Progress towards single-molecule DNA sequencing: a one color demonstration

Single molecules of fluorescently labeled nucleotides were detected during the cleavage of individual DNA fragments by a processive exonuclease. In these experiments, multiple (10-100) strands of DNA with tetramethyl rhodamine labeled dUMP (TMR-dUMP) incorporated into the sequence were anchored in flow upstream of the detection region of an ultra sensitive flow cytometer. A dilute solution of Exonuclease I passed over the microspheres. When an exonuclease attached to a strand, processive digestion of that strand began. The liberated, labeled bases flowed through the detection region and were detected at high efficiency at the single-molecule level by laser-induced fluorescence. The digestion of a single strand of DNA by a single exonuclease was discernable in these experiments. This result demonstrates the feasibility of single-molecule DNA sequencing. In addition, these experiments point to a new and practical means of arriving at a consensus sequence by individually reading out identical sequences on multiple fragments.     

Nucleotide specificity versus complex heterogeneity in exonuclease activity measurements

A recent publication reported on measurements of Exonuclease I activity using a real-time fluorescence method that measures the time required by molecules of Exonuclease I to hydrolyze single-stranded DNA that was synthesized to have two fluorescently labeled nucleotides. The observed fluorescence-intensity curves were interpreted as a sign of strong heterogeneity of the activity of Exonuclease I. Here, I propose a different model, which assumes that Exonuclease I activity is nucleotide-dependent, and that a fluorescent label bound to a nucleotide significantly slows its cleavage rate. The presented model fits the observed data equally well, but can be used to make specific predictions upon observable sequence dependence of measured fluorescence-intensity curves.     

The enzymatic basis of processivity in lambda exonuclease

λ Exonuclease is a highly processive 5′→3′ exonuclease that degrades double-stranded (ds)DNA. The single-stranded DNA produced by λ exonuclease is utilized by homologous pairing proteins to carry out homologous recombination. The extensive studies of λ biology, λ exonuclease enzymology and the availability of the X-ray crystallographic structure of λ exonuclease make it a suitable model to dissect the mechanisms of processivity. λ Exonuclease is a toroidal homotrimeric molecule and this quaternary structure is a recurring theme in proteins engaged in processive reactions in nucleic acid metabolism. We have identified residues in λ exonuclease involved in recognizing the 5′-phosphate at the ends of broken dsDNA. The preference of λ exonuclease for a phosphate moiety at 5′ dsDNA ends has been established in previous studies; our results indicate that the low activity in the absence of the 5′-phosphate is due to the formation of inert enzyme–substrate complexes. By examining a λ exonuclease mutant impaired in 5′-phosphate recognition, the significance of catalytic efficiency in modulating the processivity of λ exonuclease has been elucidated. We propose a model in which processivity of λ exonuclease is expressed as the net result of competition between pathways that either induce forward translocation or promote reverse translocation and dissociation.     

Flap Endonuclease Activity of Gene 6 Exonuclease of Bacteriophage T7

Flap endonucleases remove flap structures generated during DNA replication. Gene 6 protein of bacteriophage T7 is a 5′–3′-exonuclease specific for dsDNA. Here we show that gene 6 protein also possesses a structure-specific endonuclease activity similar to known flap endonucleases. The flap endonuclease activity is less active relative to its exonuclease activity. The major cleavage by the endonuclease activity occurs at a position one nucleotide into the duplex region adjacent to a dsDNA-ssDNA junction. The efficiency of cleavage of the flap decreases with increasing length of the 5′-overhang. A 3′-single-stranded tail arising from the same end of the duplex as the 5′-tail inhibits gene 6 protein flap endonuclease activity. The released flap is not degraded further, but the exonuclease activity then proceeds to hydrolyze the 5′-terminal strand of the duplex. T7 gene 2.5 single-stranded DNA-binding protein stimulates the exonuclease and also the endonuclease activity. This stimulation is attributed to a specific interaction between the two proteins because Escherichia coli single-stranded DNA binding protein does not produce this stimulatory effect. The ability of gene 6 protein to remove 5′-terminal overhangs as well as to remove nucleotides from the 5′-termini enables it to effectively process the 5′-termini of Okazaki fragments before they are ligated.     

