting strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Hosur
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA.
| | - Daniel A Skelly
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
| | - Christopher Francis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Benjamin E Low
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
| | - Vivek Kohar
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
| | - Lisa M Burzenski
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
| | - Mansoor M Amiji
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Leonard D Shultz
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
| | - Michael V Wiles
- The Jackson Laboratory for Mammalian Genetics, 600 Main Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Bernabé-Orts JM, Quijano-Rubio A, Vazquez-Vilar M, Mancheño-Bonillo J, Moles-Casas V, Selma S, Gianoglio S, Granell A, Orzaez D. A memory switch for plant synthetic biology based on the phage ϕC31 integration system. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:3379-3394. [PMID: 32083668 PMCID: PMC7102980 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology has advanced from the setup of basic genetic devices to the design of increasingly complex gene circuits to provide organisms with new functions. While many bacterial, fungal and mammalian unicellular chassis have been extensively engineered, this progress has been delayed in plants due to the lack of reliable DNA parts and devices that enable precise control over these new synthetic functions. In particular, memory switches based on DNA site-specific recombination have been the tool of choice to build long-term and stable synthetic memory in other organisms, because they enable a shift between two alternative states registering the information at the DNA level. Here we report a memory switch for whole plants based on the bacteriophage ϕC31 site-specific integrase. The switch was built as a modular device made of standard DNA parts, designed to control the transcriptional state (on or off) of two genes of interest by alternative inversion of a central DNA regulatory element. The state of the switch can be externally operated by action of the ϕC31 integrase (Int), and its recombination directionality factor (RDF). The kinetics, memory, and reversibility of the switch were extensively characterized in Nicotiana benthamiana plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joan Miquel Bernabé-Orts
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Alfredo Quijano-Rubio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Vazquez-Vilar
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Javier Mancheño-Bonillo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Victor Moles-Casas
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Sara Selma
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Silvia Gianoglio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Antonio Granell
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| | - Diego Orzaez
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP). CSIC - Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Liu Y, Huang H, Wang H, Zhang Y. A novel approach for T7 bacteriophage genome integration of exogenous DNA. J Biol Eng 2020; 14:2. [PMID: 31988659 PMCID: PMC6966851 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0224-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The comparatively small genome, well elucidated functional genomics and rapid life cycle confer T7 bacteriophage with great advantages for bio-application. Genetic manipulation of T7 genome plays a key role in T7 related applications. As one of the important aspects in T7 phage genetic modification, gene knock-in refers to two main approaches including direct genetic manipulation in vitro and recombineering. Neither of these available methods are efficient enough to support the development of innovative applications capitalizing on T7 bio-system and thus there is room for novel strategies that address this issue. Integration mediated by the ΦC31 integrase is one of the most robust site-specific recombination systems. ΦC31 integrases with enhanced activity and specificity have been developed such that it is ideal to effectuate exogenous DNA knock-in of T7 phage with advanced ΦC31 integrase. Methods Plasmid construction was conducted by routine molecular cloning technology. The engineered T7 bacteriophages were constructed through homologous recombination with corresponding plasmids and the functional T7 phage was designated as T7∆G10G11-attB. In the integration reaction, hosts with both executive plasmids (pEXM4) and donor plasmids (pMCBK) were lysed by T7∆G10G11-attB. Progenies of T7 phages that integrated with pMCBK were isolated in restrict hosts and validated by sequencing. T7∆G10G11-attB capacity limit was explored by another integration reactions with donor plasmids that contain exogenous DNA of various lengths. Results T7∆G10G11-attB exhibits abortive growth in restrictive hosts, and a bacterial attachment site recognized by ΦC31 integrase (attB) was confirmed to be present in the T7∆G10G11-attB genome via sequencing. The integration reaction demonstrated that plasmids containing the corresponding phage attachment site (attP) could be integrated into the T7∆G10G11-attB genome. The candidate recombinant phage was isolated and validated to have integrated exogenous DNA. The maximum capacity of T7∆G10G11-attB was explored, and it’s found that insertion of exogenous DNA sequences longer than 2 kbp long can be accommodated stably. Conclusion We advanced and established a novel approach for gene knock-in into the T7 genome using ΦC31 integrase.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- 1State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006 Guangdong People's Republic of China
| | - Hongxing Huang
- 1State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006 Guangdong People's Republic of China
| | - Hua Wang
- 2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology and Guangdong, Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, SunYat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510055 People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Zhang
- 1State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006 Guangdong People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhao J, Pokhilko A, Ebenhöh O, Rosser SJ, Colloms SD. A single-input binary counting module based on serine integrase site-specific recombination. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:4896-4909. [PMID: 30957849 PMCID: PMC6511857 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 03/24/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
A device that counts and records the number of events experienced by an individual cell could have many uses in experimental biology and biotechnology. Here, we report a DNA-based 'latch' that switches between two states upon each exposure to a repeated stimulus. The key component of the latch is a DNA segment whose orientation is inverted by the actions of ϕC31 integrase and its recombination directionality factor (RDF). Integrase expression is regulated by an external input, while RDF expression is controlled by the state of the latch, such that the orientation of the invertible segment switches efficiently each time the device receives an input pulse. Recombination occurs over a time scale of minutes after initiation of integrase expression. The latch requires a delay circuit, implemented with a transcriptional repressor expressed in only one state, to ensure that each input pulse results in only one inversion of the DNA segment. Development and optimization of the latch in living cells was driven by mathematical modelling of the recombination reactions and gene expression regulated by the switch. We discuss how N latches built with orthogonal site-specific recombination systems could be chained together to form a binary ripple counter that could count to 2N - 1.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhao
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland
| | - Alexandra Pokhilko
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland
| | - Oliver Ebenhöh
- Cluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS), Heinrich-Heine-University, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany,Institute of Quantitative and Theoretical Biology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Susan J Rosser
- SynthSys - Synthetic and Systems Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, CH Waddington Building, The King’s Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JD, Scotland,Correspondence may also be addressed to Susan J. Rosser. Tel. +44 131 650 50 86;
| | - Sean D Colloms
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland,To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +44 141 330 6236; Fax: +44 141 330 4878;
