1
|
Doss RK, Palmer M, Mead DA, Hedlund BP. Functional biology and biotechnology of thermophilic viruses. Essays Biochem 2023; 67:671-684. [PMID: 37222046 PMCID: PMC10423840 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Viruses have developed sophisticated biochemical and genetic mechanisms to manipulate and exploit their hosts. Enzymes derived from viruses have been essential research tools since the first days of molecular biology. However, most viral enzymes that have been commercialized are derived from a small number of cultivated viruses, which is remarkable considering the extraordinary diversity and abundance of viruses revealed by metagenomic analysis. Given the explosion of new enzymatic reagents derived from thermophilic prokaryotes over the past 40 years, those obtained from thermophilic viruses should be equally potent tools. This review discusses the still-limited state of the art regarding the functional biology and biotechnology of thermophilic viruses with a focus on DNA polymerases, ligases, endolysins, and coat proteins. Functional analysis of DNA polymerases and primase-polymerases from phages infecting Thermus, Aquificaceae, and Nitratiruptor has revealed new clades of enzymes with strong proofreading and reverse transcriptase capabilities. Thermophilic RNA ligase 1 homologs have been characterized from Rhodothermus and Thermus phages, with both commercialized for circularization of single-stranded templates. Endolysins from phages infecting Thermus, Meiothermus, and Geobacillus have shown high stability and unusually broad lytic activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, making them targets for commercialization as antimicrobials. Coat proteins from thermophilic viruses infecting Sulfolobales and Thermus strains have been characterized, with diverse potential applications as molecular shuttles. To gauge the scale of untapped resources for these proteins, we also document over 20,000 genes encoded by uncultivated viral genomes from high-temperature environments that encode DNA polymerase, ligase, endolysin, or coat protein domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan K Doss
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
| | - Marike Palmer
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
| | | | - Brian P Hedlund
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
- Nevada Institute of Personalized Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Liu H, Kheirvari M, Tumban E. Potential Applications of Thermophilic Bacteriophages in One Health. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:8222. [PMID: 37175929 PMCID: PMC10179064 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteriophages have a wide range of applications such as combating antibiotic resistance, preventing food contamination for food safety, and as biomarkers to indirectly assess the quality of water. Additionally, bacteriophage components (endolysins and coat proteins) have a lot of applications in food processing, vaccine design, and the delivery of cargo to the body. Therefore, bacteriophages/components have a multitude of applications in human, plant/veterinary, and environmental health (One Health). Despite their versatility, bacteriophage/component use is mostly limited to temperatures within 4-40 °C. This limits their applications (e.g., in food processing conditions, pasteurization, and vaccine design). Advances in thermophilic bacteriophage research have uncovered novel thermophilic endolysins (e.g., ΦGVE2 amidase and MMPphg) that can be used in food processing and in veterinary medicine. The endolysins are thermostable at temperatures > 65 °C and have broad antimicrobial activities. In addition to thermophilic endolysins, enzymes (DNA polymerase and ligases) derived from thermophages have different applications in molecular biology/biotechnology: to generate DNA libraries and develop diagnostics for human and animal pathogens. Furthermore, coat proteins from thermophages are being explored to develop virus-like particle platforms with versatile applications in human and animal health. Overall, bacteriophages, especially those that are thermophilic, have a plethora of applications in One Health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ebenezer Tumban
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Qin X, Wang X, Xu K, Zhang Y, Tian H, Li Y, Qi B, Yang X. Quantitative analysis of miRNAs using SplintR ligase-mediated ligation of complementary-pairing probes enhanced by RNase H (SPLICER)-qPCR. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 31:241-255. [PMID: 36700047 PMCID: PMC9842969 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2022.12.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Here, a method using SplintR ligase-mediated ligation of complementary-pairing probes enhanced by RNase H (SPLICER) for miRNAs quantification was established. The strategy has two steps: (1) ligation of two DNA probes specifically hybridize to target miRNA and (2) qPCR amplifying the ligated probe. The miRNA-binding regions of the probes are stem-looped, a motif significantly reduces nonspecific ligation at high ligation temperature (65°C). The ends of the probes are designed complementary to form a paired probe, facilitating the recognition of target miRNAs with low concentrations. RNase H proved to be able to stabilize the heteroduplex formed by the probe and target miRNA, contributing to enhanced sensitivity (limit of detection = 60 copies). High specificity (discriminating homology miRNAs differing only one nucleotide), wide dynamic range (seven orders of magnitude) and ability to accurately detect plant miRNAs (immune to hindrance of 2'-O-methyl moiety) enable SPLICER comparable with the commercially available TaqMan and miRCURY assays. SYBR green I, rather than expensive hydrolysis or locked nucleic acid probes indispensable to TaqMan and miRCURY assays, is adequate for SPLICER. The method was efficient (<1 h), economical ($7 per sample), and robust (able to detect xeno-miRNAs in mammalian bodies), making it a powerful tool for molecular diagnosis and corresponding therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinshu Qin
- College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710062, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xingyu Wang
- College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710062, Shaanxi, China,Corresponding author: Xingyu Wang, College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Ke Xu
- Department of Joint Surgery, Hong Hui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Hongye Tian
- College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710062, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yinglei Li
- College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710062, Shaanxi, China
| | - Bangran Qi
- College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710062, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xingbin Yang
