1
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Liu Y, Wang J, Wu Y, Wang Y. Advancing the enzymatic toolkit for 2'-fluoro arabino nucleic acid (FANA) manipulation: phosphorylation, ligation, replication, and templating RNA transcription. Chem Sci 2024; 15:12534-12542. [PMID: 39118620 PMCID: PMC11304824 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc02904f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
2'-Fluoro arabino nucleic acid (FANA), classified as a xeno nucleic acid (XNA), stands as a prominent subject of investigation in synthetic genetic polymers. Demonstrating efficacy as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and exhibiting the ability to fold into functional structures akin to enzymes and aptamers, FANA holds substantial promise across diverse biological and therapeutic domains. Owing to structural similarities to DNA, the utilization of naturally occurring DNA polymerases for DNA-mediated FANA replication is well-documented. In this study, we explore alternative nucleic acid processing enzymes typically employed for DNA oligonucleotide (ON) phosphorylation, ligation, and amplification, and assess their compatibility with FANA substrates. Notably, T4 polynucleotide kinase (T4 PNK) efficiently phosphorylated the 5'-hydroxyl group of FANA using ATP as a phosphate donor. Subsequent ligation of the phosphorylated FANA with an upstream FANA ON was achieved with T4 DNA ligase, facilitated by a DNA splint ON that brings the two FANA ONs into proximity. This methodology enabled the reconstruction of RNA-cleaving FANA 12-7 by ligating two FANA fragments amenable to solid-phase synthesis. Furthermore, Tgo DNA polymerase, devoid of 3' to 5' exonuclease activity [Tgo (exo-)], demonstrated proficiency in performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with a mixture of dNTPs and FANA NTPs (fNTPs), yielding DNA-FANA chimeras with efficiency and fidelity comparable to traditional DNA PCR. Notably, T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) exhibited recognition of double-stranded fA-DNA chimeras containing T7 promoter sequences, enabling in vitro transcription of RNA molecules up to 649 nt in length, even in the presence of highly structured F30 motifs at the 3' end. Our findings significantly expand the enzymatic toolkit for FANA manipulation, encompassing phosphorylation, ligation, chimeric amplification, and templating T7 RNAP-catalyzed RNA transcription. These advancements are poised to expedite fundamental research, functional evolution, and translational applications of FANA-based XNA agents. They also have the potential to inspire explorations of a broader range of non-natural nucleic acids that can be routinely studied in laboratories, ultimately expanding the repertoire of nucleic acid-based biomedicine and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyu Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University Suzhou 215123 China
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou Zhejiang 310000 China
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University Suzhou 215123 China
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou Zhejiang 310000 China
| | - Yashu Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou Zhejiang 310000 China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Science (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital) Hangzhou Zhejiang 310022 China
| | - Yajun Wang
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou Zhejiang 310000 China
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Science (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital) Hangzhou Zhejiang 310022 China
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2
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Hoshino H, Kasahara Y, Obika S. Polyamines promote xenobiotic nucleic acid synthesis by modified thermophilic polymerase mutants. RSC Chem Biol 2024; 5:467-472. [PMID: 38725908 PMCID: PMC11078213 DOI: 10.1039/d4cb00017j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The enzymatic synthesis of xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNA), which are artificially sugar-modified nucleic acids, is essential for the preparation of XNA libraries. XNA libraries are used in the in vitro selection of XNA aptamers and enzymes (XNAzymes). Efficient enzymatic synthesis of various XNAs can enable the screening of high-quality XNA aptamers and XNAzymes by expanding the diversity of XNA libraries and adding a variety of properties to XNA aptamers and XNAzymes. However, XNAs that form unstable duplexes with DNA, such as arabino nucleic acid (ANA), may dissociate during enzyme synthesis at temperatures suitable for thermophilic polymerases. Thus, such XNAs are not efficiently synthesised by the thermophilic polymerase mutants at the end of the sequence. This undesirable bias reduces the possibility of generating high-quality XNA aptamers and XNAzymes. Here, we demonstrate that polyamine-induced DNA/ANA duplex stabilisation promotes ANA synthesis that is catalysed by thermophilic polymerase mutants. Several polyamines, including spermine, spermidine, cadaverine, and putrescine promote ANA synthesis. The negative effect of polyamines on the fidelity of ANA synthesis was negligible. We also showed that polyamines promote the synthesis of other XNAs, including 2'-amino-RNA/2'-fluoro-RNA mixture and 2'-O-methyl-RNA. In addition, we found that polyamine promotes DNA synthesis from the 2'-O-methyl-RNA template. Polyamines, with the use of thermophilic polymerase mutants, may allow further development of XNA aptamers and XNAzymes by promoting the transcription and reverse transcription of XNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidekazu Hoshino
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN) 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi Ibaraki 567-0085 Osaka Japan
| | - Yuuya Kasahara
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN) 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi Ibaraki 567-0085 Osaka Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University 1-6 Yamadaoka Suita 565-0871 Osaka Japan
| | - Satoshi Obika
- National Institutes of Biomedical Innovation, Health and Nutrition (NIBIOHN) 7-6-8 Saito-Asagi Ibaraki 567-0085 Osaka Japan
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University 1-6 Yamadaoka Suita 565-0871 Osaka Japan
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3
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Kundu N, McCloskey CM, Hajjar M, Chaput JC. Parameterizing the Binding Properties of XNA Aptamers Isolated from a Low Stringency Selection. Biochemistry 2023; 62:3245-3254. [PMID: 37932217 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
Machine learning offers a guided approach to aptamer discovery, but more information is needed to develop algorithms that can intelligently identify high-performing aptamers to a broad array of targets. Critical to this effort is the need to experimentally parameterize the difference between low and high affinity binders to a given target. Although classical selection experiments help define the upper limit by converging on a small number of tight binding sequences, very little is known about the lower limit of binding that defines the boundary between binders and nonbinders. Here, we apply a quantitative approach to explore the diversity of aptamers isolated from two identical in vitro selections performed under low stringency conditions. Starting from a library of 1 trillion unique threose nucleic acid (TNA) sequences, 7 rounds of selection were performed to enrich binders to a known aptagenic target. High density sequencing of each round of selection followed by a detailed kinetic analysis of 136 TNA aptamers yielded a narrow range of equilibrium dissociation constants (KD = ∼ 1-15 nM) that were consistent between two experimental replicates. These findings offer insights into the lower limit of binding that may be expected for aptamers generated against aptagenic targets and could provide useful constraints for evaluating the results of experimental and computational approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nandini Kundu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Cailen M McCloskey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Mohammad Hajjar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - John C Chaput
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
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4
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Pallan PS, Lybrand TP, Rozners E, Abramov M, Schepers G, Eremeeva E, Herdewijn P, Egli M. Conformational Morphing by a DNA Analogue Featuring 7-Deazapurines and 5-Halogenpyrimidines and the Origins of Adenine-Tract Geometry. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2854-2867. [PMID: 37694722 PMCID: PMC11062489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Several efforts are currently directed at the creation and cellular implementation of alternative genetic systems composed of pairing components that are orthogonal to the natural dA/dT and dG/dC base pairs. In an alternative approach, Watson-Crick-type pairing is conserved, but one or all of the four letters of the A, C, G, and T alphabet are substituted by modified components. Thus, all four nucleobases were altered to create halogenated deazanucleic acid (DZA): dA was replaced by 7-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine (dzA), dG by 7-deaza-2'-deoxyguanosine (dzG), dC by 5-fluoro-2'-deoxycytidine (FdC), and dT by 5-chloro-2'-deoxyuridine (CldU). This base-pairing system was previously shown to retain function in Escherichia coli. Here, we analyze the stability, hydration, structure, and dynamics of a DZA Dickerson-Drew Dodecamer (DDD) of sequence 5'-FdC-dzG-FdC-dzG-dzA-dzA-CldU-CldU-FdC-dzG-FdC-dzG-3'. Contrary to similar stabilities of DDD and DZA-DDD, osmotic stressing revealed a dramatic loss of hydration for the DZA-DDD relative to that for the DDD. The parent DDD 5'-d(CGCGAATTCGCG)-3' features an A-tract, a run of adenosines uninterrupted by a TpA step, and exhibits a hallmark narrow minor groove. Crystal structures─in the presence of RNase H─and MD simulations show increased conformational plasticity ("morphing") of DZA-DDD relative to that of the DDD. The narrow dzA-tract minor groove in one structure widens to resemble that in canonical B-DNA in a second structure. These changes reflect an indirect consequence of altered DZA major groove electrostatics (less negatively polarized compared to that in DNA) and hydration (reduced compared to that in DNA). Therefore, chemical modifications outside the minor groove that lead to collapse of major groove electrostatics and hydration can modulate A-tract geometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep S Pallan
- School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Terry P Lybrand
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Eriks Rozners
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, Binghamton, New York 13902, United States
| | - Mikhail Abramov
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Minderbroedersstraat 10, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Guy Schepers
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Minderbroedersstraat 10, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Elena Eremeeva
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Minderbroedersstraat 10, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Minderbroedersstraat 10, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Martin Egli
- School of Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, and Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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5
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Yang LF, Ling M, Kacherovsky N, Pun SH. Aptamers 101: aptamer discovery and in vitro applications in biosensors and separations. Chem Sci 2023; 14:4961-4978. [PMID: 37206388 PMCID: PMC10189874 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc00439b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids that bind and recognize targets much like antibodies. Recently, aptamers have garnered increased interest due to their unique properties, including inexpensive production, simple chemical modification, and long-term stability. At the same time, aptamers possess similar binding affinity and specificity as their protein counterpart. In this review, we discuss the aptamer discovery process as well as aptamer applications to biosensors and separations. In the discovery section, we describe the major steps of the library selection process for aptamers, called systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). We highlight common approaches and emerging strategies in SELEX, from starting library selection to aptamer-target binding characterization. In the applications section, we first evaluate recently developed aptamer biosensors for SARS-CoV-2 virus detection, including electrochemical aptamer-based sensors and lateral flow assays. Then we discuss aptamer-based separations for partitioning different molecules or cell types, especially for purifying T cell subsets for therapeutic applications. Overall, aptamers are promising biomolecular tools and the aptamer field is primed for expansion in biosensing and cell separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy F Yang
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Melissa Ling
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Nataly Kacherovsky
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
| | - Suzie H Pun
- Department of Bioengineering and Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute, University of Washington Seattle Washington USA
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6
