Tapping diversity lost in transformations—in vitro amplification of ligation reactions

Molecular evolution is a powerful means of engineering proteins. It usually requires the generation of a large recombinant DNA library of variants for cloning into a phage or plasmid vector, and the transformation of a host organism for expression and screening of the variant proteins. However, library size is often limited by the low yields of circular DNA and the poor transformation efficiencies of linear DNA. Here we have overcome this limitation by amplification of recombinant circular DNA molecules directly from ligation reactions. The amplification by bacteriophage Phi29 polymerase increased the number of transformants; thus from a nanogram-scale ligation of DNA fragments comprising two sub-libraries of variant antibody domains, we succeeded in amplifying a highly diverse and large combinatorial phage antibody library (>10⁹ transformants in Escherichia coli and 10⁵-fold more transformants than without amplification). From the amplified library, but not from the smaller un-amplified library, we could isolate several antibody fragments against a target antigen. It appears that amplification of ligations with Phi29 polymerase can help recover clones and molecular diversity otherwise lost in the transformation step. A further feature of the method is the option of using PCR-amplified vectors for ligations.     

蛋白质起始的DNA病毒复制机制

DNA聚合酶在DNA合成过程中需要的引物包括RNA引物、DNA自我引物和蛋白质引物3种类型。新DNA链(如冈崎片段)的复制多是在DNA模板上合成一段RNA引物,细小病毒利用其基因组末端的反向末端重复序列(ITRs)自我折叠成DNA引物,而一些DNA、RNA病毒及真菌质粒起始复制反应的引物则是蛋白质。以感染原核生物的噬菌体Phi29和真核DNA病毒腺病毒为例,从复制过程所涉及的蛋白质、对复制原点的识别、复制起始反应、新链的延伸、复制终止过程等方面详细阐述DNA病毒由蛋白质引发的复制机制,并对已商品化的Phi29 DNA聚合酶产品多重置换扩增及单细胞测序等的应用以及基于噬菌体Phi29蛋白质起始的最小复制系统体外扩增异源DNA等最新的应用研究作相关总结介绍。     

从噬菌体抗体库中淘选血纤维蛋白特异的单链抗体

为构建小鼠噬菌体抗体库 ,以获得对人血纤维蛋白特异的抗体 ,由小鼠脾脏提取 m RNA,经反转录 PCR扩增出抗体重链、轻链可变区基因片段 ,将二者和一段编码十五肽 (Gly4 Ser) 3的 DNA接头借助重组 PCR组装成为单链抗体 (single- chain antibody,Sc Ab)基因 .将单链抗体基因插入噬菌体展示载体 p CANTAB- 5E,通过电击法转化大肠杆菌 TG1细胞 ,用辅助噬菌体 M1 3K0 7超感染 ,构建了库容量在 1 0 8以上的噬菌体单链抗体库 .利用亲和选择方法 (淘选 ) ,从噬菌体抗体库中选得血纤维蛋白特异的单链抗体 .模拟抗体成熟过程 ,用 DNA改组 (DNA shuffling)技术使抗体基因重新组合 ,构建新的改组抗体库 ,并从中选择到提高了亲和力的噬菌体单链抗体 .抗体基因在大肠杆菌中表达 ,表达蛋白经 Sephadex G- 75柱层析分离 ,得到初步纯化的单链抗体蛋白 .     

A QuikChange-like method to realize efficient blunt-ended DNA directional cloning and site-directed mutagenesis simultaneously

Here we present a QuikChange-like method to efficiently realize blunt-ended DNA cloning and conveniently introduce a site-directed mutation to recombinant plasmid at the same time. After blunt-ended DNA ligation and transformation, the plasmid DNA mixture is extracted from pooled transformants and directly used as template for PCR amplification with a pair of complementary mutagenic primers. With this method, sam1 gene was inserted into pUC19 vector by blunt-end ligation, and a unique restriction site Spe I was introduced to the recombinant plasmid at the same time. The randomly selected transformants were analyzed by DNA sequencing, and most of the clones were found to have correct sequences. However, no correct construct was found from randomly selected transformants after traditional blunt-ended DNA ligation and transformation.     

