DNA polymerase-catalyzed addition of nontemplated extra nucleotides to the 3' end of a DNA fragment

Circular PCR as an efficient and precise umbrella of methods for the generation of circular dsDNA with staggered nicks: Mechanism and types

Here, we introduce the highly versatile circular polymerase chain reaction (CiPCR) technique, propose a mechanism of action, and describe a number of examples demonstrating the versatility of this technique. CiPCR takes place between two fragments of dsDNA with two homologous regions, as long as one of the fragments carries said regions at its 3'- and 5'-ends. Upon hybridization, elongation by a polymerase occurs from all 3'-ends continuously until a 5'-end is reached, leading to stable circular dsDNA with staggered nicks. When both dsDNA fragments carry the homology at their 3'- and 5'-ends (Type I CiPCR), all four 3'-ends effectively prime amplification of the intervening region and CiPCR products can function as template during the reaction. In contrast, when only one of the two dsDNA fragments carries the homologous regions at its 3'- and 5'-ends and the other carries such regions internally (Type II CiPCR), only two 3'-ends can be amplified and CiPCR products possess no template activity. We demonstrate the applicability of both CiPCR types via well-illustrated experimental examples. CiPCR is well adapted to the quick resolution of most of the molecular cloning challenges faced by the biology/biomedicine laboratory, including the generation of insertions, deletions, and mutations.

Excessive addition split peak formed by the non-templated nucleotide addition property of Taq DNA polymerase after PCR amplification

Because of its non-template addition feature, Taq DNA polymerase can catalyze one or more extra nucleotides onto the 3' terminus of PCR products. An extra peak is observed at DYS391 locus after the PCR products stored for 4 days at 4°C. To explore the formation mechanism of this artifact, PCR primers and amplicon sequences of Y-STR loci are analyzed, furthermore, PCR products storage conditions and termination of PCR are discussed. The extra peak is a + 2 addition product, which we call excessive addition split peak (EASP). The most significant difference between EASP and the incomplete addition of adenine product is that the size of EASP is about one base larger than the true allele, and the EASP locates on the right side of the real allelic peak. The EASP cannot be eliminated by increasing loading mixture volume and conducting heat denaturation prior to electrophoresis injection. However, the EASP is not observed when the PCR is terminated with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or formamide. These findings suggest that formation of EASP is a result of 3' end non-template extension by Taq DNA polymerase, rather than being the result of DNA fragment secondary structure produced under a suboptimal electrophoresis condition. In addition, the EASP formation is affected by the primer sequences and the storage conditions of PCR products.

A simple and economical site-directed mutagenesis method for large plasmids by direct transformation of two overlapping PCR fragments

Despite the development of various methods and commercial kits, site-directed mutagenesis of large plasmids remains a challenge in many laboratories. A site-directed mutagenesis method was developed for large plasmids by directly transforming two overlapping PCR fragments into  Escherichia coli. This method successfully generated mutations for plasmids of 8.3 kb and 11.0 kb with high efficiencies. The method only requires Q5 DNA polymerase and DpnI, which greatly reduces costs. The procedure is simple, including PCR reaction, DpnI treatment and transformation. This simple, efficient and economical site-directed mutagenesis method for large plasmids is likely to be widely applied in the future.

Complex target SELEX-based identification of DNA aptamers against Bungarus caeruleus venom for the detection of envenomation using a paper-based device

Complex target SELEX always have been an intriguing approach to the scientific community, as it offers the potential discovery of novel biomarkers. We herein successfully performed SELEX on Bungarus caeruleus venom to develop a panel of highly affine aptamers that specifically recognizes the B. caeruleus (common krait) venom and was able to discriminate the B. caeruleus venom from Cobra, Russell's, and Saw-scaled viper's venom. The aptamers generated against the crude venom also lead to the identification of the specific component of the venom, which is β-Bungarotoxin, a toxin uniquely present in the B. caeruleus venom. The best performing aptamer candidates were used as a molecular recognition element in a paper-based device and were able to detect as low as 2 ng krait venom in human serum background. The developed aptamer-based paper device can be used for potential point-of-care venom detection applications due to its simplicity and affordability.

Processive RNA polymerization and promoter recognition in an RNA World

Early life is thought to have required the self-replication of RNA by RNA replicases. However, how such replicases evolved and subsequently enabled gene expression remains largely unexplored. We engineered and selected a holopolymerase ribozyme that uses a sigma factor-like specificity primer to first recognize an RNA promoter sequence and then, in a second step, rearrange to a processive elongation form. Using its own sequence, the polymerase can also program itself to polymerize from certain RNA promoters and not others. This selective promoter-based polymerization could allow an RNA replicase ribozyme to define "self" from "nonself," an important development for the avoidance of replicative parasites. Moreover, the clamp-like mechanism of this polymerase could eventually enable strand invasion, a critical requirement for replication in the early evolution of life.

Synthesis and biochemical evaluation of Aminopropanolyl-Thymine tri-Phosphate (ap-TTP)

Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) are building blocks for the biosynthesis of DNA. Various modified dNTPs' analogs have synthesized by structural changes of nucleoside's susgar and nucleobases and employed for synthesis of modified DNA. A very few modified dNTPs have prepared from non-sugar nucleoside analogs. This report describes the synthesis of acyclic nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) analog from amino acid L-Serine as aminopropanolyl-thymine triphosphate (ap-TTP) and demonstrate its biochemical evaluation as enzymatic incorporation of ap-TTP into DNA with DNA polymerases with primer extension methods. Alanyl peptide nucleicacids (Ala-PNA) are the analogs of DNA which contains alanyl backbone. Aminopropanolyl - analogs are derivatives of alanyl back bone. Ap-TTP analog is nucleoside triphosphate analog derived from Ala-PNA. Importantly, this report also sheds light on the crystal packing arrangement of alaninyl thymine ester derivative in solid-state and reveals the formation of self-duplex assembly in anti-parallel fashion via reverse Watson-Crick hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions. Hence, ap-TTP is a useful analog which also generates the free amine functional group at the terminal of DNA oligonucleotide after incorporation.