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Chen Z, Luo H, Gubu A, Yu S, Zhang H, Dai H, Zhang Y, Zhang B, Ma Y, Lu A, Zhang G. Chemically modified aptamers for improving binding affinity to the target proteins via enhanced non-covalent bonding. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1091809. [PMID: 36910146 PMCID: PMC9996316 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1091809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers are ssDNA or ssRNA fragments that specifically recognize targets. However, the pharmacodynamic properties of natural aptamers consisting of 4 naturally occurring nucleosides (A, G, C, T/U) are generally restricted for inferior binding affinity than the cognate antibodies. The development of high-affinity modification strategies has attracted extensive attention in aptamer applications. Chemically modified aptamers with stable three-dimensional shapes can tightly interact with the target proteins via enhanced non-covalent bonding, possibly resulting in hundreds of affinity enhancements. This review overviewed high-affinity modification strategies used in aptamers, including nucleobase modifications, fluorine modifications (2'-fluoro nucleic acid, 2'-fluoro arabino nucleic acid, 2',2'-difluoro nucleic acid), structural alteration modifications (locked nucleic acid, unlocked nucleic acid), phosphate modifications (phosphorothioates, phosphorodithioates), and extended alphabets. The review emphasized how these high-affinity modifications function in effect as the interactions with target proteins, thereby refining the pharmacodynamic properties of aptamers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zefeng Chen
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hang Luo
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Amu Gubu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Aptacure Therapeutics Limited, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Sifan Yu
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Huarui Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hong Dai
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yihao Zhang
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Baoting Zhang
- School of Chinese Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yuan Ma
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Precision Medicine and Innovative Drug Discovery, HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Aiping Lu
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Precision Medicine and Innovative Drug Discovery, HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ge Zhang
- Law Sau Fai Institute for Advancing Translational Medicine in Bone and Joint Diseases, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Integrated Bioinfomedicine and Translational Science, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.,Institute of Precision Medicine and Innovative Drug Discovery, HKBU Institute for Research and Continuing Education, Shenzhen, Hong Kong SAR, China
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7
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Wang G, Du Y, Ma X, Ye F, Qin Y, Wang Y, Xiang Y, Tao R, Chen T. Thermophilic Nucleic Acid Polymerases and Their Application in Xenobiology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314969. [PMID: 36499296 PMCID: PMC9738464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases, isolated from organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments, possess great DNA/RNA synthesis activities under high temperatures. These enzymes play indispensable roles in central life activities involved in DNA replication and repair, as well as RNA transcription, and have already been widely used in bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine. Xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), which are analogs of DNA/RNA with unnatural moieties, have been developed as new carriers of genetic information in the past decades, which contributed to the fast development of a field called xenobiology. The broad application of these XNA molecules in the production of novel drugs, materials, and catalysts greatly relies on the capability of enzymatic synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of them, which have been partially achieved with natural or artificially tailored thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases. In this review, we first systematically summarize representative thermophilic and hyperthermophilic polymerases that have been extensively studied and utilized, followed by the introduction of methods and approaches in the engineering of these polymerases for the efficient synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of XNAs. The application of XNAs facilitated by these polymerases and their mutants is then discussed. In the end, a perspective for the future direction of further development and application of unnatural nucleic acid polymerases is provided.
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8
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Wei D, Wang Y, Song D, Zhang Z, Wang J, Chen JY, Li Z, Yu H. A Nucleic Acid Sequence That is Catalytically Active in Both RNA and TNA Backbones. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:3874-3885. [PMID: 36278399 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Threose nucleic acid (TNA) is considered a potential RNA progenitor due to its chemical simplicity, base pairing property, and capability of folding into a functional tertiary structure. However, it is unknown whether the functional property can be maintained during transition from TNA to RNA. Here, we use a toggle in vitro selection to identify nucleic acid catalyst sequences that are active in both TNA and RNA backbones. One such nucleic acid enzyme with exchangeable backbone (CAMELEON) catalyzes an RNA cleavage reaction when prepared as TNA (T) and RNA (R). Further biochemical characterization reveals that CAMELEON R and T exhibit different catalytic behaviors such as rate enhancement and magnesium dependence. Structural probing and mutagenesis experiments suggest that they likely fold into distinct tertiary structures. This work demonstrates that the catalytic activity can be preserved during backbone transition from TNA to RNA and provides further experimental support for TNA as an RNA precursor in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongying Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
| | - Yueyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
| | - Dongfan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
| | - Ze Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
| | - Juan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
| | - Jia-Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Zhe Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
| | - Hanyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu210023, China
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9
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Wu KB, Skrodzki CJA, Su Q, Lin J, Niu J. "Click handle"-modified 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroarabino nucleic acid as a synthetic genetic polymer capable of post-polymerization functionalization. Chem Sci 2022; 13:6873-6881. [PMID: 35774169 PMCID: PMC9200136 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00679k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The functions of natural nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA have transcended genetic information carriers and now encompass affinity reagents, molecular catalysts, nanostructures, data storage, and many others. However, the vulnerability of natural nucleic acids to nuclease degradation and the lack of chemical functionality have imposed a significant constraint on their ever-expanding applications. Herein, we report the synthesis and polymerase recognition of a 5-(octa-1,7-diynyl)uracil 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoroarabinonucleic acid (FANA) triphosphate. The DNA-templated, polymerase-mediated primer extension using this “click handle”-modified FANA (cmFANA) triphosphate and other FANA nucleotide triphosphates consisting of canonical nucleobases efficiently generated full-length products. The resulting cmFANA polymers exhibited excellent nuclease resistance and the ability to undergo efficient click conjugation with azide-functionalized molecules, thereby becoming a promising platform for serving as a programmable and evolvable synthetic genetic polymer capable of post-polymerization functionalization. Polymerase-mediated incorporation of a “click handle”-modified fluoroarabinonucleic acid (cmFANA) triphosphate produces a new class of nuclease-resistant, evolvable genetic polymers that can be functionalized with azide-containing molecules.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill MA 20467 USA
| | | | - Qiwen Su
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill MA 20467 USA
| | - Jennifer Lin
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill MA 20467 USA
| | - Jia Niu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College 2609 Beacon Street, Chestnut Hill MA 20467 USA
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10
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Amini R, Zhang Z, Li J, Gu J, Brennan J, Li Y. Aptamers for SARS-CoV-2: Isolation, Characterization, and Diagnostic and Therapeutic Developments. ANALYSIS & SENSING 2022; 2:e202200012. [PMID: 35574520 PMCID: PMC9082509 DOI: 10.1002/anse.202200012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and COVID‐19 pandemic continue to demand effective diagnostic and therapeutic solutions. Finding these solutions requires highly functional molecular recognition elements. Nucleic acid aptamers represent a possible solution. Characterized by their high affinity and specificity, aptamers can be rapidly identified from random‐sequence nucleic acid libraries. Over the past two years, many labs around the world have rushed to create diverse aptamers that target two important structural proteins of SARS‐CoV‐2: the spike (S) protein and nucleocapsid (N) protein. These have led to the identification of many aptamers that show real promise for the development of diagnostic tests and therapeutic agents for SARS‐CoV‐2. Herein we review all these developments, with a special focus on the development of diverse aptasensors for detecting SARS‐CoV‐2. These include electrochemical and optical sensors, lateral flow devices, and aptamer‐linked immobilized sorbent assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Amini
- McMaster University Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences CANADA
| | - Zijie Zhang
- McMaster University Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences CANADA
| | - Jiuxing Li
- McMaster University Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences CANADA
| | - Jimmy Gu
- McMaster University Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences CANADA
| | - John Brennan
- McMaster University Biointerfaces Institute CANADA
| | - Yingfu Li
- McMaster University Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences 1280 Main Street West L8S4K1 Hamilton CANADA
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11
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Chen XF, Zhao X, Yang Z. Aptamer-Based Antibacterial and Antiviral Therapy against Infectious Diseases. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17601-17626. [PMID: 34854680 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules selected in vitro that can bind to a broad range of targets with high affinity and specificity. As promising alternatives to conventional anti-infective agents, aptamers have gradually revealed their potential in the combat against infectious diseases. This article provides an overview on the state-of-art of aptamer-based antibacterial and antiviral therapeutic strategies. Diverse aptamers targeting pathogen-related components or whole pathogenic cells are summarized according to the species of microorganisms. These aptamers exhibited remarkable in vitro and/or in vivo inhibitory effect for pathogenic invasion, enzymatic activities, or viral replication, even for some highly drug-resistant strains and biofilms. Aptamer-mediated drug delivery and controlled drug release strategies are also included herein. Critical technical barriers of therapeutic aptamers are briefly discussed, followed by some future perspectives for their implementation into clinical utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Fei Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Emergency Test for Dangerous Chemicals, Institute of Analysis, Guangdong Academy of Sciences (China National Analytical Center, Guangzhou), Guangzhou 510070, PR China
| | - Xin Zhao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Emergency Test for Dangerous Chemicals, Institute of Analysis, Guangdong Academy of Sciences (China National Analytical Center, Guangzhou), Guangzhou 510070, PR China
| | - Zifeng Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, PR China.,Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510320, PR China.,Guangzhou Key Laboratory for Clinical Rapid Diagnosis and Early Warning of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou 510005, PR China
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12
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Li Q, Maola VA, Chim N, Hussain J, Lozoya-Colinas A, Chaput JC. Synthesis and Polymerase Recognition of Threose Nucleic Acid Triphosphates Equipped with Diverse Chemical Functionalities. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:17761-17768. [PMID: 34637287 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Expanding the chemical space of evolvable non-natural genetic polymers (XNAs) to include functional groups that enhance protein target binding affinity offers a promising route to therapeutic aptamers with high biological stability. Here we describe the chemical synthesis and polymerase recognition of 10 chemically diverse functional groups introduced at the C-5 position of α-l-threofuranosyl uridine nucleoside triphosphate (tUTP). We show that the set of tUTP substrates is universally recognized by the laboratory-evolved polymerase Kod-RSGA. Insights into the mechanism of TNA synthesis were obtained from a high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of the postcatalytic complex bound to the primer-template duplex. A structural analysis reveals a large cavity in the enzyme active site that can accommodate the side chain of C-5-modified tUTP substrates. Our findings expand the chemical space of evolvable nucleic acid systems by providing a synthetic route to artificial genetic polymers that are uniformly modified with diversity-enhancing functional groups.