- College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710062, Shaanxi, China,Corresponding author: Xingbin Yang, College of Food Engineering and Nutritional Science, Shaanxi Normal University, No. 620 West Chang’an Avenue, Xi’an 710054, Shaanxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Microbial Diversity and Phage-Host Interactions in the Georgian Coastal Area of the Black Sea Revealed by Whole Genome Metagenomic Sequencing. Mar Drugs 2020; 18:md18110558. [PMID: 33202695 PMCID: PMC7697616 DOI: 10.3390/md18110558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses have the greatest abundance and highest genetic diversity in marine ecosystems. The interactions between viruses and their hosts is one of the hot spots of marine ecology. Besides their important role in various ecosystems, viruses, especially bacteriophages and their gene pool, are of enormous interest for the development of new gene products with high innovation value. Various studies have been conducted in diverse ecosystems to understand microbial diversity and phage-host interactions; however, the Black Sea, especially the Eastern coastal area, remains among the least studied ecosystems in this regard. This study was aimed at to fill this gap by analyzing microbial diversity and bacteriophage-host interactions in the waters of Eastern Black Sea using a metagenomic approach. To this end, prokaryotic and viral metagenomic DNA from two sampling sites, Poti and Gonio, were sequenced on the Illumina Miseq platform and taxonomic and functional profiles of the metagenomes were obtained using various bioinformatics tools. Our metagenomics analyses allowed us to identify the microbial communities, with Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Actinibacteria, and Firmicutes found to be the most dominant bacterial phyla and Synechococcus and Candidatus Pelagibacter phages found to be the most dominant viral groups in the Black Sea. As minor groups, putative phages specific to human pathogens were identified in the metagenomes. We also characterized interactions between the phages and prokaryotic communities by determining clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), prophage-like sequences, and integrase/excisionase sequences in the metagenomes, along with identification of putative horizontally transferred genes in the viral contigs. In addition, in the viral contig sequences related to peptidoglycan lytic activity were identified as well. This is the first study on phage and prokaryote diversity and their interactions in the Eastern coastal area of the Black Sea using a metagenomic approach.
Collapse
|
5
|
Zhang W, Wu Q. Applications of phage-derived RNA-based technologies in synthetic biology. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2020; 5:343-360. [PMID: 33083579 PMCID: PMC7564126 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
As the most abundant biological entities with incredible diversity, bacteriophages (also known as phages) have been recognized as an important source of molecular machines for the development of genetic-engineering tools. At the same time, phages are crucial for establishing and improving basic theories of molecular biology. Studies on phages provide rich sources of essential elements for synthetic circuit design as well as powerful support for the improvement of directed evolution platforms. Therefore, phages play a vital role in the development of new technologies and central scientific concepts. After the RNA world hypothesis was proposed and developed, novel biological functions of RNA continue to be discovered. RNA and its related elements are widely used in many fields such as metabolic engineering and medical diagnosis, and their versatility led to a major role of RNA in synthetic biology. Further development of RNA-based technologies will advance synthetic biological tools as well as provide verification of the RNA world hypothesis. Most synthetic biology efforts are based on reconstructing existing biological systems, understanding fundamental biological processes, and developing new technologies. RNA-based technologies derived from phages will offer abundant sources for synthetic biological components. Moreover, phages as well as RNA have high impact on biological evolution, which is pivotal for understanding the origin of life, building artificial life-forms, and precisely reprogramming biological systems. This review discusses phage-derived RNA-based technologies terms of phage components, the phage lifecycle, and interactions between phages and bacteria. The significance of RNA-based technology derived from phages for synthetic biology and for understanding the earliest stages of biological evolution will be highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Zhang
- MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- Corresponding author. MOE Key Lab. Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Miura F, Shibata Y, Miura M, Sangatsuda Y, Hisano O, Araki H, Ito T. Highly efficient single-stranded DNA ligation technique improves low-input whole-genome bisulfite sequencing by post-bisulfite adaptor tagging. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:e85. [PMID: 31114914 PMCID: PMC6736019 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) is the current gold standard of methylome analysis. Post-bisulfite adaptor tagging (PBAT) is an increasingly popular WGBS protocol because of high sensitivity and low bias. PBAT originally relied on two rounds of random priming for adaptor-tagging of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to attain high efficiency but at a cost of library insert length. To overcome this limitation, we developed terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-assisted adenylate connector-mediated ssDNA (TACS) ligation as an alternative to random priming. In this method, TdT attaches adenylates to the 3′-end of input ssDNA, which are then utilized by RNA ligase as an efficient connector to the ssDNA adaptor. A protocol that uses TACS ligation instead of the second random priming step substantially increased the lengths of PBAT library fragments. Moreover, we devised a dual-library strategy that splits the input DNA to prepare two libraries with reciprocal adaptor polarity, combining them prior to sequencing. This strategy ensured an ideal base–color balance to eliminate the need for DNA spike-in for color compensation, further improving the throughput and quality of WGBS. Adopting the above strategies to the HiSeq X Ten and NovaSeq 6000 platforms, we established a cost-effective, high-quality WGBS, which should accelerate various methylome analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumihito Miura
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.,Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yukiko Shibata
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Miki Miura
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Yuhei Sangatsuda
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Osamu Hisano
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Hiromitsu Araki
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Takashi Ito
- Department of Biochemistry, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Hjorleifsdottir S, Aevarsson A, Hreggvidsson GO, Fridjonsson OH, Kristjansson JK. Isolation, growth and genome of the Rhodothermus RM378 thermophilic bacteriophage. Extremophiles 2013; 18:261-70. [PMID: 24318108 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-013-0613-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Several bacteriophages that infect different strains of the thermophilic bacterium Rhodothermus marinus were isolated and their infection pattern was studied. One phage, named RM378 was cultivated and characterized. The RM378 genome was also sequenced and analyzed. The phage was grouped as a member of the Myoviridae family with A2 morphology. It had a moderately elongated head, with dimensions of 85 and 95 nm between opposite apices and a 150 nm long tail, attached with a connector to the head. RM378 showed a virulent behavior that followed a lytic cycle of infection. It routinely gave lysates with 10(11) pfu/ml, and sometimes reached titers as high as 10(13) pfu/ml. The titer remained stable up to 65 °C but the phage lost viability when incubated at higher temperatures. Heating for 30 min at 96 °C lowered the titer by 10(4). The RM378 genome consisted of ds DNA of 129.908 bp with a GC ratio of 42.0% and contained about 120 ORFs. A few structural proteins, such as the major head protein corresponding to the gp23 in T4, could be identified. Only 29 gene products as probable homologs to other proteins of known function could be predicted, with most showing only low similarity to known proteins in other bacteriophages. These and other studies based on sequence analysis of a large number of phage genomes showed RM378 to be distantly related to all other known T4-like phages.