Polymerase Chain Reaction

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) underlies almost all of modern molecular cloning. Using PCR, a defined target sequence that occurs once within a DNA of high complexity and large size-an entire mammalian genome, for example-can be rapidly and selectively amplified in a quasi-exponential chain reaction that generates millions of copies. The reaction is simple to set up, cheap, and undemanding, the only requirement being some knowledge of the nucleotide sequences of the target. In addition to its simplicity, PCR is robust, speedy, flexible, and sensitive.

Fast and Quantitative Identification of Ex Vivo Precise Genome Targeting-Induced Indel Events by IDAA

Recent developments in gene targeting methodologies such as ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9 have revolutionized approaches for gene modifications in cells, tissues, and whole animals showing great promise for translational applications. With regard to CRISPR/Cas9, a variety of repurposed systems have been developed to achieve gene knock-out, base editing, targeted knock-in, gene activation/repression, epigenetic modulation, and locus-specific labeling. A functional communality of all CRISPR/Cas9 applications is the gRNA-dependent targeting specificity of the Cas9/gRNA complex that, for gene knock-out (KO) purposes, has been shown to dictate the indel formation potential. Therefore, the objective of a CRISPR/Cas9 KO set up is to identify gRNA designs that enable maximum out-of-frame insertion and/or deletion (indel) formation and thus, gRNA design becomes a proxy for optimal functionality of CRISPR/Cas9 KO and repurposed systems. To this end, validation of gRNA functionality depends on efficient, accurate, and sensitive identification of indels induced by a given gRNA design. For in vitro indel profiling the most commonly used methods are based on amplicon size discrimination or sequencing. Indel detection by amplicon analysis (IDAA™) is an alternative sensitive, fast, and cost-efficient approach ideally suited for profiling of indels induced by Cas9/gRNA with similar sensitivity, specificity, and resolution, down to single base discrimination, as the preferred next-generation sequencing-based indel profiling methodologies. Here we provide a protocol that is based on complexed Cas9/gRNA RNPs delivered to primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from healthy individuals followed by quantitative IDAA indel profiling. Importantly, the protocol described benefits from a short "sample-to-data" turnaround time of less than 5 h. Thus, this protocol describes a methodology that provides a suitable and effective solution to validate and quantify the extent of ex vivo CRISPR/Cas9 targeting in primary cells.

Factors Affecting the Tailing of Blunt End DNA with Fluorescent Pyrimidine dNTPs

The transferase activity of non-proofreading DNA polymerases is a well-known phenomenon that has been utilized in cloning and sequencing applications. The non-templated addition of modified nucleotides at DNA blunt ends is a potentially useful feature of DNA polymerases that can be used for selective transformation of DNA 3' ends. In this paper, we characterized the tailing reaction at perfectly matched and mismatched duplex ends with Cy3- and Cy5-modified pyrimidine nucleotides. It was shown that the best DNA tailing substrate does not have a perfect Watson-Crick base pair at the end. Mismatched duplexes with a 3' dC were the most efficient in the Taq DNA polymerase-catalysed tailing reaction with a Cy5-modified dUTP. We further demonstrated that the arrangement of the dye residue relative to the nucleobase notably affects the outcome of the tailing reaction. A comparative study of labelled deoxycytidine and deoxyuridine nucleotides showed higher efficiency for dUTP derivatives. The non-templated addition of modified nucleotides by Taq polymerase at a duplex blunt end was generally complicated by the pyrophosphorolysis and 5' exonuclease activity of the enzyme.

Solid-phase enzyme catalysis of DNA end repair and 3' A-tailing reduces GC-bias in next-generation sequencing of human genomic DNA

The use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has been instrumental in advancing biological research and clinical diagnostics. To fully utilize the power of NGS, complete, uniform coverage of the entire genome is required. In this study, we identified the primary sources of bias observed in sequence coverage across AT-rich regions of the human genome with existing amplification-free DNA library preparation methods. We have found evidence that a major source of bias is the inefficient processing of AT-rich DNA in end repair and 3' A-tailing, causing under-representation of extremely AT-rich regions. We have employed immobilized DNA modifying enzymes to catalyze end repair and 3' A-tailing reactions, to notably reduce the GC bias observed with existing library construction methods.

dUTPs conjugated with zwitterionic Cy3 or Cy5 fluorophore analogues are effective substrates for DNA amplification and labelling by Taq polymerase

To develop structural modifications of dNTPs that are compatible with Taq DNA polymerase activity, we synthesized eight dUTP derivatives conjugated with Cy3 or Cy5 dye analogues that differed in charge and charge distribution throughout the fluorophore. These dUTP derivatives and commercial Cy3- and Cy5-dUTP were studied in Taq polymerase-dependent polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and in primer extension reactions using model templates containing one, two and three adjacent adenine nucleotides. The relative amounts of amplified DNA and the kinetic parameters Km and Vmax characterizing the incorporation of labelled dUMPs have been estimated using fluorescence measurements and analysed. The dUTPs labelled with electroneutral zwitterionic analogues of Cy3 or Cy5 fluorophores were used by Taq polymerase approximately one order of magnitude more effectively than the dUTPs labelled with negatively charged analogues of Cy3 or Cy5. The nucleotidyl transferase activity of Taq polymerase was also observed and resulted in the addition of dUMPs labelled with electroneutral or positively charged fluorophores to the 3' ends of DNA. The introduction of mutually compensating charges into fluorophores or other functional groups conjugated to dNTPs can be considered a basis for the creation of PCR-compatible modified nucleoside triphosphates.

Parallel mapping with site-directed hydroxyl radicals and micrococcal nuclease reveals structural features of positioned nucleosomes in vivo

Micrococcal nuclease (MNase) has been widely used for analyses of nucleosome locations in many organisms. However, due to its sequence preference, the interpretations of the positions and occupancies of nucleosomes using MNase have remained controversial. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has also been utilized for analyses of MNase-digests, but some technical biases are commonly present in the NGS experiments. Here, we established a gel-based method to map nucleosome positions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, using isolated nuclei as the substrate for the histone H4 S47C-site-directed chemical cleavage in parallel with MNase digestion. The parallel mapping allowed us to compare the chemically and enzymatically cleaved sites by indirect end-labeling and primer extension mapping, and thus we could determine the nucleosome positions and the sizes of the nucleosome-free regions (or nucleosome-depleted regions) more accurately, as compared to nucleosome mapping by MNase alone. The analysis also revealed that the structural features of the nucleosomes flanked by the nucleosome-free region were different from those within regularly arrayed nucleosomes, showing that the structures and dynamics of individual nucleosomes strongly depend on their locations. Moreover, we demonstrated that the parallel mapping results were generally consistent with the previous genome-wide chemical mapping and MNase-Seq results. Thus, the gel-based parallel mapping will be useful for the analysis of a specific locus under various conditions.

