Temperature sweep gel electrophoresis: a simple method to detect point mutations

New developments in the study of the microbiota of raw-milk, long-ripened cheeses by molecular methods: the case of Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano

Microorganisms are an essential component of cheeses and play important roles during both cheese manufacture and ripening. Both starter and secondary flora modify the physical and chemical properties of cheese, contributing and reacting to changes that occur during the manufacture and ripening of cheese. As the composition of microbial population changes under the influence of continuous shifts in environmental conditions and microorganisms interactions during manufacturing and ripening, the characteristics of a given cheese depend also on microflora dynamics. The microbiota present in cheese is complex and its growth and activity represent the most important, but the least controllable steps. In the past, research in this area was dependent on classical microbiological techniques. However, culture-dependent methods are time-consuming and approaches that include a culturing step can lead to inaccuracies due to species present in low numbers or simply uncultivable. Therefore, they cannot be used as a unique tool to monitor community dynamics. For these reasons approaches to cheese microbiology had to change dramatically. To address this, in recent years the focus on the use of culture-independent methods based on the direct analysis of DNA (or RNA) has rapidly increased. Application of such techniques to the study of cheese microbiology represents a rapid, sound, reliable, and effective way for the detection and identification of the microorganisms present in dairy products, leading to major advances in understanding this complex microbial ecosystem and its impact on cheese ripening and quality. In this article, an overview on the recent advances in the use of molecular methods for thorough analysis of microbial communities in cheeses is given. Furthermore, applications of culture-independent approaches to study the microbiology of two important raw-milk, long-ripened cheeses such as Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano, are presented.

Identification of RAPD markers linked to a gene governing cadmium uptake in durum wheat

Temperature sweep gel electrophoresis in combination with random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis was employed to detect two markers for a single gene governing low cadmium uptake in western Canadian durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum). Analysis of progeny derived from a cross of the high cadmium accumulating cultivar Kyle by the low cadmium accumulating cultivar Nile resulted in linkage estimates of 4.6 (OPC-20) and 21.2 (UBC-180) cM. The closest marker (OPC-20) was shown to be useful for making low cadmium uptake selections from two other sources of low cadmium, 'Biodur' and 'Hercules'. The marker was further used to determine the genetic basis of resistance in 20 introduced durum wheat lines. Within this diverse range of germplasm the marker was correlated with cadmium contents as expected in all but two cases. Plant breeding selection for low cadmium genotypes is hindered by the high cost of chemical determination of cadmium content. Marker assisted selection for a low cadmium uptake gene offers an effective alternative.

Midgut bacterial dynamics in Aedes aegypti

In vector mosquitoes, the presence of midgut bacteria may affect the ability to transmit pathogens. We have used a laboratory colony of Aedes aegypti as a model for bacterial interspecies competition and show that after a blood meal, the number of species (culturable on Luria-Bertani agar) that coexist in the midgut is low and that about 40% of the females do not harbor any cultivable bacteria. We isolated species belonging to the genera Bacillus, Elizabethkingia, Enterococcus, Klebsiella, Pantoea, Serratia, and Sphingomonas, and we also determined their growth rates, antibiotic resistance, and ex vivo inhibition of each other. To investigate the possible existence of coadaptation between midgut bacteria and their host, we fed Ae. aegypti cohorts with gut bacteria from human, a frog, and two mosquito species and followed the bacterial population growth over time. The dynamics of the different species suggests coadaptation between host and bacteria, and interestingly, we found that Pantoea stewartii isolated from Ae. aegypti survive better in Ae. aegypti as compared to P. stewartii isolated from the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae.

Application of temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis for characterisation of fungal endophyte communities of Salix caprea L. in a heavy metal polluted soil

Fungal endophytes can affect the heavy metal uptake of their host plants and increase the tolerance of their host plants to heavy metal stress. Therefore, in the present study, a wide-range screening of the fungal endophyte communities was conducted to determine the fungal distribution and diversity on S. caprea roots on a metal polluted site. Fungal communities were screened using amplification with the 5.8S-ITS2-28S part of the rDNA operon, with the resulting amplicons analysed by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) and sequencing. This technique is reproducible and shows good coverage of ascomycete and basidiomycete taxa, as 68% and 32% of all of the sequences, respectively. No clear shift in fungal ITS-TTGE profiles from S. caprea roots was seen along the secondary succession stages. Ascomycetes dominated the more polluted plots, while there was a greater diversity of basidiomycetes in the less polluted and control plots, suggesting greater tolerance of ascomycetes in comparison with basidiomycete fungi. The high diversity of DSEs was confirmed at the highly metal-enriched locations, with species belonging to the genera Phialophora, Phialocephala and Leptodontidium. Furthermore, the DSE colonisation of S. caprea roots and the frequency of the sequences showing affinity towards DSE genus Phialophora, showed good correspondence with soil Pb, Cd and plant-available P concentrations, possibly indicating that DSEs improve metal tolerance of willows to high heavy metal contamination.