Collapse
|
8
|
Structure-function analysis of Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum RNA ligase - engineering a thermostable ATP independent enzyme. BMC Mol Biol 2012; 13:24. [PMID: 22809063 PMCID: PMC3514331 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2199-13-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2012] [Accepted: 07/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background RNA ligases are essential reagents for many methods in molecular biology including NextGen RNA sequencing. To prevent ligation of RNA to itself, ATP independent mutant ligases, defective in self-adenylation, are often used in combination with activated pre-adenylated linkers. It is important that these ligases not have de-adenylation activity, which can result in activation of RNA and formation of background ligation products. An additional useful feature is for the ligase to be active at elevated temperatures. This has the advantage or reducing preferences caused by structures of single-stranded substrates and linkers. Results To create an RNA ligase with these desirable properties we performed mutational analysis of the archaeal thermophilic RNA ligase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. We identified amino acids essential for ATP binding and reactivity but dispensable for phosphodiester bond formation with 5’ pre-adenylated donor substrate. The motif V lysine mutant (K246A) showed reduced activity in the first two steps of ligation reaction. The mutant has full ligation activity with pre-adenylated substrates but retained the undesirable activity of deadenylation, which is the reverse of step 2 adenylation. A second mutant, an alanine substitution for the catalytic lysine in motif I (K97A) abolished activity in the first two steps of the ligation reaction, but preserved wild type ligation activity in step 3. The activity of the K97A mutant is similar with either pre-adenylated RNA or single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) as donor substrates but we observed two-fold preference for RNA as an acceptor substrate compared to ssDNA with an identical sequence. In contrast, truncated T4 RNA ligase 2, the commercial enzyme used in these applications, is significantly more active using pre-adenylated RNA as a donor compared to pre-adenylated ssDNA. However, the T4 RNA ligases are ineffective in ligating ssDNA acceptors. Conclusions Mutational analysis of the heat stable RNA ligase from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum resulted in the creation of an ATP independent ligase. The K97A mutant is defective in the first two steps of ligation but retains full activity in ligation of either RNA or ssDNA to a pre-adenylated linker. The ability of the ligase to function at 65°C should reduce the constraints of RNA secondary structure in RNA ligation experiments.
Collapse
|
9
|
Reis AMC, Mills WK, Ramachandran I, Friedberg EC, Thompson D, Queimado L. Targeted detection of in vivo endogenous DNA base damage reveals preferential base excision repair in the transcribed strand. Nucleic Acids Res 2011; 40:206-19. [PMID: 21911361 PMCID: PMC3245927 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkr704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Endogenous DNA damage is removed mainly via base excision repair (BER), however, whether there is preferential strand repair of endogenous DNA damage is still under intense debate. We developed a highly sensitive primer-anchored DNA damage detection assay (PADDA) to map and quantify in vivo endogenous DNA damage. Using PADDA, we documented significantly higher levels of endogenous damage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells in stationary phase than in exponential phase. We also documented that yeast BER-defective cells have significantly higher levels of endogenous DNA damage than isogenic wild-type cells at any phase of growth. PADDA provided detailed fingerprint analysis at the single-nucleotide level, documenting for the first time that persistent endogenous nucleotide damage in CAN1 co-localizes with previously reported spontaneous CAN1 mutations. To quickly and reliably quantify endogenous strand-specific DNA damage in the constitutively expressed CAN1 gene, we used PADDA on a real-time PCR setting. We demonstrate that wild-type cells repair endogenous damage preferentially on the CAN1 transcribed strand. In contrast, yeast BER-defective cells accumulate endogenous damage preferentially on the CAN1 transcribed strand. These data provide the first direct evidence for preferential strand repair of endogenous DNA damage and documents the major role of BER in this process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- António M C Reis
- Department of Dermatology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Hafner M, Renwick N, Brown M, Mihailović A, Holoch D, Lin C, Pena JT, Nusbaum JD, Morozov P, Ludwig J, Ojo T, Luo S, Schroth G, Tuschl T. RNA-ligase-dependent biases in miRNA representation in deep-sequenced small RNA cDNA libraries. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2011; 17:1697-712. [PMID: 21775473 PMCID: PMC3162335 DOI: 10.1261/rna.2799511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 256] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Sequencing of small RNA cDNA libraries is an important tool for the discovery of new RNAs and the analysis of their mutational status as well as expression changes across samples. It requires multiple enzyme-catalyzed steps, including sequential oligonucleotide adapter ligations to the 3' and 5' ends of the small RNAs, reverse transcription (RT), and PCR. We assessed biases in representation of miRNAs relative to their input concentration, using a pool of 770 synthetic miRNAs and 45 calibrator oligoribonucleotides, and tested the influence of Rnl1 and two variants of Rnl2, Rnl2(1-249) and Rnl2(1-249)K227Q, for 3'-adapter ligation. The use of the Rnl2 variants for adapter ligations yielded substantially fewer side products compared with Rnl1; however, the benefits of using Rnl2 remained largely obscured by additional biases in the 5'-adapter ligation step; RT and PCR steps did not have a significant impact on read frequencies. Intramolecular secondary structures of miRNA and/or miRNA/3'-adapter products contributed to these biases, which were highly reproducible under defined experimental conditions. We used the synthetic miRNA cocktail to derive correction factors for approximation of the absolute levels of individual miRNAs in biological samples. Finally, we evaluated the influence of 5'-terminal 5-nt barcode extensions for a set of 20 barcoded 3' adapters and observed similar biases in miRNA read distribution, thereby enabling cost-saving multiplex analysis for large-scale miRNA profiling.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Markus Hafner
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Neil Renwick
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Miguel Brown
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Aleksandra Mihailović
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Daniel Holoch
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Carolina Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - John T.G. Pena
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Dyson Vision Research Institute, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Nusbaum
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Pavel Morozov
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Janos Ludwig
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Tolulope Ojo
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Shujun Luo
- Illumina, Inc., Hayward, California 94545, USA
| | | | - Thomas Tuschl
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Corresponding author.E-mail .