QuickLib, a method for building fully synthetic plasmid libraries by seamless cloning of degenerate oligonucleotides

Incorporation of synthetic degenerate oligonucleotides into plasmids for building highly diverse genetic libraries requires efficient and quantitative DNA manipulation. We present a fast and seamless method for generating libraries of PCR-synthesized plasmids designed with a degenerate sequence and short overlapping ends. Our method called QuickLib should find many applications in synthetic biology; as an example, we easily prepared genetic libraries of Escherichia coli expressing billions of different backbone cyclic peptides.

QTLs Associated with Agronomic Traits in the Cutler × AC Barrie Spring Wheat Mapping Population Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphic Markers

We recently reported three earliness per se quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with flowering and maturity in a recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population derived from a cross between the spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars ‘Cutler’ and ‘AC Barrie’ using 488 microsatellite and diversity arrays technology (DArT) markers. Here, we present QTLs associated with flowering time, maturity, plant height, and grain yield using high density single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers in the same population. A mapping population of 158 RILs and the two parents were evaluated at five environments for flowering, maturity, plant height and grain yield under field conditions, at two greenhouse environments for flowering, and genotyped with a subset of 1809 SNPs out of the 90K SNP array and 2 functional markers (Ppd-D1 and Rht-D1). Using composite interval mapping on the combined phenotype data across all environments, we identified a total of 19 QTLs associated with flowering time in greenhouse (5), and field (6) conditions, maturity (5), grain yield (2) and plant height (1). We mapped these QTLs on 8 chromosomes and they individually explained between 6.3 and 37.8% of the phenotypic variation. Four of the 19 QTLs were associated with multiple traits, including a QTL on 2D associated with flowering, maturity and grain yield; two QTLs on 4A and 7A associated with flowering and maturity, and another QTL on 4D associated with maturity and plant height. However, only the QTLs on both 2D and 4D had major effects, and they mapped adjacent to well-known photoperiod response Ppd-D1 and height reducing Rht-D1 genes, respectively. The QTL on 2D reduced flowering and maturity time up to 5 days with a yield penalty of 436 kg ha^-1, while the QTL on 4D reduced plant height by 13 cm, but increased maturity by 2 days. The high density SNPs allowed us to map eight moderate effect, two major effect, and nine minor effect QTLs that were not identified in our previous study using microsatellite and DArT markers. Results from this study provide additional information to wheat researchers developing early maturing and short stature spring wheat cultivars.

Stable isotope labeling methods for DNA

NMR is a powerful method for studying proteins and nucleic acids in solution. The study of nucleic acids by NMR is far more challenging than for proteins, which is mainly due to the limited number of building blocks and unfavorable spectral properties. For NMR studies of DNA molecules, (site specific) isotope enrichment is required to facilitate specific NMR experiments and applications. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of isotope-labeling strategies for obtaining stable isotope labeled DNA as well as specifically stable isotope labeled building blocks required for enzymatic DNA synthesis.

Two RNAs or DNAs May Artificially Fuse Together at a Short Homologous Sequence (SHS) during Reverse Transcription or Polymerase Chain Reactions, and Thus Reporting an SHS-Containing Chimeric RNA Requires Extra Caution

Tens of thousands of chimeric RNAs have been reported. Most of them contain a short homologous sequence (SHS) at the joining site of the two partner genes but are not associated with a fusion gene. We hypothesize that many of these chimeras may be technical artifacts derived from SHS-caused mis-priming in reverse transcription (RT) or polymerase chain reactions (PCR). We cloned six chimeric complementary DNAs (cDNAs) formed by human mitochondrial (mt) 16S rRNA sequences at an SHS, which were similar to several expression sequence tags (ESTs).These chimeras, which could not be detected with cDNA protection assay, were likely formed because some regions of the 16S rRNA are reversely complementary to another region to form an SHS, which allows the downstream sequence to loop back and anneal at the SHS to prime the synthesis of its complementary strand, yielding a palindromic sequence that can form a hairpin-like structure.We identified a 16S rRNA that ended at the 4th nucleotide(nt) of the mt-tRNA-leu was dominant and thus should be the wild type. We also cloned a mouse Bcl2-Nek9 chimeric cDNA that contained a 5-nt unmatchable sequence between the two partners, contained two copies of the reverse primer in the same direction but did not contain the forward primer, making it unclear how this Bcl2-Nek9 was formed and amplified. Moreover, a cDNA was amplified because one primer has 4 nts matched to the template, suggesting that there may be many more artificial cDNAs than we have realized, because the nuclear and mt genomes have many more 4-nt than 5-nt or longer homologues. Altogether, the chimeric cDNAs we cloned are good examples suggesting that many cDNAs may be artifacts due to SHS-caused mis-priming and thus greater caution should be taken when new sequence is obtained from a technique involving DNA polymerization.