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13
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Aptamers in Virology-A Consolidated Review of the Most Recent Advancements in Diagnosis and Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13101646. [PMID: 34683938 PMCID: PMC8540715 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13101646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of short oligonucleotide or peptide molecules as target-specific aptamers has recently garnered substantial attention in the field of the detection and treatment of viral infections. Based on their high affinity and high specificity to desired targets, their use is on the rise to replace antibodies for the detection of viruses and viral antigens. Furthermore, aptamers inhibit intracellular viral transcription and translation, in addition to restricting viral entry into host cells. This has opened up a plethora of new targets for the research and development of novel vaccines against viruses. Here, we discuss the advances made in aptamer technology for viral diagnosis and therapy in the past decade.
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14
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Xeno-Nucleic Acid (XNA) 2'-Fluoro-Arabino Nucleic Acid (FANA) Aptamers to the Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 S Protein Block ACE2 Binding. Viruses 2021; 13:v13101983. [PMID: 34696413 PMCID: PMC8539646 DOI: 10.3390/v13101983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, gains access to cells through interactions of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the viral S protein with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the surface of human host cells. Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) was used to generate aptamers (nucleic acids selected for high binding affinity to a target) to the RBD made from 2ʹ-fluoro-arabinonucleic acid (FANA). The best selected ~79 nucleotide aptamers bound the RBD (Arg319-Phe541) and the larger S1 domain (Val16-Arg685) of the 1272 amino acid S protein with equilibrium dissociation constants (KD,app) of ~10–20 nM, and binding half-life for the RBD, S1 domain, and full trimeric S protein of 53 ± 18, 76 ± 5, and 127 ± 7 min, respectively. Aptamers inhibited the binding of the RBD to ACE2 in an ELISA assay. Inhibition, on a per weight basis, was similar to neutralizing antibodies that were specific for RBD. Aptamers demonstrated high specificity, binding with about 10-fold lower affinity to the related S1 domain from the original SARS virus, which also binds to ACE2. Overall, FANA aptamers show affinities comparable to previous DNA aptamers to RBD and S1 protein and directly block receptor interactions while using an alternative Xeno-nucleic acid (XNA) platform.
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15
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Ferreira-Bravo IA, DeStefano JJ. Xeno-nucleic Acid (XNA) 2'-Fluoro-Arabino Nucleic Acid (FANA) Aptamers to the Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 S Protein Block ACE2 Binding. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021. [PMID: 34282416 DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.13.452259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The causative agent of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, gains access to cells through interactions of the receptor binding domain (RBD) on the viral S protein with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the surface of human host cells. Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) was used to generate aptamers (nucleic acids selected for high binding affinity to a target) to the RBD made from 2'-fluoroarabinonucleic acid (FANA). The best selected ~ 79 nucleotide aptamers bound the RBD (Arg319-Phe541) and the larger S1 domain (Val16-Arg685) of the 1272 amino acid S protein with equilibrium dissociation constants ( K D,app ) of ~ 10-20 nM and a binding half-life for the RBD of 53 ± 18 minutes. Aptamers inhibited the binding of the RBD to ACE2 in an ELISA assay. Inhibition, on a per weight basis, was similar to neutralizing antibodies that were specific for RBD. Aptamers demonstrated high specificity, binding with about 10-fold lower affinity to the related S1 domain from the original SARS virus, which also binds to ACE2. Overall, FANA aptamers show affinities comparable to previous DNA aptamers to RBD and S protein and directly block receptor interactions while using an alternative Xeno-nucleic acid (XNA) platform.
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16
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Medina E, Yik EJ, Herdewijn P, Chaput JC. Functional Comparison of Laboratory-Evolved XNA Polymerases for Synthetic Biology. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:1429-1437. [PMID: 34029459 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Artificial genetic polymers (XNAs) have enormous potential as new materials for synthetic biology, biotechnology, and molecular medicine; yet, very little is known about the biochemical properties of XNA polymerases that have been developed to synthesize and reverse-transcribe XNA polymers. Here, we compare the substrate specificity, thermal stability, reverse transcriptase activity, and fidelity of laboratory-evolved polymerases that were established to synthesize RNA, 2'-fluoroarabino nucleic acid (FANA), arabino nucleic acid (ANA), hexitol nucleic acid (HNA), threose nucleic acid (TNA), and phosphonomethylthreosyl nucleic acid (PMT). We find that the mutations acquired to facilitate XNA synthesis increase the tolerance of the enzymes for sugar-modified substrates with some sacrifice to protein-folding stability. Bst DNA polymerase was found to have weak reverse transcriptase activity on ANA and uncontrolled reverse transcriptase activity on HNA, differing from its known recognition of FANA and TNA templates. These data benchmark the activity of current XNA polymerases and provide opportunities for generating new polymerase variants that function with greater activity and substrate specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Piet Herdewijn
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49-bus 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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17
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Wang Y, Wang Y, Song D, Sun X, Zhang Z, Li X, Li Z, Yu H. A Threose Nucleic Acid Enzyme with RNA Ligase Activity. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:8154-8163. [PMID: 34028252 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c02895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Threose nucleic acid (TNA) has been considered a potential RNA progenitor in evolution due to its chemical simplicity and base pairing property. Catalytic TNA sequences with RNA ligase activities might have facilitated the transition to the RNA world. Here we report the isolation of RNA ligase TNA enzymes by in vitro selection. The identified TNA enzyme T8-6 catalyzes the formation of a 2'-5' phosphoester bond between a 2',3'-diol and a 5'-triphosphate group, with a kobs of 1.1 × 10-2 min-1 (40 mM Mg2+, pH 9.0). For efficient reaction, T8-6 requires UA|GA at the ligation junction and tolerates variations at other substrate positions. Functional RNAs such as hammerhead ribozyme can be prepared by T8-6-catalyzed ligation, with site-specific introduction of a 2'-5' linkage. Together, this work provides experimental support for TNA as a plausible pre-RNA genetic polymer and also offers an alternative molecular tool for biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yueyao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China.,Applied Adaptome Immunology Institute, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Dongfan Song
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xin Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Ze Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xintong Li
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, China
| | - Zhe Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Hanyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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18
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El-Khoury R, Damha MJ. 2'-Fluoro-arabinonucleic Acid (FANA): A Versatile Tool for Probing Biomolecular Interactions. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:2287-2297. [PMID: 33861067 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
This Account highlights the structural features that render 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-arabinonucleic acid (FANA) an ideal tool for mimicking DNA secondary structures and probing biomolecular interactions relevant to chemical biology.The high binding affinity of FANA to DNA and RNA has had implications in therapeutics. FANA can hybridize to complementary RNA, resulting in a predominant A-form helix stabilized by a network of 2'F-H8(purine) pseudohydrogen bonding interactions. We have shown that FANA/RNA hybrids are substrates of RNase H and Ago2, both implicated in the mechanism of action of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and siRNA, respectvely. This knowledge has helped us study the conformational preferences of ASOs and siRNA as well as crRNA in CRISPR-associated Cas9, thereby revealing structural features crucial to biochemical activity.Additionally, FANA is of particular use in stabilizing noncanonical DNA structures. For instance, we have taken advantage of the anti N-glycosidic bond conformation of FANA monomers to induce a parallel topology in telomeric G-quadruplexes. Subsequent single-molecule FRET studies elucidated the mechanism by which these parallel G-quadruplexes are recognized and extended by telomerase. Similarly, we have utilized FANA to stabilize elusive telomeric i-motifs in the presence of concomitant parallel G-quadruplexes and under physiological conditions, thereby reinforcing their potential relevance to telomere biology. In another study, we adapted microarray technology and used FANA substitutions to enhance the binding affinity of the G-quadruplex thrombin-binding aptamer to its thrombin target.Finally, we discovered that DNA polymerases can synthesize FANA strands from DNA templates. On the basis of this property, other groups demonstrated that FANA, like DNA, can store hereditary information. They did so by engineering polymerases to efficiently transfer genetic information from DNA to FANA and retrieve it back into DNA. Subsequent studies showed that FANA could be evolved to acquire ribozyme-like endonuclease or ligase activity and to form high-affinity aptamers.Overall, the implications of these studies are remarkable because they promise a deeper understanding of human biochemistry for innovative therapeutic avenues. This Account summarizes past achievements and provides an outlook for inspiring the increased use of FANA in biological applications and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto El-Khoury
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Masad J. Damha
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
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19
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Liu LS, Wang F, Ge Y, Lo PK. Recent Developments in Aptasensors for Diagnostic Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:9329-9358. [PMID: 33155468 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c14788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are exciting smart molecular probes for specific recognition of disease biomarkers. A number of strategies have been developed to convert target-aptamer binding into physically detectable signals. Since the aptamer sequence was first discovered, a large variety of aptamer-based biosensors have been developed, with considerable attention paid to their potential applications in clinical diagnostics. So far, a variety of techniques in combination with a wide range of functional nanomaterials have been used for the design of aptasensors to further improve the sensitivity and detection limit of target determination. In this paper, the advantages of aptamers over traditional antibodies as the molecular recognition components in biosensors for high-throughput screening target molecules are highlighted. Aptamer-target pairing configurations are predominantly single- or dual-site binding; the design of recognition modes of each aptamer-target pairing configuration is described. Furthermore, signal transduction strategies including optical, electrical, mechanical, and mass-sensitive modes are clearly explained together with examples. Finally, we summarize the recent progress in the development of aptamer-based biosensors for clinical diagnosis, including detection of cancer and disease biomarkers and in vivo molecular imaging. We then conclude with a discussion on the advanced development and challenges of aptasensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Sum Liu
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fei Wang
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yonghe Ge
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Pik Kwan Lo
- Department of Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Key Laboratory of Biochip Technology, Biotech and Health Centre, Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518057, China
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20
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Abstract
Genomes can be viewed as constantly updated memory systems where information propagated in cells is refined over time by natural selection. This process, commonly known as heredity and evolution, has been the sole domain of DNA since the origin of prokaryotes. Now, some 3.5 billion years later, the pendulum of discovery has swung in a new direction, with carefully trained practitioners enabling the replication and evolution of "xeno-nucleic acids" or "XNAs"-synthetic genetic polymers in which the natural sugar found in DNA and RNA has been replaced with a different type of sugar moiety. XNAs have attracted significant attention as new polymers for synthetic biology, biotechnology, and medicine because of their unique physicochemical properties that may include increased biological stability, enhanced chemical stability, altered helical geometry, or even elevated thermodynamics of Watson-Crick base pairing.This Account describes our contribution to the field of synthetic biology, where chemical synthesis and polymerase engineering have allowed my lab and others to extend the concepts of heredity and evolution to synthetic genetic polymers with backbone structures that are distinct from those found in nature. I will begin with a discussion of α-l-threofuranosyl nucleic acid (TNA), a specific type of XNA that was chosen as a model system to represent any XNA system. I will then proceed to discuss advances in organic chemistry that were made to enable the synthesis of gram quantities of TNA phosphoramidites and nucleoside triphosphates, the monomers used for solid-phase and polymerase-mediated TNA synthesis, respectively. Next, I will recount our development of droplet-based optical sorting (DrOPS), a single-cell microfluidic technique that was established to evolve XNA polymerases in the laboratory. This section will conclude with structural insights that have been gained by solving X-ray crystal structures of a laboratory-evolved TNA polymerase and a natural DNA polymerase that functions with general reverse transcriptase activity on XNA templates.The final passage of this Account will examine the role that XNAs have played in synthetic biology by highlighting examples in which engineered polymerases have enabled the evolution of biologically stable affinity reagents (aptamers) and catalysts (XNAzymes) as well as the storage and retrieval of binary information encoded in electronic word and picture file formats. Because these examples provide only a glimpse of what the future may have in store for XNA, I will conclude the Account with my thoughts on how synthetic genetic polymers could help drive new innovations in synthetic biology and molecular medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C. Chaput