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Genomic and proteomic characterization of the broad-host-range Salmonella phage PVP-SE1: creation of a new phage genus. J Virol 2011; 85:11265-73. [PMID: 21865376 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01769-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
(Bacterio)phage PVP-SE1, isolated from a German wastewater plant, presents a high potential value as a biocontrol agent and as a diagnostic tool, even compared to the well-studied typing phage Felix 01, due to its broad lytic spectrum against different Salmonella strains. Sequence analysis of its genome (145,964 bp) shows it to be terminally redundant and circularly permuted. Its G+C content, 45.6 mol%, is lower than that of its hosts (50 to 54 mol%). We found a total of 244 open reading frames (ORFs), representing 91.6% of the coding capacity of the genome. Approximately 46% of encoded proteins are unique to this phage, and 22.1% of the proteins could be functionally assigned. This myovirus encodes a large number of tRNAs (n=24), reflecting its lytic capacity and evolution through different hosts. Tandem mass spectrometric analysis using electron spray ionization revealed 25 structural proteins as part of the mature phage particle. The genome sequence was found to share homology with 140 proteins of the Escherichia coli bacteriophage rV5. Both phages are unrelated to any other known virus, which suggests that an "rV5-like virus" genus should be created within the Myoviridae to contain these two phages.
Collapse
|
12
|
Klaiman D, Kaufmann G. Phage T4-induced dTTP accretion bolsters a tRNase-based host defense. Virology 2011; 414:97-101. [PMID: 21481433 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2011.03.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2011] [Revised: 03/12/2011] [Accepted: 03/18/2011] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The anticodon nuclease (ACNase) PrrC is silenced in Escherichia coli by an associated DNA restriction-modification protein, activated by the phage T4-encoded anti-DNA restriction factor Stp and counteracted by T4's tRNA repair enzymes polynucleotide kinase and RNA ligase 1. Hence, only tRNA repair-deficient phages succumb to PrrC's restriction. PrrC's ABC-ATPase motor domains are implicated in driving its activation by hydrolyzing GTP and in stabilizing the activated ACNase by avidly binding dTTP. The latter effect has been associated with dTTP's accumulation early in T4 infection when PrrC is activated. In agreement, delayed dTTP accumulation caused by dCMP deaminase deficiency coincided with impaired manifestation of PrrC's ACNase activity. This impairment did not suffice to suppress the PrrC-mediated restriction of tRNA repair deficient phage but was synthetically suppressive with a leaky stp mutation that only partly impairs PrrC's activation. Presumably, ability to gauge dTTP's changing level helps confine PrrC's toxicity to its viral target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Klaiman
- Department of Biochemistry, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Kumar P, Johnston BH, Kazakov SA. miR-ID: a novel, circularization-based platform for detection of microRNAs. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2011; 17:365-80. [PMID: 21169480 PMCID: PMC3022285 DOI: 10.1261/rna.2490111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2010] [Accepted: 11/10/2010] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression and have great potential as biomarkers, prognostic indicators, and therapeutic targets. Determining the expression patterns of these molecules is essential for elucidating their biogenesis, regulation, relation to disease, and response to therapy. Although PCR-based assays are commonly used for expression profiling of miRNAs, the small size, sequence heterogeneity, and (in some cases) end modifications of miRNAs constrain the performance of existing PCR methods. Here we introduce miR-ID, a novel method that avoids these constraints while providing superior sensitivity and sequence specificity at a lower cost. It also has the unique ability to differentiate unmodified small RNAs from those carrying 2'-OMe groups at their 3'-ends while detecting both forms. miR-ID is comprised of the following steps: (1) circularization of the miRNA by a ligase; (2) reverse transcription of the circularized miRNA (RTC), producing tandem repeats of a DNA sequence complementary to the miRNA; and (3) qPCR amplification of segments of this multimeric cDNA using 5'-overlapping primers and a nonspecific dye such as SYBR Green. No chemically modified probes (e.g., TaqMan) or primers (e.g., LNA) are required. The circular RNA and multimeric cDNA templates provide unmatched flexibility in the positioning of primers, which may include straddling the boundaries between these repetitive miRNA sequences. miR-ID is based on new findings that are themselves of general interest, including reverse transcription of small RNA circles and the use of 5'-overlapping primers for detection of repetitive sequences by qPCR.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Kumar
- Somagenics, Inc., Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
14
|
Heyn P, Stenzel U, Briggs AW, Kircher M, Hofreiter M, Meyer M. Road blocks on paleogenomes--polymerase extension profiling reveals the frequency of blocking lesions in ancient DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2010; 38:e161. [PMID: 20587499 PMCID: PMC2938203 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkq572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the last few years have seen great progress in DNA sequence retrieval from fossil specimens, some of the characteristics of ancient DNA remain poorly understood. This is particularly true for blocking lesions, i.e. chemical alterations that cannot be bypassed by DNA polymerases and thus prevent amplification and subsequent sequencing of affected molecules. Some studies have concluded that the vast majority of ancient DNA molecules carry blocking lesions, suggesting that the removal, repair or bypass of blocking lesions might dramatically increase both the time depth and geographical range of specimens available for ancient DNA analysis. However, previous studies used very indirect detection methods that did not provide conclusive estimates on the frequency of blocking lesions in endogenous ancient DNA. We developed a new method, polymerase extension profiling (PEP), that directly reveals occurrences of polymerase stalling on DNA templates. By sequencing thousands of single primer extension products using PEP methodology, we have for the first time directly identified blocking lesions in ancient DNA on a single molecule level. Although we found clear evidence for blocking lesions in three out of four ancient samples, no more than 40% of the molecules were affected in any of the samples, indicating that such modifications are far less frequent in ancient DNA than previously thought.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Heyn