QTLs Associated with Agronomic Traits in the Cutler × AC Barrie Spring Wheat Mapping Population Using Single Nucleotide Polymorphic Markers

We recently reported three earliness per se quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with flowering and maturity in a recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population derived from a cross between the spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars 'Cutler' and 'AC Barrie' using 488 microsatellite and diversity arrays technology (DArT) markers. Here, we present QTLs associated with flowering time, maturity, plant height, and grain yield using high density single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) markers in the same population. A mapping population of 158 RILs and the two parents were evaluated at five environments for flowering, maturity, plant height and grain yield under field conditions, at two greenhouse environments for flowering, and genotyped with a subset of 1809 SNPs out of the 90K SNP array and 2 functional markers (Ppd-D1 and Rht-D1). Using composite interval mapping on the combined phenotype data across all environments, we identified a total of 19 QTLs associated with flowering time in greenhouse (5), and field (6) conditions, maturity (5), grain yield (2) and plant height (1). We mapped these QTLs on 8 chromosomes and they individually explained between 6.3 and 37.8% of the phenotypic variation. Four of the 19 QTLs were associated with multiple traits, including a QTL on 2D associated with flowering, maturity and grain yield; two QTLs on 4A and 7A associated with flowering and maturity, and another QTL on 4D associated with maturity and plant height. However, only the QTLs on both 2D and 4D had major effects, and they mapped adjacent to well-known photoperiod response Ppd-D1 and height reducing Rht-D1 genes, respectively. The QTL on 2D reduced flowering and maturity time up to 5 days with a yield penalty of 436 kg ha-1, while the QTL on 4D reduced plant height by 13 cm, but increased maturity by 2 days. The high density SNPs allowed us to map eight moderate effect, two major effect, and nine minor effect QTLs that were not identified in our previous study using microsatellite and DArT markers. Results from this study provide additional information to wheat researchers developing early maturing and short stature spring wheat cultivars.

Inhibition of non-templated nucleotide addition by DNA polymerases in primer extension using twisted intercalating nucleic acid modified templates

A simple and elegant method for inhibition of non-templated nucleotide addition by DNA polymerases and for following DNA 3'-heterogeneity in enzymatic DNA synthesis by primer extension (PEX) is described. When template bearing ortho-twisted intercalating nucleic acid (ortho-TINA) at the 5'-end is used, non-templated nucleotide addition is reduced in both the A- and B-family DNA polymerases (KOD XL, KOD (exo-), Bst 2.0, Therminator, Deep Vent (exo-) and Taq). Formation of a single oligonucleotide product was observed with ortho-TINA modified template and KOD XL, KOD (exo-), Bst 2.0, Deep Vent (exo-) and Taq DNA polymerases. This approach can be applied to the synthesis of both unmodified and base-modified oligonucleotides.

Universal CG cloning of polymerase chain reaction products

Single-insert cloning of DNA fragments without restriction enzymes has traditionally been achieved using TA cloning, with annealing of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragment containing a single overhanging 3' A to a plasmid vector containing a 3' T. In this article, we show that the analogous "CG cloning" is faster and far more efficient, using AhdI to generate a C-vector. For an afternoon ligation, CG cloning achieved double the cloning efficiency and more than 4-fold the number of transformants compared with TA cloning. However, blunt-end ligation was markedly more efficient than both. CG cloning could prove to be extremely useful for single-copy high-throughput cloning.

Construction of a lentiviral T/A vector for direct analysis of PCR-amplified promoters

The promoter plays an important role in the regulation of gene expression. To analyze a promoter's activity, we developed a novel lentiviral T/A vector that contains two reporter genes, a luciferase (Luc2) gene and a green fluorescent protein (Venus) gene, that are linked via an internal ribosome entry site (IRES2). To test the performance of this vector, phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (PGK) and elongation factor-1α (EF1α) promoters were amplified by PCR and inserted into this lentiviral T/A vector using T4 DNA ligase, yielding two promoter-reporter vectors: pLent-T-PGK and pLent-T-EF1α. When these vectors were transfected into 293T cells, we observed a higher level of Venus expression under a fluorescence microscopy in the case of pLent-T-EF1α as compared to pLent-T-PGK. The results of the luciferase reporter assay showed that the ratio of the promoter activities of EF1α and PGK was approximately 9:1. The two promoter-reporter vectors were also packaged as lentiviral particles to conduct promoter activity assay in cultured cells. The ratio of the promoter activities of EF1α and PGK was 4.23:1 when they were infected into 293T cells at a multiplicity of infection of 1. This value is comparable to that of a parallel experiment using the commercial luciferase reporter vector pGL4.10 with an activity ratio of 5.99:1 for EF1α and PGK. These results indicate that lentiviral T/A vector will be a useful tool for analysis of promoter activity and specificity.

Realizing directional cloning using sticky ends produced by 3'-5' exonuclease of Klenow fragment

The Klenow fragment (KF) has been used to make the blunt end as a tool enzyme. Its 5'-3' polymerase activity can extend the 5' overhanging sticky end to the blunt end, and 3'-5' exonuclease activity can cleave the 3' overhanging sticky end to the blunt end. The blunt end is useful for cloning. Here, we for the first time determined that a sticky end can be made by using the 3'-5' exonuclease activity of KF. We found that KF can cleave the blunt end into certain sticky ends under controlled conditions. We optimized enzyme cleavage conditions, and characterized the cleaved sticky ends to be mainly 2 nt 5' overhang. By using these sticky ends, we realized ligation reaction in vitro, and accomplished cloning short oligonucleotides directionally with high cloning efficiency. In some cases, this method can provide sticky end fragments in large scale for subsequent convenient cloning at low cost.

A simple approach to obtain comparable Shigella sonnei MLVA results across laboratories

Multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) is a promising subtyping tool to complement pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for discriminating closely related strains of some monomorphic organisms, including Shigella sonnei, which is one of the major foodborne pathogens. However, MLVA results are usually difficult to compare directly between laboratories, impeding the application of MLVA as a subtyping tool for disease surveillance and investigation of common outbreaks across regions or countries. It has long been a big challenge in seeking an approach that can be implemented to obtain comparable MLVA results across laboratories. By implementing a panel of calibration strains in each participating laboratory for data normalization, the MLVA results of 20 test strains were comparable even though some analytical conditions were different among the laboratories. This approach is simple, protocol independent, and easy to implement in every laboratory, and a small calibration set is sufficient to generate mathematical equations for accurate copy number conversion.

A synthetic substrate of DNA polymerase deviating from the bases, sugar, and leaving group of canonical deoxynucleoside triphosphates

The selection of artificial nucleic acids to be used for synthetic biology purposes is based on their structural and biochemical orthogonality to the natural system. We describe the example of a nucleotide mimic that functions as a substrate for polymerases and in which the carbohydrate moiety as well as the base moiety and the leaving group are different from that of the natural building blocks. The nucleotides themselves have two anomeric centers, and different leaving group properties of substituents at both anomeric centers need to be exploited to perform selective glycosylation reactions for their synthesis. In addition, the reversibility of the polymerase reaction at the level of the template has been demonstrated when pyrophosphate functions as leaving group and not with the alternative leaving groups.

