Rapid sequencing gel electrophoresis using glycerol-tolerant sodium taurine medium

We describe a new glycerol-tolerant sodium taurine (ST) medium for rapid sequencing gel electrophoresis by substituting the standard conductive media of Tris-boric acid-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) (TBE) and Tris-taurine-EDTA (TTE) and other low-ionic-strength media of sodium boric acid (SB). Low-ionic-strength and cost-effective ST media gave glycerol tolerance up to 50% (v/v) glycerol-containing DNA sample solution, shorter running time, and better resolution to separate small DNA oligonucleotides (20-45 mer) in 12% denaturing sequencing gel electrophoresis.     

Simian virus 40 encapsidation: characterization of early intermediates

Simian virus 40 chromosomes were separated into various species by a two-step purification consisting of low-ionic-strength glycerol gradient sedimentation followed by low-ionic-strength agarose gel electrophoresis. For each species of simian virus 40 chromosome purified, the comigrating DNA and proteins were identified by agarose or polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, respectively. Two species of chromosomes were identified which contained form I and form II DNA and large amounts of viral protein; they migrated more slowly than most of the free simian virus 40 chromosomes, which contained very little viral protein. The nuclease susceptibility of these chromosomes suggests to us that they are intermediates in encapsidation, and we describe an encapsidation model.     

A small (58-nm) attached sphere perturbs the sieving of 40-80-kilobase DNA in 0.2-2.5% agarose gels: analysis of bacteriophage T7 capsid-DNA complexes by use of pulsed field electrophoresis.

Although the icosahedral bacteriophage T7 capsid has a diameter (58 nm) that is 234-fold smaller than the length of the linear, double-stranded T7 DNA, binding of a T7 capsid to T7 DNA is found here to have dramatic effects on the migration of the DNA during both pulsed field agarose gel electrophoresis (PFGE; the field inversion mode is used) and constant field agarose gel electrophoresis (CFGE). For these studies, capsid-DNA complexes were obtained by expelling DNA from mature bacteriophage T7; this procedure yields DNA with capsids bound at a variable position on the DNA. When subjected to CFGE at 2-6 V/cm in 0.20-2.5% agarose gels, capsid-DNA complexes arrest at the electrophoretic origin. Progressively lowering the electrical potential gradient to 0.5 V/cm results in migration; most complexes form a single band. The elevated electrical potential gradient (3 V/cm) induced arrest of capsid-DNA complexes is reversed when PFGE is used instead of CFGE. For some conditions of PFGE, the mobility of capsid-DNA complexes is a function of the position of the capsid on the DNA. During either CFGE (0.5 V/cm) or PFGE, capsid-DNA complexes increasingly separate from capsid-free DNA as the percentage of agarose increases. During these studies, capsid-DNA complexes are identified by electron microscopy of enzymatically-digested pieces of agarose gel; this is apparently the first successful electron microscopy of DNA from an agarose gel.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Electrophoresis of DNA in oriented agarose gels

Oriented agarose gels were prepared by applying an electric field to molten agarose while it was solidifying. Immediately afterwards, DNA samples were applied to the gel and electrophoresed in a constant unidirectional electric field. Regardless of whether the orienting field was applied parallel or perpendicular to the eventual direction of electrophoresis, the mobilities of linear and supercoiled DNA molecules were either faster (80% of the time) or slower (20% of the time) than observed in control, unoriented gels run simultaneously. The difference in mobility in the oriented gel (whether faster or slower) usually increased with increasing DNA molecular weight and increasing voltage applied to orient the agarose matrix. In perpendicularly oriented gels linear DNA fragments traveled in lanes skewed toward the side of the gel; supercoiled DNA molecules traveled in straight lanes. If the orienting voltage was applied parallel to the direction of electrophoresis, both linear and supercoiled DNA molecules migrated in straight lanes. These effects were observed in gels cast from different types of agarose, using various agarose concentrations and two different running buffers, and were observed both with and without ethidium bromide incorporated in the gel. Similar results were observed if the agarose was allowed to solidify first, and the orienting electric field was then applied to the gel for several hours before the DNA samples were added and electrophoresed. The results suggest that the agarose matrix can be oriented by electric fields applied to the gel before and probably during electrophoresis, and that orientation of the matrix affects the mobility and direction of migration of DNA molecules. The skewed lanes observed in the perpendicularly oriented gels suggest that pores or channels can be created in the matrix by application of an electric field. The oriented matrix becomes randomized with time, because DNA fragments in oriented and unoriented gels migrated in straight lanes with identical velocities 24 hours later.     