Novel two-dimensional DNA gel electrophoresis mapping for characterizing complex bacterial communities in environmental samples

Genomic DNA profiles such as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE), and single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) have been commonly used to characterize bacterial communities in environmental samples. We recently developed a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DGE) method with a combination of chain-length polymorphism analysis (CLPA) and DGGE analysis, in order to improve the DNA resolution and resolve complex environmental DNA fragments produced by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The 2-DGE method can generate high-resolution DNA separation maps on the basis of the lengths and composition polymorphisms of DNA sequences. It can thus facilitate detailed analyses between bacterial communities in complex environmental systems such as soil or water. For the present paper, we further developed two novel 2-DGE methods using a combination of CLPA and TTGE (or CLPA and SSCP) and here describe their potential application to the characterization of bacterial communities in nature using clustering analyses. The results show that DNA amplicons can undergo more detailed separation by the two new mapping than by their corresponding 1-DGE fingerprints. Our findings also suggest that these two new 2-DGE mapping techniques are more easily carried out than previously described DGGE-based 2-DGE mapping because they do not require a chemical denaturing gradient gel.

Comparative study of three analysis methods (TTGE, flow cytometry and HPLC) for xenobiotic impact assessment on phytoplankton communities

The impacts of the fungicide Opus (epoxiconazole) on marine phytoplankton communities were assessed in a 12-day field experiment using in situ microcosms maintained underwater at 6 m depth. Three community analysis methods were compared for their sensitivity threshold in fungicide impact detection. When phytoplankton communities were exposed to 1 microg l(-1) of epoxiconazole, no effects could be demonstrated using TTGE (Temporal Temperature Gradient gel Electrophoresis), flow cytometry or HPLC. When exposed to 10 microg l(-1), TTGE fingerprints from PCR amplified 18S rDNA of communities exhibited significant differences compared with controls (ANOSIM, P = 0.028). Neither flow cytometry counts, nor HPLC pigment profiles allowed to show significant differences in microcosms exposed to 10 microg l(-1) of epoxiconazole. When exposed to 100 microg l(-1), all three methods allowed to detect significant differences in treated microcosms, as compared to controls. The TTGE analysis appears in this study as the most sensitive method for fungicide impact assessment on eukaryote microbial communities.

Temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis for detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms

The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) can be detected using a range of electrophoretic techniques, of which temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis (TTGE) is often the most user-friendly and reproducible. The technique operates on the same principle as denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, but does not require a chemical gradient in the gel. Instead, TTGE relies on a steady and gradual increase in temperature during electrophoresis to denature and separate DNA sequences that differ by as little as one base pair. TTGE can be easily accomplished using DNA of high quality and it is a rapid-throughput method for SNP screening once conditions have been optimized. Detection of SNPs is, for example, important for the diagnosis of mitochondrial disorders such as heteroplasmy, the presence of more than one type of mitochondria within a cell or tissue. Here we describe the basic steps for TTGE and illustrate its utility for the detection of heteroplasmy in mtDNA control region sequences.

Culture-independent methods for identifying microbial communities in cheese

This review focuses on the culture-independent methods available for the description of both bacterial and fungal communities in cheese. Important steps of the culture-independent strategy, which relies on bulk DNA extraction from cheese and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of selected sequences, are discussed. We critically evaluate the identification techniques already used for monitoring microbial communities in cheese, including PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE), PCR-temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-TTGE) or single-strand conformation polymorphism-PCR (SSCP-PCR) as well as some other techniques that remain to be adapted to the study of cheese communities. Further, our analysis draws attention to the lack of data available on suitable DNA sequences for identifying fungal communities in cheese and proposes some potential DNA targets.

16S rRNA targeted DGGE fingerprinting of microbial communities

The past decades have seen the staggering development of molecular microbial ecology as a discipline that uses the detection of so-called biomarkers to monitor microbial communities in environment samples. A variety of molecules can be used as biomarkers, including cell-wall components, proteins, lipids, DNA or RNA. Especially, the application of small subunit ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and the corresponding genes have proven invaluable for advances in microbial ecology. Several types of fingerprinting methods have been developed for the description of microbial communities in environmental samples. Among the most commonly used approaches is denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified fragments. DGGE allows separation of DNA fragment mixtures of equal length depending on their sequence. The separation is based on their sequence-specific melting point in a polyacrylamide gel with a gradient of a denaturant chemical (generally a combination of urea and formamide). DGGE allows for a rapid analysis and comparison of microbial communities. Compositional diversity can be visualized using DGGE where each band in principle represents a bacterial phylotype. After staining bands are visualized at each position in the gel where DNA molecules stopped migration. In principle, DGGE fingerprinting can resolve single base pair differences.

Interspecies interactions within oral microbial communities

While reductionism has greatly advanced microbiology in the past 400 years, assembly of smaller pieces just could not explain the whole! Modern microbiologists are learning "system thinking" and "holism." Such an approach is changing our understanding of microbial physiology and our ability to diagnose/treat microbial infections. This review uses oral microbial communities as a focal point to describe this new trend. With the common name "dental plaque," oral microbial communities are some of the most complex microbial floras in the human body, consisting of more than 700 different bacterial species. For a very long time, oral microbiologists endeavored to use reductionism to identify the key genes or key pathogens responsible for oral microbial pathogenesis. The limitations of reductionism forced scientists to begin adopting new strategies using emerging concepts such as interspecies interaction, microbial community, biofilms, polymicrobial disease, etc. These new research directions indicate that the whole is much more than the simple sum of its parts, since the interactions between different parts resulted in many new physiological functions which cannot be observed with individual components. This review describes some of these interesting interspecies-interaction scenarios.