A 27-locus STR assay to meet all United States and European law enforcement agency standards

Different national and international agencies have selected specific STR sets for forensic database use. To enhance database comparison across national and international borders, a 27-locus multiplex system was developed comprising all 15 STR loci of the European standard set, the current 13 STR loci of the CODIS core, the proposed 22 STR loci of the expanded CODIS core, 4 additional commonly used STR loci, and the amelogenin locus. Development required iterative primer design to resolve primer-related artifacts, amplicon sizing, and locus-to-locus balance issues. The 19.5-min assay incorporated newly developed six-dye chemistry analyzed using a novel microfluidic electrophoresis instrument capable of simultaneous detection and discrimination of 8 or more fluorescent dyes. The 27-locus multiplex offers the potential for a new international STR standard permitting laboratories in any jurisdiction to use a single reaction to determine profiles for loci they typically generate plus an expanded common STR profiling set of global interest.

Thermostable DNA ligase-mediated PCR production of circular plasmid (PPCP) and its application in directed evolution via in situ error-prone PCR

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a powerful method to produce linear DNA fragments. Here we describe the Tma thermostable DNA ligase-mediated PCR production of circular plasmid (PPCP) and its application in directed evolution via in situ error-prone PCR. In this thermostable DNA ligase-mediated whole-plasmid amplification method, the resultant DNA nick between the 5′ end of the PCR primer and the extended newly synthesized DNA 3′ end of each PCR cycle is ligated by Tma DNA ligase, resulting in circular plasmid DNA product that can be directly transformed. The template plasmid DNA is eliminated by ‘selection marker swapping’ upon transformation. When performed under an error-prone condition with Taq DNA polymerase, PPCP allows one-step construction of mutagenesis libraries based on in situ error-prone PCR so that random mutations are introduced into the target gene without altering the expression vector plasmid. A significant difference between PPCP and previously published methods is that PPCP allows exponential amplification of circular DNA. We used this method to create random mutagenesis libraries of a xylanase gene and two cellulase genes. Screening of these libraries resulted in mutant proteins with desired properties, demonstrating the usefulness of in situ error-prone PPCP for creating random mutagenesis libraries for directed evolution.

Development of a cost-effective high-throughput process of microsatellite analysis involving miniaturized multiplexed PCR amplification and automated allele identification

Background

Microsatellites are nucleotide sequences of tandem repeats occurring throughout the genome, which have been widely used in genetic linkage analysis, studies of loss of heterozygosity, determination of lineage and clonality, and the measurement of genome instability or the emergence of drug resistance reflective of mismatch repair deficiency. Such analyses may involve the parallel evaluation of many microsatellite loci, which are often limited by sample DNA, are labor intensive, and require large data processing.

Results

To overcome these challenges, we developed a cost-effective high-throughput approach of microsatellite analysis, in which the amplifications of microsatellites are performed in miniaturized, multiplexed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) adaptable to 96 or 384 well plates, and accurate automated allele identification has been optimized with a collective reference dataset of 5,508 alleles using the GeneMapper software.

Conclusions

In this investigation, we have documented our experience with the optimization of multiplex PCR conditions and automated allele identification, and have generated a unique body of data that provide a starting point for a cost-effective, high-throughput process of microsatellite analysis using the studied markers.

Improved gap repair cloning in yeast: treatment of the gapped vector with Taq DNA polymerase avoids vector self-ligation

Gap repair is a fast and efficient method for assembling recombinant DNA molecules in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This method produces a circular DNA molecule by homologous recombination between two or more linear DNA fragments, one of which is typically a vector carrying replicative sequences and a selective marker. This technique avoids laborious and costly in vitro purification and ligation of DNA. The DNA repair machinery can also close and ligate the linear vector by mechanisms other than homologous recombination, resulting in an empty vector. The frequency of these unwanted events can be lowered by removing the 5'-phosphate groups using phosphatase, which is the standard method used for in vitro ligation. However, phosphatase treatment is less effective for gap repair cloning than for in vitro ligation, presumably due to the ability of the S. cerevisiae DNA repair machinery to efficiently repair the missing phosphate group to allow religation. We have developed a more efficient method to prevent vector religation, based on treatment of the vector fragment with Taq DNA polymerase and dATP. This procedure prevents vector recircularization almost completely, facilitating the screening for true recombinant clones.

Role of DNA base excision repair in the mutability and virulence of Streptococcus mutans

The oral pathogen, Streptococcus mutans, possesses inducible DNA repair defences for protection against pH fluctuations and production of reactive oxygen metabolites such as hydrogen peroxide (H(2) O(2) ), which are present in the oral cavity. DNA base excision repair (BER) has a critical role in genome maintenance by preventing the accumulation of mutations associated with environmental factors and normal products of cellular metabolism. In this study, we examined the consequences of compromising the DNA glycosylases (Fpg and MutY) and endonucleases (Smx and Smn) of the BER pathway and their relative role in adaptation and virulence. Enzymatic characterization of the BER system showed that it protects the organism against the effects of the highly mutagenic lesion, 7,8-dihydro-8-oxo-2'-deoxyguanine (8-oxo-dG). S. mutans strains lacking a functional Fpg, MutY or Smn showed elevated spontaneous mutation frequencies; and, these mutator phenotypes correlated with the ability of the strains to survive killing by acid and oxidative agents. In addition, in the Galleria mellonella virulence model, strains of S. mutans deficient in Fpg, MutY and Smn showed increased virulence as compared with the parent strain. Our results suggest that, for S. mutans, mutator phenotypes, due to loss of BER enzymes, may confer an advantage to virulence of the organism.

