Improved statistical analysis of budding yeast TAG microarrays revealed by defined spike-in pools

A multiplexed, three-dimensional pooling and next-generation sequencing strategy for creating barcoded mutant arrays: construction of a Schizosaccharomyces pombe transposon insertion library

Arrayed libraries of defined mutants have been used to elucidate gene function in the post-genomic era. Yeast haploid gene deletion libraries have pioneered this effort, but are costly to construct, do not reveal phenotypes that may occur with partial gene function and lack essential genes required for growth. We therefore devised an efficient method to construct a library of barcoded insertion mutants with a wider range of phenotypes that can be generalized to other organisms or collections of DNA samples. We developed a novel but simple three-dimensional pooling and multiplexed sequencing approach that leveraged sequence information to reduce the number of required sequencing reactions by orders of magnitude, and were able to identify the barcode sequences and DNA insertion sites of 4391 Schizosaccharomyces pombe insertion mutations with only 40 sequencing preparations. The insertion mutations are in the genes and untranslated regions of nonessential, essential and noncoding RNA genes, and produced a wider range of phenotypes compared to the cognate deletion mutants, including novel phenotypes. This mutant library represents both a proof of principle for an efficient method to produce novel mutant libraries and a valuable resource for the S. pombe research community.

Identification of human intracellular targets of the medicinal Herb St. John's Wort by chemical-genetic profiling in yeast

St. John's wort (SJW; Hypericum perforatum L.) is commonly known for its antidepressant properties and was traditionally used to promote wound healing, but its molecular mechanism of action is not known. Here, chemical-genetic profiling in yeast was used to predict the human intracellular targets of an aqueous extract of SJW. SJW source material was authenticated by TLC, digital microscopy, and HPLC and further characterized by colorimetric methods for antioxidant activity, protein content, and total soluble phenolic content. SJW extract contained 1.76 microg/mL hyperforin, 10.14 microg/mL hypericin, and 46.05 microg/mL pseudohypericin. The effect of SJW extract on approximately 5900 barcoded heterozygous diploid deletion strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays. Seventy-eight yeast genes were identified as sensitive to SJW and were primarily associated with vesicle-mediated transport and signal transduction pathways. Potential human intracellular targets were identified using sequence-based comparisons and included proteins associated with neurological disease and angiogenesis-related pathways. Selected human targets were confirmed by cell-based immunocytochemical assays. The comprehensive and systematic nature of chemical-genetic profiling in yeast makes this technique attractive for elucidating the potential molecular mechanisms of action of botanical medicines and other bioactive dietary plants.

Statistical analysis of fitness data determined by TAG hybridization on microarrays

TAG, or bar-code, microarrays allow measurement of the oligonucleotide sequences (TAGs) that mark each strain of deletion mutants in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast knockout (YKO) collection. Comparison of genomic DNA from pooled YKO samples allows estimation of relative abundance of TAGs marking each deletion strain. Features of TAG hybridizations create unique challenges for analysis. Analysis is complicated by the presence of two TAGs in most YKO strains and the hybridization behavior of TAGs that may differ in sequence from array probes. The oligonucleotide size of labeled TAGs also results in difficulty with contaminating sequences that cause reduced specificity. We present methods for analysis that approach these unique features of TAG hybridizations.

Systematic validation and atomic force microscopy of non-covalent short oligonucleotide barcode microarrays

Background

Molecular barcode arrays provide a powerful means to analyze cellular phenotypes in parallel through detection of short (20–60 base) unique sequence tags, or “barcodes”, associated with each strain or clone in a collection. However, costs of current methods for microarray construction, whether by in situ oligonucleotide synthesis or ex situ coupling of modified oligonucleotides to the slide surface are often prohibitive to large-scale analyses.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here we demonstrate that unmodified 20mer oligonucleotide probes printed on conventional surfaces show comparable hybridization signals to covalently linked 5′-amino-modified probes. As a test case, we undertook systematic cell size analysis of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome-wide deletion collection by size separation of the deletion pool followed by determination of strain abundance in size fractions by barcode arrays. We demonstrate that the properties of a 13K unique feature spotted 20 mer oligonucleotide barcode microarray compare favorably with an analogous covalently-linked oligonucleotide array. Further, cell size profiles obtained with the size selection/barcode array approach recapitulate previous cell size measurements of individual deletion strains. Finally, through atomic force microscopy (AFM), we characterize the mechanism of hybridization to unmodified barcode probes on the slide surface.

Conclusions/Significance

These studies push the lower limit of probe size in genome-scale unmodified oligonucleotide microarray construction and demonstrate a versatile, cost-effective and reliable method for molecular barcode analysis.