Sequence variability and functional analysis of MutS of hypermutable Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolates

In this study, we investigated the variability of MutS among Pseudomonas aeruginosa recovered from cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Sequencing of the mutS gene of 15 hypermutable P. aeruginosa isolates obtained from different patients revealed high rates of nucleotide substitutions as compared to that of strain PAO1. Significantly more synonymous than non-synonymous nucleotide substitutions have been found, indicating that generally MutS is highly conserved. The functional analysis of MutS variants by complementation of a PAO1 mutS mutant revealed 5 isolates with a defective MutS due to frameshift mutations or amino acid substitutions. This work supports the hypothesis that the respiratory tract of CF patients represents an environment that favors the selection of highly adaptive mutator phenotypes.

Microbiological study of lactic acid fermentation of Caper berries by molecular and culture-dependent methods

Fermentation of capers (the fruits of Capparis sp.) was studied by molecular and culture-independent methods. A lactic acid fermentation occurred following immersion of caper berries in water, resulting in fast acidification and development of the organoleptic properties typical of this fermented food. A collection of 133 isolates obtained at different times of fermentation was reduced to 75 after randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR analysis. Isolates were identified by PCR or 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Lactobacillus plantarum (37 isolates), Lactobacillus paraplantarum (1 isolate), Lactobacillus pentosus (5 isolates), Lactobacillus brevis (9 isolates), Lactobacillus fermentum (6 isolates), Pediococcus pentosaceus (14 isolates), Pediococcus acidilactici (1 isolate), and Enterococcus faecium (2 isolates). Cluster analysis of RAPD-PCR patterns revealed a high degree of diversity among lactobacilli (with four major groups and five subgroups), while pediococci clustered in two closely related groups. A culture-independent analysis of fermentation samples by temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis (TTGE) also indicated that L. plantarum is the predominant species in this fermentation, in agreement with culture-dependent results. The distribution of L. brevis and L. fermentum in samples was also determined by TTGE, but identification of Pediococcus at the species level was not possible. TTGE also allowed a more precise estimation of the distribution of E. faecium, and the detection of Enterococcus casseliflavus (which was not revealed by the culture-dependent analysis). Results from this study indicate that complementary data from molecular and culture-dependent analysis provide a more accurate determination of the microbial community dynamics during caper fermentation.

TP53 mutations are associated with a particular pattern of genomic imbalances in breast carcinomas

TP53 mutations play an important role in the development of several cancers and are present in 20-40% of all breast carcinomas, contributing to increased genomic instability. In order to address the relationship of mutated TP53 to genomic complexity, the present study analysed 61 breast carcinomas for TP53 mutations and compared mutation status with the pattern of genomic imbalances as assessed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Twenty per cent of the present series of breast carcinomas harboured TP53 mutations. An increasing number of abnormalities, as identified by CGH (higher genomic complexity), correlated significantly with mutant TP53. Among the chromosome arms most commonly altered (in more than 20% of the tumours), loss of 8p and gain of 8q were associated with TP53 mutations, whereas loss of 16q was associated with wild-type TP53. By performing supervised hierarchical clustering analysis of the CGH data, a cluster of chromosome imbalances was observed that showed differences between wild-type and mutant TP53 cases. Among these, loss of chromosome arm 5q revealed the strongest correlation with altered TP53. To investigate further the most commonly deleted region of 5q, gene expression patterns from two publicly available microarray data sets of breast carcinomas were evaluated statistically. The expression data sets identified potential target genes, including genes involved in ubiquitination and the known TP53 target CSPG2. The genomic complexity of breast carcinomas as assessed by CGH is associated with TP53 mutation status; breast cancers with TP53 mutations display more complex genomes than do those with wild-type TP53. The pattern of genomic imbalances associated with mutant TP53 is non-random, with loss of chromosome arm 5q being particularly closely associated with TP53 mutations.

Review of denaturant capillary electrophoresis in DNA variation analysis

Analyses of germline and somatic single-nucleotide DNA variations are important in both population genetics research and clinical practice. Reliable and inexpensive methods that are flexible and designed for automation are required for these analyses. Present day DNA sequencing technology is too expensive for testing all 22-25 000 human genes in populations genetics studies or in scanning large numbers of tumors for novel mutations. Denaturant capillary electrophoresis (DCE) has the potential to meet the need for large-scale analysis of DNA variants. Several different analyses can be performed by DCE, including mutation analysis, single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery in individual and pooled samples, detection of allelic imbalance, and determination of microhaplotypes. Here we review the theoretical background of the method, its sensitivity, specificity, detection limit, throughput, and repeatability in the light of current literature in the field.