The retrohoming of linear group II intron RNAs in Drosophila melanogaster occurs by both DNA ligase 4-dependent and -independent mechanisms

Mobile group II introns are bacterial retrotransposons that are thought to have invaded early eukaryotes and evolved into introns and retroelements in higher organisms. In bacteria, group II introns typically retrohome via full reverse splicing of an excised intron lariat RNA into a DNA site, where it is reverse transcribed by the intron-encoded protein. Recently, we showed that linear group II intron RNAs, which can result from hydrolytic splicing or debranching of lariat RNAs, can retrohome in eukaryotes by performing only the first step of reverse splicing, ligating their 3' end to the downstream DNA exon. Reverse transcription then yields an intron cDNA, whose free end is linked to the upstream DNA exon by an error-prone process that yields junctions similar to those formed by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Here, by using Drosophila melanogaster NHEJ mutants, we show that linear intron RNA retrohoming occurs by major Lig4-dependent and minor Lig4-independent mechanisms, which appear to be related to classical and alternate NHEJ, respectively. The DNA repair polymerase θ plays a crucial role in both pathways. Surprisingly, however, mutations in Ku70, which functions in capping chromosome ends during NHEJ, have only moderate, possibly indirect effects, suggesting that both Lig4 and the alternate end-joining ligase act in some retrohoming events independently of Ku. Another potential Lig4-independent mechanism, reverse transcriptase template switching from the intron RNA to the upstream exon DNA, occurs in vitro, but gives junctions differing from the majority in vivo. Our results show that group II introns can utilize cellular NHEJ enzymes for retromobility in higher organisms, possibly exploiting mechanisms that contribute to retrotransposition and mitigate DNA damage by resident retrotransposons. Additionally, our results reveal novel activities of group II intron reverse transcriptases, with implications for retrohoming mechanisms and potential biotechnological applications.

Mutation of the NADH oxidase gene (nox) reveals an overlap of the oxygen- and acid-mediated stress responses in Streptococcus mutans

NADH oxidase (Nox) is a flavin-containing enzyme used by Streptococcus mutans to reduce dissolved oxygen encountered during growth in the oral cavity. In this study, we characterized the role of the NADH oxidase in the oxidative and acid stress responses of S. mutans. A nox-defective mutant strain of S. mutans and its parental strain, the genomic type strain UA159, were exposed to various oxygen concentrations at pH values of 5 and 7 to better understand the adaptive mechanisms used by the organism to withstand environmental pressures. With the loss of nox, the activities of oxygen stress response enzymes such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione oxidoreductase were elevated compared to those in controls, resulting in a greater adaptation to oxygen stress. In contrast, the loss of nox led to a decreased ability to grow in a low-pH environment despite an increased resistance to severe acid challenge. Analysis of the membrane fatty acid composition revealed that for both the nox mutant and UA159 parent strain, growth in an oxygen-rich environment resulted in high proportions of unsaturated membrane fatty acids, independent of external pH. The data indicate that S. mutans membrane fatty acid composition is responsive to oxidative stress, as well as changes in environmental pH, as previously reported (E. M. Fozo and R. G. Quivey, Jr., Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:929-936, 2004). The heightened ability of the nox strain to survive acidic and oxidative environmental stress suggests a multifaceted response system that is partially dependent on oxygen metabolites.

Current trends in microsatellite genotyping

Microsatellites have been popular molecular markers ever since their advent in the late eighties. Despite growing competition from new genotyping and sequencing techniques, the use of these versatile and cost-effective markers continues to increase, boosted by successive technical advances. First, methods for multiplexing PCR have considerably improved over the last years, thereby decreasing genotyping costs and increasing throughput. Second, next-generation sequencing technologies allow the identification of large numbers of microsatellite loci at reduced cost in non-model species. As a consequence, more stringent selection of loci is possible, thereby further enhancing multiplex quality and efficiency. However, current practices are lagging behind. By surveying recently published population genetic studies relying on simple sequence repeats, we show that more than half of the studies lack appropriate quality controls and do not make use of multiplex PCR. To make the most of the latest technical developments, we outline the need for a well-established strategy including standardized high-throughput bench protocols and specific bioinformatic tools, from primer design to allele calling.

Isolation of genomic insertion sites of proviruses using Splinkerette-PCR-based procedures

The availability of whole genomic sequences provides a great framework for biologists to address a broad range of scientific questions. However, functions of most mammalian genes remain obscure. The forward genetics strategy of insertional mutagenesis uses DNA mutagens such as retroviruses and transposable elements; this strategy represents a powerful approach to functional genomics. A variety of methods to uncover insertion sites have been described. This chapter details SplinkTA-PCR and SplinkBlunt-PCR, modified from splinkerette-PCR, for mapping chromosomally the insertion sites of a murine leukemia virus that causes leukemia in the BXH-2 strain of mice. These protocols are easy to use, reliable, and efficient.

MEGAWHOP cloning: a method of creating random mutagenesis libraries via megaprimer PCR of whole plasmids

MEGAWHOP allows for the cloning of DNA fragments into a vector and is used for conventional restriction digestion/ligation-based procedures. In MEGAWHOP, the DNA fragment to be cloned is used as a set of complementary primers that replace a homologous region in a template vector through whole-plasmid PCR. After synthesis of a nicked circular plasmid, the mixture is treated with DpnI, a dam-methylated DNA-specific restriction enzyme, to digest the template plasmid. The DpnI-treated mixture is then introduced into competent Escherichia coli cells to yield plasmids carrying replaced insert fragments. Plasmids produced by the MEGAWHOP method are virtually free of contamination by species without any inserts or with multiple inserts, and also the parent. Because the fragment is usually long enough to not interfere with hybridization to the template, various types of fragments can be used with mutations at any site (either known or unknown, random, or specific). By using fragments having homologous sequences at the ends (e.g., adaptor sequence), MEGAWHOP can also be used to recombine nonhomologous sequences mediated by the adaptors, allowing rapid creation of novel constructs and chimeric genes.

Genetic studies of "noble cane" for identification and exploitation of genetic markers

Forty genotypes (clones) of sugarcane, including elite lines, commercial cultivars of Saccharum officinarum and clones of S. barberi were fingerprinted with 50 SSR markers using a PCR-based marker assay. Nei's genetic distances for SSR data were determined and relationships between accessions were portrayed graphically in the form of a dendrogram. Genetic distance values ranging from 0.60 to 1.11 were observed among the 40 sugarcane accessions. The shortest genetic distance of 0.60 was seen between genotypes US-804 and US-130. These two genotypes differed from each other only in 10 bands, with 20 primers. The most dissimilar of the accessions were CP-77-400 and US-133, with a genetic distance of 1.11. SSR fingerprints can help sugarcane breeders to clarify the genetic pedigree of commercial sugarcane varieties and evaluate the efficiency of breeding methods.