Cloning of a Thermomonospora fusca xylanase gene and its expression in Escherichia coli and Streptomyces lividans.

Thermomonospora fusca chromosomal DNA was partially digested with EcoRI to obtain 4- to 14-kilobase fragments, which were used to construct a library of recombinant phage by ligation with EcoRI arms of lambda gtWES. lambda B. A recombinant phage coding for xylanase activity which contained a 14-kilobase insert was identified. The xylanase gene was localized to a 2.1-kilobase SalI fragment of the EcoRI insert by subcloning onto pBR322 and derivatives of pBR322 that can also replicate in Streptomyces lividans. The xylanase activity produced by S. lividans transformants was 10- to 20-fold higher than that produced by Escherichia coli transformants but only one-fourth the level produced by induced T. fusca. A 30-kilodalton peptide with activity against both Remazol brilliant blue xylan and xylan was produced in S. lividans transformants that carried the 2.1-kilobase SalI fragment of T. fusca DNA and was not produced by control transformants. T. fusca cultures were found to contain a xylanase of a similar size that was induced by growth on xylan or Solka Floc. Antiserum directed against supernatant proteins isolated from a Solka Floc-grown T. fusca culture inhibited the xylanase activity of S. lividans transformants. The cloned T. fusca xylanase gene was expressed at about the same level in S. lividans grown in minimal medium containing either glucose, cellobiose, or xylan. The xylanase bound to and hydrolyzed insoluble xylan. The cloned xylanase appeared to be the same as the major protein in xylan-induced T. fusca culture supernatants, which also contained at least three additional minor proteins with xylanase activity and having apparent molecular masses of 43, 23, and 20 kilodaltons.     

Cell-free cloning of highly expanded CTG repeats by amplification of dimerized expanded repeats

We describe conditions for producing uninterrupted expanded CTG repeats consisting of up to 2000 repeats using 29 DNA polymerase. Previously, generation of such repeats was hindered by CTG repeat instability in plasmid vectors maintained in Escherichia coli and poor in vitro ligation of CTG repeat concatemers due to strand slippage. Instead, we used a combination of in vitro ligation and 29 DNA polymerase to amplify DNA. Correctly ligated products generating a dimerized repeat tract formed substrates for rolling circle amplification (RCA). In the presence of two non-complementary primers, hybridizing to either strand of DNA, ligations can be amplified to generate microgram quantities of repeat containing DNA. Additionally, expanded repeats generated by rolling circle amplification can be produced in vectors for expression of expanded CUG (CUG(exp)) RNA capable of sequestering MBNL1 protein in cell culture. Amplification of dimerized expanded repeats (ADER) opens new possibilities for studies of repeat instability and pathogenesis in myotonic dystrophy, a neurological disorder caused by an expanded CTG repeat.     

Rolling circle amplification of genomic templates for inverse PCR (RCA–GIP): a method for 5′- and 3′-genome walking without anchoring

We have devised an improved method of genome walking, named rolling circle amplification of genomic templates for Inverse PCR (RCA–GIP). The method is based on the generation of circular genomic DNA fragments, followed by rolling circle amplification of the circular genomic DNA using ϕ29 DNA polymerase without need for attachment of anchor sequences. In this way from the circular genomic DNA fragments, after RCA amplification, a large amount of linear concatemers is generated suitable for Inverse PCR template that can be amplified, sequenced or cloned allowing the isolation of the 3′- and 5′- of unknown ends of genomic sequences. To prove the concept of the proposed methodology, we used this procedure to isolate the promoter regions from different species. Herein as an example we present the isolation of four promoter regions from Crocus sativus, a crop cultivated for saffron production.     

