1
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Olijslager L, Weijers D, Swarts D. Distribution of specific prokaryotic immune systems correlates with host optimal growth temperature. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae105. [PMID: 39165676 PMCID: PMC11333966 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotes encode an arsenal of highly diverse immune systems to protect themselves against invading nucleic acids such as viruses, plasmids and transposons. This includes invader-interfering systems that neutralize invaders to protect their host, and abortive-infection systems, which trigger dormancy or cell death in their host to offer population-level immunity. Most prokaryotic immune systems are found across different environments and prokaryotic phyla, but their distribution appears biased and the factors that influence their distribution are largely unknown. Here, we compared and combined the prokaryotic immune system identification tools DefenseFinder and PADLOC to obtain an expanded view of the immune system arsenal. Our results show that the number of immune systems encoded is positively correlated with genome size and that the distribution of specific immune systems is linked to phylogeny. Furthermore, we reveal that certain invader-interfering systems are more frequently encoded by hosts with a relatively high optimum growth temperature, while abortive-infection systems are generally more frequently encoded by hosts with a relatively low optimum growth temperature. Combined, our study reveals several factors that correlate with differences in the distribution of prokaryotic immune systems and extends our understanding of how prokaryotes protect themselves from invaders in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa H Olijslager
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE, the Netherlands
| | - Dolf Weijers
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE, the Netherlands
| | - Daan C Swarts
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE, the Netherlands
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2
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Wang Q, Rao GS, Marsic T, Aman R, Mahfouz M. Fusion of FokI and catalytically inactive prokaryotic Argonautes enables site-specific programmable DNA cleavage. J Biol Chem 2024:107720. [PMID: 39214308 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Site-specific nucleases are crucial for genome engineering applications in medicine and agriculture. The ideal site-specific nucleases are easily reprogrammable, highly specific in target site recognition, robust in nuclease activities. Prokaryotic Argonaute (pAgo) proteins have received much attention as biotechnological tools due to their ability to recognize specific target sequences without a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), but their lack of intrinsic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) unwinding activity limits their utility in key applications such as gene editing. Recently, we developed a pAgo-based system for site-specific DNA cleavage at physiological temperatures independently of the DNA form, using peptide nucleic acids (PNAs) to facilitate unwinding dsDNA targets. Here, we fused catalytically dead pAgos with the nuclease domain of the restriction endonuclease FokI and named this modified platform PNA-assisted FokI-(d)pAgo (PNFP) editors. In the PNFP system, catalytically inactive pAgo recognizes and binds to a specific target DNA sequence based on a programmable guide DNA sequence; upon binding to the target site, the FokI domains dimerize and introduce precise dsDNA breaks. We explored key parameters of the PNFP system including the requirements of PNA and guide DNAs, the specificity of PNA and guide DNA on target cleavage, the optimal concentration of different components, reaction time for invasion and cleavage and ideal temperature and reaction buffer, to ensure efficient DNA editing in vitro. The results demonstrated robust site-specific target cleavage by PNFP system at optimal conditions in vitro. We envision that the PNFP system will provide higher editing efficiency and specificity with fewer off-target effects in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaochu Wang
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gundra Sivakrishna Rao
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tin Marsic
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rashid Aman
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdy Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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3
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Agapov A, Lisitskaya L, Kussakina X, Kropocheva E, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Unusual Guide-binding Pockets in RNA-targeting pAgo Nucleases. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168745. [PMID: 39147126 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Argonaute nucleases use small nucleic acid guides to recognize and degrade complementary nucleic acid targets. Most prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) recognize DNA targets and may play a role in cell immunity against invader genetic elements. We have recently described two related groups of pAgo nucleases that have distinct specificity for DNA guides and RNA targets (DNA > RNA pAgos). Here, we describe additional pAgos from the same clades of the pAgo tree and demonstrate that they have the same unusual nucleic acid specificity. The two groups of DNA > RNA pAgos have non-standard guide-binding pockets in the MID domain and differ in the register of guide DNA binding and target cleavage. In contrast to other pAgos, which coordinate the 5'-end of the guide molecule by their C-terminal carboxyl, DNA > RNA pAgos have an extended C-terminus located away from the MID pocket. We show that modifications of the C-terminus do not affect guide DNA binding, but inhibit cleavage of complementary and mismatched RNA targets by some DNA > RNA pAgos. Our data suggest that the unique C-terminus found in DNA > RNA pAgos can modulate their catalytic properties and can be used as a target for pAgo modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Agapov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Lidiya Lisitskaya
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Xeniya Kussakina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | | | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
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4