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Li H, Sharp R, Rutherford K, Gupta K, Van Duyne GD. Serine Integrase attP Binding and Specificity. J Mol Biol 2018; 430:4401-4418. [PMID: 30227134 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2018.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Serine integrases catalyze the site-specific insertion of viral DNA into a host's genome. The minimal requirements and irreversible nature of this integration reaction have led to the use of serine integrases in applications ranging from bacterial memory storage devices to gene therapy. Our understanding of how the integrase proteins recognize the viral (attP) and host (attB) attachment sites is limited, with structural data available for only a Listeria integrase C-terminal domain (CTD) bound to an attP half-site. Here we report quantitative binding and saturation mutagenesis analyses for the Listeria innocua prophage attP site and a new 2.8-Å crystal structure of the CTD•attP half site. We find that Int binds with high affinity to attP (6.9 nM), but the Int CTD binds to attP half-sites with only 7- to 10-fold lower affinity, supporting the idea that free energy is expended to open an Int dimer for attP binding. Despite the 50-bp Int-attP interaction surface, only 20 residues are sensitive to mutagenesis, and of these, only 6 require a specific residue for efficient Int binding and integration activity. One of the integrase DNA-binding domains, the recombinase domain, appears to be primarily non-specific. Several substitutions result in an improved attP site, indicating that higher-efficiency attachment sites can be obtained through site engineering. These findings advance our understanding of serine integrase function and provide important data for efforts towards engineering this family of enzymes for a variety of biotechnology applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huiguang Li
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert Sharp
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Karen Rutherford
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kushol Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Gregory D Van Duyne
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Zhang JJ, Moore BS, Tang X. Engineering Salinispora tropica for heterologous expression of natural product biosynthetic gene clusters. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 102:8437-8446. [PMID: 30105571 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-018-9283-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The marine actinomycete genus Salinispora is a remarkably prolific source of structurally diverse and biologically active secondary metabolites. Herein, we select the model organism Salinispora tropica CNB-440 for development as a heterologous host for the expression of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) to complement well-established Streptomyces host strains. In order to create an integratable host with a clean background of secondary metabolism, we replaced three genes (salA-C) essential for salinosporamide biosynthesis with a cassette containing the Streptomyces coelicolor ΦC31 phage attachment site attB to generate the mutant S. tropica CNB-4401 via double-crossover recombination. This mutagenesis not only knocks-in the attachment site attB in the genome of S. tropica CNB-440 but also abolishes production of the salinosporamides, thereby simplifying the strain's chemical background. We validated this new heterologous host with the successful integration and expression of the thiolactomycin BGC that we recently identified in several S. pacifica strains. When compared to the extensively engineered superhost S. coelicolor M1152, the production of thiolactomycins from S. tropica CNB-4401 was approximately 3-fold higher. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first example of using a marine actinomycete as a heterologous host for natural product BGC expression. The established heterologous host may provide a useful platform to accelerate the discovery of novel natural products and engineer biosynthetic pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Jia Zhang
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Bradley S Moore
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. .,Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Xiaoyu Tang
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA. .,Genomic Medicine, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hongsanan S, Jeewon R, Purahong W, Xie N, Liu JK, Jayawardena RS, Ekanayaka AH, Dissanayake A, Raspé O, Hyde KD, Stadler M, Peršoh D. Can we use environmental DNA as holotypes? FUNGAL DIVERS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13225-018-0404-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
|
21
|
Talà A, Damiano F, Gallo G, Pinatel E, Calcagnile M, Testini M, Fico D, Rizzo D, Sutera A, Renzone G, Scaloni A, De Bellis G, Siculella L, De Benedetto GE, Puglia AM, Peano C, Alifano P. Pirin: A novel redox-sensitive modulator of primary and secondary metabolism in Streptomyces. Metab Eng 2018; 48:254-268. [PMID: 29944936 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Pirins are evolutionarily conserved iron-containing proteins that are found in all kingdoms of life, and have been implicated in diverse molecular processes, mostly associated with cellular stress. In the present study, we started from the evidence that the insertional inactivation of pirin-like gene SAM23877_RS18305 (pirA) by ΦC31 Att/Int system-based vectors in spiramycin-producing strain Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC 23877 resulted in marked effects on central carbon and energy metabolism gene expression, high sensitivity to oxidative injury and repression of polyketide antibiotic production. By using integrated transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolite profiling, together with genetic complementation, we here show that most of these effects could be traced to the inability of the pirA-defective strain to modulate beta-oxidation pathway, leading to an unbalanced supply of precursor monomers for polyketide biosynthesis. Indeed, in silico protein-protein interaction modeling and in vitro experimental validation allowed us to demonstrate that PirA is a novel redox-sensitive negative modulator of very long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, which catalyzes the first committed step of the beta-oxidation pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adelfia Talà
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Damiano
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Gallo
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Advanced Technologies Network (ATeN) Center, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Eva Pinatel
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Segrate, Italy
| | - Matteo Calcagnile
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Mariangela Testini
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniela Fico
- Laboratory of Analytical and Isotopic Mass Spectrometry, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Daniela Rizzo
- Laboratory of Analytical and Isotopic Mass Spectrometry, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Alberto Sutera
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; Advanced Technologies Network (ATeN) Center, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giovanni Renzone
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, ISPAAM, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Scaloni
- Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, ISPAAM, National Research Council, Naples, Italy
| | - Gianluca De Bellis
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Segrate, Italy
| | - Luisa Siculella
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Egidio De Benedetto
- Laboratory of Analytical and Isotopic Mass Spectrometry, Department of Cultural Heritage, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Puglia
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Clelia Peano
- Institute of Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Segrate, Italy; Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, UoS Milan, National Research Council, Rozzano, Milan, Italy; Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Pietro Alifano
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, Lecce, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Bogdanove AJ, Bohm A, Miller JC, Morgan RD, Stoddard BL. Engineering altered protein-DNA recognition specificity. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:4845-4871. [PMID: 29718463 PMCID: PMC6007267 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein engineering is used to generate novel protein folds and assemblages, to impart new properties and functions onto existing proteins, and to enhance our understanding of principles that govern protein structure. While such approaches can be employed to reprogram protein-protein interactions, modifying protein-DNA interactions is more difficult. This may be related to the structural features of protein-DNA interfaces, which display more charged groups, directional hydrogen bonds, ordered solvent molecules and counterions than comparable protein interfaces. Nevertheless, progress has been made in the redesign of protein-DNA specificity, much of it driven by the development of engineered enzymes for genome modification. Here, we summarize the creation of novel DNA specificities for zinc finger proteins, meganucleases, TAL effectors, recombinases and restriction endonucleases. The ease of re-engineering each system is related both to the modularity of the protein and the extent to which the proteins have evolved to be capable of readily modifying their recognition specificities in response to natural selection. The development of engineered DNA binding proteins that display an ideal combination of activity, specificity, deliverability, and outcomes is not a fully solved problem, however each of the current platforms offers unique advantages, offset by behaviors and properties requiring further study and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam J Bogdanove
- Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Andrew Bohm
- Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, 136 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02111, USA
| | - Jeffrey C Miller
- Sangamo Therapeutics Inc. 501 Canal Blvd., Richmond, CA 94804, USA
| | - Richard D Morgan