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Functional viral metagenomics and the next generation of molecular tools. Trends Microbiol 2009; 18:20-9. [PMID: 19896852 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2009.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2009] [Revised: 10/14/2009] [Accepted: 10/19/2009] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The enzymes of bacteriophages and other viruses have been essential research tools since the first days of molecular biology. However, the current repertoire of viral enzymes only hints at their overall potential. The most commonly used enzymes are derived from a surprisingly small number of cultivated viruses, which is remarkable considering the extreme abundance and diversity of viruses revealed over the past decade by metagenomic analysis. To access the treasure trove of enzymes hidden in the global virosphere and develop them for research, therapeutic and diagnostic uses, improvements are needed in our ability to rapidly and efficiently discover, express and characterize viral genes to produce useful proteins. In this paper, we discuss improvements to sampling and cloning methods, functional and genomics-based screens, and expression systems, which should accelerate discovery of new enzymes and other viral proteins for use in research and medicine.
Collapse
|
16
|
Lavigne R, Darius P, Summer EJ, Seto D, Mahadevan P, Nilsson AS, Ackermann HW, Kropinski AM. Classification of Myoviridae bacteriophages using protein sequence similarity. BMC Microbiol 2009; 9:224. [PMID: 19857251 PMCID: PMC2771037 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-9-224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 210] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2009] [Accepted: 10/26/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background We advocate unifying classical and genomic classification of bacteriophages by integration of proteomic data and physicochemical parameters. Our previous application of this approach to the entirely sequenced members of the Podoviridae fully supported the current phage classification of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV). It appears that horizontal gene transfer generally does not totally obliterate evolutionary relationships between phages. Results CoreGenes/CoreExtractor proteome comparison techniques applied to 102 Myoviridae suggest the establishment of three subfamilies (Peduovirinae, Teequatrovirinae, the Spounavirinae) and eight new independent genera (Bcep781, BcepMu, FelixO1, HAP1, Bzx1, PB1, phiCD119, and phiKZ-like viruses). The Peduovirinae subfamily, derived from the P2-related phages, is composed of two distinct genera: the "P2-like viruses", and the "HP1-like viruses". At present, the more complex Teequatrovirinae subfamily has two genera, the "T4-like" and "KVP40-like viruses". In the genus "T4-like viruses" proper, four groups sharing >70% proteins are distinguished: T4-type, 44RR-type, RB43-type, and RB49-type viruses. The Spounavirinae contain the "SPO1-"and "Twort-like viruses." Conclusion The hierarchical clustering of these groupings provide biologically significant subdivisions, which are consistent with our previous analysis of the Podoviridae.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rob Lavigne
- Biosystems Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 21, Leuven, B-3001, Belgium.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Identification of a tail assembly gene cluster from deep-sea thermophilic bacteriophage GVE2. Virus Genes 2009; 38:507-14. [DOI: 10.1007/s11262-009-0351-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2008] [Accepted: 03/15/2009] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
18
|
Genomic and proteomic characterization of a thermophilic Geobacillus bacteriophage GBSV1. Res Microbiol 2009; 160:166-71. [DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2008.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2008] [Revised: 12/06/2008] [Accepted: 12/16/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
19
|
Torchia C, Takagi Y, Ho CK. Archaeal RNA ligase is a homodimeric protein that catalyzes intramolecular ligation of single-stranded RNA and DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2008; 36:6218-27. [PMID: 18829718 PMCID: PMC2577357 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkn602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA ligases participate in repair, splicing and editing pathways that either reseal broken RNAs or alter their primary structure. Here, we report the characterization of an RNA ligase from the thermophilic archaeon, Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. The 381-amino acid Methanobacterium RNA ligase (MthRnl) catalyzes intramolecular ligation of 5′-PO4 single-strand RNA to form a covalently closed circular RNA molecule through ligase-adenylylate and RNA-adenylylate (AppRNA) intermediates. At the optimal temperature of 65°C, AppRNA was predominantly ligated to a circular product. In contrast, at 35°C, phosphodiester bond formation was suppressed and the majority of the AppRNA was deadenylylated. Sedimentation analysis indicates that MthRnl is a homodimer in solution. The C-terminal 127-amino acid segment is required for dimerization, is itself capable of oligomeization and acts in trans to inhibit the ligation activity of native MthRnl. MthRnl can also join single-stranded DNA to form a circular molecule. The lack of specificity for RNA and DNA by MthRnl may exemplify an undifferentiated ancestral stage in the evolution of ATP-dependent ligases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Torchia