Electrophoresis of DNA in ultrathin planar-format linear polyacrylamide

Linear or un-cross-linked polyacrylamides have been employed successfully in the field of capillary electrophoresis for the separation of nucleic acids. Typical acrylamide concentrations for those applications range from 3% to 14% (wt/vol), with consistencies ranging from virtually liquid to moderately viscous. Due to the absence of cross-links, and the relatively fluid nature of linear polyacrylamide at typically employed concentrations, its use in planar (slab) gel electrophoresis has been overlooked. We describe herein the application of ultrathin (100 μm) high-viscosity slabs of linear polyacrylamide to planar electrophoresis of nucleic acid fragments. The approach we describe is rapid and yields high-resolution separations of nucleic acid fragments in linear polyacrylamide supports. The mobilities of DNA fragments of various lengths in a range of concentrations of linear polymer are compared with those observed for conventional cross-linked gels. The reptative migration of larger DNA fragments in linear polymers is predictable from the models derived from work with cross-linked acrylamide and agarose. The migration of smaller fragments, however, is not entirely predicted by the Ogston model. The relative mobilities observed for very small DNA fragments are approximately half those predicted by the Ogston regimen.     

Agarose Gel Electrophoresis for the Separation of DNA Fragments

Agarose gel electrophoresis is the most effective way of separating DNA fragments of varying sizes ranging from 100 bp to 25 kb¹. Agarose is isolated from the seaweed genera Gelidium and Gracilaria, and consists of repeated agarobiose (L- and D-galactose) subunits². During gelation, agarose polymers associate non-covalently and form a network of bundles whose pore sizes determine a gel''s molecular sieving properties. The use of agarose gel electrophoresis revolutionized the separation of DNA. Prior to the adoption of agarose gels, DNA was primarily separated using sucrose density gradient centrifugation, which only provided an approximation of size. To separate DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis, the DNA is loaded into pre-cast wells in the gel and a current applied. The phosphate backbone of the DNA (and RNA) molecule is negatively charged, therefore when placed in an electric field, DNA fragments will migrate to the positively charged anode. Because DNA has a uniform mass/charge ratio, DNA molecules are separated by size within an agarose gel in a pattern such that the distance traveled is inversely proportional to the log of its molecular weight³. The leading model for DNA movement through an agarose gel is "biased reptation", whereby the leading edge moves forward and pulls the rest of the molecule along⁴. The rate of migration of a DNA molecule through a gel is determined by the following: 1) size of DNA molecule; 2) agarose concentration; 3) DNA conformation⁵; 4) voltage applied, 5) presence of ethidium bromide, 6) type of agarose and 7) electrophoresis buffer. After separation, the DNA molecules can be visualized under uv light after staining with an appropriate dye. By following this protocol, students should be able to: 1. Understand the mechanism by which DNA fragments are separated within a gel matrix 2. Understand how conformation of the DNA molecule will determine its mobility through a gel matrix 3. Identify an agarose solution of appropriate concentration for their needs 4. Prepare an agarose gel for electrophoresis of DNA samples 5. Set up the gel electrophoresis apparatus and power supply 6. Select an appropriate voltage for the separation of DNA fragments 7. Understand the mechanism by which ethidium bromide allows for the visualization of DNA bands 8. Determine the sizes of separated DNA fragments       

Improved lysis of group N streptococci for isolation and rapid characterization of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid.

Procedures for effective cellular lysis and plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolation from group N streptococci were developed. Cells were grown at 32 degrees C for 4 h in a modified Elliker broth containing 20 mM DL-threonine. After cellular digestion with 2 mg of lysozyme per ml for 7 min at 37 degrees C, 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate exposure resulted in complete and immediate lysis. Lactose (Lac) plasmid species in Streptococcus lactis C2 and S. cremoris B1 (30 and 37 megadaltons, respectively) were demonstrated upon examination of DNA from the cleared lysates by agarose gel electrophoresis. Increasing the lysozyme treatment to 20 min or more resulted in loss of the Lac plasmid, whereas other resident plasmids were unaffected and demonstrable in agarose gels. Diethylpyrocarbonate added before lysis prevented Lac plasmid loss in 20-min lysozyme-treated cells, but was not effective after 40 min of lysozyme treatment. The results suggested that endogenous nuclease activity during the lysozyme treatment period initiated Lac plasmid DNA loss. The development of an efficient lysis procedure for the group N streptococci allowed rapid identification and characterization of plasmid DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid composition of S. lactis C2 and S. cremoris B1, as determined by agarose gel electrophoresis, compared favorably to previous electron microscopic observations.     