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Jiao J, Zeng D, Wu Y, Li C, Mo T. Programmable and ultra-efficient Argonaute protein-mediated nucleic acid tests: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 278:134755. [PMID: 39147338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
With the attributes of high sensitivity, single-base resolution, multiplex detection capability, and programmability upon nucleic acid recognition, Argonaute (Ago)-based biosensing assays are increasingly recognized as one of the most promising tools for precise identification and quantification of target analytes. Employed as highly specific sequence recognition elements of these robust diagnostic methods, Agos are revolutionizing how nucleic acid targets are detected. A systematic and comprehensive summary of this emerging and rapid-advancing technology is necessary to give play to the potential of Ago-based biosensing assays. The structure and function of Agos were briefly overviewed at the beginning of the work, followed by a review of the recent advancements in employing Agos sensing for detecting various targets with a comprehensive analysis such as viruses, tumor biomarkers, pathogens, mycoplasma, and parasite. The significance and benefits of these platforms were then deliberated. In addition, the authors shared subjective viewpoints on the existing challenges and offered relevant guidance for the future progress of Agos assays. Finally, the future research outlook regarding Ago-based sensing in this field was also outlined. As such, this review is expected to offer valuable information and fresh perspectives for a broader group of researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinlong Jiao
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Dandan Zeng
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Yafang Wu
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Chentao Li
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
| | - Tianlu Mo
- School of Health Science and Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China.
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5
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Agapov A, Panteleev V, Kropocheva E, Kanevskaya A, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Prokaryotic Argonaute nuclease cooperates with co-encoded RNase to acquire guide RNAs and target invader DNA. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5895-5911. [PMID: 38716875 PMCID: PMC11162769 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae345] [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] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Argonautes are an evolutionary conserved family of programmable nucleases that identify target nucleic acids using small guide oligonucleotides. In contrast to eukaryotic Argonautes (eAgos) that act on RNA, most studied prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) recognize DNA targets. Similarly to eAgos, pAgos can protect prokaryotic cells from invaders, but the biogenesis of guide oligonucleotides that confer them specificity to their targets remains poorly understood. Here, we have identified a new group of RNA-guided pAgo nucleases and demonstrated that a representative pAgo from this group, AmAgo from the mesophilic bacterium Alteromonas macleodii, binds guide RNAs of varying lengths for specific DNA targeting. Unlike most pAgos and eAgos, AmAgo is strictly specific to hydroxylated RNA guides containing a 5'-adenosine. AmAgo and related pAgos are co-encoded with a conserved RNA endonuclease from the HEPN superfamily (Ago-associated protein, Agap-HEPN). In vitro, Agap cleaves RNA between guanine and adenine nucleotides producing hydroxylated 5'-A guide oligonucleotides bound by AmAgo. In vivo, Agap cooperates with AmAgo in acquiring guide RNAs and counteracting bacteriophage infection. The AmAgo-Agap pair represents the first example of a pAgo system that autonomously produces RNA guides for DNA targeting and antiviral defense, which holds promise for programmable DNA targeting in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei Agapov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Vladimir Panteleev
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | | | - Anna Kanevskaya
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny 141700, Russia
| | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
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6
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Wang L, Chen W, Zhang C, Xie X, Huang F, Chen M, Mao W, Yu N, Wei Q, Ma L, Li Z. Molecular mechanism for target recognition, dimerization, and activation of Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute. Mol Cell 2024; 84:675-686.e4. [PMID: 38295801 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
The Argonaute nuclease from the thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus (PfAgo) contributes to host defense and represents a promising biotechnology tool. Here, we report the structure of a PfAgo-guide DNA-target DNA ternary complex at the cleavage-compatible state. The ternary complex is predominantly dimerized, and the dimerization is solely mediated by PfAgo at PIWI-MID, PIWI-PIWI, and PAZ-N interfaces. Additionally, PfAgo accommodates a short 14-bp guide-target DNA duplex with a wedge-type N domain and specifically recognizes 5'-phosphorylated guide DNA. In contrast, the PfAgo-guide DNA binary complex is monomeric, and the engagement of target DNA with 14-bp complementarity induces sufficient dimerization and activation of PfAgo, accompanied by movement of PAZ and N domains. A closely related Argonaute from Thermococcus thioreducens adopts a similar dimerization configuration with an additional zinc finger formed at the dimerization interface. Dimerization of both Argonautes stabilizes the catalytic loops, highlighting the important role of Argonaute dimerization in the activation and target cleavage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Wanping Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Chendi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Xiaochen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Fuyong Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Miaomiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Wuxiang Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Na Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Qiang Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China
| | - Lixin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China.