The effect of the 3'',5'' thiophosphoryl linkage on the exonuclease activities of T4 polymerase and the Klenow fragment.

The 3'----5' exonuclease activities of T4 DNA polymerase and the Klenow fragment of Polymerase I towards the phosphoryl and thiophosphoryl 3',5' linkage were examined under comparable conditions of idling-turnover, duplex hydrolysis and turnover during polymerization. With the T4 enzyme there is a negligible effect of thiosubstitution on these activities; with the Klenow fragment there is a greater than one hundred-fold reduction in rate with the thiolinkage for the exonuclease but not polymerization activities. This inability to hydrolyze rapidly the thiophosphoryl linkage extends to the hydrolytic activity of Exonuclease III. The quantitation of the exonuclease activities of these three proteins under various conditions should aid in the successful employment of thiophosphoryl nucleoside triphosphates for their incorporation into DNA.     

Mechanism of degradation of duplex DNA by the DNase induced by herpes simplex virus

Reaction intermediates formed during the degradation of linear PM2, T5, and λ DNA by herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNase have been examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. Digestion of T5 DNA by HSV type 2 (HSV-2) DNase in the presence of Mn²⁺ (endonuclease only) gave rise to 6 major and 12 minor fragments. Some of the fragments produced correspond to those observed after cleavage of T5 DNA by the single-strand-specific S1 nuclease, indicating that the HSV DNase rapidly cleaves opposite a nick or gap in a duplex DNA molecule. In contrast, HSV DNase did not produce distinct fragments upon digestion of linear PM2 or λ DNA, which do not contain nicks. In the presence of Mg²⁺, when both endonuclease and exonuclease activities of the HSV DNase occur, most of the same distinct fragments from digestion of T5 DNA were observed. However, these fragments were then further degraded preferentially from the ends, presumably by the action of the exonuclease activity. Unit-length λ DNA, EcoRI restriction fragments of λ DNA, and linear PM2 DNA were also degraded from the ends by HSV DNase in the same manner. Previous studies have suggested that the HSV exonuclease degrades in the 3′ → 5′ direction. If this is correct, and since only 5′-monophosphate nucleosides are produced, then HSV DNase should “activate” DNA for DNA polymerase. However, unlike pancreatic DNase I, neither HSV-1 nor HSV-2 DNase, in the presence of Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺, activated calf thymus DNA for HSV DNA polymerase. This suggests that HSV DNase degrades both strands of a linear double-stranded DNA molecule from the same end at about the same rate. That is, HSV DNase is apparently capable of degrading DNA strands in the 3′ → 5′ direction as well as in the 5′ → 3′ direction, yielding progressively smaller double-stranded molecules with flush ends. Except with minor differences, HSV-1 and HSV-2 DNases act in a similar manner.     

Exonuclease III action on microarrays: Observation of DNA degradation by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

DNA with all cytosines, thymines, or all pyrimidines of one strand substituted by fluorescently labeled analogs shows diminished solubility in aqueous media and a strong tendency to aggregation that hampers enzymatic downstream processing. In this study, immobilization of fully fluorescently labeled DNA on microarrays was shown to resolve the named problems and to enable successive DNA degradation by exonuclease III. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and single-molecule counting for monitoring the course of DNA hydrolysis in real time revealed the virtually processive degradation of labeled DNA that occurred at an average rate of approximately 4 nt/s.     