- New England Biolabs, Inc., 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA 01938, USA
| | - Barry L Stoddard
- Division of Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98019, USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Ramachandran R, Ciaccia PN, Filsuf TA, Jha JK, Chattoraj DK. Chromosome 1 licenses chromosome 2 replication in Vibrio cholerae by doubling the crtS gene dosage. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007426. [PMID: 29795553 PMCID: PMC5991422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Initiation of chromosome replication in bacteria is precisely timed in the cell cycle. Bacteria that harbor multiple chromosomes face the additional challenge of orchestrating replication initiation of different chromosomes. In Vibrio cholerae, the smaller of its two chromosomes, Chr2, initiates replication after Chr1 such that both chromosomes terminate replication synchronously. The delay is due to the dependence of Chr2 initiation on the replication of a site, crtS, on Chr1. The mechanism by which replication of crtS allows Chr2 replication remains unclear. Here, we show that blocking Chr1 replication indeed blocks Chr2 replication, but providing an extra crtS copy in replication-blocked Chr1 permitted Chr2 replication. This demonstrates that unreplicated crtS copies have significant activity, and suggests that a role of replication is to double the copy number of the site that sufficiently increases its activity for licensing Chr2 replication. We further show that crtS activity promotes the Chr2-specific initiator function and that this activity is required in every cell cycle, as would be expected of a cell-cycle regulator. This study reveals how increase of gene dosage through replication can be utilized in a critical regulatory switch.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Revathy Ramachandran
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Peter N. Ciaccia
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Tara A. Filsuf
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jyoti K. Jha
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dhruba K. Chattoraj
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Xu Y, Tan G, Ke M, Li J, Tang Y, Meng S, Niu J, Wang Y, Liu R, Wu H, Bai L, Zhang L, Zhang B. Enhanced lincomycin production by co-overexpression of metK1 and metK2 in Streptomyces lincolnensis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 45:345-355. [DOI: 10.1007/s10295-018-2029-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Streptomyces lincolnensis is generally utilized for the production of lincomycin A (Lin-A), a clinically useful antibiotic to treat Gram-positive bacterial infections. Three methylation steps, catalyzed by three different S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferases, are required in the biosynthesis of Lin-A, and thus highlight the significance of methyl group supply in lincomycin production. In this study, we demonstrate that externally supplemented SAM cannot be taken in by cells and therefore does not enhance Lin-A production. Furthermore, bioinformatics and in vitro enzymatic assays revealed there exist two SAM synthetase homologs, MetK1 (SLCG_1651) and MetK2 (SLCG_3830) in S. lincolnensis that could convert l-methionine into SAM in the presence of ATP. Even though we attempted to inactivate metK1 and metK2, only metK2 was deleted in S. lincolnensis LCGL, named as ΔmetK2. Following a reduction of the intracellular SAM concentration, ΔmetK2 mutant exhibited a significant decrease of Lin-A in comparison to its parental strain. Individual overexpression of metK1 or metK2 in S. lincolnensis LCGL either elevated the amount of intracellular SAM, concomitant with 15% and 22% increase in Lin-A production, respectively. qRT-PCR assays showed that overexpression of either metK1 or metK2 increased the transcription of lincomycin biosynthetic genes lmbA and lmbR, and regulatory gene lmbU, indicating SAM may also function as a transcriptional activator. When metK1 and metK2 were co-expressed, Lin-A production was increased by 27% in LCGL, while by 17% in a high-yield strain LA219X.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yurong Xu
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Guoqing Tan
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Meilan Ke
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Jie Li
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Yaqian Tang
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Sitong Meng
- 0000 0004 0368 8293 grid.16821.3c State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism Shanghai Jiao Tong University 200240 Shanghai China
| | - Jingjing Niu
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Yansheng Wang
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Ruihua Liu
- Xinyu Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. 234000 Suzhou China
| | - Hang Wu
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| | - Linquan Bai
- 0000 0004 0368 8293 grid.16821.3c State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism Shanghai Jiao Tong University 200240 Shanghai China
| | - Lixin Zhang
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
- 0000 0001 2163 4895 grid.28056.39 State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering East China University of Science and Technology 200237 Shanghai China
| | - Buchang Zhang
- 0000 0001 0085 4987 grid.252245.6 School of Life Sciences, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology Anhui University 230601 Hefei China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Lei X, Wang L, Zhao G, Ding X. Site-specificity of serine integrase demonstrated by the attB sequence preference of ɸBT1 integrase. FEBS Lett 2018. [PMID: 29512855 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Serine integrases mediate site-specific recombination and are extensively applied in genetic engineering and synthetic biology. However, which regions of the attachment sites determine site-specificity and how these regions function in recombination remain elusive. Here, we explored the sequence features of attB attachment sites recognized by ɸBT1 integrase, a representative serine integrase. A 34-bp DNA motif is found that displays distinct base-specific preference for every position. Further investigation of mutations at different positions within the attB sequence shows different recombination efficiencies and binding affinities. We found four conserved regions within the attB motif that coincide with the results of recombination assays, and mutations in the attB sequence that hamper recombination almost all cause reduced binding affinity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaolai Lei
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoping Zhao
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Disease and Health Genomics, Chinese National Human Genome Center at Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoming Ding
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Department of Microbiology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Abstract
DNA end resection initiates the largely accurate repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination. Specifically, recombination requires the formation of 3' overhangs at DSB sites, which is carried out by nucleases that specifically degrade 5'-terminated DNA. In most cases, DNA end resection is a two-step process, comprising of initial short-range followed by more processive long-range resection. In this chapter, we describe selected assays that reconstitute both the short- and long-range pathways. First, we define methods to study the exonuclease and endonuclease activities of the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 (MRN) complex in conjunction with phosphorylated cofactor CtIP. This reaction is particularly important to initiate processing of DNA breaks and to recruit components belonging to the subsequent long-range pathway. Next, we describe assays that reconstitute the concerted reactions of Bloom (BLM) or Werner (WRN) helicases that function together with the DNA2 nuclease-helicase, and which are as a complex capable to resect DNA of kilobases in length. The reconstituted reactions allow us to understand how the resection pathways function at the molecular level. The assays will be invaluable to define regulatory mechanisms and to identify inhibitory compounds, which may be valuable in cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cosimo Pinto
- Institute of Molecular Cancer Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Roopesh Anand
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Petr Cejka
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Università della Svizzera italiana, Bellinzona, Switzerland; Institute of Biochemistry, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Castillo A, Tello M, Ringwald K, Acuña LG, Quatrini R, Orellana O. A DNA segment encoding the anticodon stem/loop of tRNA determines the specific recombination of integrative-conjugative elements in Acidithiobacillus species. RNA Biol 2017; 15:492-499. [PMID: 29168417 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1408765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer is crucial for the adaptation of microorganisms to environmental cues. The acidophilic, bioleaching bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans encodes an integrative-conjugative genetic element (ICEAfe1) inserted in the gene encoding a tRNAAla. This genetic element is actively excised from the chromosome upon induction of DNA damage. A similar genetic element (ICEAcaTY.2) is also found in an equivalent position in the genome of Acidithiobacillus caldus. The local genomic context of both mobile genetic elements is highly syntenous and the cognate integrases are well conserved. By means of site directed mutagenesis, target site deletions and in vivo integrations assays in the heterologous model Escherichia coli, we assessed the target sequence requirements for site-specific recombination to be catalyzed by these integrases. We determined that each enzyme recognizes a specific small DNA segment encoding the anticodon stem/loop of the tRNA as target site and that specific positions in these regions are well conserved in the target attB sites of orthologous integrases. Also, we demonstrate that the local genetic context of the target sequence is not relevant for the integration to take place. These findings shed new light on the mechanism of site-specific integration of integrative-conjugative elements in members of Acidithiobacillus genus.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Castillo