Population and virulence factor dynamics in fecalEscherichia colifrom healthy adults consuming weight control diets

Individual susceptibility to gastrointestinal infection is seen commonly in food poisoning outbreaks, but factors (such as diet) which may modulate this variability are understood poorly. Similarly, factors altering the population dynamics of enteric non-pathogenic Escherichia coli or of pathogenic E. coli containing toxin-signature DNA sequences in the colonic flora of healthy individuals are largely unknown. Feces were collected 4 times over a 12 week period from 41 healthy volunteer adults on a weight control diet (high or low in fiber). E. coli strains were examined by conventional culture followed by PCR for virulence genes stx1, stx2, eae and hlyA, and polymorphic β-glucuronidase. Total E. coli counts ranged from undetectable to 8.75 log10CFU/g feces and were unaffected by dietary fiber consumption or gender. Total E. coli counts were correlated positively with age (r = 0.401, P < 0.05). Fifty-eight percent (n = 24) of study individuals harboured more than 1 morph of β-glucuronidase, indicating the presence of more than 1 strain of E. coli. Virulence genes were detected in 12 of 41 adults, comprising 10 stx1, 3 stx2, 3 eae, and 0 hlyA, but occurrence was not associated with diet, gender, or age. Factors influencing strain mobility over time did not appear to include diet or gender, while the positive relationship between total E. coli numbers and increasing age suggests that some older individuals are "more permissive" to mobile E. coli, including those with toxin genes.Key words: Escherichia coli, virulence, healthy humans, diet.

Temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) as a tool for the characterization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of using temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis (TTGE) of PCR-amplified 18S rDNA fragments of different Glomus species for their detection and characterization. Screening of Glomus clarum, Glomus constrictum, Glomus coronatum, Glomus intraradices, Glomus mosseae and Glomus viscosum by PCR-TGGE revealed that the NS31-AM1 region of the 18S rRNA gene contained insufficient variation to discriminate between them. In contrast, TTGE analysis of the NS31-Glo1 region, which was obtained by nested PCR of the NS31-AM1 amplicon, showed that each species was characterized by a specific TTGE fingerprint. However, isolates of the same species could not be distinguished. The nested PCR-TTGE approach developed allowed identification of the Glomus species colonising the roots of different plant species.

Development and validation of PCR primers to assess the diversity of Clostridium spp. in cheese by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis

A nested-PCR temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) approach was developed for the detection of bacteria belonging to phylogenetic cluster I of the genus Clostridium (the largest clostridial group, which represents 25% of the currently cultured clostridial species) in cheese suspected of late blowing. Primers were designed based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, and the specificity was confirmed in PCRs performed with DNAs from cluster I and non-cluster I species as the templates. TTGE profiles of the PCR products, comprising the V5-V6 region of the 16S rRNA gene, allowed us to distinguish the majority of cluster I species. PCR-TTGE was applied to analyze commercial cheeses with defects. All cheeses gave a signal after nested PCR, and on the basis of band comigration with TTGE profiles of reference strains, all the bands could be assigned to a clostridial species. The direct identification of Clostridium spp. was confirmed by sequencing of excised bands. C. tyrobutyricum and C. beijerinckii contaminated 15 and 14 of the 20 cheese samples tested, respectively, and C. butyricum and C. sporogenes were detected in one cheese sample. Most-probable-number counts and volatile fatty acid were determined for comparison purposes. Results obtained were in agreement, but only two species, C. tyrobutyricum and C. sporogenes, could be isolated by the plating method. In all cheeses with a high amount of butyric acid (>100 mg/100 g), the presence of C. tyrobutyricum DNA was confirmed by PCR-TTGE, suggesting the involvement of this species in butyric acid fermentation. These results demonstrated the efficacy of the PCR-TTGE method to identify Clostridium in cheeses. The sensitivity of the method was estimated to be 100 CFU/g.

An increase in selenium intake improves immune function and poliovirus handling in adults with marginal selenium status

BACKGROUND

Dietary selenium intakes in many countries, including the United Kingdom, are lower than international recommendations. No functional consequences of these lower intakes have been recognized, although experimental studies suggest that they might contribute to reduced immune function, increased cancer incidence, and increased susceptibility to viral disease.

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to assess whether administration of small selenium supplements to otherwise healthy UK subjects leads to functional changes in immune status and the rates of clearance and mutation of a picornavirus: live attenuated polio vaccine.

DESIGN

Twenty-two adult UK subjects with relatively low plasma selenium concentrations (<1.2 micromol/L, approximately 60% of those screened) received 50 or 100 microg Se (as sodium selenite) or placebo daily for 15 wk in a double-blind study. All subjects received an oral live attenuated poliomyelitis vaccine after 6 wk and enriched stable (74)Se intravenously 3 wk later.

RESULTS

Selenium supplementation increased plasma selenium concentrations, the body exchangeable selenium pool (measured by using (74)Se), and lymphocyte phospholipid and cytosolic glutathione peroxidase activities. Selenium supplements augmented the cellular immune response through an increased production of interferon gamma and other cytokines, an earlier peak T cell proliferation, and an increase in T helper cells. Humoral immune responses were unaffected. Selenium-supplemented subjects also showed more rapid clearance of the poliovirus, and the poliovirus reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction products recovered from the feces of the supplemented subjects contained a lower number of mutations.