Characterization of human herpesvirus 6A/B U94 as ATPase,helicase, exonuclease and DNA-binding proteins

Human herpesvirus-6A (HHV-6A) and HHV-6B integrate their genomes into the telomeres of human chromosomes, however, the mechanisms leading to integration remain unknown. HHV-6A/B encode a protein that has been proposed to be involved in integration termed U94, an ortholog of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) Rep68 integrase. In this report, we addressed whether purified recombinant maltose-binding protein (MBP)-U94 fusion proteins of HHV-6A/B possess biological functions compatible with viral integration. We could demonstrate that MBP-U94 efficiently binds both dsDNA and ssDNA containing telomeric repeats using gel shift assay and surface plasmon resonance. MBP-U94 is also able to hydrolyze adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to ADP, providing the energy for further catalytic activities. In addition, U94 displays a 3′ to 5′ exonuclease activity on dsDNA with a preference for 3′-recessed ends. Once the DNA strand reaches 8–10 nt in length, the enzyme dissociates it from the complementary strand. Lastly, MBP-U94 compromises the integrity of a synthetic telomeric D-loop through exonuclease attack at the 3′ end of the invading strand. The preferential DNA binding of MBP-U94 to telomeric sequences, its ability to hydrolyze ATP and its exonuclease/helicase activities suggest that U94 possesses all functions required for HHV-6A/B chromosomal integration.     

Molecular interactions of Escherichia coli ExoIX and identification of its associated 3'-5' exonuclease activity

The flap endonucleases (FENs) participate in a wide range of processes involving the structure-specific cleavage of branched nucleic acids. They are also able to hydrolyse DNA and RNA substrates from the 5′-end, liberating mono-, di- and polynucleotides terminating with a 5′ phosphate. Exonuclease IX is a paralogue of the small fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, a FEN with which it shares 66% similarity. Here we show that both glutathione-S-transferase-tagged and native recombinant ExoIX are able to interact with the E. coli single-stranded DNA binding protein, SSB. Immobilized ExoIX was able to recover SSB from E. coli lysates both in the presence and absence of DNA. In vitro cross-linking studies carried out in the absence of DNA showed that the SSB tetramer appears to bind up to two molecules of ExoIX. Furthermore, we found that a 3′–5′ exodeoxyribonuclease activity previously associated with ExoIX can be separated from it by extensive liquid chromatography. The associated 3′–5′ exodeoxyribonuclease activity was excised from a 2D gel and identified as exonuclease III using matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization mass spectrometry.     

Bacillus subtilis RNase J1 endonuclease and 5′ exonuclease activities in the turnover of ΔermC mRNA

RNase J1, a ribonuclease with 5′ exonuclease and endonuclease activities, is an important factor in Bacillus subtilis mRNA decay. A model for RNase J1 endonuclease activity in mRNA turnover has RNase J1 binding to the 5′ end and tracking to a target site downstream, where it makes a decay-initiating cleavage. The upstream fragment from this cleavage is degraded by 3′ exonucleases; the downstream fragment is degraded by RNase J1 5′ exonuclease activity. Previously, ΔermC mRNA was used to show 5′-end dependence of mRNA turnover. Here we used ΔermC mRNA to probe RNase J1-dependent degradation, and the results were consistent with aspects of the model. ΔermC mRNA showed increased stability in a mutant strain that contained a reduced level of RNase J1. In agreement with the tracking concept, insertion of a strong stem–loop structure at +65 resulted in increased stability. Weakening this stem–loop structure resulted in reversion to wild-type stability. RNA fragments containing the 3′ end were detected in a strain with reduced RNase J1 expression, but were undetectable in the wild type. The 5′ ends of these fragments mapped to the upstream side of predicted stem–loop structures, consistent with an impediment to RNase J1 5′ exonuclease processivity. A ΔermC mRNA deletion analysis suggested that decay-initiating endonuclease cleavage could occur at several sites near the 3′ end. However, even in the absence of these sites, stability was further increased in a strain with reduced RNase J1, suggesting alternate pathways for decay that could include exonucleolytic decay from the 5′ end.     