| | - Zhuang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China.
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7
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Lin Q, Ye X, Chen H, Fang X, Chen H, Kong J. Binding Activity of Prokaryotic Argonaute for Background-Suppressed Exponential Isothermal Amplification. Anal Chem 2024; 96:620-623. [PMID: 38170960 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c05263] [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: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) have been recently used in many nucleic acid biosensing applications but have rarely been used for regulating the isothermal amplification system. Herein, we reported Thermus thermophilus Argonaute (TtAgo)-mediated background-suppressed exponential isothermal amplification (EXPAR) as the first example to explore the binding activity of pAgos toward regulation of the amplification template. It was demonstrated that thermophilic pAgos efficiently eliminated nonspecific hybridization between templates by their binding affinity with the template, resulting in greatly enhancing the specificity of EXPAR. TtAgo-mediated, background-suppressed EXPAR was employed to detect miRNA with a detection limit of 10-15 M, which was 1000 times and 100 times more sensitive than that of traditional RT-PCR and EXPAR, respectively. This method further showed good performance in discriminating cancer patients from healthy individuals, indicating its potential for practical clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiuyuan Lin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Key Laboratory of Clinical Laboratory Technology for Precision Medicine, School of Medical Technology and Engineering Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350005, China
| | - Xin Ye
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, Shaanxi PR China
| | - Hongyuan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Xueen Fang
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China
| | - Jilie Kong
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200437, China
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8
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Graver BA, Chakravarty N, Solomon KV. Prokaryotic Argonautes for in vivo biotechnology and molecular diagnostics. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:61-73. [PMID: 37451948 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) are an emerging class of programmable endonucleases that are believed to be more flexible than existing CRISPR-Cas systems and have significant potential for biotechnology. Current applications of pAgos include a myriad of molecular diagnostics and in vitro DNA assembly tools. However, efforts have historically been centered on thermophilic pAgo variants. To enable in vivo biotechnological applications such as gene editing, focus has shifted to pAgos from mesophilic organisms. We discuss what is known of pAgos, how they are being developed for various applications, and strategies to overcome current challenges to in vivo applications in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brett A Graver
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Namrata Chakravarty
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Kevin V Solomon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
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9
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Liu Y, Xia W, Zhao W, Hao P, Wang Z, Yu X, Shentu X, Sun K. RT-RPA-PfAgo System: A Rapid, Sensitive, and Specific Multiplex Detection Method for Rice-Infecting Viruses. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:941. [PMID: 37887134 PMCID: PMC10605773 DOI: 10.3390/bios13100941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The advancement in CRISPR-Cas biosensors has transmuted the detection of plant viruses owing to their rapid and higher sensitivity. However, false positives and restricted multiplexing capabilities are still the challenges faced by this technology, demanding the exploration of novel methodologies. In this study, a novel detection system was developed by integrating reverse transcriptome (RT) techniques with recombinase polymerase isothermal amplification (RPA) and Pyrococcus furiosus Argonaute (PfAgo). The RT-RPA-PfAgo system enabled the simultaneous detection of rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV), rice grassy stunt virus (RGSV), and rice black streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV). Identifying targets via guide DNA without being hindered by protospacer adjacent motif sequences is the inherent merit of PfAgo, with the additional advantage of it being simple, cost-effective, and exceptionally sensitive, with detection limits between 3.13 and 5.13 copies/µL, in addition to it effectively differentiating between the three distinct viruses. The field evaluations were also in accordance with RT-PCR methods. The RT-RPA-PfAgo system proved to be a robust, versatile, highly specific, and sensitive method with great potential for practicality in future plant virus diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Liu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
| | - Wenqiang Xia
- Institute of Crop Science, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China;
| | - Wei Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
| | - Peiying Hao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
| | - Zhengliang Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
| | - Xiaoping Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
| | - Xuping Shentu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
| | - Kai Sun
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (P.H.); (Z.W.); (X.Y.); (X.S.)