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
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21
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Yang C, Wu KB, Deng Y, Yuan J, Niu J. Geared Toward Applications: A Perspective on Functional Sequence-Controlled Polymers. ACS Macro Lett 2021; 10:243-257. [PMID: 34336395 PMCID: PMC8320758 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sequence-controlled polymers are an emerging class of synthetic polymers with a regulated sequence of monomers. In the past decade, tremendous progress has been made in the synthesis of polymers with the sophisticated sequence control approaching the level manifested in biopolymers. In contrast, the exploration of novel functions that can be achieved by controlling synthetic polymer sequences represents an emerging focus in polymer science. This Viewpoint will survey recent advances in the functional applications of sequence-controlled polymers and provide a perspective on the challenges and outlook for pursuing future applications of this fascinating class of macromolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cangjie Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Kevin B. Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Yu Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Jingsong Yuan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Jia Niu
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
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22
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Panda K, Alagarasu K, Parashar D. Oligonucleotide-Based Approaches to Inhibit Dengue Virus Replication. Molecules 2021; 26:956. [PMID: 33670247 PMCID: PMC7918374 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26040956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue fever is one of the most common viral infections affecting humans. It is an expanding public health problem, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. No effective vaccine or antiviral therapies against Dengue virus (DENV) infection are available. Therefore, there is a strong need to develop safe and effective therapeutic strategies that can reduce the burden and duration of hospitalizations due to this life-threatening disease. Oligonucleotide-based strategies are considered as an attractive means of inhibiting viral replication since oligonucleotides can be designed to interact with any viral RNA, provided its sequence is known. The resultant targeted destruction of viral RNA interferes with viral replication without inducing any adverse effects on cellular processes. In this review, we elaborate the ribozymes, RNA interference, CRISPR, aptamer and morpholino strategies for the inhibition of DENV replication and discuss the challenges involved in utilizing such approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kingshuk Panda
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune 411001, India
| | - Kalichamy Alagarasu
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune 411001, India
| | - Deepti Parashar
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune 411001, India
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23
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Wang Q, Chen X, Li X, Song D, Yang J, Yu H, Li Z. 2'-Fluoroarabinonucleic Acid Nanostructures as Stable Carriers for Cellular Delivery in the Strongly Acidic Environment. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2020; 12:53592-53597. [PMID: 33206496 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c11684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
DNA nanotechnology is powerful in constructing programmable nanostructures with distinct dimensions, sizes, and shapes. However, natural DNA molecules are prone to nuclease degradation, thus limiting the in vivo applications of such DNA nanostructures. 2'-Fluoroarabinonucleic acid (FANA) is a chemically modified oligonucleotide with similar base pairing properties to DNA and exhibits superior physical and chemical stabilities. In this work, FANA molecules were used to construct double crossover nanostructures, and it was demonstrated that incorporation of FANA conferred nucleic acid nanostructures with increased thermal stability and stronger nuclease resistance. More importantly, FANA nanostructures were able to maintain the structural integrity in the strongly acidic environment (pH 1.2). Last, such FANA nanostructures functioned well in acting as stable carriers of small-molecule cargoes for cellular delivery in simulated gastric fluid, while the DNA counterparts were mostly degraded. Collectively, these results demonstrated that FANA self-assembly was not only a substantial complement to the structural DNA nanotechnology but also an appealing molecular tool for in vivo biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xiaoxing Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xintong Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Dongfan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Jintao Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Hanyang Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Zhe Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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24
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Allemailem KS, Almatroudi A, Alsahli MA, Basfar GT, Alrumaihi F, Rahmani AH, Khan AA. Recent advances in understanding oligonucleotide aptamers and their applications as therapeutic agents. 3 Biotech 2020; 10:551. [PMID: 33269185 PMCID: PMC7686427 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-020-02546-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The innovative discovery of aptamers was based on target-specific treatment in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. Aptamers are synthetic, single-stranded oligonucleotides, simply described as chemical antibodies, which can bind to diverse targets with high specificity and affinity. Aptamers are synthesized by the SELEX technique, and possess distinctive properties as small size (10-50 kDa), higher stability, easy manufacture and less immunogenicity. These oligonucleotides are easily degraded by nucleases, so require some important modifications like capping and incorporation of modified nucleotides. RNA aptamers can be modified chemically on 2' positions using -NH3, -F, -deoxy, or -OMe groups to enhance their nuclease resistance. Aptamers have been employed for multiple purposes, as direct drugs or aptamer-drug conjugates targeted against different diseased cells. Different aptamer-conjugated nanovehicles (e.g., micelles, liposomes, silica nano-shells) have been designed to transport diverse anticancer-drugs like doxorubicin and cisplatin in bulk to minimize systemic cytotoxicity. Some drug-loaded nanovehicles (up to 97% loading capacity) and conjugated with specific aptamer resulted in more than 60% tumor inhibition as compared to unconjugated drug-loaded nanovehicles which showed only 31% cancer inhibition. In addition, aptamers have been widely used in basic research, food safety, environmental monitoring, clinical diagnostics and therapeutics. Different FDA-approved RNA and DNA aptamers are now available in the market, used for the treatment of diverse diseases, especially cancer. These aptamers include Macugen, Pegaptanib, etc. Despite a good progress in aptamer use, the present-day chemotherapeutics and drug targeting systems still face great challenges. Here in this review article, we are discussing nucleic acid aptamers, preparation, role in the transportation of different nanoparticle vehicles and their applications as therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khaled S. Allemailem
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6699, Buraydah, 51452 Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Almatroudi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed A. Alsahli
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ghaiyda Talal Basfar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faris Alrumaihi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arshad Husain Rahmani
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amjad Ali Khan
- Department of Basic Health Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, P.O. Box 6699, Buraydah, 51452 Saudi Arabia
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25
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Gruenke PR, Alam KK, Singh K, Burke DH. 2'-fluoro-modified pyrimidines enhance affinity of RNA oligonucleotides to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 26:1667-1679. [PMID: 32732393 PMCID: PMC7566575 DOI: 10.1261/rna.077008.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers can be chemically modified to enhance function, but modifying previously selected aptamers can have nontrivial structural and functional consequences. We present a reselection strategy to evaluate the impact of several modifications on preexisting aptamer pools. RNA aptamer libraries with affinity to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) were retranscribed with 2'-F, 2'-OMe, or 2'-NH2 pyrimidines and subjected to three additional selection cycles. RT inhibition was observed for representative aptamers from several structural families identified by high-throughput sequencing when transcribed with their corresponding modifications. Thus, reselection identified specialized subsets of aptamers that tolerated chemical modifications from unmodified preenriched libraries. Inhibition was the strongest with the 2'-F-pyrimidine (2'-FY) RNAs, as compared to inhibition by the 2'-OMeY and 2'-NH2Y RNAs. Unexpectedly, a diverse panel of retroviral RTs were strongly inhibited by all 2'-FY-modified transcripts, including sequences that do not inhibit those RTs as unmodified RNA. The magnitude of promiscuous RT inhibition was proportional to mole fraction 2'-FY in the transcript. RT binding affinity by 2'-FY transcripts was more sensitive to salt concentration than binding by unmodified transcripts, indicating that interaction with retroviral RTs is more ionic in character for 2'-FY RNA than for unmodified 2'-OH RNA. These surprising features of 2'-FY-modified RNA may have general implications for applied aptamer technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige R Gruenke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | - Khalid K Alam
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | - Kamal Singh
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
| | - Donald H Burke
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
- Department of Biological Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA
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26
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Therapeutically Significant MicroRNAs in Primary and Metastatic Brain Malignancies. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12092534. [PMID: 32906592 PMCID: PMC7564168 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12092534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The overall survival of brain cancer patients remains grim, with conventional therapies such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy only providing marginal benefits to patient survival. Cancers are complex, with multiple pathways being dysregulated simultaneously. Non-coding RNAs such as microRNA (miRNAs) are gaining importance due to their potential in regulating a variety of targets implicated in the pathology of cancers. This could be leveraged for the development of targeted and personalized therapies for cancers. Since miRNAs can upregulate and/or downregulate proteins, this review aims to understand the role of these miRNAs in primary and metastatic brain cancers. Here, we discuss the regulatory mechanisms of ten miRNAs that are highly dysregulated in glioblastoma and metastatic brain tumors. This will enable researchers to develop miRNA-based targeted cancer therapies and identify potential prognostic biomarkers. Abstract Brain cancer is one among the rare cancers with high mortality rate that affects both children and adults. The most aggressive form of primary brain tumor is glioblastoma. Secondary brain tumors most commonly metastasize from primary cancers of lung, breast, or melanoma. The five-year survival of primary and secondary brain tumors is 34% and 2.4%, respectively. Owing to poor prognosis, tumor heterogeneity, increased tumor relapse, and resistance to therapies, brain cancers have high mortality and poor survival rates compared to other cancers. Early diagnosis, effective targeted treatments, and improved prognosis have the potential to increase the survival rate of patients with primary and secondary brain malignancies. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs of approximately 18–22 nucleotides that play a significant role in the regulation of multiple genes. With growing interest in the development of miRNA-based therapeutics, it is crucial to understand the differential role of these miRNAs in the given cancer scenario. This review focuses on the differential expression of ten miRNAs (miR-145, miR-31, miR-451, miR-19a, miR-143, miR-125b, miR-328, miR-210, miR-146a, and miR-126) in glioblastoma and brain metastasis. These miRNAs are highly dysregulated in both primary and metastatic brain tumors, which necessitates a better understanding of their role in these cancers. In the context of the tumor microenvironment and the expression of different genes, these miRNAs possess both oncogenic and/or tumor-suppressive roles within the same cancer.