Improved lysis of group N streptococci for isolation and rapid characterization of plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid.

Procedures for effective cellular lysis and plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) isolation from group N streptococci were developed. Cells were grown at 32 degrees C for 4 h in a modified Elliker broth containing 20 mM DL-threonine. After cellular digestion with 2 mg of lysozyme per ml for 7 min at 37 degrees C, 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate exposure resulted in complete and immediate lysis. Lactose (Lac) plasmid species in Streptococcus lactis C2 and S. cremoris B1 (30 and 37 megadaltons, respectively) were demonstrated upon examination of DNA from the cleared lysates by agarose gel electrophoresis. Increasing the lysozyme treatment to 20 min or more resulted in loss of the Lac plasmid, whereas other resident plasmids were unaffected and demonstrable in agarose gels. Diethylpyrocarbonate added before lysis prevented Lac plasmid loss in 20-min lysozyme-treated cells, but was not effective after 40 min of lysozyme treatment. The results suggested that endogenous nuclease activity during the lysozyme treatment period initiated Lac plasmid DNA loss. The development of an efficient lysis procedure for the group N streptococci allowed rapid identification and characterization of plasmid DNA by agarose gel electrophoresis. The plasmid composition of S. lactis C2 and S. cremoris B1, as determined by agarose gel electrophoresis, compared favorably to previous electron microscopic observations.     

Preparation of high molecular weight plant DNA and its use for artificial chromosome construction

Summary The availability of a substantial amount of high molecular weight DNA is an essential prerequisite for the construction of yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) libraries. Parameters concerning protoplast isolation and DNA extraction have been systematically analyzed. Conditions have been established for the obtainment of high molecular weight DNA from Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia protoplasts either embedded in agarose plugs or in liquid suspension. Restriction fragments were obtained by partial and total digestion with different endonucleases, and separated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Ligation of partially EcoRI-digested DNA (range 30–300 kbp) followed by transformation of yeast spheroplasts gave rise to YACs with an average size of 60 kbp. The introduction of a DNA size-selection step before ligation led to production of YACs in the range of 100–200 kbp. Clones of up to 460 kbp were obtained by blunt-end ligation of pre-selected unrestricted DNA.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichloro phenoxyacetic acid - 6BAP 6-benzylaninopurine - BFP bovine serum albumin 0.1%, Ficoll 400 0.1%; polyvinylpyrrolidone 0.1% - CHEF clumped homogeneous electric field - DTT dithiothreitol - EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid - HMW high molecular weight - km kanamycin - LMP agarose low melting point agarose - MS Murashige and Skoog mediun - npt neomycin phosphotransferase - PEG polyethyleneglycol - PFGE pulsed-field gel electrophoresis - RFLP restriction fragrant lenght polymorphism - SDS sodium dodecyl sulphate - SSC sodium chloride 150 mM, sodiun citrate 15 nM, pH 7 - TAE TRIS-Acetate pH 8 40 mM, EDTA 2 mM - TE TRIS-HCl pH 8 10 mM, EDTA 1 mM - YAC yeast artificial chromosome     

Capillary electrophoresis as a technique to analyze sequence-induced anomalously migrating DNA fragments.

Sequence-induced anomalous migration of double-stranded (ds) DNA in native gel electrophoresis is a well known phenomenon. The retardation of migration is more obvious in polyacrylamide compared with agarose gels, and is greatly affected by the concentration of the gel and the temperature. This anomalous migration results in a difference between calculated and actual sizes of the affected DNA fragments. A low viscosity polymer solution (DNA Fragment Analysis Reagent) under investigation for use in dsDNA analysis by capillary electrophoresis is shown to be useful for the visualization of anomalies in migration of dsDNA fragments. Comparable with traditional slab gel systems, the retardation effect, indicative of bent or curved DNA, is strongly dependent on polymer concentration and separation temperature. These dependencies have implications on the accurate sizing of dsDNA fragments with unknown sequences and secondary structures.     