- a Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina , Universidad de Chile , Santiago , Región Metropolitana , Chile
| | - Mario Tello
- b Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología , Universidad de Santiago de Chile , Santiago , Chile
| | - Kenneth Ringwald
- c Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, Department of Microbiology , University of Illinois , Urbana-Champaign , Illinois , United States
| | - Lillian G Acuña
- d Fundación Ciencia y Vida. Ave. Zañartu 1482 - Ñuñoa, Santiago , Región Metropolitana , Chile
| | - Raquel Quatrini
- d Fundación Ciencia y Vida. Ave. Zañartu 1482 - Ñuñoa, Santiago , Región Metropolitana , Chile
| | - Omar Orellana
- a Programa de Biología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina , Universidad de Chile , Santiago , Región Metropolitana , Chile
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Abe K, Takamatsu T, Sato T. Mechanism of bacterial gene rearrangement: SprA-catalyzed precise DNA recombination and its directionality control by SprB ensure the gene rearrangement and stable expression of spsM during sporulation in Bacillus subtilis. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:6669-6683. [PMID: 28535266 PMCID: PMC5499854 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A sporulation-specific gene, spsM, is disrupted by an active prophage, SPβ, in the genome of Bacillus subtilis. SPβ excision is required for two critical steps: the onset of the phage lytic cycle and the reconstitution of the spsM-coding frame during sporulation. Our in vitro study demonstrated that SprA, a serine-type integrase, catalyzed integration and excision reactions between attP of SPβ and attB within spsM, while SprB, a recombination directionality factor, was necessary only for the excision between attL and attR in the SPβ lysogenic chromosome. DNA recombination occurred at the center of the short inverted repeat motif in the unique conserved 16 bp sequence among the att sites (5΄-ACAGATAA/AGCTGTAT-3΄; slash, breakpoint; underlines, inverted repeat), where SprA produced the 3΄-overhanging AA and TT dinucleotides for rejoining the DNA ends through base-pairing. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that SprB promoted synapsis of SprA subunits bound to the two target sites during excision but impaired it during integration. In vivo data demonstrated that sprB expression that lasts until the late stage of sporulation is crucial for stable expression of reconstituted spsM without reintegration of the SPβ prophage. These results present a deeper understanding of the mechanism of the prophage-mediated bacterial gene regulatory system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kimihiro Abe
- Research Center of Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-0003, Japan
| | - Takuo Takamatsu
- Department of Frontier Bioscience, Hosei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8584, Japan
| | - Tsutomu Sato
- Research Center of Micro-Nano Technology, Hosei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-0003, Japan.,Department of Frontier Bioscience, Hosei University, Koganei, Tokyo 184-8584, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Bland MJ, Ducos-Galand M, Val ME, Mazel D. An att site-based recombination reporter system for genome engineering and synthetic DNA assembly. BMC Biotechnol 2017; 17:62. [PMID: 28705159 PMCID: PMC5512741 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-017-0382-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Direct manipulation of the genome is a widespread technique for genetic studies and synthetic biology applications. The tyrosine and serine site-specific recombination systems of bacteriophages HK022 and ΦC31 are widely used for stable directional exchange and relocation of DNA sequences, making them valuable tools in these contexts. We have developed site-specific recombination tools that allow the direct selection of recombination events by embedding the attB site from each system within the β-lactamase resistance coding sequence (bla). Results The HK and ΦC31 tools were developed by placing the attB sites from each system into the signal peptide cleavage site coding sequence of bla. All possible open reading frames (ORFs) were inserted and tested for recombination efficiency and bla activity. Efficient recombination was observed for all tested ORFs (3 for HK, 6 for ΦC31) as shown through a cointegrate formation assay. The bla gene with the embedded attB site was functional for eight of the nine constructs tested. Conclusions The HK/ΦC31 att-bla system offers a simple way to directly select recombination events, thus enhancing the use of site-specific recombination systems for carrying out precise, large-scale DNA manipulation, and adding useful tools to the genetics toolbox. We further show the power and flexibility of bla to be used as a reporter for recombination.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Bland
- Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Département Génomes et Génétique, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France.,UMR3525, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Magaly Ducos-Galand
- Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Département Génomes et Génétique, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France.,UMR3525, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Marie-Eve Val
- Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Département Génomes et Génétique, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France.,UMR3525, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Didier Mazel
- Unité Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Département Génomes et Génétique, Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France. .,UMR3525, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 75015, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Stark WM. Making serine integrases work for us. Curr Opin Microbiol 2017; 38:130-136. [PMID: 28599144 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2017] [Revised: 04/12/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
DNA site-specific recombinases are enzymes (often associated with mobile DNA elements) that catalyse breaking and rejoining of DNA strands at specific points, thereby bringing about precise genetic rearrangements. Serine integrases are a group of recombinases derived from bacteriophages. Their unusual properties, including directionality of recombination and simple site requirements, are leading to their development as efficient, versatile tools for applications in experimental biology, biotechnology, synthetic biology and gene therapy. This article summarizes our current knowledge of serine integrase structure and mechanism, then outlines key factors that affect the performance of these phage recombination systems. Recently published studies, that have expanded the repertoire of available systems and reveal system-specific characteristics, will help us to choose the best integrases for envisaged applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W Marshall Stark
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of Glasgow, Bower Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Abstract
When constructing transgenic cell lines via plasmid DNA integration, precise targeting to a desired genomic location is advantageous. It is also often advantageous to remove the bacterial backbone, since bacterial elements can lead to the epigenetic silencing of neighboring DNA. The least cumbersome method to remove the plasmid backbone is recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE). RMCE is accomplished by arranging recombinase sites in the genome and in a donor plasmid such that a recombinase can both integrate the donor plasmid and excise its bacterial backbone. When a single recombinase is used for RMCE, recombination between undesired pairings of the sites can lead to a significant number of unwanted cell lines. To reduce the frequency with which these side products occur, several variants of RMCE that increase desired outcomes have been developed. Nevertheless, an important feature lacking from these improved RMCE methods is that none have fully utilized the recombinases that have been demonstrated to be the most robust and stringent at performing genomic integration in plants and animals, i.e., the phiC31 and Bxb1 phage integrases. To address this need, we have developed an RMCE protocol using these two serine integrases that we call dual integrase cassette exchange (DICE). Our DICE system provides a means to achieve high-precision DNA integration at a desired location and is especially well suited for repeated recombination into the same locus. In this chapter, we provide our most current protocols for using DICE in feeder-free human-induced pluripotent stem cells .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso P Farruggio