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27
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Thompson AS, Barrett SE, Weiden AG, Venkatesh A, Seto MKC, Gottlieb SZP, Leconte AM. Accurate and Efficient One-Pot Reverse Transcription and Amplification of 2'-Fluoro-Modified Nucleic Acids by Commercial DNA Polymerases. Biochemistry 2020; 59:2833-2841. [PMID: 32659079 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.0c00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
DNA is a foundational tool in biotechnology and synthetic biology but is limited by sensitivity to DNA-modifying enzymes. Recently, researchers have identified DNA polymerases that can enzymatically synthesize long oligonucleotides of modified DNA (M-DNA) that are resistant to DNA-modifying enzymes. Most applications require M-DNA to be reverse transcribed, typically using a RNA reverse transcriptase, back into natural DNA for sequence analysis or further manipulation. Here, we tested commercially available DNA-dependent DNA polymerases for their ability to reverse transcribe and amplify M-DNA in a one-pot reaction. Three of the six polymerases chosen (Phusion, Q5, and Deep Vent) could reverse transcribe and amplify synthetic 2'F M-DNA in a single reaction with <5 × 10-3 error per base pair. We further used Q5 DNA polymerase to reverse transcribe and amplify M-DNA synthesized by two candidate M-DNA polymerases (SFP1 and SFM4-6), allowing for quantification of the frequency, types, and locations of errors made during M-DNA synthesis. From these studies, we identify SFP1 as one of the most accurate M-DNA polymerases identified to date. Collectively, these studies establish a simple, robust method for the conversion of 2'F M-DNA to DNA in <1 h using commercially available materials, significantly improving the ease of use of M-DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna S Thompson
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Susanna E Barrett
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Aurora G Weiden
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Ananya Venkatesh
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Madison K C Seto
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Simone Z P Gottlieb
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
| | - Aaron M Leconte
- W. M. Keck Science Department of Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges, Claremont, California 91711, United States
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28
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Nie P, Bai Y, Mei H. Synthetic Life with Alternative Nucleic Acids as Genetic Materials. Molecules 2020; 25:E3483. [PMID: 32751873 PMCID: PMC7435384 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA, the fundamental genetic polymer of all living organisms on Earth, can be chemically modified to embrace novel functions that do not exist in nature. The key chemical and structural parameters for genetic information storage, heredity, and evolution have been elucidated, and many xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNAs) with non-canonical structures are developed as alternative genetic materials in vitro. However, it is still particularly challenging to replace DNAs with XNAs in living cells. This review outlines some recent studies in which the storage and propagation of genetic information are achieved in vivo by expanding genetic systems with XNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hui Mei
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (P.N.); (Y.B.)
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29
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Dunn MR, McCloskey CM, Buckley P, Rhea K, Chaput JC. Generating Biologically Stable TNA Aptamers that Function with High Affinity and Thermal Stability. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:7721-7724. [PMID: 32298104 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c00641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers are often prone to nuclease digestion, which limits their utility in many biomedical applications. Here we describe a xeno-nucleic acid system based on α-l-threofuranosyl nucleic acid (TNA) that is completely refractory to nuclease digestion. The use of an engineered TNA polymerase permitted the isolation of functional TNA aptamers that bind to HIV reverse transcriptase (HIV RT) with KD's of ∼0.4-4.0 nM. The aptamers were identified using a display strategy that provides a powerful genotype-phenotype linkage. The TNA aptamers remain active in the presence of nuclease and exhibit markedly higher thermal stability than monoclonal antibodies. The combined properties of biological stability, high binding affinity, and thermal stability make TNA aptamers a powerful system for the development of diagnostic and therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Patricia Buckley
- U.S. Army CCDC Chemical Biological Center, APG, Maryland 21010, United States
| | - Katherine Rhea
- Excet, Inc., 8001 Braddock Road, Ste. 303, Springfield, Virginia 22151, United States
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30
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Kong D, Movahedi M, Mahdavi-Amiri Y, Yeung W, Tiburcio T, Chen D, Hili R. Evolutionary Outcomes of Diversely Functionalized Aptamers Isolated from in Vitro Evolution. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:43-52. [PMID: 31774997 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Expanding the chemical diversity of aptamers remains an important thrust in the field in order to increase their functional potential. Previously, our group developed LOOPER, which enables the incorporation of up to 16 unique modifications throughout a ssDNA sequence, and applied it to the in vitro evolution of thrombin binders. As LOOPER-derived highly modified nucleic acids polymers are governed by two interrelated evolutionary variables, namely, functional modifications and sequence, the evolution of this polymer contrasts with that of canonical DNA. Herein we provide in-depth analysis of the evolution, including structure-activity relationships, mapping of evolutionary pressures on the library, and analysis of plausible evolutionary pathways that resulted in the first LOOPER-derived aptamer, TBL1. A detailed picture of how TBL1 interacts with thrombin and how it may mimic known peptide binders of thrombin is also proposed. Structural modeling and folding studies afford insights into how the aptamer displays critical modifications and also how modifications enhance the structural stability of the aptamer. A discussion of benefits and potential limitations of LOOPER during in vitro evolution is provided, which will serve to guide future evolutions of this highly modified class of aptamers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehui Kong
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, 140 Cedar Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Matina Movahedi
- Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Yasaman Mahdavi-Amiri
- Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Wayland Yeung
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, 140 Cedar Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Tristan Tiburcio
- Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Dickson Chen
- Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Ryan Hili
- Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, 140 Cedar Street, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
- Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3, Canada
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31
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Eremeeva E, Fikatas A, Margamuljana L, Abramov M, Schols D, Groaz E, Herdewijn P. Highly stable hexitol based XNA aptamers targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:4927-4939. [PMID: 30968117 PMCID: PMC6547419 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomedical applications of nucleic acid aptamers are limited by their rapid degradation in biological fluids and generally demand tedious post-selection modifications that might compromise binding. One possible solution to warrant biostability is to directly evolve chemically modified aptamers from xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNAs). We have isolated fully modified 2'-O-methyl-ribose-1,5-anhydrohexitol nucleic acid (MeORNA-HNA) aptamers targeting the rat vascular endothelial growth factor 164 (rVEGF164). Three sequences have been identified that interact with the target protein with affinities in the low-nanomolar range and HNA modifications appeared to be mandatory for their tight binding. The evolution of these XNA aptamers was accomplished using an in vitro selection procedure starting from a fully sugar-modified library containing a 20mer 2'-OMe-ribonucleotide region followed by a 47mer HNA sequence. The high binding affinity and selectivity of the selected aptamers were confirmed by several methods including gel-shift, fluorescence polarisation, and enzyme-linked oligonucleotide assays. The isolated HNA ligands exhibited higher specificity to the rVEGF164 and human VEGF165 isoforms compared to rat VEGF120, while very low binding efficiencies were observed to streptavidin and thrombin. Furthermore, it was clearly demonstrated that the resulting aptamers possessed a superior stability to degradation in human serum and DNase I solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Eremeeva
- Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Antonios Fikatas
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1043, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lia Margamuljana
- Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mikhail Abramov
- Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dominique Schols
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1043, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elisabetta Groaz
- Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49 - Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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32
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Rose KM, Alves Ferreira-Bravo I, Li M, Craigie R, Ditzler MA, Holliger P, DeStefano JJ. Selection of 2'-Deoxy-2'-Fluoroarabino Nucleic Acid (FANA) Aptamers That Bind HIV-1 Integrase with Picomolar Affinity. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:2166-2175. [PMID: 31560515 PMCID: PMC7005942 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Systematic Evolution
of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX)
is the iterative process by which nucleic acids that can bind with
high affinity and specificity (termed aptamers) to specific protein
targets are selected. Using a SELEX protocol adapted for Xeno-Nucleic
Acid (XNA) as a suitable substrate for aptamer generation, 2′-fluoroarabinonucleic
acid (FANA) was used to select several related aptamers to HIV-1 integrase
(IN). IN bound FANA aptamers with equilibrium dissociation constants
(KD,app) of ∼50–100 pM in
a buffer with 200 mM NaCl and 6 mM MgCl2. Comparisons to
published HIV-1 IN RNA and DNA aptamers as well as IN genomic binding
partners indicated that FANA aptamers bound more than 2 orders of
magnitude more tightly to IN. Using a combination of RNA folding algorithms
and covariation analysis, all strong binding aptamers demonstrated
a common four-way junction structure, despite significant sequence
variation. IN aptamers were selected from the same starting library
as FA1, a FANA aptamer that binds with pM affinity to HIV-1 Reverse
Transcriptase (RT). It contains a 20-nucleotide 5′ DNA sequence
followed by 59 FANA nucleotides. IN-1.1 (one of the selected aptamers)
potently inhibited IN activity and intasome formation in vitro. Replacing
the FANA nucleotides of IN-1.1 with 2′-fluororibonucleic acid
(F-RNA), which has the same chemical formula but with a ribose rather
than arabinose sugar conformation, dramatically reduced binding, suggesting
that FANA adopts unique structural conformations that promote binding
to HIV-1 IN.