Strategies for cloning PCR products

Cloning polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified fragments into plasmids offers several advantages. Bacteria containing plasmids can be frozen, providing a ready supply of amplified material. Because of the variety of available plasmids with different promoters and selectable markers, cloning is also useful when mutations are to be introduced into the fragment before expression, or when sequence tags encoded in the vector are to be added in-frame. The ease with which nucleotide sequences can be added to the ends of PCR products has led to the development of a variety of cloning strategies. Because such cloning is typically the first step for generating a reagent that will be used to achieve a specific experimental goal, the efficiency of the cloning procedure is an important consideration: Cloning strategies should be simple in design and execution, requiring a minimum of enzymatic steps. Toward this goal, many companies market and continue to develop reagent kits that improve the ease and rapidity of cloning PCR products. This article focuses on some common and efficient cloning strategies, such as those that use DNA ligase or vaccinia virus topoisomerase I (TOPO), as well as techniques for in vitro and in vivo recombination of PCR products and vectors having homologous duplex ends. Also covered is the production of linear PCR products with defined 5′ and 3′ functional elements, which enable direct mammalian cell expression or in vitro transcription/translation. We present an overview of these strategies, their molecular basis, and their advantages and disadvantages for specific applications.

Primer fabrication using polymerase mediated oligonucleotide synthesis

Background

Custom solid phase oligonucleotide synthesis is an important foundation supporting nearly every aspect of current genomics. In spite of the demand for oligonucleotide primers, their synthesis remains relatively expensive, time consuming and in many circumstances a wasteful process. In this methodology, described as polymerase mediated oligonucleotide synthesis (PMOS), a DNA polymerase is used to increase the hybridization affinity of one oligonucleotide by using another as a template for DNA synthesis. This self-assembly process provides an opportunity to instantly generate a very large number of useful gene-specific primers from a small library of simple precursors. PMOS can be used to generate primers directly in the end-users laboratory within the context of any DNA polymerase chemistry such as in PCR or sequencing reactions

Results

To demonstrate the utility of PMOS, a universal 768-member oligonucleotide library (UniSeq) was designed, fabricated and its performance optimized and evaluated in a range of PCR and DNA sequencing reactions. This methodology used to derive specific 11-mers, performed well in each of these activities and produced the desired amplification or sequencing analysis with results comparable to primers made by time consuming and expensive custom synthesis.

Conclusion

On the basis of these experiments, we believe this novel system would be broadly applicable and could in many circumstances replace the need for conventional oligonucleotide synthesis.

Unnatural imidazopyridopyrimidine:naphthyridine base pairs: selective incorporation and extension reaction by Deep Vent (exo- ) DNA polymerase

In our previous communication we reported the enzymatic recognition of unnatural imidazopyridopyrimidine:naphthyridine (Im:Na) base pairs, i.e. ImO(N):NaN(O) and ImN(O):NaO(N), using the Klenow fragment exo(-) [KF (exo(-))]. We describe herein the successful results of (i) improved enzymatic recognition for ImN(O):NaO(N) base pairs and (ii) further primer extension reactions after the Im:Na base pairs by Deep Vent DNA polymerase exo(-) [Deep Vent (exo(-))]. Since KF (exo(-)) did not catalyze primer extension reactions after the Im:Na base pair, we carried out a screening of DNA polymerases to promote the primer extension reaction as well as to improve the selectivity of base pair recognition. As a result, a family B DNA polymerase, especially Deep Vent (exo(-)), seemed most promising for this purpose. In the ImO(N):NaN(O) base pair, incorporation of NaN(O)TP against ImO(N) in the template was preferable to that of the natural dNTPs, while incorporation of dATP as well as dGTP competed with that of ImO(N)TP when NaN(O) was placed in the template. Thus, the selectivity of base pair recognition by Deep Vent (exo(-)) was less than that by KF (exo(-)) in the case of the ImO(N):NaN(O) base pair. On the other hand, incorporation of NaO(N)TP against ImN(O) in the template and that of ImN(O)TP against NaO(N) were both quite selective. Thus, the selectivity of base pair recognition was improved by Deep Vent (exo(-)) in the ImN(O):NaO(N) base pair. Moreover, this enzyme catalyzed further primer extension reactions after the ImN(O):NaO(N) base pair to afford a faithful replicate, which was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as well as the kinetics data for extension fidelity next to the ImN(O):NaO(N) base pair. The results presented in this paper revealed that the ImN(O):NaO(N) base pair might be a third base pair beyond the Watson-Crick base pairs.

Simulation-based analyses reveal stable microsatellite sequences in human pancreatic cancer

Genomic analysis using tissue samples is an essential approach in cancer genetics. However, technical and biological limits exist in this approach. Microsatellite instability (MSI) is frequently observed in human tumors. MSI assays are now prevalent and regarded as commonplace. However, several technical problems have been left unsolved in the conventional assay technique. Indeed, the reported frequencies of MSI differ widely in each malignancy. An example is pancreatic cancer. Using a unique fluorescent technique, we found that MSI is extremely infrequent in this malignancy, despite the relatively high frequencies in some reports. In a series of simulations, we have demonstrated that the extremely low frequency was derived neither from less sensitive assays nor from a scarcity of cancer cells in tissue samples. Furthermore, analyzing laser-capture microdissection (LCM)-processed cell populations of a microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancer cell line, HCT116, we have shown that MSI can be detected only when comparing two cell populations that have grown independently to a sufficiently large size. When MSI is not detected in analyses using tissue samples, LCM is not advisable. We therefore did not extend our study to LCM of tissue specimens. We conclude that microsatellite sequence alterations are not detectable in human pancreatic cancer.

