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Phillips C, Choi M, Huynh KN, Wang H, Resendiz MJE. Modification at the C2'-O-Position with 2-Methylbenzothiophene Induces Unique Structural Changes and Thermal Transitions on Duplexes of RNA and DNA. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:37782-37796. [PMID: 36312363 PMCID: PMC9608412 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Oligonucleotides can be chemically modified for a variety of applications that include their use as biomaterials, in therapeutics, or as tools to understand biochemical processes, among others. This work focuses on the functionalization of oligonucleotides of RNA and DNA (12- or 14-nucleotides long) with methylbenzothiophene (BT), at the C2'-O-position, which led to unique structural features. Circular dichroism (CD) analyses showed that positioning the BT units on one strand led to significant thermal destabilization, while duplexes where each strand contained 4-BT rings formed a distinct arrangement with cooperativity/interactions among the modifications (evidenced from the appearance of a band with positive ellipticity at 235 nm). Interestingly, the structural arrays displayed increased duplex stabilization (>10 °C higher than the canonical analogue) as a function of [Na+] with an unexpected structural rearrangement at temperatures above 50 °C. Density functional theory-polarizable continuum model (DFT-PCM) calculations were carried out, and the analyses were in agreement with induced structural changes as a function of salt content. A model was proposed where the hydrophobic surface allows for an internal nucleobase rearrangement into a more thermodynamically stable structure, before undergoing full denaturation, with increased heat. While this behavior is not common, B- to Z-form duplex transitions can occur and are dependent on parameters that were probed in this work, i.e., temperature, nature of modification, or ionic content. To take advantage of this phenomenon, we probed the ability of the modified duplexes to be recognized by Zα (an RNA binding protein that targets Z-form RNA) via electrophoretic analysis and CD. Interestingly, the protein did not bind to canonical duplexes of DNA or RNA; however, it recognized the modified duplexes, in a [monovalent/divalent salt] dependent manner. Overall, the findings describe methodology to attain unique structural motifs of modified duplexes of DNA or RNA, and control their behavior as a function of salt concentration. While their affinity to RNA binding proteins, and the corresponding mechanism of action, requires further exploration, the tunable properties can be of potential use to study this, and other, types of modifications. The novel arrays that formed, under the conditions described herein, provide a useful way to explore the structure and behavior of modified oligonucleotides, in general.
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Regulatory and Functional Involvement of Long Non-Coding RNAs in DNA Double-Strand Break Repair Mechanisms. Cells 2021; 10:cells10061506. [PMID: 34203749 PMCID: PMC8232683 DOI: 10.3390/cells10061506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Protection of genome integrity is vital for all living organisms, particularly when DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) occur. Eukaryotes have developed two main pathways, namely Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ) and Homologous Recombination (HR), to repair DSBs. While most of the current research is focused on the role of key protein players in the functional regulation of DSB repair pathways, accumulating evidence has uncovered a novel class of regulating factors termed non-coding RNAs. Non-coding RNAs have been found to hold a pivotal role in the activation of DSB repair mechanisms, thereby safeguarding genomic stability. In particular, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have begun to emerge as new players with vast therapeutic potential. This review summarizes important advances in the field of lncRNAs, including characterization of recently identified lncRNAs, and their implication in DSB repair pathways in the context of tumorigenesis.