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Alway Building, M316, Stanford, CA, 94305-5120, USA
| | - Mital S Bhakta
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Alway Building, M316, Stanford, CA, 94305-5120, USA
| | - Michele P Calos
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Alway Building, M316, Stanford, CA, 94305-5120, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Fan HF, Hsieh TS, Ma CH, Jayaram M. Single-molecule analysis of ϕC31 integrase-mediated site-specific recombination by tethered particle motion. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:10804-10823. [PMID: 27986956 PMCID: PMC5159548 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2016] [Revised: 09/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine and tyrosine site-specific recombinases (SRs and YRs, respectively) provide templates for understanding the chemical mechanisms and conformational dynamics of strand cleavage/exchange between DNA partners. Current evidence suggests a rather intriguing mechanism for serine recombination, in which one half of the cleaved synaptic complex undergoes a 180° rotation relative to the other. The 'small' and 'large' SRs contain a compact amino-terminal catalytic domain, but differ conspicuously in their carboxyl-terminal domains. So far, only one serine recombinase has been analyzed using single substrate molecules. We now utilized single-molecule tethered particle motion (TPM) to follow step-by-step recombination catalyzed by a large SR, phage ϕC31 integrase. The integrase promotes unidirectional DNA exchange between attB and attP sites to integrate the phage genome into the host chromosome. The recombination directionality factor (RDF; ϕC31 gp3) activates the excision reaction (attL × attR). From integrase-induced changes in TPM in the presence or absence of gp3, we delineated the individual steps of recombination and their kinetic features. The gp3 protein appears to regulate recombination directionality by selectively promoting or excluding active conformations of the synapse formed by specific att site partners. Our results support a 'gated rotation' of the synaptic complex between DNA cleavage and joining.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsiu-Fang Fan
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, 112, Taiwan
- Biophotonics and Molecular Imaging Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, 112, Taiwan
| | - Tao-Shih Hsieh
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology Academia Sinica, 115, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hui Ma
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Makkuni Jayaram
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Bowyer J, Zhao J, Subsoontorn P, Wong W, Rosser S, Bates D. Mechanistic Modeling of a Rewritable Recombinase Addressable Data Module. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON BIOMEDICAL CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS 2016; 10:1161-1170. [PMID: 27244749 DOI: 10.1109/tbcas.2016.2526668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Many of the most important applications predicted to arise from Synthetic Biology will require engineered cellular memory with the capability to store data in a rewritable and reversible manner upon induction by transient stimuli. DNA recombination provides an ideal platform for cellular data storage and has allowed the development of a rewritable recombinase addressable data (RAD) module, capable of efficient data storage within a chromosome. Here, we develop the first detailed mechanistic model of DNA recombination, and validate it against a new set of in vitro data on recombination efficiencies across a range of different concentrations of integrase and gp3. Investigation of in vivo recombination dynamics using our model reveals the importance of fully accounting for all mechanistic features of DNA recombination in order to accurately predict the effect of different switching strategies on RAD module performance, and highlights its usefulness as a design tool for building future synthetic circuitry.
Collapse
|
34
|
Serrano M, Kint N, Pereira FC, Saujet L, Boudry P, Dupuy B, Henriques AO, Martin-Verstraete I. A Recombination Directionality Factor Controls the Cell Type-Specific Activation of σK and the Fidelity of Spore Development in Clostridium difficile. PLoS Genet 2016; 12:e1006312. [PMID: 27631621 PMCID: PMC5025042 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 08/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The strict anaerobe Clostridium difficile is the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea, and the oxygen-resistant spores that it forms have a central role in the infectious cycle. The late stages of sporulation require the mother cell regulatory protein σK. In Bacillus subtilis, the onset of σK activity requires both excision of a prophage-like element (skinBs) inserted in the sigK gene and proteolytical removal of an inhibitory pro-sequence. Importantly, the rearrangement is restricted to the mother cell because the skinBs recombinase is produced specifically in this cell. In C. difficile, σK lacks a pro-sequence but a skinCd element is present. The product of the skinCd gene CD1231 shares similarity with large serine recombinases. We show that CD1231 is necessary for sporulation and skinCd excision. However, contrary to B. subtilis, expression of CD1231 is observed in vegetative cells and in both sporangial compartments. Nevertheless, we show that skinCd excision is under the control of mother cell regulatory proteins σE and SpoIIID. We then demonstrate that σE and SpoIIID control the expression of the skinCd gene CD1234, and that this gene is required for sporulation and skinCd excision. CD1231 and CD1234 appear to interact and both proteins are required for skinCd excision while only CD1231 is necessary for skinCd integration. Thus, CD1234 is a recombination directionality factor that delays and restricts skinCd excision to the terminal mother cell. Finally, while the skinCd element is not essential for sporulation, deletion of skinCd results in premature activity of σK and in spores with altered surface layers. Thus, skinCd excision is a key element controlling the onset of σK activity and the fidelity of spore development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mónica Serrano
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Nicolas Kint
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Fátima C. Pereira
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Laure Saujet
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Boudry
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Dupuy
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Adriano O. Henriques
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
- * E-mail: (AOH); (IMV)
| | - Isabelle Martin-Verstraete
- Laboratoire Pathogénese des Bactéries Anaérobies, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- University Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
- * E-mail: (AOH); (IMV)
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Park KE, Park CH, Powell A, Martin J, Donovan DM, Telugu BP. Targeted Gene Knockin in Porcine Somatic Cells Using CRISPR/Cas Ribonucleoproteins. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17060810. [PMID: 27240344 PMCID: PMC4926344 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17060810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2016] [Revised: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The pig is an ideal large animal model for genetic engineering applications. A relatively short gestation interval and large litter size makes the pig a conducive model for generating and propagating genetic modifications. The domestic pig also shares close similarity in anatomy, physiology, size, and life expectancy, making it an ideal animal for modeling human diseases. Often, however, the technical difficulties in generating desired genetic modifications such as targeted knockin of short stretches of sequences or transgenes have impeded progress in this field. In this study, we have investigated and compared the relative efficiency of CRISPR/Cas ribonucleoproteins in engineering targeted knockin of pseudo attP sites downstream of a ubiquitously expressed COL1A gene in porcine somatic cells and generated live fetuses by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). By leveraging these knockin pseudo attP sites, we have demonstrated subsequent phiC31 integrase mediated integration of green fluorescent protein (GFP) transgene into the site. This work for the first time created an optimized protocol for CRISPR/Cas mediated knockin in porcine somatic cells, while simultaneously creating a stable platform for future transgene integration and generating transgenic animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ki-Eun Park
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
- Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
- Livestock Genomix, Reisterstown, MD 21136, USA.
| | - Chi-Hun Park
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
- Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
| | - Anne Powell
- Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
| | - Jessica Martin
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
- Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
| | - David M Donovan
- Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
| | - Bhanu P Telugu
- Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
- Animal Bioscience and Biotechnology Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA.