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33
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Rangel AE, Chen Z, Ayele TM, Heemstra JM. In vitro selection of an XNA aptamer capable of small-molecule recognition. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:8057-8068. [PMID: 30085205 PMCID: PMC6144807 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in XNA evolution, the binding capabilities of artificial genetic polymers are currently limited to protein targets. Here, we describe the expansion of in vitro evolution techniques to enable selection of threose nucleic acid (TNA) aptamers to ochratoxin A (OTA). This research establishes the first example of an XNA aptamer of any kind to be evolved having affinity to a small-molecule target. Selection experiments against OTA yielded aptamers having affinities in the mid nanomolar range; with the best binders possessing KD values comparable to or better than those of the best previously reported DNA aptamer to OTA. Importantly, the TNA can be incubated in 50% human blood serum for seven days and retain binding to OTA with only a minor change in affinity, while the DNA aptamer is completely degraded and loses all capacity to bind the target. This not only establishes the remarkable biostability of the TNA aptamer, but also its high level of selectivity, as it is capable of binding OTA in a large background of competing biomolecules. Together, this research demonstrates that refining methods for in vitro evolution of XNA can enable the selection of aptamers to a broad range of increasingly challenging target molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Rangel
- Department of Chemistry and the Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Zhe Chen
- Department of Chemistry and the Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | | | - Jennifer M Heemstra
- Department of Chemistry and the Center for Cell and Genome Science, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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34
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Arangundy-Franklin S, Taylor AI, Porebski BT, Genna V, Peak-Chew S, Vaisman A, Woodgate R, Orozco M, Holliger P. A synthetic genetic polymer with an uncharged backbone chemistry based on alkyl phosphonate nucleic acids. Nat Chem 2019; 11:533-542. [PMID: 31011171 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-019-0255-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The physicochemical properties of nucleic acids are dominated by their highly charged phosphodiester backbone chemistry. This polyelectrolyte structure decouples information content (base sequence) from bulk properties, such as solubility, and has been proposed as a defining trait of all informational polymers. However, this conjecture has not been tested experimentally. Here, we describe the encoded synthesis of a genetic polymer with an uncharged backbone chemistry: alkyl phosphonate nucleic acids (phNAs) in which the canonical, negatively charged phosphodiester is replaced by an uncharged P-alkyl phosphonodiester backbone. Using synthetic chemistry and polymerase engineering, we describe the enzymatic, DNA-templated synthesis of P-methyl and P-ethyl phNAs, and the directed evolution of specific streptavidin-binding phNA aptamer ligands directly from random-sequence mixed P-methyl/P-ethyl phNA repertoires. Our results establish an example of the DNA-templated enzymatic synthesis and evolution of an uncharged genetic polymer and provide a foundational methodology for their exploration as a source of novel functional molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander I Taylor
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Benjamin T Porebski
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Vito Genna
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sew Peak-Chew
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Alexandra Vaisman
- Section on DNA Replication, Repair and Mutagenesis, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Roger Woodgate
- Section on DNA Replication, Repair and Mutagenesis, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Philipp Holliger
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK.
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35
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Yan S, Li X, Zhang P, Wang Y, Chen HY, Huang S, Yu H. Direct sequencing of 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroarabinonucleic acid (FANA) using nanopore-induced phase-shift sequencing (NIPSS). Chem Sci 2019; 10:3110-3117. [PMID: 30996894 PMCID: PMC6429604 DOI: 10.1039/c8sc05228j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
2'-deoxy-2'-fluoroarabinonucleic acid (FANA), which is one type of xeno-nucleic acid (XNA), has been intensively studied in molecular medicine and synthetic biology because of its superior gene-silencing and catalytic activities. Although urgently required, FANA cannot be directly sequenced by any existing platform. Nanopore sequencing, which identifies a single molecule analyte directly from its physical and chemical properties, shows promise for direct XNA sequencing. As a proof of concept, different FANA homopolymers show well-distinguished pore blockage signals in a Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore. By ligating FANA with a DNA drive-strand, direct FANA sequencing has been demonstrated using phi29 DNA polymerase by Nanopore-Induced Phase Shift Sequencing (NIPSS). When bound with an FANA template, the phi29 DNA polymerase shows unexpected reverse transcriptase activity when monitored in a single molecule assay. Following further investigations into the ensemble, phi29 DNA polymerase is shown to be a previously unknown reverse transcriptase for FANA that operates at room temperature, and is potentially ideal for nanopore sequencing. These results represent the first direct sequencing of a sugar-modified XNA and suggest that phi29 DNA polymerase could act as a promising enzyme for sustained sequencing of a wide variety of XNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuanghong Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
| | - Xintong Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
| | - Panke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
| | - Yuqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
| | - Hong-Yuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
| | - Shuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- Collaborative Innovation Centre of Chemistry for Life Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
| | - Hanyang Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering
, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
, Nanjing University
,
210023
, Nanjing
, China
.
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36
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Egli M, Lybrand TP. Enhanced Dispersion and Polarization Interactions Achieved through Dithiophosphate Group Incorporation Yield a Dramatic Binding Affinity Increase for an RNA Aptamer-Thrombin Complex. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:4445-4452. [PMID: 30794399 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Regiospecific replacement of a single phosphate (PO2) by a dithiophosphate (PS2) group in an RNA can dramatically increase its binding affinity for a target protein. Thus, complexes between antithrombin and anti-VEGF RNA aptamers with single dithiophosphate moieties and thrombin and VEGF, respectively, display equilibrium dissociation constants KD of ca. 1 pM, 1000-fold tighter than the native RNA complexes (ca. 1 nM). Inspection of crystal structures of the native and PS2-RNA aptamer:thrombin complexes reveals an RNA-induced fit in the latter. This leads to a close approach between PS2 and the phenyl ring edge of Phe-232 that is surrounded by pairs of lysines and arginines. To better understand the origins of the tighter binding and individual contributions to the interaction energy, we carried out QM calculations with phosphate- and dithiophosphate-benzene and dimethyl phosphate- and dimethyl dithiophosphate-benzene model systems. These calculations demonstrate that the dithiophosphate-benzene interaction is much stronger than the corresponding interaction with phosphate. QM/MM calculations with the full complexes confirmed this finding and support the hypothesis that the electric field generated by basic residues surrounding Phe-232 is key to the polarization of the PS2 moiety. Thus, disparate polarization and dispersion energies between the PO2 and PS2 complexes contribute critically to the difference in binding affinity. By comparison, easier desolvation of the dithiophosphate group compared to phosphate does not contribute decisively to the observed difference in binding affinity. Favorable polarization and dispersion energies may be a general feature of the dramatic affinity gains seen for complexes between RNAs carrying dithiophosphate groups and their binding proteins.
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37
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Randrianjatovo-Gbalou I, Rosario S, Sismeiro O, Varet H, Legendre R, Coppée JY, Huteau V, Pochet S, Delarue M. Enzymatic synthesis of random sequences of RNA and RNA analogues by DNA polymerase theta mutants for the generation of aptamer libraries. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:6271-6284. [PMID: 29788485 PMCID: PMC6158600 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers, especially RNA, exhibit valuable advantages compared to protein therapeutics in terms of size, affinity and specificity. However, the synthesis of libraries of large random RNAs is still difficult and expensive. The engineering of polymerases able to directly generate these libraries has the potential to replace the chemical synthesis approach. Here, we start with a DNA polymerase that already displays a significant template-free nucleotidyltransferase activity, human DNA polymerase theta, and we mutate it based on the knowledge of its three-dimensional structure as well as previous mutational studies on members of the same polA family. One mutant exhibited a high tolerance towards ribonucleotides (NTPs) and displayed an efficient ribonucleotidyltransferase activity that resulted in the assembly of long RNA polymers. HPLC analysis and RNA sequencing of the products were used to quantify the incorporation of the four NTPs as a function of initial NTP concentrations and established the randomness of each generated nucleic acid sequence. The same mutant revealed a propensity to accept other modified nucleotides and to extend them in long fragments. Hence, this mutant can deliver random natural and modified RNA polymers libraries ready to use for SELEX, with custom lengths and balanced or unbalanced ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Randrianjatovo-Gbalou
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Sandrine Rosario
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Odile Sismeiro
- Transcriptome and EpiGenome platform, BioMics, Center of Innovation and Technological Research, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Hugo Varet
- Transcriptome and EpiGenome platform, BioMics, Center of Innovation and Technological Research, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
- Hub informatique et Biostatistique, Centre de Bioinformatique, Biostatistique et Biologie Intégrative (C3BI, USR 3756 IP-CNRS), Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Rachel Legendre
- Transcriptome and EpiGenome platform, BioMics, Center of Innovation and Technological Research, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
- Hub informatique et Biostatistique, Centre de Bioinformatique, Biostatistique et Biologie Intégrative (C3BI, USR 3756 IP-CNRS), Institut Pasteur, 28 Rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Jean-Yves Coppée
- Transcriptome and EpiGenome platform, BioMics, Center of Innovation and Technological Research, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Valérie Huteau
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse, CNRS UMR 3523, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Sylvie Pochet
- Unité de Chimie et Biocatalyse, CNRS UMR 3523, Institut Pasteur, 28 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Marc Delarue
- Unit of Structural Dynamics of Biological Macromolecules, CNRS UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
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38
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Pan Q, Luo F, Liu M, Zhang XL. Oligonucleotide aptamers: promising and powerful diagnostic and therapeutic tools for infectious diseases. J Infect 2018; 77:83-98. [PMID: 29746951 PMCID: PMC7112547 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2018.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2017] [Revised: 01/02/2018] [Accepted: 04/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The entire human population is at risk of infectious diseases worldwide. Thus far, the diagnosis and treatment of human infectious diseases at the molecular and nanoscale levels have been extremely challenging tasks because of the lack of effective probes to identify and recognize biomarkers of pathogens. Oligonucleotide aptamers are a class of small nucleic acid ligands that are composed of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) or RNA and act as affinity probes or molecular recognition elements for a variety of targets. These aptamers have an exciting potential for diagnose and/or treatment of specific diseases. In this review, we highlight areas where aptamers have been developed as diagnostic and therapeutic agents for both bacterial and viral infectious diseases as well as aptamer-based detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Immunology School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Research Institute and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy Wuhan University School of Medicine, Donghu Road 185#, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Fengling Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Immunology School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Research Institute and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy Wuhan University School of Medicine, Donghu Road 185#, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Min Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Immunology School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Research Institute and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy Wuhan University School of Medicine, Donghu Road 185#, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Xiao-Lian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Department of Immunology School of Basic Medical Sciences, Medical Research Institute and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy Wuhan University School of Medicine, Donghu Road 185#, Wuhan 430071, PR China.