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu B, Zhang X. Deep-sea thermophilic Geobacillus bacteriophage GVE2 transcriptional profile and proteomic characterization of virions. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2008; 80:697-707. [PMID: 18636255 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-008-1575-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2008] [Revised: 06/09/2008] [Accepted: 06/10/2008] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Thermophilic bacteria and viruses represent novel sources of genetic materials and enzymes with great potential for use in industry and biotechnology. In this study, GVE2, a virulent tailed Siphoviridae bacteriophage infecting deep-sea thermophilic Geobacillus sp. E263, was characterized. The bacteriophage contained a 40,863-bp linear double-stranded genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) with 62 presumptive open reading frames (ORFs). A viral DNA microarray was developed to monitor the viral gene transcription program. Microarray analysis indicated that 74.2% of the presumptive ORFs were expressed. The structural proteins of purified GVE2 virions were identified by mass spectrometric analysis. The purified virions contained six protein bands. Of the newly retrieved proteins, VP371 was further characterized. The immuno-electron microscopy indicated that the VP371 protein was a component of the viral capsid. Transcriptional analyses and proteomic characterization of GVE2 would be helpful to understand the complex host-virus interaction during virus infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bin Liu
- Institute of Plant Virology and College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, 350002, The People's Republic of China
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Comeau AM, Krisch HM. The Capsid of the T4 Phage Superfamily: The Evolution, Diversity, and Structure of Some of the Most Prevalent Proteins in the Biosphere. Mol Biol Evol 2008; 25:1321-32. [DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msn080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
|
22
|
Ackermann HW, Kropinski AM. Curated list of prokaryote viruses with fully sequenced genomes. Res Microbiol 2007; 158:555-66. [PMID: 17889511 DOI: 10.1016/j.resmic.2007.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2007] [Revised: 07/18/2007] [Accepted: 07/18/2007] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Genome sequencing is of enormous importance for classification of prokaryote viruses and for understanding the evolution of these viruses. This survey covers 284 sequenced viruses for which a full description has been published and for which the morphology is known. This corresponds to 219 (4%) of tailed and 75 (36%) of tailless viruses of prokaryotes. The number of sequenced tailless viruses almost doubles if viruses of unknown morphology are counted. The sequences are from representatives of 15 virus families and three groups without family status, including eight taxa of archaeal viruses. Tailed phages, especially those with large genomes and hosts other than enterobacteria or lactococci, mycobacteria and pseudomonads, are vastly under investigated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hans-W Ackermann
- Felix d'Herelle Reference Center for Bacterial Viruses, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, QC G1K 7P4, Canada.
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Bullard D, Bowater R. Direct comparison of nick-joining activity of the nucleic acid ligases from bacteriophage T4. Biochem J 2006; 398:135-44. [PMID: 16671895 PMCID: PMC1525015 DOI: 10.1042/bj20060313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The genome of bacteriophage T4 encodes three polynucleotide ligases, which seal the backbone of nucleic acids during infection of host bacteria. The T4Dnl (T4 DNA ligase) and two RNA ligases [T4Rnl1 (T4 RNA ligase 1) and T4Rnl2] join a diverse array of substrates, including nicks that are present in double-stranded nucleic acids, albeit with different efficiencies. To unravel the biochemical and functional relationship between these proteins, a systematic analysis of their substrate specificity was performed using recombinant proteins. The ability of each protein to ligate 20 bp double-stranded oligonucleotides containing a single-strand break was determined. Between 4 and 37 degrees C, all proteins ligated substrates containing various combinations of DNA and RNA. The RNA ligases ligated a more diverse set of substrates than T4Dnl and, generally, T4Rnl1 had 50-1000-fold lower activity than T4Rnl2. In assays using identical conditions, optimal ligation of all substrates was at pH 8 for T4Dnl and T4Rnl1 and pH 7 for T4Rnl2, demonstrating that the protein dictates the pH optimum for ligation. All proteins ligated a substrate containing DNA as the unbroken strand, with the nucleotides at the nick of the broken strand being RNA at the 3'-hydroxy group and DNA at the 5'-phosphate. Since this RNA-DNA hybrid was joined at a similar maximal rate by T4Dnl and T4Rnl2 at 37 degrees C, we consider the possibility that this could be an unexpected physiological substrate used during some pathways of 'DNA repair'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Desmond R. Bullard
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
| | - Richard P. Bowater
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, U.K
- To whom correspondence should be addressed (email )
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