Generation of a 50,000-member human DNA library with an average DNA insert size of 75-100 kbp in a bacteriophage P1 cloning vector

A bacteriophage P1 cloning system that permits the isolation and amplification of cloned DNA fragments as large as 100 kbp was described previously. We have now utilized a similar system to generate a 50,000-member human DNA library with DNA inserts ranging in size from 75 to 100 kbp. Two major obstacles were overcome in constructing the library. The first concerned the mcrAB restriction system of Escherichia coli, which degrades DNA containing MeC and interferes with the recovery of cloned human DNA inserts. In the P1 cloning system, the effect of the Mcr restriction activity is to decrease recovery of cloned inserts by about 35-fold when the activity is in the host cell line and by about 3-fold when the activity is in the cells used to prepare the packaging extract. To circumvent this problem we inactivated, by mutation, the McrAB proteins in both components of the cloning system. The second obstacle concerned the preferential cloning of small DNA fragments from a population of fragments ranging in size from 20 to 100 kbp. To deal with this problem we first modified the P1 lysogen used to prepare the in vitro head-tail packaging extract so that it would produce 12 times as many large P1 heads (head capacity about 110 kbp) as small P1 heads (head capacity about 45 kbp). We then restructured the P1 cloning vector so that it could be used to produce vector "arm" fragments that could be ligated to insert DNA at only one end. This prevented the formation of long concatamers consisting of alternating units of vector and insert DNA and prohibited the packaging of small inserts in large phage heads. Using the insert-biased large head extract, the arms vector, and size-selected human DNA fragments, we showed that as much as 90% of recovered transformants contained inserts in the desired high molecular weight range.     

集胞藻的随机插入诱变和光激活异养突变株的筛选

以4－碱基限制性内切酶部分酶切集胞藻PCC6803基因文库总质粒DNA,并插入卡那霉素抗性基因标记,构建了二级随机插入诱变文库。以该诱变文库总DNA转化集胞藻PCC6803,得到大量有抗性标记基因随机插入的转化子,利用这一方法获得了不能进行光激活异养生长的突变株,并克隆了抗性标记基因插入部位DNA片段,在持续光照但加DCMU抑制光合作用的情况下,这些突变株仍然能够利用葡萄糖异养生长,推测突变基因与短时光信号的感应有关。     

Mapping of linear epitopes recognized by monoclonal antibodies with gene-fragment phage display libraries

Epitope mapping with mono- or polyclonal antibodies has so far been done either by dissecting the antigens into overlapping polypeptides in the form of recombinantly expressed fusion proteins, or by synthesizing overlapping short peptides, or by a combination of both methods. Here, we report an alternative method which involves the generation of random gene fragments of approximately 50–200 by in length and cloning these into the 5 terminus of the protein III gene of fd phages. Selection for phages that bind a given monoclonal antibody and sequencing the DNA inserts of immunopositive phages yields derived amino acid sequences containing the desired epitope. A monoclonal antibody (mAb 215) directed against the largest subunit of Drosophila RNA polymerase II (RPB215) was used to map the corresponding epitope in a fUSE5 phage display library made of random DNA fragments from plasmid DNA containing the entire gene. After a single round of panning with this phage library, bacterial colonies were obtained which produced fd phages displaying the mAb 215 epitope. Sequencing of single-stranded phage DNA from a number of positive colonies (recognized by the antibody on colony immunoblots) resulted in overlapping sequences all containing the 15mer epitope determined by mapping with synthetic peptides. Similarly, we have localized the epitopes recognized by a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against the human p53 protein, and by a mouse monoclonal antibody directed against the human cytokeratin 19 protein. Identification of positive colonies after the panning procedure depends on the detection system used (colony immunoblot or ELISA) and there appear to be some restrictions to the use of linker-encoded amino acids for optimal presentation of epitopes. A comparison with epitope mapping by synthetic peptides shows that the phage display method allows one to map linear epitopes down to a size only slightly larger than the true epitope. In general, our phage display method is faster, easier, and cheaper than the construction of overlapping fusion proteins or the use of synthetic peptides, especially in cases where the antigen is a large polypeptide such as the 215 kDa subunit of eukaryotic RNA polymerase II.     