CONCLUSIONS

The data indicate that these subjects had a functional selenium deficit with suboptimal immune status and a deficit in viral handling. They also suggest that the additional 100 microg Se/d may be insufficient to support optimal function.

Yeasts present during wine fermentation: comparative analysis of conventional plating and PCR-TTGE

Yeasts isolated from must before and during fermentation at a wine cellar of La Mancha region in Spain were characterised using Polymerase Chain Reaction / Restriction Fragments Lengths Polymorphism and Polymerase Chain Reaction / Temporal Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis. S. cerevisiae strains were differentiated using mtDNA restriction analysis. Direct PCR-TTGE was also used to study biodiversity during wine fermentation, and revealed the variations in the population. It was observed that isolation by conventional plating may afford a skewed view of the strains taking part in wine fermentation.

Detection of clonal T-cell receptor-gamma gene rearrangement by PCR/temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis

Limited combinatorial and junctional diversity in TCR-gamma gene rearrangement can result in amplification products that are difficult to interpret when analyzed by conventional gel electrophoresis methods that separate DNA based on size (polymerase chain reaction [PCR]/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis [PAGE]). We describe a simple approach to the detection of clonal TCR-gamma gene rearrangement using temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) that uses a gradual and uniform increase in the temperature of a constant denaturing gel to resolve different DNA molecules based on base pair composition. We tested 42 clinical specimens (30 blood specimens and 12 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues) for T-cell clonality by PCR/PAGE and PCR/TTGE. Concordant results were obtained in only 22 specimens (52%). Of the 20 discordant cases, 18 samples were positive by TTGE and negative by PAGE. For all of the discordant cases, the TTGE yielded results that correlated better with the clinical data than did the PAGE method. We conclude that PCR/TTGE is more accurate and easier to perform than current methods for detecting clonal populations of T cells.

Improved detection of CFTR mutations in Southern California Hispanic CF patients

Mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene cause cystic fibrosis (CF), a common autosomal recessive disease in Caucasians. The broad mutation spectrum varies among different patient groups. Current molecular diagnoses are designed to detect 80-97% of CF chromosomes in Caucasians and Ashkenazi Jews but have a much lower detection rate in Hispanic CF patients. Grebe et al. [1994] reported a 58% detection rate in Hispanic patients. Since then, there has been no large-scale, complete mutational analysis of Hispanic CF patients. In this study, the mutations in 62 Hispanic patients from southern California were investigated. The entire coding and flanking intronic regions of the CFTR gene were analyzed by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) followed by sequencing to identify the mutations. Eleven novel mutations were discovered in this patient group: 3876delA, 406-1G>A, 935delA, 663delT, 3271delGG, 2105-2117del13insAGAAA, 3199del6, Q179K, 2108delA, 3171delC, and 3500-2A>T. Among the mutations, seven were out-of-frame insertions and deletions that result in truncated proteins, two were splice-site mutations, one was an in-frame 6 bp deletion, and one was a missense mutation that involved the non-conservative change of glutamine-179 to lysine. All patients presented severe classical clinical course with pancreatic insufficiency and poor growth, consistent with the nature of truncation mutation. The results indicate that TTGE screening following the analysis of recurrent mutations will substantially improve the mutation detection rate for Hispanic CF patients from southern California.

Multiplicity of aromatic ring hydroxylation dioxygenase genes in a strong PCB degrader, Rhodococcus sp. strain RHA1 demonstrated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis

To address the multiplicity of aromatic ring hydroxylation dioxygenases, we used PCR amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The amplified DNA fragments separated into five bands, A to E. Southern hybridization analysis of RHA1 total DNA using the probes for each band showed that band C originated from a couple of homologous genes. The nucleotide sequences of the bands showed that bands A, C, and E would be parts of new dioxygenase genes in RHA1. That of band B agreed with the bphA1 gene, which was characterized previously. That of band D did not correspond to any known gene sequences. The regions including the entire open reading frames (ORFs) were cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequences of ORFs suggested that the genes of bands A, C, and E may respectively encode benzoate, biphenyl, and polyhydrocarbon dioxygenases. Northern hybridization indicated the induction of the gene of band A by benzoate and biphenyl, and that of the gene of band C by biphenyl and ethylbenzene, supporting the above notions. The gene of band E was not induced by any of these substrates. Thus the combination of DGGE and Southern hybridization enable us to address the multiplicity of the ring hydroxylation dioxygenase genes and to isolate some of them.

Temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) as a tool for identification of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus zeae and Lactobacillus rhamnosus

AIMS

To develop a tool for rapid and inexpensive identification of the Lactobacillus casei complex.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus zeae and Lactobacillus rhamnosus were identified by PCR-amplification of the segment between the U1 and U2 regions of 16S rDNA (position 8-357, Escherichia coli numbering) and temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE). Seven tested Lact. paracasei strains were divided into three TTGE-subgroups.