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10
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Sun K, Liu Y, Zhao W, Ma B, Zhang M, Yu X, Ye Z. Prokaryotic Argonaute Proteins: A New Frontier in Point-of-Care Viral Diagnostics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14987. [PMID: 37834437 PMCID: PMC10573157 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 has underscored the critical need for rapid and precise viral detection technologies. Point-of-care (POC) technologies, which offer immediate and accurate testing at or near the site of patient care, have become a cornerstone of modern medicine. Prokaryotic Argonaute proteins (pAgo), proficient in recognizing target RNA or DNA with complementary sequences, have emerged as potential game-changers. pAgo present several advantages over the currently popular CRISPR/Cas systems-based POC diagnostics, including the absence of a PAM sequence requirement, the use of shorter nucleic acid molecules as guides, and a smaller protein size. This review provides a comprehensive overview of pAgo protein detection platforms and critically assesses their potential in the field of viral POC diagnostics. The objective is to catalyze further research and innovation in pAgo nucleic acid detection and diagnostics, ultimately facilitating the creation of enhanced diagnostic tools for clinic viral infections in POC settings.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Xiaoping Yu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (K.S.); (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (B.M.); (M.Z.)
| | - Zihong Ye
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China; (K.S.); (Y.L.); (W.Z.); (B.M.); (M.Z.)
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11
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Reynolds J, Loeffler RS, Leigh PJ, Lopez HA, Yoon JY. Recent Uses of Paper Microfluidics in Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:885. [PMID: 37754119 PMCID: PMC10526735 DOI: 10.3390/bios13090885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Isothermal nucleic acid amplification tests have recently gained popularity over polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as they only require a constant temperature and significantly simplify nucleic acid amplification. Recently, numerous attempts have been made to incorporate paper microfluidics into these isothermal amplification tests. Paper microfluidics (including lateral flow strips) have been used to extract nucleic acids, amplify the target gene, and detect amplified products, all toward automating the process. We investigated the literature from 2020 to the present, i.e., since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which a significant surge in isothermal amplification tests has been observed. Paper microfluidic detection has been used extensively for recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and its related methods, along with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and rolling circle amplification (RCA). Detection was conducted primarily with colorimetric and fluorometric methods, although a few publications demonstrated flow distance- and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic (SERS)-based detection. A good number of publications could be found that demonstrated both amplification and detection on paper microfluidic platforms. A small number of publications could be found that showed extraction or all three procedures (i.e., fully integrated systems) on paper microfluidic platforms, necessitating the need for future work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jocelyn Reynolds
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (J.R.); (R.S.L.); (P.J.L.)
| | - Reid S. Loeffler
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (J.R.); (R.S.L.); (P.J.L.)
| | - Preston J. Leigh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (J.R.); (R.S.L.); (P.J.L.)
| | - Hannah A. Lopez
- Department of Neuroscience, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
| | - Jeong-Yeol Yoon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (J.R.); (R.S.L.); (P.J.L.)