Gene synthesis by circular assembly amplification

Here we report the development of a gene-synthesis technology, circular assembly amplification. In this approach, we first constructed exonuclease-resistant circular DNA via simultaneous ligation of oligonucleotides. Exonuclease- and subsequent mismatch cleaving endonuclease-mediated degradation of the resulting ligation mixture eliminated error-rich products, thereby substantially improving gene-synthesis quality. We used this method to construct genes encoding a small thermostable DNA polymerase, a highly repetitive DNA sequence and large (>4 kb) constructs.     

Ligation-independent cloning of PCR products (LIC-PCR).

A new procedure has been developed for the efficient cloning of complex PCR mixtures, resulting in libraries exclusively consisting of recombinant clones. Recombinants are generated between PCR products and a PCR-amplified plasmid vector. The procedure does not require the use of restriction enzymes, T4 DNA ligase or alkaline phosphatase. The 5'-ends of the primers used to generate the cloneable PCR fragments contain an additional 12 nucleotide (nt) sequence lacking dCMP. As a result, the amplification products include 12-nt sequences lacking dGMP at their 3'-ends. The 3'-terminal sequence can be removed by the action of the (3'----5') exonuclease activity of T4 DNA polymerase in the presence of dGTP, leading to fragments with 5'-extending single-stranded (ss) tails of a defined sequence and length. Similarly, the entire plasmid vector is amplified with primers homologous to sequences in the multiple cloning site. The vector oligos have additional 12-nt tails complementary to the tails used for fragment amplification, permitting the creation of ss-ends with T4 DNA polymerase in the presence of dCTP. Circularization can occur between vector molecules and PCR fragments as mediated by the 12-nt cohesive ends, but not in mixtures lacking insert fragments. The resulting circular recombinant molecules do not require in vitro ligation for efficient bacterial transformation. We have applied the procedure for the cloning of inter-ALU fragments from hybrid cell-lines and human cosmid clones.     

Single-molecule dilution and multiple displacement amplification for molecular haplotyping

Separate haploid analysis is frequently required for heterozygous genotyping to resolve phase ambiguity or confirm allelic sequence. We demonstrate a technique of single-molecule dilution followed by multiple strand displacement amplification to haplotype polymorphic alleles. Dilution of DNA to haploid equivalency, or a single molecule, is a simple method for separating di-allelic DNA. Strand displacement amplification is a robust method for non-specific DNA expansion that employs random hexamers and phage polymerase Phi29 for double-stranded DNA displacement and primer extension, resulting in high processivity and exceptional product length. Single-molecule dilution was followed by strand displacement amplification to expand separated alleles to microgram quantities of DNA for more efficient haplotype analysis of heterozygous genes.     

Kinetic analysis for optimization of DNA ligation reactions.

Kinetic equations describing ligation of DNA to circular recombinant forms were developed and solved for four types of reactions: (a) a homogeneous population of singly restricted DNA fragments, (b) insertion of singly restricted insert into vector, (c) forced directional insertion of doubly restricted insert into vector, and (d) insertion of singly restricted insert into phosphatased vector. The effects of varying vector and insert sizes, starting concentrations, and phosphatase treatment on the yield of circular 1:1 recombinants were analyzed. Selected theoretical predictions were experimentally tested and verified. Our suggestions on optimizing ligation reactions in several cases are at variance with common practice. For example, optimum conditions in case (b) and (d) ligations are best specified as individual insert and vector concentrations rather than as insert/vector molar ratios, except in case (d) ligations involving very small insert size. In case (c) ligations, highest efficiencies are obtained when both vector and insert are at relatively low concentration.     