CONCLUSION

TTGE successfully distinguished between the closely-related target species. TTGE is also a powerful method for revealing sequence heterogeneities in the 16S rRNA genes.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Due to rapid and easy performance, TTGE of PCR-amplified 16S rDNA fragments will be useful for the identification of extended numbers of isolates.

Molecular genetics of glycogen-storage disease type 1a in Chinese patients of Taiwan

The mutation spectrum of the glucose 6-phosphatase (G6Pase) gene in Chinese patients with type 1a glycogen-storage disease of Taiwan was studied by PCR/RFLP, temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis, and direct DNA sequencing methods. In addition to the two most prevalent mutations, 727G --> T (44.4%) and R83H (36.1%), that were detected by RFLP analysis, five other mutations, 341delG, 933insAA, Q104X, I341N, and H119L were identified. The frameshift mutations (341delG and 933insAA) and the nonsense mutation (Q104X) that produce truncated proteins are predicted to be disease-causing. The missense mutation, I341N, occurring in the last transmembrane domain of the ER-bound enzyme, retains a small amount of residual activity of approximately 10%. Except for R83H, the mutations have been described only in Asians. H119L, however, is of particular interest because of the essential role of the catalytic histidine of phosphohydrolase. This amino acid is believed to be involved in the formation of the phosphoryl-enzyme intermediate during catalysis. The patient who was compound heterozygous for 727G --> T and H119L mutations had essentially no G6Pase activity in her liver biopsy. This observation is consistent with the importance of H119L in catalysis.

A novel mutation detected by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis led to the confirmative prenatal diagnosis of a Hispanic CF family

Mutational analysis of 30 recurrent known mutations detects only about 58% of Hispanic cystic fibrosis (CF) chromosomes. The low mutation detection rate has greatly hindered prenatal diagnosis and carrier testing of Hispanic families who have multiple affected children with unidentified cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutations. We recently employed a temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) method to effectively scan unknown mutations in the entire CFTR gene. A novel mutation, 2105-2117 del13insAGAAA was identified in a Hispanic family heterozygous for delta F508. The discovery of the devastating mutation facilitated the prenatal diagnosis for this family who already had two severely affected children. The fetus was found to be a compound heterozygote of delta F508/2105-2117 del13insAGAAA. This case emphasizes the importance of whole gene mutational analysis in patients with a clinical diagnosis of CF, but without the identifiable DNA mutations by routine mutation analysis. Finding of CF mutations in the patient would allow proper genetic counselling and prenatal and carrier detection of at-risk family members.

A novel CFTR frame-shift mutation, 935delA, in two Hispanic cystic fibrosis patients

The currently available mutation analysis panel detects about 50-60% of CFTR mutations in Hispanic patients. In order to search for Hispanic CF mutations, we developed a temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) method to screen for unknown mutations. Using TTGE to study the CFTR gene has lead to the discovery of many novel mutations in Hispanic patients. A novel frame-shift mutation, 935delA, was found in two unrelated patients. One was heterozygous for two novel frame-shift mutations, 663delT and 935delA, and the other was heterozygous for DeltaF508 and 935delA. Both patients showed severe phenotype with meconium ileus, pancreatic insufficiency, and early pulmonary microbial colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Patient 1 died at 4 years of age. Patient 2 had an upper lobectomy. The 935delA mutation produces a truncated polypeptide with only 21% of the full-length protein. The severe course of clinical manifestation is consistent with two oppressively truncated mutant polypeptides encoded by both mutant alleles in patient 1 and the compound heterozygosity truncation and DeltaF508 mutations in patient 2.

Detection of point mutations by capillary electrophoresis with temporal temperature gradients

By combining the advantages of capillary electrophoresis and temperature gradient gel electrophoresis, a method was developed to detect point mutations in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragments. Increasing and decreasing temporal temperature gradients were established by means of a computer-controlled Peltier module. Native and denaturing conditions were achieved by cooling to 25 degrees C and heating to 70 degrees C, respectively, a thermostating liquid surrounding the capillary. To separate nucleic acid fragments, a sieving media, containing 4% linear polyacrylamide, 1 x Tris borate EDTA buffer (TBE) and 6 M urea, was found appropriate. Renewal of the sieving matrix before each run significantly improved the reproducibility of fragment separation. The ability of this capillary electrophoresis system to detect point mutations is demonstrated with the human prion-protein gene.

Detection of Mitochondrial DNA Mutations by Temporal Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis

Background: A unique requirement for the molecular diagnosis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) disorders is the ability to detect heteroplasmic mtDNA mutations and to distinguish them from homoplasmic sequence variations before further testing (e.g., sequencing) is performed. We evaluated the potential utility of temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TTGE) for these purposes in patients with suspected mtDNA mutations.