Electrophoretic mobility of high-molecular-weight, double-stranded DNA on agarose gels.

A new theoretical model for the migration of high-molecular-weight, double-stranded DNA on agarose gels is presented. This leads to the prediction that under certain conditions of electrophoresis, a linear relationship will exist between the molecular weight of a DNA molecule, raised to the (-2/3) power, and its electrophoretic mobility. Agarose gel electrophoresis of the fragments of bacteriophage lambda DNA produced by several restriction endonucleases confirms this relationship, and establishes some of the limits on its linearity. For this work, a polyacrylamide slab gel apparatus was modified for use with agarose gels. This apparatus has several advantages over others commercially available for agarose gel electrophoresis, including the abilities to run a larger number of samples at one time, to use lower-concentration gels, and to maintain better temperature stability across the width of the gel. The validation of the relationship developed here between molecular weight and electrophoretic mobility should make this a useful method for determining the molecular weights of DNA fragments.     

Optimized conditions for pulsed field gel electrophoretic separations of DNA.

Quantitative measurement of DNA migration in gel electrophoresis requires precisely controlled homogeneous electric fields. A new electrophoresis system has allowed us to explore several parameters governing DNA migration during homogeneous field pulsed field gel (PFG) electrophoresis. Migration was measured at different switch times, temperatures, agarose concentrations, and voltage gradients. Conditions which increase DNA velocities permit separation over a wider size range, but reduce resolution. We have also varied the angle between the alternating electric fields. Reorientation angles between 105 degrees and 165 degrees give equivalent resolution, despite significant differences in DNA velocity. Separation of DNA fragments from 50 to greater than 7000 kilobases (Kb) can easily be optimized for speed and resolution based on conditions we describe.     

Changes in the structure of thyroglobulin following the administration of thyroid-stimulating hormone.

In each of three separate experiments, female guinea pigs in groups of 20 were given 4 units of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) each day for 3 days, while controls were given saline. Na125I was injected on the 3rd day, and the animals were killed 22 hours later. The pooled throids of each group were homogenized, and thyroglobulin was purified by one of the following methods: gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 followed by density gradient ultracentrifugation, two sequential filtrations on 4 percent agarose, or filtration on 4 percent agarose followed by Sephadex G-200. TSH administration was associated with the folling changes in thyroglobulin: (1) an increase in the ratio of tri-iodothyronine to thyroxine; (2) a decrease in dissociation of the 19 S to the 12 S form; (3) an alteration in its pattern on gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-urea; and (4) changes in its amino acid composition, with significant increases in the content of lysine (by 15 percent), isoleucine (by 15 percent), and methionine (by 7 percent) relative to leucine. Over-all, there were no significant changes in the content of iodine, fucose, hexosamine, or sialic acid. These data show that TSH can alter the composition of thyroglobulin independently of its effects on iodine content. We suggest that these changes may stem from alterations in the subunit composition of thyroglobulin. There were also small but significant variations in amino acid composition among the three preparations of thyroglobulin from saline-treated animals and among the three from the TSH-treated. This finding shows that thyroglobulin can be heterogeneous in its protein portion as well as in its iodine content.     

The determination of the molecular weight of ribonucleic acid by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis. The effects of changes in conformation

1. The effects of changes in experimental conditions on the mobility of RNA in polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis were investigated. 2. The linear relation between log(molecular weight) and electrophoretic mobility was shown to be independent within limits of salt or gel concentration. 3. The relative mobility of RNA with low content of guanylic acid and cytidylic acid residues was decreased in low-ionic-strength buffer. This was related to a small relative decrease in sedimentation coefficient. 4. However, Mg(2+) ion caused almost no increase in mobility although it was associated with large increases in sedimentation coefficient. This suggested opposing actions of Mg(2+) ion on the size and effective charge of the RNA. 5. It is concluded that the method provides a satisfactory measurement of molecular weight, which is almost independent of the nucleotide composition of RNA at moderate salt concentrations.     

Physical properties and gel electrophoresis behavior of R12-derived plasmid DNAs.