Analysis of genetic interactions on a genome-wide scale in budding yeast: diploid-based synthetic lethality analysis by microarray

Comprehensive collections of open reading frame (ORF) deletion mutant strains exist for the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. With great prescience, these strains were designed with short molecular bar codes or TAGs that uniquely mark each deletion allele, flanked by shared priming sequences. These features have enabled researchers to handle yeast mutant collections as complex pools of approximately 6000 strains. The presence of any individual mutant within a pool can be assessed indirectly by measuring the relative abundance of its corresponding TAG(s) in genomic DNA prepared from the pool. This is readily accomplished by wholesale polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the TAGs using fluorescent oligonucleotide primers that recognize the common flanking sequences, followed by hybridization of the labeled PCR products to a TAG oligonucleotide microarray. Here we describe a method-diploid-based synthetic lethality analysis by microarray (dSLAM)-whereby such pools can be manipulated to rapidly construct and assess the fitness of 6000 double-mutant strains in a single experiment. Analysis of double-mutant strains is of growing importance in defining the spectrum of essential cellular functionalities and in understanding how these functionalities interrelate.

TagSmart: analysis and visualization for yeast mutant fitness data measured by tag microarrays

Background

A nearly complete collection of gene-deletion mutants (96% of annotated open reading frames) of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been systematically constructed. Tag microarrays are widely used to measure the fitness of each mutant in a mutant mixture. The tag array experiments can have a complex experimental design, such as time course measurements and drug treatment with multiple dosages.

Results

TagSmart is a web application for analysis and visualization of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant fitness data measured by tag microarrays. It implements a robust statistical approach to assess the concentration differences among S. cerevisiae mutant strains. It also provides an interactive environment for data analysis and visualization. TagSmart has the following advantages over previously described analysis procedures: 1) it is user-friendly software rather than merely a description of analytical procedure; 2) It can handle complicated experimental designs, such as multiple time points and treatment with multiple dosages; 3) it has higher sensitivity and specificity; 4) It allows users to mask out "bad" tags in the analysis.

Two biological tests were performed to illustrate the performance of TagSmart. First, we generated titration mixtures of mutant strains, in which the relative concentration of each strain was controlled. We used tag microarrays to measure the numbers of tag copies in each titration mixture. The data was analyzed with TagSmart and the result showed high precision and recall. Second, TagSmart was applied to a dataset in which heterozygous deletion strain mixture pools were treated with a new drug, Cincreasin. TagSmart identified 53 mutant strains as sensitive to Cincreasin treatment. We individually tested each identified mutant, and found 52 out of the 53 predicted mutants were indeed sensitive to Cincreasin.

Conclusion

TagSmart is provided "as is" to analyze tag array data produced by Affymetrix and Agilent arrays. TagSmart web application is assessable by Windows, Mac, and Linux users. It also has a downloadable version for execution on PCs running Windows. TagSmart is available for academic use at: http://biocomp.bioen.uiuc.edu/tagsmart

Detection of the common RNA nucleoside pseudouridine in mixtures of oligonucleotides by mass spectrometry

Pseudouridine, an isomer of uridine, is probably the most common of many posttranscriptional RNA modifications found in nature. Although mass spectrometry has become widely used in the characterization of modified nucleic acids, its application to the recognition and sequence placement of pseudouridine has not been straightforward, particularly in the case of complex mixtures such as those resulting from selective enzymatic hydrolysis of RNA into oligonucleotides. We report results of a study of the characteristic dissociation reactions of pseudouridine-containing oligonucleotides following ionization by electrospray and use of those pathways in an LC/MS-based method applicable to direct analysis of RNase digests of RNA. As a consequence of the C-C (rather than C-N) glycosidic bond of pseudouridine, the otherwise common dissociation paths involving base loss do not occur, resulting in characteristic formation of a set of low-mass negative ions containing the intact glycosidic bond (m/z 225, 207, 189, 165, 164, 139), which permit recognition of pseudouridine-containing oligonucleotides. Those components can subsequently be subjected to sequence analysis by MS/MS, in which enhancement of selective sequence-determining ions (a-, w-, y-types), and absence of a - base ions, are observed at the site of pseudouridylation. Also, selected reaction pathways can be monitored in the LC/MS/MS analysis that are indicative of pseudouridine at the 5' terminus (m/z 225 --> 165), internal positions (m/z 207 --> 164), and in the RNase T1-derived product Psi pGp (m/z 668 --> 207) arising from the RNA sequence ...G Psi G... These procedures can be effectively integrated into an existing suite of LC/ESI-MS-based methods designed for the analysis of posttranscriptionally modified sites in RNA.