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Chandrasekaran AR, Mathivanan J, Ebrahimi P, Vilcapoma J, Chen AA, Halvorsen K, Sheng J. Hybrid DNA/RNA nanostructures with 2'-5' linkages. NANOSCALE 2020; 12:21583-21590. [PMID: 33089274 PMCID: PMC7644649 DOI: 10.1039/d0nr05846g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Nucleic acid nanostructures with different chemical compositions have shown utility in biological applications as they provide additional assembly parameters and enhanced stability. The naturally occurring 2'-5' linkage in RNA is thought to be a prebiotic analogue and has potential use in antisense therapeutics. Here, we report the first instance of DNA/RNA motifs containing 2'-5' linkages. We synthesized and incorporated RNA strands with 2'-5' linkages into different DNA motifs with varying number of branch points (a duplex, four arm junction, double crossover motif and tensegrity triangle motif). Using experimental characterization and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that hybrid DNA/RNA nanostructures can accommodate interspersed 2'-5' linkages with relatively minor effect on the formation of these structures. Further, the modified nanostructures showed improved resistance to ribonuclease cleavage, indicating their potential use in the construction of robust drug delivery vehicles with prolonged stability in physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arun Richard Chandrasekaran
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (ARC), (JS)
| | - Johnsi Mathivanan
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
| | - Parisa Ebrahimi
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
| | - Javier Vilcapoma
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
| | - Alan A. Chen
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
| | - Ken Halvorsen
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
| | - Jia Sheng
- The RNA Institute, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222
- To whom correspondence should be addressed: (ARC), (JS)
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Habibian M, Harikrishna S, Fakhoury J, Barton M, Ageely EA, Cencic R, Fakih HH, Katolik A, Takahashi M, Rossi J, Pelletier J, Gagnon KT, Pradeepkumar PI, Damha MJ. Effect of 2'-5'/3'-5' phosphodiester linkage heterogeneity on RNA interference. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:4643-4657. [PMID: 32282904 PMCID: PMC7229817 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
We report on the synthesis of siRNAs containing both 2′-5′- and 3′-5′-internucleotide linkages and their effects on siRNA structure, function, and interaction with RNAi proteins. Screening of these siRNAs against their corresponding mRNA targets showed that 2′-5′ linkages were well tolerated in the sense strand, but only at a few positions in the antisense strand. Extensive modification of the antisense strand minimally affected 5′-phosphorylation of the siRNA by kinases, however, it negatively affected siRNA loading into human AGO2. Modelling and molecular dynamics simulations were fully consistent with these findings. Furthermore, our studies indicated that the presence of a single 5′p-rN1-(2′-5′)-N2 unit in the antisense strand does not alter the ‘clover leaf’ bend and sugar puckers that are critical for anchoring the 5′-phosphate to Ago 2 MID domain. Importantly, 2′-5′-linkages had the added benefit of abrogating immune-stimulatory activity of siRNAs. Together, these results demonstrate that 2′-5′/3′-5′-modified siRNAs, when properly designed, can offer an efficient new class of siRNAs with diminished immune-stimulatory responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Habibian
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - S Harikrishna
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Johans Fakhoury
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Maria Barton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Eman A Ageely
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Regina Cencic
- Department of Biochemistry and Goodman Cancer Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Hassan H Fakih
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Adam Katolik
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Mayumi Takahashi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - John Rossi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jerry Pelletier
- Department of Biochemistry and Goodman Cancer Center, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3G 1Y6, Canada
| | - Keith T Gagnon
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Carbondale, IL, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - P I Pradeepkumar
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Masad J Damha
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H3A 0B8, Canada
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O'Reilly D, Kartje ZJ, Ageely EA, Malek-Adamian E, Habibian M, Schofield A, Barkau CL, Rohilla KJ, DeRossett LB, Weigle AT, Damha MJ, Gagnon KT. Extensive CRISPR RNA modification reveals chemical compatibility and structure-activity relationships for Cas9 biochemical activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:546-558. [PMID: 30517736 PMCID: PMC6344873 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat) endonucleases are at the forefront of biotechnology, synthetic biology and gene editing. Methods for controlling enzyme properties promise to improve existing applications and enable new technologies. CRISPR enzymes rely on RNA cofactors to guide catalysis. Therefore, chemical modification of the guide RNA can be used to characterize structure-activity relationships within CRISPR ribonucleoprotein (RNP) enzymes and identify compatible chemistries for controlling activity. Here, we introduce chemical modifications to the sugar–phosphate backbone of Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 CRISPR RNA (crRNA) to probe chemical and structural requirements. Ribose sugars that promoted or accommodated A-form helical architecture in and around the crRNA ‘seed’ region were tolerated best. A wider range of modifications were acceptable outside of the seed, especially D-2′-deoxyribose, and we exploited this property to facilitate exploration of greater chemical diversity within the seed. 2′-fluoro was the most compatible modification whereas bulkier O-methyl sugar modifications were less tolerated. Activity trends could be rationalized for selected crRNAs using RNP stability and DNA target binding experiments. Cas9 activity in vitro tolerated most chemical modifications at predicted 2′-hydroxyl contact positions, whereas editing activity in cells was much less tolerant. The biochemical principles of chemical modification identified here will guide CRISPR-Cas9 engineering and enable new or improved applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel O'Reilly
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Zachary J Kartje
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Eman A Ageely
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Elise Malek-Adamian
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Maryam Habibian
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Annabelle Schofield
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Christopher L Barkau
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Kushal J Rohilla
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Lauren B DeRossett
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Austin T Weigle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
| | - Masad J Damha
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Keith T Gagnon
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901, USA
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Tian X, Wang H, Zhang Q, Zhang M, Zhu Y, Chen Y, Wu J, Tian Y. Double labelling of intracellular mitochondria and nucleolus using thiophene pyridium salt with high quantum yield as biosensor and its application in stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy. Anal Chim Acta 2018; 1008:82-89. [PMID: 29420948 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2017.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Probe for dual-site target distinct subcellular compartments from cytosol and nucleus is an attractive approach, however, which was scarcely reported. Herein, a series of small-molecular thiophene pyridium salt derivatives (MitoNuc1-4) possessing water-soluble, high quantum yield and two-photon activity were rationally designed, and their structures were crystallographic confirmed. Systematic photophysical and biological imaging property investigations were carried out for them. It was found that MitoNuc1-4 exhibit two-photon absorption properties in the near infrared region, and MitoNuc1 has membrane permeability and cationic nature, rendering it to be double labelling of mitochondria and nucleolus in living cells with superb photo-stability and non-invasiveness. It also demonstrated that MitoNuc1 in living cells can monitor mitochondrial division in real time and revealed nucleolar ultrastructure under stimulated emission depletion nanoscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohe Tian
- School of Life Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China.