- Livestock Genomix, Reisterstown, MD 21136, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Abstract
The large serine recombinases (LSRs) are a family of enzymes, encoded in temperate phage genomes or on mobile elements, that precisely cut and recombine DNA in a highly controllable and predictable way. In phage integration, the LSRs act at specific sites, the attP site in the phage and the attB site in the host chromosome, where cleavage and strand exchange leads to the integrated prophage flanked by the recombinant sites attL and attR. The prophage can excise by recombination between attL and attR but this requires a phage-encoded accessory protein, the recombination directionality factor (RDF). Although the LSRs can bind specifically to all the recombination sites, only specific integrase-bound sites can pair in a synaptic complex prior to strand exchange. Recent structural information has led to a breakthrough in our understanding of the mechanism of the LSRs, notably how the LSRs bind to their substrates and how LSRs display this site-selectivity. We also understand that the RDFs exercise control over the LSRs by protein-protein interactions. Other recent work with the LSRs have contributed to our understanding of how all serine recombinases undergo strand exchange subunit rotation, facilitated by surfaces that resemble a molecular bearing.
Collapse
|
37
|
Miura T, Nishizawa A, Nishizawa T, Asayama M, Shirai M. Actinophage R4 integrase-based site-specific chromosomal integration of non-replicative closed circular DNA. J Basic Microbiol 2016; 56:635-44. [PMID: 26870903 DOI: 10.1002/jobm.201500658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The actinophage R4 integrase (Sre)-based molecular genetic engineering system was developed for the chromosomal integration of multiple genes in Escherichia coli. A cloned DNA fragment containing two attP sites, green fluorescent protein (gfp) as a first transgene, and an antibiotic resistance gene as a selection marker was self-ligated to generate non-replicative closed circular DNA (nrccDNA) for integration. nrccDNA was introduced into attB-inserted E. coli cells harboring the plasmid expressing Sre by electroporation. The expressed Sre catalyzed site-specific integration between one of the two attP sites on nrccDNA and the attB site on the E. coli chromosome. The integration frequency was affected by the chromosomal location of the target site. A second nrccDNA containing two attB sites, lacZα encoding the alpha fragment of β-galactosidase as a transgene, and another antibiotic resistance gene was integrated into the residual attP site on the gfp-integrated E. coli chromosome via one of the two attB sites according to reiterating site-specific recombination. The integrants clearly exhibited β-galactosidase activity and green fluorescence, suggesting the simultaneous expression of multiple recombinant proteins in E. coli. The results of the present study showed that a step-by-step integration procedure using nrccDNA achieved the chromosomal integration of multiple genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Takamasa Miura
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Bioresource Science, Ibaraki University College of Agriculture, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Akito Nishizawa
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Bioresource Science, Ibaraki University College of Agriculture, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tomoyasu Nishizawa
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Bioresource Science, Ibaraki University College of Agriculture, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Munehiko Asayama
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Bioresource Science, Ibaraki University College of Agriculture, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Makoto Shirai
- United Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Bioresource Science, Ibaraki University College of Agriculture, Ibaraki, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Xu Z, Brown WRA. Comparison and optimization of ten phage encoded serine integrases for genome engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. BMC Biotechnol 2016; 16:13. [PMID: 26860416 PMCID: PMC4748531 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-016-0241-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phage-encoded serine integrases, such as ϕC31 integrase, are widely used for genome engineering but have not been optimized for use in Saccharomyces cerevisiae although this organism is a widely used organism in biotechnology. RESULTS The activities of derivatives of fourteen serine integrases that either possess or lack a nuclear localization signal were compared using a standardized recombinase mediated cassette exchange reaction. The relative activities of these integrases in S. cerevisiae and in mammalian cells suggested that the major determinant of the activity of an integrase is the enzyme itself and not the cell in which it is working. We used an inducible promoter to show that six integrases were toxic as judged by their effects upon the proliferative ability of transformed yeast. We show that in general the active phage-encoded serine integrases were an order of magnitude more efficient in promoting genome integration reactions than a simple homologous recombination. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study allow us to identify the integrases of the phage ϕBT1, TP901 ~ nls, R4, Bxb1, MR11, A118, ϕK38, ϕC31 ~ nls, Wβ and SPBC ~ nls as active in S. cerevisiae and indicate that vertebrate cells are more restricted than yeast in terms of which integrases are active.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhengyao Xu
- School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
| | - William R A Brown
- School of Life Sciences, Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham University, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Mayrhofer M, Mione M. The Toolbox for Conditional Zebrafish Cancer Models. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 916:21-59. [PMID: 27165348 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-30654-4_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Here we describe the conditional zebrafish cancer toolbox, which allows for fine control of the expression of oncogenes or downregulation of tumor suppressors at the spatial and temporal level. Methods such as the Gal4/UAS or the Cre/lox systems paved the way to the development of elegant tumor models, which are now being used to study cancer cell biology, clonal evolution, identification of cancer stem cells and anti-cancer drug screening. Combination of these tools, as well as novel developments such as the promising genome editing system through CRISPR/Cas9 and clever application of light reactive proteins will enable the development of even more sophisticated zebrafish cancer models. Here, we introduce this growing toolbox of conditional transgenic approaches, discuss its current application in zebrafish cancer models and provide an outlook on future perspectives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Mayrhofer
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Marina Mione
- Institute of Toxicology and Genetics, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Merrick C, Wardrope C, Paget J, Colloms S, Rosser S. Rapid Optimization of Engineered Metabolic Pathways with Serine Integrase Recombinational Assembly (SIRA). Methods Enzymol 2016; 575:285-317. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2016.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2022]
|
41
|
Edwards RA, McNair K, Faust K, Raes J, Dutilh BE. Computational approaches to predict bacteriophage-host relationships. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2015; 40:258-72. [PMID: 26657537 PMCID: PMC5831537 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuv048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 274] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Metagenomics has changed the face of virus discovery by enabling the accurate identification of viral genome sequences without requiring isolation of the viruses. As a result, metagenomic virus discovery leaves the first and most fundamental question about any novel virus unanswered: What host does the virus infect? The diversity of the global virosphere and the volumes of data obtained in metagenomic sequencing projects demand computational tools for virus–host prediction. We focus on bacteriophages (phages, viruses that infect bacteria), the most abundant and diverse group of viruses found in environmental metagenomes. By analyzing 820 phages with annotated hosts, we review and assess the predictive power of in silico phage–host signals. Sequence homology approaches are the most effective at identifying known phage–host pairs. Compositional and abundance-based methods contain significant signal for phage–host classification, providing opportunities for analyzing the unknowns in viral metagenomes. Together, these computational approaches further our knowledge of the interactions between phages and their hosts. Importantly, we find that all reviewed signals significantly link phages to their hosts, illustrating how current knowledge and insights about the interaction mechanisms and ecology of coevolving phages and bacteria can be exploited to predict phage–host relationships, with potential relevance for medical and industrial applications. New viruses infecting bacteria are increasingly being discovered in many environments through sequence-based explorations. To understand their role in microbial ecosystems, computational tools are indispensable to prioritize and guide experimental efforts. This review assesses and discusses a range of bioinformatic approaches to predict bacteriophage–host relationships when all that is known is their genome sequence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert A Edwards