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12
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Wu Z, Yu L, Shi W, Ma J. Argonaute protein-based nucleic acid detection technology. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1255716. [PMID: 37744931 PMCID: PMC10515653 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1255716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
It is vital to diagnose pathogens quickly and effectively in the research and treatment of disease. Argonaute (Ago) proteins are recently discovered nucleases with nucleic acid shearing activity that exhibit specific recognition properties beyond CRISPR-Cas nucleases, which are highly researched but restricted PAM sequence recognition. Therefore, research on Ago protein-mediated nucleic acid detection technology has attracted significant attention from researchers in recent years. Using Ago proteins in developing nucleic acid detection platforms can enable efficient, convenient, and rapid nucleic acid detection and pathogen diagnosis, which is of great importance for human life and health and technological development. In this article, we introduce the structure and function of Argonaute proteins and discuss the latest advances in their use in nucleic acid detection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyun Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Li Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Stem Cell, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Weifeng Shi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinhong Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
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Ni D, Lu X, Stahlberg H, Ekundayo B. Activation mechanism of a short argonaute-TIR prokaryotic immune system. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh9002. [PMID: 37467330 PMCID: PMC10355822 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh9002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Short prokaryotic argonaute (pAgo) and toll/interleukin-1 receptor/resistance protein (TIR)-analog of PAZ (APAZ) form a heterodimeric SPARTA complex that provides immunity to its prokaryotic host through an abortive infection mechanism. Monomeric SPARTA senses foreign RNA/DNA duplexes to assemble an active tetramer resulting in cell death by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (oxidized form) (NAD) depletion via an unknown mechanism. We report nine structures of SPARTA in different functional states at a resolution range of 4.2 to 2.9 angstroms, revealing its activation mechanism. Inactive SPARTA monomers bind to RNA/DNA duplexes to form symmetric dimers mediated by the association of Ago subunits. The initiation of tetramer assembly induces flexibility of the TIR domains enabling a symmetry-breaking rotational movement of a TIR domain in the dimer units which facilitates the TIR oligomerization, resulting in the formation of the substrate binding pocket and the activation of the SPARTA complex's NADase activity. Our findings provide detailed structural and mechanistic insights into activating a short argonaute defense system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongchun Ni
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, IPHYS, SB, EPFL, and Dept. Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, UNIL, Cubotron, Rt. de la Sorge, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Xuhang Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology and College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Henning Stahlberg
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, IPHYS, SB, EPFL, and Dept. Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, UNIL, Cubotron, Rt. de la Sorge, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Babatunde Ekundayo
- Laboratory of Biological Electron Microscopy, IPHYS, SB, EPFL, and Dept. Fundamental Microbiology, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, UNIL, Cubotron, Rt. de la Sorge, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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14
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Xiong X, Lu Z, Ma L, Zhai C. Applications of Programmable Endonucleases in Sequence- and Ligation-Independent Seamless DNA Assembly. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1022. [PMID: 37509059 PMCID: PMC10377497 DOI: 10.3390/biom13071022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Programmable endonucleases, such as Cas (Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Repeats-associated proteins) and prokaryotic Argonaute (pAgo), depend on base pairing of the target DNA with the guide RNA or DNA to cleave DNA strands. Therefore, they are capable of recognizing and cleaving DNA sequences at virtually any arbitrary site. The present review focuses on the commonly used in vivo and in vitro recombination-based gene cloning methods and the application of programmable endonucleases in these sequence- and ligation-independent DNA assembly methods. The advantages and shortcomings of the programmable endonucleases utilized as tools for gene cloning are also discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Zhiwen Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Lixin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chao Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
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15
