1
|
Volek M, Kurfürst J, Kožíšek M, Srb P, Veverka V, Curtis EA. Apollon: a deoxyribozyme that generates a yellow product. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae490. [PMID: 38869058 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Colorimetric assays in which the color of a solution changes in the presence of an input provide a simple and inexpensive way to monitor experimental readouts. In this study we used in vitro selection to identify a self-phosphorylating kinase deoxyribozyme that produces a colorimetric signal by converting the colorless substrate pNPP into the yellow product pNP. The minimized catalytic core, sequence requirements, secondary structure, and buffer requirements of this deoxyribozyme, which we named Apollon, were characterized using a variety of techniques including reselection experiments, high-throughput sequencing, comparative analysis, biochemical activity assays, and NMR. A bimolecular version of Apollon catalyzed multiple turnover phosphorylation and amplified the colorimetric signal. Engineered versions of Apollon could detect oligonucleotides with specific sequences as well as several different types of nucleases in homogenous assays that can be performed in a single tube without the need for washes or purifications. We anticipate that Apollon will be particularly useful to reduce costs in high-throughput screens and for applications in which specialized equipment is not available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Volek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Kurfürst
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Kožíšek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Srb
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Veverka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Edward A Curtis
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Volek M, Kurfürst J, Drexler M, Svoboda M, Srb P, Veverka V, Curtis EA. Aurora: a fluorescent deoxyribozyme for high-throughput screening. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae467. [PMID: 38860424 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence facilitates the detection, visualization, and tracking of molecules with high sensitivity and specificity. A functional DNA molecule that generates a robust fluorescent signal would offer significant advantages for many applications compared to intrinsically fluorescent proteins, which are expensive and labor intensive to synthesize, and fluorescent RNA aptamers, which are unstable under most conditions. Here, we describe a novel deoxyriboyzme that rapidly and efficiently generates a stable fluorescent product using a readily available coumarin substrate. An engineered version can detect picomolar concentrations of ribonucleases in a simple homogenous assay, and was used to rapidly identify novel inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 ribonuclease Nsp15 in a high-throughput screen. Our work adds an important new component to the toolkit of functional DNA parts, and also demonstrates how catalytic DNA motifs can be used to solve real-world problems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Volek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Kurfürst
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Matúš Drexler
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Svoboda
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Srb
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Veverka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Edward A Curtis
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Brown A, Brill J, Amini R, Nurmi C, Li Y. Development of Better Aptamers: Structured Library Approaches, Selection Methods, and Chemical Modifications. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318665. [PMID: 38253971 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318665] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) has been used to discover thousands of aptamers since its development in 1990. Aptamers are short single-stranded oligonucleotides capable of binding to targets with high specificity and selectivity through structural recognition. While aptamers offer advantages over other molecular recognition elements such as their ease of production, smaller size, extended shelf-life, and lower immunogenicity, they have yet to show significant success in real-world applications. By analyzing the importance of structured library designs, reviewing different SELEX methodologies, and the effects of chemical modifications, we provide a comprehensive overview on the production of aptamers for applications in drug delivery systems, therapeutics, diagnostics, and molecular imaging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Brown
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4 K1, Canada
| | - Jake Brill
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4 K1, Canada
| | - Ryan Amini
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4 K1, Canada
| | - Connor Nurmi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4 K1, Canada
| | - Yingfu Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4 K1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li Y, Liu X, Hou Y, Wu Q, Hou J. A Higher Affinity Melamine Binding Aptamer Mutant for More Sensitive Detection. ChemistrySelect 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202201427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yani Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Special Wild Vegetables Breeding and Comprehensive Utilization Technology Hubei Normal University Huangshi, Hubei province 435002 China
- National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Biology Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
| | - Xixia Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Special Wild Vegetables Breeding and Comprehensive Utilization Technology Hubei Normal University Huangshi, Hubei province 435002 China
- National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Biology Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
| | - Yaoyao Hou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Special Wild Vegetables Breeding and Comprehensive Utilization Technology Hubei Normal University Huangshi, Hubei province 435002 China
- National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Biology Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
| | - Qin Wu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Special Wild Vegetables Breeding and Comprehensive Utilization Technology Hubei Normal University Huangshi, Hubei province 435002 China
- National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Biology Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
| | - Jianjun Hou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Edible Wild Plants Conservation and Utilization Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Special Wild Vegetables Breeding and Comprehensive Utilization Technology Hubei Normal University Huangshi, Hubei province 435002 China
- National Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center for Biology Hubei Normal University Huangshi Hubei province 435002 China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Jakubec M, Pšenáková K, Svehlova K, Curtis EA. Optimizing the Chemiluminescence of a Light-Producing Deoxyribozyme. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200026. [PMID: 35286749 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200026] [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: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Supernova is a chemiluminescent deoxyribozyme recently discovered in our group. It transfers the phosphate group from the 1,2-dioxetane substrate CDP-Star to its 5' hydroxyl group, which triggers a decomposition reaction and the production of light. Here we investigated the effects of reaction conditions on the ability of Supernova to generate a chemiluminescent signal (using a plate reader assay) and to phosphorylate itself (using a ligation assay). Our experiments indicate that multiple zinc ions are required for catalytic function, suggesting links between Supernova and protein enzymes that catalyze similar reactions. They also show how factors such as pH, potassium concentration, CDP-Star concentration, and DNA concentration affect the reaction. By combining information from different experiments, the rate enhancement of light production was increased by more than 1000-fold. These results should be useful for applications in which Supernova is used as a sensor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Jakubec
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Karolína Pšenáková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Katerina Svehlova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, 128 43, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Edward A Curtis
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, 160 00, Prague, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Streckerová T, Kurfürst J, Curtis EA. Single-round deoxyribozyme discovery. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:6971-6981. [PMID: 34133739 PMCID: PMC8266665 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Artificial evolution experiments typically use libraries of ∼1015 sequences and require multiple rounds of selection to identify rare variants with a desired activity. Based on the simple structures of some aptamers and nucleic acid enzymes, we hypothesized that functional motifs could be isolated from significantly smaller libraries in a single round of selection followed by high-throughput sequencing. To test this idea, we investigated the catalytic potential of DNA architectures in which twelve or fifteen randomized positions were embedded in a scaffold present in all library members. After incubating in either the presence or absence of lead (which promotes the nonenzymatic cleavage of RNA), library members that cleaved themselves at an RNA linkage were purified by PAGE and characterized by high-throughput sequencing. These selections yielded deoxyribozymes with activities 8- to 30-fold lower than those previously isolated under similar conditions from libraries containing 1014 different sequences, indicating that the disadvantage of using a less diverse pool can be surprisingly small. It was also possible to elucidate the sequence requirements and secondary structures of deoxyribozymes without performing additional experiments. Due to its relative simplicity, we anticipate that this approach will accelerate the discovery of new catalytic DNA and RNA motifs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Streckerová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Kurfürst
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Edward A Curtis
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 160 00, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|