A convenient and robust method for construction of combinatorial and random mutant libraries

Here we describe a convenient and robust ligase-independent method for construction of combinatorial and random mutant libraries. The homologous genes flanked by plasmid-derived DNA sequences are fragmented, and the random fragments are reassembled in a self-priming polymerase reaction to obtain chimeric genes. The product is then mixed with linearized vector and two pairs of flanking primers, followed by assembly of the chimeric genes and linearized vector by PCR to introduce recombinant plasmids of a combinatorial library. Commonly, it is difficult to find proper restriction sites during the construction of recombinant plasmids after DNA shuffling with multiple homologous genes. However, this disadvantage can be overcome by using the ligase-independent method because the steps of DNA digestion and ligation can be avoided during library construction. Similarly, DNA sequences with random mutations introduced by error-prone PCR can be used to construct recombinant plasmids of a random mutant library with this method. Additionally, this method can meet the needs of large and comprehensive DNA library construction.     

A high-throughput genome-walking method and its use for cloning unknown flanking sequences

We developed a PCR-based high-throughput genome-walking protocol. The novelty of this protocol is in the random introduction of unique walker primer binding sites into different regions of the genome efficiently by taking advantage of the rolling circle mode of DNA synthesis by Phi29 DNA polymerase after annealing the partially degenerate primers to the denatured genomic DNA. The inherent strand-displacement activity of the Phi29 DNA polymerase displaces the 5′ ends of downstream strands and DNA synthesis continues, resulting in a large number of overlapping fragments that cover the whole genome with the unique walker adapter attached to the 5′ end of all the genomic DNA fragments. The directional genome walking can be performed using a locus-specific primer and the walker primer and Phi29 DNA polymerase-amplified genomic DNA fragments as template. The locus-specific primer will determine the position and direction of the genome walk. Two rounds of successive PCR amplifications by locus-specific and walker primers and their corresponding nested primers effectively amplify the flanking DNA fragments. The desired PCR fragment can be either cloned or sequenced directly using another nested, locus-specific primer. We successfully used this protocol to isolate and sequence 5′ flanking regions/promoters of selected plant genes.     

Single-stranded DNA binding protein facilitates specific enrichment of circular DNA molecules using rolling circle amplification

Many techniques in molecular biology require the use of pure nucleic acids in general and circular DNA (plasmid or mitochondrial) in particular. We have developed a method to separate these circular molecules from a mixture containing different species of nucleic acids using rolling circle amplification (RCA). RCA of plasmid or genomic DNA using random hexamers and bacteriophage Phi29 DNA polymerase has become increasingly popular for the amplification of template DNA in DNA sequencing protocols. Recently, we reported that the mutant single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB) from Thermus thermophilus (TthSSB) HB8 eliminates nonspecific DNA products in RCA reactions. We developed this method for separating circular nucleic acids from a mixture having different species of nucleic acids. Use of the mutant TthSSB resulted in an enhancement of plasmid or mitochondrial DNA content in the amplified product by approximately 500×. The use of mutant TthSSB not only promoted the amplification of circular target DNA over the background but also could be used to enhance the amplification of circular targets over linear targets.     

Rapid PCR-based detection of inserts from cDNA libraries using phage pools or direct phage plaques and lambda primers

Phage DNA isolation from genomic and cDNA libraries is time-consuming and cumbersome. Our work reports on the use of a pair of λ gt11 primers to amplify by PCR any insert DNA that is cloned into theEco RI restriction site. Using crude phage pools and direct phage plaques from a corn root cDNA library, we amplified and cloned DNA fragments. The amount of amplification products was similar when phage DNA and phage pools were used as templates. Amplified fragments could be purified, cloned and sequenced by a relatively simple procedure, thus allowing rapid detection and analysis of inserts in a large number of phage plaques.