Methods: DNA samples were selected from patients with known mtDNA mutations and patients suspected of mtDNA disorders without detectable mutations by routine analysis. Six regions of mtDNA were PCR amplified and analyzed by TTGE. Electrophoresis was carried out at 145 V with a constant temperature increment of 1.2 °C/h. Mutations were identified by direct sequencing of the PCR products and confirmed by PCR/allele-specific oligonucleotide or PCR/restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

Results: In the experiments using patient samples containing various amounts of mutant mtDNA, TTGE detected as little as 4% mutant heteroplasmy and identified heteroplasmy in the presence of a homoplasmic polymorphism. In 109 specimens with 15 different known mutations, TTGE detected the presence of all mutations and distinguished heteroplasmic mutations from homoplasmic polymorphisms. When 11% of the mtDNA genome was analyzed by TTGE in 104 patients with clinically suspected mitochondrial disorders, 7 cases of heteroplasmy (≈7%) were detected.

Conclusions: TTGE distinguishes heteroplasmic mutation from homoplasmic polymorphisms and appears to be a sensitive tool for detection of sequence variations and heteroplasmy in patients suspected of having mtDNA disorders.

Detecting single base substitutions, mismatches and bulges in DNA by temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and related methods

Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) and related methods can separate DNA fragments that differ by a single base pair or defect. This article describes the basic features of TGGE, and reviews the theoretical model of DNA unwinding and its ability to predict DNA mobility in a temperature gradient gel. Recent applications of TGGE and related methods that were directed at detecting point mutations, and evaluating the effects of single site defects are also reported.

Analysis of clinically relevant, diagnostic DNA by capillary zone and double-gradient gel slab electrophoresis

A number of applications of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in sieving liquid polymers (notably linear polyacrylamides and cellulose) for the analysis of polymerase chain reaction products of clinically relevant, diagnostic DNA, are reviewed here. The fields covered are human genetics, quantitative gene dosage, microbiology and virology, forensic medicine and therapeutic DNA (notably antisense nucleotides). Some unique, novel developments are highlighted, such as (a) non-isocratic CZE, i.e., temperature-programmed CZE for detection of DNA point mutations and (b) the synthesis of novel N-substituted acrylamides, offering extreme resistance to alkaline hydrolysis, coupled with high hydrophilicity. In the field of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), as routinely performed in gel slabs, a novel methodology is described, i.e., double-gradient DGGE. In this technique, two gradients are simultaneously applied along the migration direction; a chemical denaturing gradient, for partially unwinding homo- and hetero-duplexes of DNA and a porosity gradient, for re-compacting diffuse bands melting over a broader range of denaturing conditions. Both the CZE and the slab gel methodologies, with the latest developments described in this review, appear to be promising tools for screening diagnostic DNA.

Capillary electrophoresis of DNA for molecular diagnostics

A number of applications of capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) in sieving liquid polymers (notably linear polyacrylamides and cellulose) for the analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of clinically relevant, diagnostic DNA, are reviewed. The fields covered are: human genetics, quantitative gene dosage, microbiology and virology, forensic medicine and therapeutic DNA (notably, antisense nucleotides). Some unique, novel developments are highlighted, such as: (i) nonisocratic CZE, i.e., temperature-programmed CZE for detection of DNA point mutations; (ii) the synthesis of novel N-substituted acrylamides, offering extreme resistance to alkaline hydrolysis coupled to high hydrophilicity. In the field of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), as routinely performed in gel slabs, a novel methodology is described in CZE: double-gradient DGGE. In this technique, two gradients are simultaneously applied along the migration direction: a chemical (or thermal) denaturing gradient, for partially unwinding homo- and hetero-duplexes of DNA, and a porosity gradient, for recompacting diffuse bands melting over a broader range of denaturing conditions. It is thus demonstrated that chemical gradients, in addition to temperature gradients, can be easily implemented even in a capillary format.

A comprehensive method to scan for point mutations of the glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase gene

We have developed a fast and comprehensive method to scan for point mutations in a gene on X chromosome. A target region of the gene is first amplified. Then, using the amplified product as a template, PCR is carried out with multiple short-length forward primers arrayed in tandem in the scanned region, and a common reverse primer. The absence of amplified product defines the site of a mutation within a narrow region of the primer recognition site. To evaluate our method, point mutations in exon 12 of the human glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) gene were used as a model system. Out of 12 Singaporean G6PD-deficient patients, 6 cases were shown by the method to have a nucleotide change in this exon. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of a nucleotide change in the region identified by our scanning. Thus, our method is accurate in localizing mutations within a narrow region, and allows large numbers of samples to be handled simultaneously.

Temperature-programmed capillary electrophoresis for the analysis of high-melting point mutants in thalassemias

The behavior of different sieving polymers for unambiguous determination of point mutations in genomic DNA, based on electrophoresis in thin capillaries, is evaluated. High melters from thalassemia patients are separated by exploiting the principle of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, in fact, of its variant utilizing temperature gradients (TGGE), along the migration path, encompassing the melting points of both homo- and heteroduplex, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA fragments. Unlike TGGE, where the temperature gradient exists along the separation space, the denaturing temperature gradient in the fused-silica capillaries is time-programmed, so as to reach the Tm's of all species under analysis prior to electrophoretic transport past the detector window. The DNA fragments are injected in a capillary maintained (by combined chemical and thermal means) just below the expected Tm values. The deltaT applied is rather minute (1-1.5 degrees C) and the temperature gradient quite shallow (e.g., 0.05 degrees C/min). The denaturing thermal gradient is generated internally, via Joule heat produced by voltage ramps. This method is applied to the analysis of the most common point mutations in thalassemias, characterized by being high melters (in the temperature range of 60-62 degrees C) in presence of 6 M urea. Point mutants are fully resolved into a spectrum of four bands only when poly(N-acryloylaminopropanol) and hydroxyethylcellulose are used. However, the former offers the best separation capability at such high temperatures.