Adapting capillary gel electrophoresis as a sensitive,high-throughput method to accelerate characterization of nucleic acid metabolic enzymes

Detailed biochemical characterization of nucleic acid enzymes is fundamental to understanding nucleic acid metabolism, genome replication and repair. We report the development of a rapid, high-throughput fluorescence capillary gel electrophoresis method as an alternative to traditional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to characterize nucleic acid metabolic enzymes. The principles of assay design described here can be applied to nearly any enzyme system that acts on a fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide substrate. Herein, we describe several assays using this core capillary gel electrophoresis methodology to accelerate study of nucleic acid enzymes. First, assays were designed to examine DNA polymerase activities including nucleotide incorporation kinetics, strand displacement synthesis and 3′-5′ exonuclease activity. Next, DNA repair activities of DNA ligase, flap endonuclease and RNase H2 were monitored. In addition, a multicolor assay that uses four different fluorescently labeled substrates in a single reaction was implemented to characterize GAN nuclease specificity. Finally, a dual-color fluorescence assay to monitor coupled enzyme reactions during Okazaki fragment maturation is described. These assays serve as a template to guide further technical development for enzyme characterization or nucleoside and non-nucleoside inhibitor screening in a high-throughput manner.     

Werner syndrome exonuclease catalyzes structure-dependent degradation of DNA

Werner syndrome (WS) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by early onset of many features of aging, by an unusual spectrum of cancers, and by genomic instability. The WS protein (WRN) possesses 3′→5′ DNA helicase and associated ATPase activities, as well as 3′→5′ DNA exonuclease activity. Currently, WRN is the only member of the widely distributed RecQ DNA helicase family with documented exonuclease activity. It is not known whether deficiency of the exonuclease or helicase/ATPase activities of WRN, or all of them, is responsible for various elements of the WS phenotype. WRN exonuclease has limited homology to Escherichia coli RNaseD, a tRNA processing enzyme. We show here that WRN preferentially degrades synthetic DNA substrates containing alternate secondary structures, with an exonucleolytic mode of action suggestive of RNaseD. We present evidence that structure-dependent binding of WRN to DNA requires ATP binding, while DNA degradation requires ATP hydrolysis. Apparently, the exonuclease and ATPase act in concert to catalyze structure-dependent DNA degradation. We propose that WRN protein functions as a DNA processing enzyme in resolving aberrant DNA structures via both exonuclease and helicase activities.     

Allosteric ring assembly and chemo-mechanical melting by the interaction between 5′-phosphate and λ exonuclease

Phosphates along the DNA function as chemical energy frequently used by nucleases to drive their enzymatic reactions. Exonuclease functions as a machine that converts chemical energy of the phosphodiester-chain into mechanical work. However, the roles of phosphates during exonuclease activities are unknown. We employed λ exonuclease as a model system and investigated the roles of phosphates during degradation via single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). We found that 5′ phosphates, generated at each cleavage step of the reaction, chemo-mechanically facilitate the subsequent post-cleavage melting of the terminal base pairs. Degradation of DNA with a nick requires backtracking and thermal fraying at the cleavage site for re-initiation via the formation of a catalytically active complex. Unexpectedly, we discovered that a phosphate of a 5′ recessed DNA acts as a hotspot for an allosteric trimeric-ring assembly without passing through the central channel. Our study provides new insight into the versatile roles of phosphates during the processive enzymatic reaction.     

Single molecule DNA sequencing in submicrometer channels: state of the art and future prospects

We demonstrate a new method for single molecule DNA sequencing which is based upon detection and identification of single fluorescently labeled mononucleotide molecules degraded from DNA-strands in a cone shaped microcapillary with an inner diameter of 0.5 microm. The DNA was attached at an optical fiber via streptavidin/biotin binding and placed approximately 50 microm in front of the detection area inside of the microcapillary. The 5'-biotinylated 218-mer model DNA sequence used in the experiments contained 6 fluorescently labeled cytosine and uridine residues, respectively, at well defined positions. The negatively charged mononucleotide molecules were released by addition of exonuclease I and moved towards the detection area by electrokinetic forces. Adsorption of mononucleotide molecules onto the capillary walls as well as the electroosmotic (EOF) flow was prevented by the use of a 3% polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) matrix containing 0.1% Tween 20. For efficient excitation of the labeled mononucleotide molecules a short-pulse diode laser emitting at 638 nm with a repetition rate of 57 MHz was applied. We report on experiments where single-stranded model DNA molecules each containing 6 fluorescently labeled dCTP and dUTP residues were attached at the tip of a fiber, transferred into the microcapillary and degraded by addition of exonuclease I solution. In one experiment, the exonucleolytic cleavage of 5-6 model DNA molecules was observed. 86 photon bursts were detected (43 Cy5-dCMP and 43 MR121-dUMP) during 400 s and identified due to the characteristic fluorescence decay time of the labels of 1.43+/-0.19 ns (Cy5-dCMP), and 2.35+/-0.29 ns (MR121-dUMP). The cleavage rate of exonuclease I on single-stranded labeled DNA molecules was determined to 3-24 Hz under the applied experimental conditions. In addition, the observed burst count rate (signals/s) indicates nonprocessive behavior of exonuclease I on single-stranded labeled DNA.     