El Omari K, Ren J, Bird LE, Bona MK, Klarmann G, LeGrice SFJ, Stammers DK. Molecular architecture and ligand recognition determinants for T4 RNA ligase. J Biol Chem 2005; 281:1573-9. [PMID: 16263720 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m509658200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA ligase type 1 from bacteriophage T4 (Rnl1) is involved in countering a host defense mechanism by repairing 5'-PO4 and 3'-OH groups in tRNA(Lys). Rnl1 is widely used as a reagent in molecular biology. Although many structures for DNA ligases are available, only fragments of RNA ligases such as Rnl2 are known. We report the first crystal structure of a complete RNA ligase, Rnl1, in complex with adenosine 5'-(alpha,beta-methylenetriphosphate) (AMPcPP). The N-terminal domain is related to the equivalent region of DNA ligases and Rnl2 and binds AMPcPP but with further interactions from the additional N-terminal 70 amino acids in Rnl1 (via Tyr37 and Arg54) and the C-terminal domain (Gly269 and Asp272). The active site contains two metal ions, consistent with the two-magnesium ion catalytic mechanism. The C-terminal domain represents a new all alpha-helical fold and has a charge distribution and architecture for helix-nucleic acid groove interaction compatible with tRNA binding.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kamel El Omari
- Division of Structural Biology, The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Antranikian G, Vorgias CE, Bertoldo C. Extreme environments as a resource for microorganisms and novel biocatalysts. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2005; 96:219-62. [PMID: 16566093 DOI: 10.1007/b135786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
The steady increase in the number of newly isolated extremophilic microorganisms and the discovery of their enzymes by academic and industrial institutions underlines the enormous potential of extremophiles for application in future biotechnological processes. Enzymes from extremophilic microorganisms offer versatile tools for sustainable developments in a variety of industrial application as they show important environmental benefits due to their biodegradability, specific stability under extreme conditions, improved use of raw materials and decreased amount of waste products. Although major advances have been made in the last decade, our knowledge of the physiology, metabolism, enzymology and genetics of this fascinating group of extremophilic microorganisms and their related enzymes is still limited. In-depth information on the molecular properties of the enzymes and their genes, however, has to be obtained to analyze the structure and function of proteins that are catalytically active around the boiling and freezing points of water and extremes of pH. New techniques, such as genomics, metanogenomics, DNA evolution and gene shuffling, will lead to the production of enzymes that are highly specific for countless industrial applications. Due to the unusual properties of enzymes from extremophiles, they are expected to optimize already existing processes or even develop new sustainable technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Garabed Antranikian
- Institute of Technical Microbiology, Technical University Hamburg-Harburg, Kasernenstrasse 12, 21073 Hamburg, Germany.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Filée J, Tétart F, Suttle CA, Krisch HM. Marine T4-type bacteriophages, a ubiquitous component of the dark matter of the biosphere. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2005; 102:12471-6. [PMID: 16116082 PMCID: PMC1194919 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0503404102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Tailed bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entities in marine environments. However, most of these marine phages are uncharacterized because few of their hosts have been cultivated. To learn more about such phages, we designed a set of degenerate PCR primers for phage T4 g23, which encodes the major capsid protein in all of the T4-type phages, an important family of the tailed phage. These primers were used to amplify g23-related sequences from diverse marine environments (fjords and bays of British Columbia, the eastern Gulf of Mexico, and the western Arctic Ocean) revealing a remarkable level of molecular diversity, which in some cases was correlated with morphological variation of the virions. Phylogenetic analysis showed that although some of these sequences were closely related to well studied subgroups of the T4-type phage, such as the T-evens, the majority of them belong to five previously uncharacterized subgroups. These data indicate that the host range of T4-type phages is much broader than previously imagined and that the laboratory isolate T4 belongs to a phage family that is extraordinarily widespread and diverse in the biosphere.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Filée
- Laboratoire de Microbiologie et Génétique Moléculaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5100, 31062, Toulouse, Cedex 9, France
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Bjornsdottir SH, Blondal T, Hreggvidsson GO, Eggertsson G, Petursdottir S, Hjorleifsdottir S, Thorbjarnardottir SH, Kristjansson JK. Rhodothermus marinus: physiology and molecular biology. Extremophiles 2005; 10:1-16. [PMID: 16075163 DOI: 10.1007/s00792-005-0466-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2004] [Accepted: 06/17/2005] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Rhodothermus marinus has been the subject of many studies in recent years. It is a thermohalophilic bacterium and is the only validly described species in the genus Rhodothermus. It is not closely related to other well-known thermophiles and is the only thermophile within the family Crenotrichaceae. R. marinus has been isolated from several similar but distantly located geothermal habitats, many of which are subject to large fluctuations in environmental conditions. This presumably affects the physiology of R. marinus. Many of its enzymes show optimum activity at temperatures considerably higher than 65 degrees C, the optimum for growth, and some are active over a broad temperature range. Studies have found distinguishing components in the R. marinus electron transport chain as well as in its pool of intracellular solutes, which accumulate during osmotic stress. The species hosts both bacteriophages and plasmids and a functional intein has been isolated from its chromosome. Despite these interesting features and its unknown genetics, interest in R. marinus has been mostly stimulated by its thermostable enzymes, particularly polysaccharide hydrolysing enzymes and enzymes of DNA synthesis which may be useful in industry and in the laboratory. R. marinus has not been amenable to genetic analysis until recently when a system for gene transfer was established. Here, we review the current literature on R. marinus.