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39
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Mei H, Liao JY, Jimenez RM, Wang Y, Bala S, McCloskey C, Switzer C, Chaput JC. Synthesis and Evolution of a Threose Nucleic Acid Aptamer Bearing 7-Deaza-7-Substituted Guanosine Residues. J Am Chem Soc 2018; 140:5706-5713. [PMID: 29667819 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b13031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In vitro selection experiments carried out on artificial genetic polymers require robust and faithful methods for copying genetic information back and forth between DNA and xeno-nucleic acids (XNA). Previously, we have shown that Kod-RI, an engineered polymerase developed to transcribe DNA templates into threose nucleic acid (TNA), can function with high fidelity in the absence of manganese ions. However, the transcriptional efficiency of this enzyme diminishes greatly when individual templates are replaced with libraries of DNA sequences, indicating that manganese ions are still required for in vitro selection. Unfortunately, the presence of manganese ions in the transcription mixture leads to the misincorporation of tGTP nucleotides opposite dG residues in the templating strand, which are detected as G-to-C transversions when the TNA is reverse transcribed back into DNA. Here we report the synthesis and fidelity of TNA replication using 7-deaza-7-modified guanosine base analogues in the DNA template and incoming TNA nucleoside triphosphate. Our findings reveal that tGTP misincorporation occurs via a Hoogsteen base pair in which the incoming tGTP residue adopts a syn conformation with respect to the sugar. Substitution of tGTP for 7-deaza-7-phenyl tGTP enabled the synthesis of TNA polymers with >99% overall fidelity. A TNA library containing the 7-deaza-7-phenyl guanine analogue was used to evolve a biologically stable TNA aptamer that binds to HIV reverse transcriptase with low nanomolar affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Christopher Switzer
- Department of Chemistry , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
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40
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Bala J, Chinnapaiyan S, Dutta RK, Unwalla H. Aptamers in HIV research diagnosis and therapy. RNA Biol 2018; 15:327-337. [PMID: 29431588 PMCID: PMC5927724 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1414131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 12/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aptamers are high affinity single-stranded nucleic acid or protein ligands which exhibit specificity and avidity comparable to, or exceeding that of antibodies and can be generated against most targets. The functionality of aptamers is based on their unique tertiary structure, complexity and their ability to attain unique binding pockets by folding. Aptamers are selected in vitro by a process called Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX). The Kd values for the selected aptamer are often in the picomolar to low nanomolar range. Stable and nontoxic aptamers could be selected for a wide range of ligands including small molecules to large proteins. Aptamers have shown tremendous potential and have found multipurpose application in the field of therapeutic, diagnostic, biosensor and bio-imaging. While their mechanism of action can be similar to that of monoclonal antibodies, aptamers provide additional advantages in terms of production cost, simpler regulatory approval and lower immunogenicity as they are synthesized chemically. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the primary cause of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), which causes significant morbidity and mortality with a significant consequent decrease in the quality of patient's lives. While cART has led to good viral control, people living with HIV now suffer from non-HIV comorbidities due to viral protein expression that cannot be controlled by cART. Hence pathophysiological mechanisms that govern these comorbidities with a focus on therapies that neutralize these HIV effects gained increased attention. Recent advances in HIV/AIDS research have identified several molecular targets and for the development of therapeutic and diagnostic using aptamers against HIV/AIDS. This review presents recent advances in aptamers technology for potential application in HIV diagnostics and therapeutics towards improving the quality of life of people living with HIV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Bala
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Srinivasan Chinnapaiyan
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Rajib Kumar Dutta
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Hoshang Unwalla
- Department of Immunology, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
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41
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Chim N, Shi C, Sau SP, Nikoomanzar A, Chaput JC. Structural basis for TNA synthesis by an engineered TNA polymerase. Nat Commun 2017; 8:1810. [PMID: 29180809 PMCID: PMC5703726 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02014-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Darwinian evolution experiments carried out on xeno-nucleic acid (XNA) polymers require engineered polymerases that can faithfully and efficiently copy genetic information back and forth between DNA and XNA. However, current XNA polymerases function with inferior activity relative to their natural counterparts. Here, we report five X-ray crystal structures that illustrate the pathway by which α-(l)-threofuranosyl nucleic acid (TNA) triphosphates are selected and extended in a template-dependent manner using a laboratory-evolved polymerase known as Kod-RI. Structural comparison of the apo, binary, open and closed ternary, and translocated product detail an ensemble of interactions and conformational changes required to promote TNA synthesis. Close inspection of the active site in the closed ternary structure reveals a sub-optimal binding geometry that explains the slow rate of catalysis. This key piece of information, which is missing for all naturally occurring archaeal DNA polymerases, provides a framework for engineering new TNA polymerase variants. The laboratory-evolved polymerase Kod-RI catalyzes α-L-threose nucleic acid (TNA) synthesis. Here, the authors present Kod-RI crystal structures that give insights into how TNA triphosphates are selected and extended in a template-dependent manner, which will help to engineer improved TNA polymerases for synthetic genetics applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Chim
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3958, USA
| | - Changhua Shi
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3958, USA
| | - Sujay P Sau
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3958, USA
| | - Ali Nikoomanzar
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3958, USA
| | - John C Chaput
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697-3958, USA.
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42
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Nikoomanzar A, Dunn MR, Chaput JC. Evaluating the Rate and Substrate Specificity of Laboratory Evolved XNA Polymerases. Anal Chem 2017; 89:12622-12625. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b03807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Nikoomanzar
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - Matthew R. Dunn
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
| | - John C. Chaput
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Chemistry, and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, California 92697-3958, United States
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43
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Röthlisberger P, Gasse C, Hollenstein M. Nucleic Acid Aptamers: Emerging Applications in Medical Imaging, Nanotechnology, Neurosciences, and Drug Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E2430. [PMID: 29144411 PMCID: PMC5713398 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18112430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progresses in organic chemistry and molecular biology have allowed the emergence of numerous new applications of nucleic acids that markedly deviate from their natural functions. Particularly, DNA and RNA molecules-coined aptamers-can be brought to bind to specific targets with high affinity and selectivity. While aptamers are mainly applied as biosensors, diagnostic agents, tools in proteomics and biotechnology, and as targeted therapeutics, these chemical antibodies slowly begin to be used in other fields. Herein, we review recent progress on the use of aptamers in the construction of smart DNA origami objects and MRI and PET imaging agents. We also describe advances in the use of aptamers in the field of neurosciences (with a particular emphasis on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases) and as drug delivery systems. Lastly, the use of chemical modifications, modified nucleoside triphosphate particularly, to enhance the binding and stability of aptamers is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Röthlisberger
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris CEDEX 15, France.
| | - Cécile Gasse
- Institute of Systems & Synthetic Biology, Xenome Team, 5 rue Henri Desbruères Genopole Campus 1, University of Evry, F-91030 Evry, France.
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris CEDEX 15, France.
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44
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Lewis EL, Leconte AM. DNA Polymerase Activity Assay Using Near-infrared Fluorescent Labeled DNA Visualized by Acrylamide Gel Electrophoresis. J Vis Exp 2017. [PMID: 29053685 DOI: 10.3791/56228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
For any enzyme, robust, quantitative methods are required for characterization of both native and engineered enzymes. For DNA polymerases, DNA synthesis can be characterized using an in vitro DNA synthesis assay followed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The goal of this assay is to quantify synthesis of both natural DNA and modified DNA (M-DNA). These approaches are particularly useful for resolving oligonucleotides with single nucleotide resolution, enabling observation of individual steps during enzymatic oligonucleotide synthesis. These methods have been applied to the evaluation of an array of biochemical and biophysical properties such as the measurement of steady-state rate constants of individual steps of DNA synthesis, the error rate of DNA synthesis, and DNA binding affinity. By using modified components including, but not limited to, modified nucleoside triphosphates (NTP), M-DNA, and/or mutant DNA polymerases, the relative utility of substrate-DNA polymerase pairs can be effectively evaluated. Here, we detail the assay itself, including the changes that must be made to accommodate nontraditional primer DNA labeling strategies such as near-infrared fluorescently labeled DNA. Additionally, we have detailed crucial technical steps for acrylamide gel pouring and running, which can often be technically challenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eliza L Lewis
- Department of Chemistry, W.M. Keck Science Department of Claremont Mckenna, Pitzer, and Scripps College
| | - Aaron M Leconte
- Department of Chemistry, W.M. Keck Science Department of Claremont Mckenna, Pitzer, and Scripps College;
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45
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He X, Guo L, He J, Xu H, Xie J. Stepping Library-Based Post-SELEX Strategy Approaching to the Minimized Aptamer in SPR. Anal Chem 2017; 89:6559-6566. [PMID: 28505431 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b00700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
When evolved from SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment), aptamers are generally about 70-130 nucleotides in length and needed to be effectively truncated for further diagnosis or therapeutic uses. Post-SELEX optimization is then aroused to simplify the aptamer sequence and improve the affinity property. In this work, we report a new post-SELEX strategy based on a stepping library for the first time. With a hypothesis that one nucleobase can influence the whole binding affinity through its adjacent base stacking and potential steric hydrogen bonding interaction, we designed a stepping library composed of all probable nucleotide truncation directions. We employed an aptamer 807-39nt toward EPO-α as a model, and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as an efficient screening and evaluation method to optimize all label-free sequences in the library. We have successfully picked out In27 as the minimized aptamer from a mini library of only 35 sequences. Aptamer In27 has a sole loop, without the original stem portion of the initial aptamer, but retains the whole binding affinity. We have also defined the key nucleotide contribution by site mutagenesis with natural bases, and finally produced a degenerated sequence with higher or the same good affinities. Furthermore, we explored different binding behaviors between aptamer In27 and other recognition molecule such as agglutinin, monoclonal antibody, or receptor by competition or binding assays. Our work provides a new and efficient post-SELEX optimization strategy, as well as a minimized aptamer In27 with an explicit degenerated sequence and a defined binding behavior. That would enhance their great potential in future diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqin He
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, and Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences and ‡State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences , Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lei Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, and Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences and ‡State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences , Beijing 100850, China
| | - Junlin He
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, and Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences and ‡State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences , Beijing 100850, China
| | - Hua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, and Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences and ‡State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences , Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jianwei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, and Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences and ‡State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Academy of Military Medical Sciences , Beijing 100850, China
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46
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Houlihan G, Arangundy-Franklin S, Holliger P. Exploring the Chemistry of Genetic Information Storage and Propagation through Polymerase Engineering. Acc Chem Res 2017; 50:1079-1087. [PMID: 28383245 PMCID: PMC5406124 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.7b00056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Nucleic
acids are a distinct form of sequence-defined biopolymer.