- Department of Computer Science, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182, USA Department of Marine Biology, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-902, Brazil Division of Mathematics and Computer Science, Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Katelyn McNair
- Department of Computer Science, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Dr., San Diego, CA 92182, USA
| | - Karoline Faust
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Laboratory of Microbiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jeroen Raes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute KU Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium VIB Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium Laboratory of Microbiology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Bas E Dutilh
- Department of Marine Biology, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21941-902, Brazil Theoretical Biology and Bioinformatics, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands Centre for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Centre, Geert Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Venken KJT, Sarrion-Perdigones A, Vandeventer PJ, Abel NS, Christiansen AE, Hoffman KL. Genome engineering: Drosophila melanogaster and beyond. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2015; 5:233-67. [PMID: 26447401 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2014] [Revised: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
A central challenge in investigating biological phenomena is the development of techniques to modify genomic DNA with nucleotide precision that can be transmitted through the germ line. Recent years have brought a boon in these technologies, now collectively known as genome engineering. Defined genomic manipulations at the nucleotide level enable a variety of reverse engineering paradigms, providing new opportunities to interrogate diverse biological functions. These genetic modifications include controlled removal, insertion, and substitution of genetic fragments, both small and large. Small fragments up to a few kilobases (e.g., single nucleotide mutations, small deletions, or gene tagging at single or multiple gene loci) to large fragments up to megabase resolution can be manipulated at single loci to create deletions, duplications, inversions, or translocations of substantial sections of whole chromosome arms. A specialized substitution of chromosomal portions that presumably are functionally orthologous between different organisms through syntenic replacement, can provide proof of evolutionary conservation between regulatory sequences. Large transgenes containing endogenous or synthetic DNA can be integrated at defined genomic locations, permitting an alternative proof of evolutionary conservation, and sophisticated transgenes can be used to interrogate biological phenomena. Precision engineering can additionally be used to manipulate the genomes of organelles (e.g., mitochondria). Novel genome engineering paradigms are often accelerated in existing, easily genetically tractable model organisms, primarily because these paradigms can be integrated in a rigorous, existing technology foundation. The Drosophila melanogaster fly model is ideal for these types of studies. Due to its small genome size, having just four chromosomes, the vast amount of cutting-edge genetic technologies, and its short life-cycle and inexpensive maintenance requirements, the fly is exceptionally amenable to complex genetic analysis using advanced genome engineering. Thus, highly sophisticated methods developed in the fly model can be used in nearly any sequenced organism. Here, we summarize different ways to perform precise inheritable genome engineering using integrases, recombinases, and DNA nucleases in the D. melanogaster. For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Koen J T Venken
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Verna and Marrs McLean, Houston, TX, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Dan L. Duncan Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.,Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Paul J Vandeventer
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Verna and Marrs McLean, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Nicholas S Abel
- Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Audrey E Christiansen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Verna and Marrs McLean, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kristi L Hoffman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Verna and Marrs McLean, Houston, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Wang L, Ahmed MH, Safo MK, Archer GL. A Plasmid-Borne System To Assess the Excision and Integration of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec Mediated by CcrA and CcrB. J Bacteriol 2015; 197:2754-61. [PMID: 26055110 PMCID: PMC4524038 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00078-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
UNLABELLED Resistance to methicillin and other β-lactam antibiotics in staphylococci is due to mecA, which is carried on a genomic island, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). The chromosomal excision and integration of SCCmec are mediated by the site-specific recombinase CcrAB or CcrC, encoded within this element. A plasmid-borne system was constructed to assess the activities of CcrA and CcrB in the excision and integration of SCCmec in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The excision frequency in E. coli mediated by CcrAB from methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain N315 was only 9.2%, while the integration frequency was 31.4%. In S. aureus the excision and integration frequencies were 11.0% and 18.7%, respectively. Truncated mutants identified the N-terminal domain of either CcrB or CcrA to be necessary for both integration and excision, while the C-terminal domain was important for recombination efficiency. Site-directed mutagenesis of the N-terminal domain identified S11 and R79 of CcrA and S16, R89, T149, and R151 of CcrB to be residues essential for catalytic activities, and the critical location of these residues was consistent with a model of the tertiary structure of the N terminus of CcrA and CcrB. Furthermore, CcrAB and CcrC, cloned from a panel of 6 methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains and 2 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains carrying SCCmec types II, IV, and V, also catalyzed integration at rates 1.3 to 10 times higher than the rates at which they catalyzed excision, similar to the results from N315. The tendency of SCCmec integration to be favored over excision may explain the low spontaneous excision frequency seen among MRSA strains. IMPORTANCE Spontaneous excision of the genomic island (SCCmec) that encodes resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics (methicillin resistance) in staphylococci would convert a methicillin-resistant strain to a methicillin-susceptible strain, improving therapy of difficult-to-treat infections. This study characterizes a model system by which the relative frequencies of excision and integration can be compared. Using a plasmid-based model for excision and integration mediated by the recombinases CcrA and CcrB, integration occurred at a higher frequency than excision, consistent with the low baseline excision frequency seen in most strains. This model system can now be used to study conditions and drugs that may raise the SCCmec excision frequency and generate strains that are beta-lactam susceptible.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mostafa H Ahmed
- Institute for Structural Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Martin K Safo
- Institute for Structural Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Gordon L Archer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Bosch P, Forcato DO, Alustiza FE, Alessio AP, Fili AE, Olmos Nicotra MF, Liaudat AC, Rodríguez N, Talluri TR, Kues WA. Exogenous enzymes upgrade transgenesis and genetic engineering of farm animals. Cell Mol Life Sci 2015; 72:1907-29. [PMID: 25636347 PMCID: PMC11114025 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-015-1842-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Transgenic farm animals are attractive alternative mammalian models to rodents for the study of developmental, genetic, reproductive and disease-related biological questions, as well for the production of recombinant proteins, or the assessment of xenotransplants for human patients. Until recently, the ability to generate transgenic farm animals relied on methods of passive transgenesis. In recent years, significant improvements have been made to introduce and apply active techniques of transgenesis and genetic engineering in these species. These new approaches dramatically enhance the ease and speed with which livestock species can be genetically modified, and allow to performing precise genetic modifications. This paper provides a synopsis of enzyme-mediated genetic engineering in livestock species covering the early attempts employing naturally occurring DNA-modifying proteins to recent approaches working with tailored enzymatic systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Bosch
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Diego O. Forcato
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Fabrisio E. Alustiza
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Ana P. Alessio
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Alejandro E. Fili
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - María F. Olmos Nicotra
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Ana C. Liaudat
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Nancy Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fco-Qcas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba Republic of Argentina
| | - Thirumala R. Talluri
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Biotechnology, 31535 Neustadt, Germany
| | - Wilfried A. Kues
- Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Biotechnology, 31535 Neustadt, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Abstract
DNA transposases use a limited repertoire of structurally and mechanistically distinct nuclease domains to catalyze the DNA strand breaking and rejoining reactions that comprise DNA transposition. Here, we review the mechanisms of the four known types of transposition reactions catalyzed by (1) RNase H-like transposases (also known as DD(E/D) enzymes); (2) HUH single-stranded DNA transposases; (3) serine transposases; and (4) tyrosine transposases. The large body of accumulated biochemical and structural data, particularly for the RNase H-like transposases, has revealed not only the distinguishing features of each transposon family, but also some emerging themes that appear conserved across all families. The more-recently characterized single-stranded DNA transposases provide insight into how an ancient HUH domain fold has been adapted for transposition to accomplish excision and then site-specific integration. The serine and tyrosine transposases are structurally and mechanistically related to their cousins, the serine and tyrosine site-specific recombinases, but have to date been less intensively studied. These types of enzymes are particularly intriguing as in the context of site-specific recombination they require strict homology between recombining sites, yet for transposition can catalyze the joining of transposon ends to form an excised circle and then integration into a genomic site with much relaxed sequence specificity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison B Hickman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5 Center Dr., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Fred Dyda
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 5 Center Dr., Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Headey SJ, Sivakumaran A, Adams V, Lyras D, Rood JI, Scanlon MJ, Wilce MCJ. Solution structure and DNA binding of the catalytic domain of the large serine resolvase TnpX. J Mol Recognit 2015; 28:316-24. [PMID: 25720550 DOI: 10.1002/jmr.2446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The transfer of antibiotic resistance between bacteria is mediated by mobile genetic elements such as plasmids and transposons. TnpX is a member of the large serine recombinase subgroup of site-specific recombinases and is responsible for the excision and insertion of mobile genetic elements that encode chloramphenicol resistance in the pathogens Clostridium perfringens and Clostridium difficile. TnpX consists of three structural domains: domain I contains the catalytic site, whereas domains II and III contain DNA-binding motifs. We have solved the solution structure of residues 1-120 of the catalytic domain I of TnpX. The TnpX catalytic domain shares the same overall fold as other serine recombinases; however, differences are evident in the identity of the proposed hydrogen donor and in the size, amino acid composition, conformation, and dynamics of the TnpX active site loops. To obtain the interaction surface of TnpX1-120 , we titrated a DNA oligonucleotide containing the circular intermediate joint attCI recombination site into (15) N-labeled TnpX1-120 and observed progressive nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shift perturbations using (15) N HSQC spectra. Perturbations were largely confined to a region surrounding the catalytic serine and encompassed residues of the active site loops. Utilizing the perturbation map and the data-driven docking program, HADDOCK, we have generated a model of the DNA interaction complex for the TnpX catalytic domain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen J Headey
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Abstract
Reversible site-specific DNA inversion reactions are widely distributed in bacteria and their viruses. They control a range of biological reactions that most often involve alterations of molecules on the surface of cells or phage. These programmed DNA rearrangements usually occur at a low frequency, thereby preadapting a small subset of the population to a change in environmental conditions, or in the case of phages, an expanded host range. A dedicated recombinase, sometimes with the aid of additional regulatory or DNA architectural proteins, catalyzes the inversion of DNA. RecA or other components of the general recombination-repair machinery are not involved. This chapter discusses site-specific DNA inversion reactions mediated by the serine recombinase family of enzymes and focuses on the extensively studied serine DNA invertases that are stringently controlled by the Fis-bound enhancer regulatory system. The first section summarizes biological features and general properties of inversion reactions by the Fis/enhancer-dependent serine invertases and the recently described serine DNA invertases in Bacteroides. Mechanistic studies of reactions catalyzed by the Hin and Gin invertases are then discussed in more depth, particularly with regards to recent advances in our understanding of the function of the Fis/enhancer regulatory system, the assembly of the active recombination complex (invertasome) containing the Fis/enhancer, and the process of DNA strand exchange by rotation of synapsed subunit pairs within the invertasome. The role of DNA topological forces that function in concert with the Fis/enhancer controlling element in specifying the overwhelming bias for DNA inversion over deletion and intermolecular recombination is emphasized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Reid C. Johnson
- Department of Biological Chemistry, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1737, Phone: 310 825-7800, Fax: 310 206-5272
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Generating customized transgene landing sites and multi-transgene arrays in Drosophila using phiC31 integrase. Genetics 2015; 199:919-34. [PMID: 25680812 PMCID: PMC4391550 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.114.173187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2014] [Accepted: 02/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Transgenesis in numerous eukaryotes has been facilitated by the use of site-specific integrases to stably insert transgenes at predefined genomic positions (landing sites). However, the utility of integrase-mediated transgenesis in any system is constrained by the limited number and variable expression properties of available landing sites. By exploiting the nonstandard recombination activity exhibited by a phiC31 integrase mutant, we developed a rapid and inexpensive method for isolating landing sites that exhibit desired expression properties. Additionally, we devised a simple technique for constructing arrays of transgenes at a single landing site, thereby extending the utility of previously characterized landing sites. Using the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, we demonstrate the feasibility of these approaches by isolating new landing sites optimized to express transgenes in the nervous system and by building fluorescent reporter arrays at several landing sites. Because these strategies require the activity of only a single exogenous protein, we anticipate that they will be portable to species such as nonmodel organisms, in which genetic manipulation is more challenging, expediting the development of genetic resources in these systems.
Collapse
|
49
|
Yang L, Nielsen AAK, Fernandez-Rodriguez J, McClune CJ, Laub MT, Lu TK, Voigt CA. Permanent genetic memory with >1-byte capacity. Nat Methods 2014; 11:1261-6. [PMID: 25344638 PMCID: PMC4245323 DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.3147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Genetic memory enables the recording of information in the DNA of living cells. Memory can record a transient environmental signal or cell state that is then recalled at a later time. Permanent memory is implemented using irreversible recombinases that invert the orientation of a unit of DNA, corresponding to the [0,1] state of a bit. To expand the memory capacity, we have applied bioinformatics to identify 34 phage integrases (and their cognate attB and attP recognition sites), from which we build 11 memory switches that are perfectly orthogonal to each other and the FimE and HbiF bacterial invertases. Using these switches, a memory array is constructed in Escherichia coli that can record 1.375 bytes of information. It is demonstrated that the recombinases can be layered and used to permanently record the transient state of a transcriptional logic gate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Yang
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alec A K Nielsen
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jesus Fernandez-Rodriguez
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Conor J McClune
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael T Laub
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Timothy K Lu
- 1] Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. [2] Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christopher A Voigt
- Synthetic Biology Center, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
ABSTRACT
In site-specific recombination, two short DNA sequences (‘sites’) are each cut at specific points in both strands, and the cut ends are rejoined to new partners. The enzymes that mediate recognition of the sites and the subsequent cutting and rejoining steps are called recombinases. Most recombinases fall into one of two families according to similarities of their protein sequences and mechanisms; these families are known as the tyrosine recombinases and the serine recombinases, the names referring to the conserved amino acid residue that attacks the DNA phosphodiester and becomes covalently linked to a DNA strand end during catalysis. This chapter gives an overview of our current understanding of the serine recombinases, their types, biological roles, structures, catalytic mechanisms, mechanisms of regulation, and applications.
Collapse
|