Endonuclease IV Is the Major Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Is Important for Protection against Oxidative Damage

During the establishment of an infection, bacterial pathogens encounter oxidative stress resulting in the production of DNA lesions. Majority of these lesions are repaired by base excision repair (BER) pathway. Amongst these, abasic sites are the most frequent lesions in DNA. Class II apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonucleases play a major role in BER of damaged DNA comprising of abasic sites. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a deadly pathogen, resides in the human macrophages and is continually subjected to oxidative assaults. We have characterized for the first time two AP endonucleases namely Endonuclease IV (End) and Exonuclease III (XthA) that perform distinct functions in M.tuberculosis. We demonstrate that M.tuberculosis End is a typical AP endonuclease while XthA is predominantly a 3′→5′ exonuclease. The AP endonuclease activity of End and XthA was stimulated by Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ and displayed a preferential recognition for abasic site paired opposite to a cytosine residue in DNA. Moreover, End exhibited metal ion independent 3′→5′ exonuclease activity while in the case of XthA this activity was metal ion dependent. We demonstrate that End is not only a more efficient AP endonuclease than XthA but it also represents the major AP endonuclease activity in M.tuberculosis and plays a crucial role in defense against oxidative stress.     

Coordinate 5' and 3' endonucleolytic trimming of terminally blocked blunt DNA double-strand break ends by Artemis nuclease and DNA-dependent protein kinase

Previous work showed that, in the presence of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), Artemis slowly trims 3′-phosphoglycolate-terminated blunt ends. To examine the trimming reaction in more detail, long internally labeled DNA substrates were treated with Artemis. In the absence of DNA-PK, Artemis catalyzed extensive 5′→3′ exonucleolytic resection of double-stranded DNA. This resection required a 5′-phosphate, but did not require ATP, and was accompanied by endonucleolytic cleavage of the resulting 3′ overhang. In the presence of DNA-PK, Artemis-mediated trimming was more limited, was ATP-dependent and did not require a 5′-phosphate. For a blunt end with either a 3′-phosphoglycolate or 3′-hydroxyl terminus, endonucleolytic trimming of 2–4 nucleotides from the 3′-terminal strand was accompanied by trimming of 6 nt from the 5′-terminal strand. The results suggest that autophosphorylated DNA-PK suppresses the exonuclease activity of Artemis toward blunt-ended DNA, and promotes slow and limited endonucleolytic trimming of the 5′-terminal strand, resulting in short 3′ overhangs that are trimmed endonucleolytically. Thus, Artemis and DNA-PK can convert terminally blocked DNA ends of diverse geometry and chemical structure to a form suitable for polymerase-mediated patching and ligation, with minimal loss of terminal sequence. Such processing could account for the very small deletions often found at DNA double-strand break repair sites.     