What sets them apart from other biopolymers such as polypeptides or
polysaccharides is their unique capacity to encode, store, and propagate
genetic information (molecular heredity). In nature, just two closely
related nucleic acids, DNA and RNA, function as repositories and carriers
of genetic information. They therefore are the molecular embodiment
of biological information. This naturally leads to questions regarding
the degree of variation from this seemingly ideal “Goldilocks”
chemistry that would still be compatible with the fundamental property
of molecular heredity. To address this question, chemists have
created a panoply of synthetic
nucleic acids comprising unnatural sugar ring congeners, backbone
linkages, and nucleobases in order to establish the molecular parameters
for encoding genetic information and its emergence at the origin of
life. A deeper analysis of the potential of these synthetic genetic
polymers for molecular heredity requires a means of replication and
a determination of the fidelity of information transfer. While non-enzymatic
synthesis is an increasingly powerful method, it currently remains
restricted to short polymers. Here we discuss efforts toward establishing
enzymatic synthesis, replication, and evolution of synthetic genetic
polymers through the engineering of polymerase enzymes found in nature. To endow natural polymerases with the ability to efficiently utilize
non-cognate nucleotide substrates, novel strategies for the screening
and directed evolution of polymerase function have been realized.
High throughput plate-based screens, phage display, and water-in-oil
emulsion technology based methods have yielded a number of engineered
polymerases, some of which can synthesize and reverse transcribe synthetic
genetic polymers with good efficiency and fidelity. The inception
of such polymerases demonstrates that, at a basic
level at least, molecular heredity is not restricted to the natural
nucleic acids DNA and RNA, but may be found in a large (if finite)
number of synthetic genetic polymers. And it has opened up these novel
sequence spaces for investigation. Although largely unexplored, first
tentative forays have yielded ligands (aptamers) against a range of
targets and several catalysts elaborated in a range of different chemistries.
Finally, taking the lead from established DNA designs, simple polyhedron
nanostructures have been described. We anticipate that further
progress in this area will expand the
range of synthetic genetic polymers that can be synthesized, replicated,
and evolved providing access to a rich sequence, structure, and phenotypic
space. “Synthetic genetics”, that is, the exploration
of these spaces, will illuminate the chemical parameter range for
en- and decoding information, 3D folding, and catalysis and yield
novel ligands, catalysts, and nanostructures and devices for applications
in biotechnology and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gillian Houlihan
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick
Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
| | | | - Philipp Holliger
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick
Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, U.K
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47
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Minagawa H, Onodera K, Fujita H, Sakamoto T, Akitomi J, Kaneko N, Shiratori I, Kuwahara M, Horii K, Waga I. Selection, Characterization and Application of Artificial DNA Aptamer Containing Appended Bases with Sub-nanomolar Affinity for a Salivary Biomarker. Sci Rep 2017; 7:42716. [PMID: 28256555 PMCID: PMC5335659 DOI: 10.1038/srep42716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
We have attained a chemically modified DNA aptamer against salivary α-amylase (sAA), which attracts researchers’ attention as a useful biomarker for assessing human psychobiological and social behavioural processes, although high affinity aptamers have not been isolated from a random natural DNA library to date. For the selection, we used the base-appended base (BAB) modification, that is, a modified-base DNA library containing (E)-5-(2-(N-(2-(N6-adeninyl)ethyl))carbamylvinyl)-uracil in place of thymine. After eight rounds of selection, a 75 mer aptamer, AMYm1, which binds to sAA with extremely high affinity (Kd < 1 nM), was isolated. Furthermore, we have successfully determined the 36-mer minimum fragment, AMYm1-3, which retains target binding activity comparable to the full-length AMYm1, by surface plasmon resonance assays. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectral analysis indicated that the minimum fragment forms a specific stable conformation, whereas the predicted secondary structures were suggested to be disordered forms. Thus, DNA libraries with BAB-modifications can achieve more diverse conformations for fitness to various targets compared with natural DNA libraries, which is an important advantage for aptamer development. Furthermore, using AMYm1, a capillary gel electrophoresis assay and lateral flow assay with human saliva were conducted, and its feasibility was demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirotaka Minagawa
- Innovation Laboratory, NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., 1-18-7, Shinkiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo 136-8627, Japan
| | - Kentaro Onodera
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan
| | - Hiroto Fujita
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan
| | - Taiichi Sakamoto
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Chiba Institute of Technology, 2-17-1 Tsudanuma, Narashino 275-0016, Japan
| | - Joe Akitomi
- Innovation Laboratory, NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., 1-18-7, Shinkiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo 136-8627, Japan
| | - Naoto Kaneko
- Innovation Laboratory, NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., 1-18-7, Shinkiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo 136-8627, Japan
| | - Ikuo Shiratori
- Innovation Laboratory, NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., 1-18-7, Shinkiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo 136-8627, Japan
| | - Masayasu Kuwahara
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Gunma University, 1-5-1 Tenjin-cho, Kiryu, Gunma 376-8515, Japan
| | - Katsunori Horii
- Innovation Laboratory, NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., 1-18-7, Shinkiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo 136-8627, Japan
| | - Iwao Waga
- Innovation Laboratory, NEC Solution Innovators, Ltd., 1-18-7, Shinkiba, Koto-Ku, Tokyo 136-8627, Japan
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48
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Yoon S, Rossi JJ. Future strategies for the discovery of therapeutic aptamers. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2017; 12:317-319. [PMID: 28276706 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2017.1290077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sorah Yoon
- a Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology , Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope , Duarte , CA , USA
| | - John J Rossi
- a Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology , Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope , Duarte , CA , USA.,b Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences , Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope , Duarte , CA , USA
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49
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Alfavian H, Mousavi Gargari SL, Rasoulinejad S, Medhat A. Development of a DNA aptamer that binds specifically to group A Streptococcus serotype M3. Can J Microbiol 2016; 63:160-168. [PMID: 28121169 DOI: 10.1139/cjm-2016-0495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Group A streptococcus (GAS) is an important Gram-positive pathogen that causes various human diseases ranging from peripheral lesions to invasive infections. The M protein is one of the main virulence factors present on the cell surface and is associated with invasive GAS infections. Compared with other M types, serotype M3 has a predominant role in lethal infections and demonstrates epidemic behaviors, including streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, bacteremia, and necrotizing fasciitis. Traditional methods for M typing are time-consuming, tedious, contradictory, and generally restricted to reference laboratories. Therefore, development of a new M-typing technique is needed. Aptamers with the ability to detect their target with a high degree of accuracy and specificity can be ideal candidates for specific M-typing of Streptococcus pyogenes. In this study DNA aptamers with a high binding affinity towards S. pyogenes serotype M3 were selected through 12 iterative rounds of the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential (SELEX) enrichment procedure using live cells as a target. We monitored the progress of the SELEX procedure by flow cytometry analysis. Of several aptamer sequences analyzed, 12L18A showed the highest binding efficiency towards S. pyogenes type M3, with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 7.47 ± 1.72 pmol/L being the lowest. Therefore the isolated aptamer can be used in any tool, such as a biosensor, for the detection of S. pyogenes and can be used in the development of a novel M-typing system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanif Alfavian
- a Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Samaneh Rasoulinejad
- a Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Arvin Medhat
- b GENEXIR Biopharma, a knowledge-based company at Pasteur Institute of Iran Health Technology Park, Tehran, Iran
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Lipi F, Chen S, Chakravarthy M, Rakesh S, Veedu RN. In vitro evolution of chemically-modified nucleic acid aptamers: Pros and cons, and comprehensive selection strategies. RNA Biol 2016; 13:1232-1245. [PMID: 27715478 PMCID: PMC5207382 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2016.1236173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers are single-stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotide sequences that bind to a specific target molecule with high affinity and specificity through their ability to adopt 3-dimensional structure in solution. Aptamers have huge potential as targeted therapeutics, diagnostics, delivery agents and as biosensors. However, aptamers composed of natural nucleotide monomers are quickly degraded in vivo and show poor pharmacodynamic properties. To overcome this, chemically-modified nucleic acid aptamers are developed by incorporating modified nucleotides after or during the selection process by Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX). This review will discuss the development of chemically-modified aptamers and provide the pros and cons, and new insights on in vitro aptamer selection strategies by using chemically-modified nucleic acid libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhana Lipi
- a Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute , Perth , Australia
| | - Suxiang Chen
- a Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute , Perth , Australia.,b Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University , Perth , Australia
| | - Madhuri Chakravarthy
- a Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute , Perth , Australia.,b Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University , Perth , Australia
| | - Shilpa Rakesh
- a Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute , Perth , Australia
| | - Rakesh N Veedu
- a Western Australian Neuroscience Research Institute , Perth , Australia.,b Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University , Perth , Australia
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