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241002, PR China
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Functionalized Materials, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China
| | - Mingzhu Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Functionalized Materials, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China
| | - Yingzhong Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Functionalized Materials, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China
| | - Yan Chen
- School of Life Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China
| | - Jieying Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Functionalized Materials, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China
| | - Yupeng Tian
- Department of Chemistry, Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Chemistry for Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Functionalized Materials, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, PR China.
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Tupper AS, Shi K, Higgs PG. The Role of Templating in the Emergence of RNA from the Prebiotic Chemical Mixture. Life (Basel) 2017; 7:life7040041. [PMID: 29088116 PMCID: PMC5745554 DOI: 10.3390/life7040041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Biological RNA is a uniform polymer in three senses: it uses nucleotides of a single chirality; it uses only ribose sugars and four nucleobases rather than a mixture of other sugars and bases; and it uses only 3'-5' bonds rather than a mixture of different bond types. We suppose that prebiotic chemistry would generate a diverse mixture of potential monomers, and that random polymerization would generate non-uniform strands of mixed chirality, monomer composition, and bond type. We ask what factors lead to the emergence of RNA from this mixture. We show that template-directed replication can lead to the emergence of all the uniform properties of RNA by the same mechanism. We study a computational model in which nucleotides react via polymerization, hydrolysis, and template-directed ligation. Uniform strands act as templates for ligation of shorter oligomers of the same type, whereas mixed strands do not act as templates. The three uniform properties emerge naturally when the ligation rate is high. If there is an exact symmetry, as with the chase of chirality, the uniform property arises via a symmetry-breaking phase transition. If there is no exact symmetry, as with monomer selection and backbone regioselectivity, the uniform property emerges gradually as the rate of template-directed ligation is increased.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew S Tupper
- Origins Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Science, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.
| | - Kevin Shi
- Origins Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
| | - Paul G Higgs
- Origins Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4K1, Canada.
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Insight into the mechanism of nonenzymatic RNA primer extension from the structure of an RNA-GpppG complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:7659-7664. [PMID: 28673998 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1704006114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The nonenzymatic copying of RNA templates with imidazole-activated nucleotides is a well-studied model for the emergence of RNA self-replication during the origin of life. We have recently discovered that this reaction can proceed through the formation of an imidazolium-bridged dinucleotide intermediate that reacts rapidly with the primer. To gain insight into the relationship between the structure of this intermediate and its reactivity, we cocrystallized an RNA primer-template complex with a close analog of the intermediate, the triphosphate-bridged guanosine dinucleotide GpppG, and solved a high-resolution X-ray structure of the complex. The structure shows that GpppG binds the RNA template through two Watson-Crick base pairs, with the primer 3'-hydroxyl oriented to attack the 5'-phosphate of the adjacent G residue. Thus, the GpppG structure suggests that the bound imidazolium-bridged dinucleotide intermediate would be preorganized to react with the primer by in-line SN2 substitution. The structures of bound GppG and GppppG suggest that the length and flexibility of the 5'-5' linkage are important for optimal preorganization of the complex, whereas the position of the 5'-phosphate of bound pGpG explains the slow rate of oligonucleotide ligation reactions. Our studies provide a structural interpretation for the observed reactivity of the imidazolium-bridged dinucleotide intermediate in nonenzymatic RNA primer extension.
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