Selective blockage of the 3'-->5' exonuclease activity of WRN protein by certain oxidative modifications and bulky lesions in DNA

Individuals with mutations in the WRN gene suffer from Werner syndrome, a disease with early onset of many characteristics of normal aging. The WRN protein (WRNp) functions in DNA metabolism, as the purified polypeptide has both 3′→5′ helicase and 3′→5′ exonuclease activities. In this study, we have further characterized WRNp exonuclease activity by examining its ability to degrade double-stranded DNA substrates containing abnormal and damaged nucleo­tides. In addition, we directly compared the 3′→5′ WRNp exonuclease activity with that of exo­nuclease III and the Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I. Our results indicate that the presence of certain abnormal bases (such as uracil and hypoxanthine) does not inhibit the exonuclease activity of WRNp, exo­nuclease III or Klenow, whereas other DNA modifications, including apurinic sites, 8-oxoguanine, 8-oxoadenine and cholesterol adducts, inhibit or block WRNp. The ability of damaged nucleo­tides to inhibit exonucleolytic digestion differs significantly between WRNp, exonuclease III and Klenow, indicating that each exonuclease has a distinct mechanism of action. In addition, normal and modified DNA substrates are degraded similarly by full-length WRNp and an N-terminal fragment of WRNp, indicating that the specificity for this activity lies mostly within this region. The biochemical and physiological significance of these results is discussed.     

Methanococcus jannaschii Flap Endonuclease: Expression, Purification, and Substrate Requirements

The flap endonuclease (FEN) of the hyperthermophilic archaeon Methanococcus jannaschii was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity. FEN retained activity after preincubation at 95°C for 15 min. A pseudo-Y-shaped substrate was formed by hybridization of two partially complementary oligonucleotides. FEN cleaved the strand with the free 5′ end adjacent to the single-strand–duplex junction. Deletion of the free 3′ end prevented cleavage. Hybridization of a complementary oligonucleotide to the free 3′ end moved the cleavage site by 1 to 2 nucleotides. Hybridization of excess complementary oligonucleotide to the free 5′ end failed to block cleavage, although this substrate was refractory to cleavage by the 5′-3′ exonuclease activity of Taq DNA polymerase. For verification, the free 5′ end was replaced by an internally labeled hairpin structure. This structure was a substrate for FEN but became a substrate for Taq DNA polymerase only after exonucleolytic cleavage had destabilized the hairpin. A circular duplex substrate with a 5′ single-stranded branch was formed by primer extension of a partially complementary oligonucleotide on virion X174. This denaturation-resistant substrate was used to examine the effects of temperature and solution properties, such as pH, salt, and divalent ion concentration on the turnover number of the enzyme.     

Nucleotide sequences of the 5' termini of phi X174 mRNAs synthesized in vitro

When using X174 RFI DNA as a template, in vitro, E. coli RNA polymerase synthesizes four major purine triphosphate-containing 5′ end sequences. RNase A digests of α³²P labeled RNA were further digested with spleen exonuclease to remove the bulk of the oligonucleotides with 5′ hydroxyls and then chromatographed on DEAE cellulose to resolve the remaining 5′ terminal oligonucleotides. By application of standard separation and sequence techniques, the major 5′ end sequences were shown to be: pppApUp(Cp), pppApApApUp(Cp), pppApApApApUp(Cp), and pppGpApUp(Gp).     

Effect of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Ligands on Deoxyribonucleases and Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerase I of Escherichia coli K-12

Endonuclease I, exonuclease I, and exonuclease II-deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) polymerase I activities are not vital functions in Escherichia coli, although the latter two enzymes have been indirectly shown to be involved in DNA repair processes. Acridines such as acridine orange and proflavine interfere with repair in vivo, and we find that such compounds inhibit the in vitro activity of exonuclease I and DNA polymerase I but stimulate endonuclease I activity and hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl thymidine-5′-phosphate by exonuclease II. Another acridine, 10-methylacridinium chloride, binds strongly to DNA but is relatively inert both in vivo and in vitro. These experiments suggest that acridines affect enzyme activity by interacting with the enzyme directly as well as with DNA. Resulting conformational changes in the DNA-dependent enzymes might explain why similar acridines which form similar DNA complexes have such a wide range of physiological effects. Differential sensitivity of exonuclease I and DNA polymerase I to acridine inhibition relative to other DNA-dependent enzymes may contribute to the acridine sensitivity of DNA repair.