Scanning for mutations in the human prion protein open reading frame by temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis

Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome (GSS), fatal familial insomnia (FFI) and familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) are caused by point mutations or octarepeat insertions in the prion protein (PrP) gene. In the present work a method was established that is appropriate for a thorough screening for mutations in the PrP gene and is generally applicable to screenings of any given gene. Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) was modified at two critical steps by UV cross-linking of the DNA strands and by replacing the spatial gradient with a temporal one. The shift of a DNA band in temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (tTGGE) due to a mutation can be calculated as a function of the position of the mutation in the sequence. Appropriate DNA fragments were selected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and analysis by tTGGE on the basis that the predicted band shifts amount to more than 10% of the migration distance for all possible mutations. The accuracy of the prediction was tested experimentally with ten known mutations in the human PrP gene, and quantitative agreement between theory and experiment was achieved. Thus, this screening method is also a suitable means to verify the absence of mutations in a given gene segment.

A program for selecting DNA fragments to detect mutations by denaturing gel electrophoresis methods

A computer program was developed to automate the selection of DNA fragments for detecting mutations within a long DNA sequence by denaturing gel electrophoresis methods. The program, MELTSCAN, scans through a user specified DNA sequence calculating the melting behavior of overlapping DNA fragments covering the sequence. Melting characteristics of the fragments are analyzed to determine the best fragment for detecting mutations at each base pair position in the sequence. The calculation also determines the optimal fragment for detecting mutations within a user specified mutational hot spot region. The program is built around the statistical mechanical model of the DNA melting transition. The optimal fragment for a given position is selected using the criteria that its melting curve has at least two steps, the base pair position is in the fragment's lowest melting domain, and the melting domain has the smallest number of base pairs among fragments that meet the first two criteria. The program predicted fragments for detecting mutations in the cDNA and genomic DNA of the human p53 gene.

Increased detection of polymorphism among randomly amplified wheat DNA fragments using a modified temperature sweep gel electrophoresis (TSGE) technique

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Single-strand conformation polymorphisms (SSCPs) detected in five bovine genes

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers designed to amplify bovine specific sequences of the arginine-vasopressin (ARVP), glycoprotein hormone alpha (CGA), cytochrome oxidase c subunit IV pseudogene (COXP), prochymosin (CYM), coagulation factor X (F10), inhibin beta A (INHBA), low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and oxytocin (OXT) genes in hybrid cells were used in a search for single strand conformation polymorphisms. DNA from 75 animals comprising crossbred and 7 purebred breeds were analysed. ARVP, COXP, CYM, LDLR and OXT were found to be polymorphic while CGA, F10 and INHBA were not. Polymorphic regions were identified within 206 bp of exon 1 of ARVP, 582 bp of the pseudogene COXP, 253 bp of exon 9 of CYM, 519 bp of LDLR cDNA and 160 bp of the upstream regulatory region of OXT. This is the first report of bovine polymorphisms for these genes and an important step in our goal to incorporate type I comparative anchor loci into the bovine linkage map. Polymorphic loci were subsequently analysed in pedigreed full-sib families and shown to be inherited in a Mendelian fashion.

Mutational analysis by a combined application of the multiple restriction fragment-single strand conformation polymorphism and the direct linear amplification DNA sequencing protocols

We describe here an improved procedure for polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) for rapid mutational detection. To circumvent the restriction of having to analyze relatively short PCR fragments, restriction endonucleases were used to cleave a longer PCR product and the mixture of fragments was analyzed directly in SSCP gel electrophoresis. This multiple restriction fragment (MRF)-SSCP protocol was demonstrated by the detection of a 4-bp deletion in codons 41-42 and a point mutation in the IVS-2 sequence of the human beta-globin gene. The MRF-SSCP or the standard SSCP protocol was then combined with the linear amplification DNA sequencing (LADS) procedure for direct analysis of the PCR products without further purification for an exact characterization of the mutations detected. In the LADS analysis, homo- or heterozygosity of a mutation was easily distinguished by the appearance of a single- or double-lane band in the sequencing gel. The choice of isotope used and different labeling methods were compared and were found, in some cases, to produce SSCP patterns of different complexities. The combined MRF-SSCP/LADS protocol permits rapid mutational analysis of a large number of clinical samples using only very small amounts of materials and can easily be adopted for nonisotopic clinical applications.

Detection of mutations in DNA

Methods for detecting known and unknown mutations are becoming increasingly important as new disease genes are identified and new mutations are found in them. These methods are also expensive and time consuming. Over the past year major efforts have been directed towards developing new assays and making current assays faster and cheaper.