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Lisitskaya L, Kropocheva E, Agapov A, Prostova M, Panteleev V, Yudin D, Ryazansky S, Kuzmenko A, Aravin A, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Bacterial Argonaute nucleases reveal different modes of DNA targeting in vitro and in vivo. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5106-5124. [PMID: 37094066 PMCID: PMC10250240 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic Argonaute proteins (pAgos) are homologs of eukaryotic Argonautes (eAgos) and are also thought to play a role in cell defense against invaders. However, pAgos are much more diverse than eAgos and little is known about their functional activities and target specificities in vivo. Here, we describe five pAgos from mesophilic bacteria that act as programmable DNA endonucleases and analyze their ability to target chromosomal and invader DNA. In vitro, the analyzed proteins use small guide DNAs for precise cleavage of single-stranded DNA at a wide range of temperatures. Upon their expression in Escherichia coli, all five pAgos are loaded with small DNAs preferentially produced from plasmids and chromosomal regions of replication termination. One of the tested pAgos, EmaAgo from Exiguobacterium marinum, can induce DNA interference between homologous sequences resulting in targeted processing of multicopy plasmid and genomic elements. EmaAgo also protects bacteria from bacteriophage infection, by loading phage-derived guide DNAs and decreasing phage DNA content and phage titers. Thus, the ability of pAgos to target multicopy elements may be crucial for their protective function. The wide spectrum of pAgo activities suggests that they may have diverse functions in vivo and paves the way for their use in biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidiya Lisitskaya
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Kropocheva
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Aleksei Agapov
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Maria Prostova
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Vladimir Panteleev
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny141700, Russia
| | - Denis Yudin
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Sergei Ryazansky
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Anton Kuzmenko
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Alexei A Aravin
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
| | - Andrey Kulbachinskiy
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow119334, Russia
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow123182, Russia
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16
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Manakova E, Golovinas E, Pocevičiūtė R, Sasnauskas G, Grybauskas A, Gražulis S, Zaremba M. Structural basis for sequence-specific recognition of guide and target strands by the Archaeoglobus fulgidus Argonaute protein. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6123. [PMID: 37059709 PMCID: PMC10104839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-32600-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Argonaute (Ago) proteins are found in all three domains of life. The best-characterized group is eukaryotic Argonautes (eAgos). Being the structural core of RNA interference machinery, they use guide RNA molecules for RNA targeting. Prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) are more diverse, both in terms of structure (there are eAgo-like 'long' and truncated 'short' pAgos) and mechanism, as many pAgos are specific for DNA, not RNA guide and/or target strands. Some long pAgos act as antiviral defence systems. Their defensive role was recently demonstrated for short pAgo-encoding systems SPARTA and GsSir2/Ago, but the function and action mechanisms of all other short pAgos remain unknown. In this work, we focus on the guide and target strand preferences of AfAgo, a truncated long-B Argonaute protein encoded by an archaeon Archaeoglobus fulgidus. We demonstrate that AfAgo associates with small RNA molecules carrying 5'-terminal AUU nucleotides in vivo, and characterize its affinity to various RNA and DNA guide/target strands in vitro. We also present X-ray structures of AfAgo bound to oligoduplex DNAs that provide atomic details for base-specific AfAgo interactions with both guide and target strands. Our findings broaden the range of currently known Argonaute-nucleic acid recognition mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Manakova
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Edvardas Golovinas
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Reda Pocevičiūtė
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Giedrius Sasnauskas
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Algirdas Grybauskas
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Saulius Gražulis
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania
| | - Mindaugas Zaremba
- Life Sciences Center, Institute of Biotechnology, Vilnius University, Sauletekio Av. 7, 10257, Vilnius, Lithuania.
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Bobadilla Ugarte P, Barendse P, Swarts DC. Argonaute proteins confer immunity in all domains of life. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 74:102313. [PMID: 37023508 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Both eukaryotes and prokaryotes (archaea and bacteria) encode an arsenal of immune systems that protect the host against mobile genetic elements (MGEs) including viruses, plasmids, and transposons. Whereas Argonaute proteins (Agos) are best known for post-transcriptional gene silencing in eukaryotes, in all domains of life, members from the highly diverse Argonaute protein family act as programmable immune systems. To this end, Agos are programmed with small single-stranded RNA or DNA guides to detect and silence complementary MGEs. Across and within the different domains of life, Agos function in distinct pathways and MGE detection can trigger various mechanisms that provide immunity. In this review, we delineate the diverse immune pathways and underlying mechanisms for both eukaryotic Argonautes (eAgos) and prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Patrick Barendse
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Daan C Swarts
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Wageningen University, 6708 WE Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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