Functional humanization of an anti-CD16 Fab fragment: obstacles of switching from murine {lambda} to human {lambda} or {kappa} light chains

An alphaCD30xalphaCD16 bispecific monoclonal antibody (MAb) was previously shown to induce remission of Hodgkin's disease refractory to chemo- and radiotherapy through specific activation of natural killer (NK) cells, but the appearance of a human anti-mouse antibody (HAMA) response prevented its use for prolonged therapy. Here, we describe an effort to humanize the Fab arm directed against FcgammaRIII (CD16), which-in context with the previously humanized CD30 Fab fragment-provides the necessary component for the design of a clinically useful bispecific antibody. Thus, the CDRs of the anti-CD16 mouse IgG1/lambda MAb A9 were grafted onto human Ig sequences. In a first attempt, the murine V(lambda) domain was converted to a humanized lambda chain, which led, however, to complete loss of antigen-binding activity and extremely poor folding efficiency upon periplasmic expression in Escherichia coli. Hence, its CDRs were transplanted onto a human kappa light chain in a second attempt, which resulted in a functional recombinant Fab fragment, yet with 100-fold decreased antigen affinity. In the next step, an in vitro affinity maturation was performed, wherein random mutations were introduced into the humanized V(H) and V(kappa) domains through error-prone PCR, followed by a filter sandwich colony screening assay for increased binding activity towards the bacterially produced extracellular CD16 fragment. Finally, an optimized Fab fragment was obtained, which carries nine additional amino acid exchanges and exhibits an affinity that is within a factor of 2 identical to that of the original murine A9 Fab fragment. The resulting humanized Fab fragment was fully functional with respect to binding of the recombinant CD16 antigen in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and in cytofluorimetry with CD16-positive granulocytes, thus providing a promising starting point for the preparation of a fully human bispecific antibody that permits the therapeutic recruitment of NK cells.

Exonuclease activity of proofreading DNA polymerases is at the origin of artifacts in molecular profiling studies

CE fingerprint methods are commonly used in microbial ecology. We have previously noticed that the position and number of peaks in CE-SSCP (single-strand conformation polymorphism) profiles depend on the DNA polymerase used in PCR [1]. Here, we studied the fragments produced by Taq polymerase as well as four commercially available proofreading polymerases, using the V3 region of the Escherichia coli rss gene as a marker. PCR products rendered multiple peaks in denaturing CE; Taq polymerase was observed to produce the longest fragments. Incubation of the fragments with T4 DNA polymerase indicated that the 3'-ends of the proofreading polymerase amplicons were recessed, while the Taq amplicon was partially +A tailed. Treatment of the PCR product with proofreading DNA polymerase rendered trimmed fragments. This was due to the 3'-5' exonuclease activity of these enzymes, which is essential for proofreading. The nuclease activity was reduced by increasing the concentration of dNTP. The Platinum Pfx DNA polymerase generated very few artifacts and could produce 85% of blunted PCR products. Nevertheless, despite the higher error rate, we recommend the use of Taq polymerase rather than proofreading in the framework for molecular fingerprint studies. They are more cost-effective and therefore ideally suited for high-throughput analysis; the +A tail artifact rate can be controlled by modifying the PCR primers and the reaction conditions.

Typing of 48 autosomal SNPs and amelogenin with GenPlex SNP genotyping system in forensic genetics

GenPlex (Applied Biosystems) is a new SNP genotyping system based on an initial PCR amplification followed by an oligo ligation assay (OLA). The OLA consists of the hybridization of allele and locus specific oligonucleotides (ASOs and LSOs) to PCR products and posterior ligation of ASOs and LSOs. The ligation products are immobilized to microtitre plates and reporter oligonucleotides (ZipChute probes) are hybridized to the ligation products. ZipChute probes are subsequently eluted and detected using capillary electrophoresis. Applied Biosystems developed the GenPlex SNP genotyping system with amelogenin and 48 of the 52 SNPs used in the 52 SNP-plex assay developed by the SNPforID consortium. The system requires equipment that is usually found in forensic genetic laboratories. The use of a robot for performance of the pipetting steps is highly recommendable. A total of 286 individuals from Denmark, Somalia and Greenland were investigated with GenPlex using a Biomek 3000 (Beckman Coulter) robot. The results were compared to results obtained with an ISO 17025 accredited SNP typing assay based on single base extension (SBE). With the GenPlex SNP genotyping system, full SNP profiles were obtained in 97.6% of the investigations. Perfect concordance was obtained in duplicate investigations and the SNP genotypes obtained with the GenPlex system were concordant with those of the accredited SBE based SNP typing system except for one result in rs901398 in one of 286 individuals most likely due to a mutation 6 bp downstream of the SNP. Reproducible SNP genotypes were obtained from as little as 250 pg of DNA.

Incorporation of multiple sequential pseudothymidines by DNA polymerases and their impact on DNA duplex structure

Thermal denaturation and circular dichroism studies suggested that multiple (up to 12), sequential pseudothymidines, a representative C-glycoside, do not perturb the structure of a representative DNA duplex. Further, various Family A and B DNA polymerases were found to extend a primer by incorporating four sequential pseudothymidine triphosphates, and then continue the extension to generate full-length product. Detailed studies showed that Taq polymerase incorporated up to five sequential C-glycosides, but not more. These results constrain architectures for sequencing, quantitating, and analyzing DNA analogs that exploit C-glycosides, and define better the challenge of creating a synthetic biology using these with natural polymerases.

PCR-based procedures to isolate insertion sites of DNA elements

During the past several years, retroviral insertional mutagenesis has been fruitfully applied to search for genes/pathways involved in tumorigenesis. Techniques used to identify proviral insertion sites are critical for fulfilling these projects. Although a variety of approaches have been described, an improvement over existing methods is required to recover every possible insertion site for cancer gene discovery, so-called saturation analysis. Here, we have described the development of two ligation-mediated PCR variants, SplinkTA-PCR (STA-PCR) and SplinkBlunt-PCR, for efficient isolation of insertion sites in retrovirus-induced leukemia. Our results demonstrated that these two protocols are complementary to each other and that they are better employed in combination for maximal cloning efficiency. These protocols are easy-to-use, reliable and efficient, and are readily applicable to large-scale cloning of insertion sites of provirus and other integrated DNA elements, as well as for detection and cloning of differential insertions unique to drug-resistant cells.