Collapse
|
28
|
Blondal T, Thorisdottir A, Unnsteinsdottir U, Hjorleifsdottir S, Ævarsson A, Ernstsson S, Fridjonsson OH, Skirnisdottir S, Wheat JO, Hermannsdottir AG, Sigurdsson ST, Hreggvidsson GO, Smith AV, Kristjansson JK. Isolation and characterization of a thermostable RNA ligase 1 from a Thermus scotoductus bacteriophage TS2126 with good single-stranded DNA ligation properties. Nucleic Acids Res 2005; 33:135-42. [PMID: 15642699 PMCID: PMC546137 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gki149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently sequenced the genome of a novel thermophilic bacteriophage designated as TS2126 that infects the thermophilic eubacterium Thermus scotoductus. One of the annotated open reading frames (ORFs) shows homology to T4 RNA ligase 1, an enzyme of great importance in molecular biology, owing to its ability to ligate single-stranded nucleic acids. The ORF was cloned, and recombinant protein was expressed, purified and characterized. The recombinant enzyme ligates single-stranded nucleic acids in an ATP-dependent manner and is moderately thermostable. The recombinant enzyme exhibits extremely high activity and high ligation efficiency. It can be used for various molecular biology applications including RNA ligase-mediated rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RLM-RACE). The TS2126 RNA ligase catalyzed both inter- and intra-molecular single-stranded DNA ligation to >50% completion in a matter of hours at an elevated temperature, although favoring intra-molecular ligation on RNA and single-stranded DNA substrates. The properties of TS2126 RNA ligase 1 makes it very attractive for processes like adaptor ligation, and single-stranded solid phase gene synthesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thorarinn Blondal
- Prokaria LtdGylfaflot 5, 112 Reyjavik, Iceland
- Department of Biology, University of IcelandSturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Gudmundur O. Hreggvidsson
- Prokaria LtdGylfaflot 5, 112 Reyjavik, Iceland
- Department of Biology, University of IcelandSturlugata 7, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | | | - Jakob K. Kristjansson
- Prokaria LtdGylfaflot 5, 112 Reyjavik, Iceland
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +354 5707900; Fax: +354 5707901;
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Blondal T, Hjorleifsdottir S, Aevarsson A, Fridjonsson OH, Skirnisdottir S, Wheat JO, Hermannsdottir AG, Hreggvidsson GO, Smith AV, Kristjansson JK. Characterization of a 5'-polynucleotide kinase/3'-phosphatase from bacteriophage RM378. J Biol Chem 2004; 280:5188-94. [PMID: 15579472 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m409211200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
A polynucleotide kinase from the thermophilic bacteriophage RM378 that infects the thermophilic eubacterium Rhodothermus marinus was identified, expressed, and purified. This polynucleotide kinase was demonstrated to have a 5'-kinase domain as well as a 3'-phosphohydrolase domain. The RM378 polynucleotide kinase had limited sequence similarity to the 5'-kinase domain of the T4 bacteriophage polynucleotide kinase, but apparent homology was not evident within the 3'-phosphohydrolase domain. The domain order of RM378 polynucleotide kinase was reversed relative to that of the T4 polynucleotide kinase. The RM378 phosphohydrolase domain displayed some sequence similarity with the bacterial poly(A) polymerase family, including an HD motif characteristic of the diverse superfamily of metal-dependent HD phosphohydrolases. The RM378 polynucleotide kinase was biochemically characterized and shown to possess 5'-kinase activity on RNA and single- and double-stranded DNA at elevated temperatures. It also showed phosphohydrolase activity on 2':3'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate. This description of the RM378 polynucleotide kinase, along with the recently described RM378 RNA ligase, suggests that the RM378 bacteriophage has to counter a similar anti-phage mechanism in R. marinus as the one that the T4 phage has to counter in Escherichia coli.
Collapse
|
30
|
Abstract
Although DNA repair pathways have been the focus of much attention, there is an emerging appreciation that distinct pathways exist to maintain or manipulate RNA structure in response to breakage events. Here we identify an RNA ligase (DraRnl) from the radiation-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. DraRnl seals 3'-OH/5'-PO4 RNA nicks in either a duplex RNA or an RNA: DNA hybrid, but it cannot seal 3'-OH/5'-PO4 DNA nicks. The specificity of DraRnl arises from a requirement for RNA on the 3'-OH side of the nick. DraRnl is a 342-amino acid monomeric protein with a distinctive structure composed of a C-terminal adenylyltransferase domain linked to an N-terminal module that resembles the OB-fold of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases. RNA sealing activity was abolished by mutation of the predicted lysine adenylylation site (Lys-165) in the C-terminal domain and was reduced by an order of magnitude by deletion of the N-terminal OB module. Our findings highlight the existence of an RNA repair capacity in bacteria and support the hypothesis that contemporary DNA ligases, RNA ligases, and RNA capping enzymes evolved by the fusion of ancillary effector domains to an ancestral catalytic module involved in RNA repair.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Martins
- The Molecular Biology Program, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10021, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Nandakumar J, Ho CK, Lima CD, Shuman S. RNA substrate specificity and structure-guided mutational analysis of bacteriophage T4 RNA ligase 2. J Biol Chem 2004; 279:31337-47. [PMID: 15084599 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m402394200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we report that bacteriophage T4 RNA ligase 2 (Rnl2) is an efficient catalyst of RNA ligation at a 3'-OH/5'-PO(4) nick in a double-stranded RNA or an RNA.DNA hybrid. The critical role of the template strand in approximating the reactive 3'-OH and 5'-PO(4) termini is underscored by the drastic reductions in the RNA-sealing activity of Rnl2 when the duplex substrates contain gaps or flaps instead of nicks. RNA nick joining requires ATP and a divalent cation cofactor (either Mg or Mn). Neither dATP, GTP, CTP, nor UTP can substitute for ATP. We identify by alanine scanning seven functionally important amino acids (Tyr-5, Arg-33, Lys-54, Gln-106, Asp-135, Arg-155, and Ser-170) within the N-terminal nucleotidyl-transferase domain of Rnl2 and impute specific roles for these residues based on the crystal structure of the AMP-bound enzyme. Mutational analysis of 14 conserved residues in the C-terminal domain of Rnl2 identifies 3 amino acids (Arg-266, Asp-292, and Glu-296) as essential for ligase activity. Our findings consolidate the evolutionary connections between bacteriophage Rnl2 and the RNA-editing ligases of kinetoplastid protozoa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jayakrishnan Nandakumar
- Molecular Biology and Structural Biology Programs, Sloan-Kettering Institute, New York, New York 10021, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|