A series of closed circular (I) plasmid DNAs has been derived from drug resistance factor R12, and the nicked circular (II) and linear (III) derivatives of these molecules prepared by irradiation in the presence of ethidium bromide and by treatment with restriction enzyme EcoRI, respectively. These DNAs encompass the molecular weight range 3.6 to 61 megadaltons. The base compositions range from 45% to 51% (GC) as estimated by buoyant density determinations. The smaller plasmids are significantly less supercoiled (9-10%) than are the larger (12-13%). The gel electrophoretic behavior of the three DNA structural forms was determined as a function of molecular weight in agarose gels of concentrations ranging from 0.7% to 1.6% and at electrophoresis salt concentrations from 0.02 M to 0.08 M sodium acetate. The mobilities of DNAs I and III undergo a reversal relative to each other at a molecular weight which decreases with increasing agarose gel concentration. The molecular weight at which DNA II fails to enter a gel depends upon the ionic strength during electrophoresis but not upon the gel concentration.     

Sodium dodecyl sulfate-agarose gel electrophoresis for the detection and isolation of amyloid curli fibers

Curli are amyloid-like fibers on the surface of some strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis. We tested the use of horizontal sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)–agarose gel electrophoresis to detect, isolate, and quantitate curli. Cell extracts fractionated in SDS–agarose gels and stained with Coomassie blue exhibited a soluble fraction that entered the gel and an insoluble fraction that remained in the well. Much more insoluble material was observed with curli-proficient strains than with strains that do not make curli. Both highly purified curli and the insoluble material isolated from an SDS–agarose gel could be dissociated into monomers when treated with formic acid. For quantitation, we immobilized samples in SDS–agarose prior to electrophoresis. This avoids losses during the staining of the gel. Our methods provide a rapid and simple fractionation of curli using equipment that is readily available.     

Fluorographic detection of [3H]thymidine-labeled deoxyribonucleic acid using agarose gels infused with 2,5-diphenyloxazole prior to electrophoresis

A fluorographic procedure for the detection of [3H]thymidine-labeled deoxyribonucleic acids electrophoresed in agarose gels was developed. 2,5-Diphenyloxazole (PPO) was added to the agarose solution before pouring of the gel for electrophoresis. This procedure did not interfere with the electrophoretic mobility of the DNA molecules. The radioactive detection efficiency was found to be improved over an existing procedure whereby the agarose gel was infused with PPO after electrophoresis with the aid of acetic acid.     

Two methods that facilitate autoradiography of small 32P-labeled DNA fragments following electrophoresis in agarose gels

Two methods which permit detection by autoradiography of small 32P-labeled DNA fragments resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis are described. Agarose gel electrophoresis poses problems for autoradiography as (i) the gels are normally too thick to allow autoradiography without being dried first, and (ii) fragments of DNA of 1000 bp or less in length are readily lost during drying. In this study DNA fragments as small as 121 bp have been retained in agarose gels upon drying. This has been achieved by either (i) first fixing the DNA with the cationic detergent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, or (ii) drying the agarose gels onto Zeta-Probe charge-modified membranes.     

DNA and buffers: the hidden danger of complex formation

The free solution electrophoretic mobility of DNA differs significantly in different buffers, suggesting that DNA-buffer interactions are present in certain buffer systems. Here, capillary and gel electrophoresis data are combined to show that the Tris ions in Tris-acetate-EDTA (TAE) buffers are associated with the DNA helix to approximately the same extent as sodium ions. The borate ions in Tris-borate-EDTA (TBE) buffers interact with DNA to form highly charged DNA-borate complexes, which are stable both in free solution and in polyacrylamide gels. DNA-borate complexes are not observed in agarose gels, because of the competition of the agarose gel fibers for the borate residues. The resulting agarose-borate complexes increase the negative charge of the agarose gel fibers, leading to an increased electroendosmotic flow of the solvent in agarose-TBE gels. The combined results indicate that the buffers in which DNA is studied cannot automatically be assumed to be innocuous.     

Osmotic stress-induced genetic rearrangements in Escherichia coli H10407 detected by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis

Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis is a DNA polymorphism assay commonly used for fingerprinting genomes. After optimizing the reaction conditions, samples of Escherichia coli H10407 DNA were assayed to determine the influence of osmotic and/or oligotrophic stress on variations in RAPD banding patterns. Genetic rearrangements or DNA topology variations could be detected as changes in agarose gel electrophoresis banding profiles. A new amplicon generated using DNA extracted from bacteria prestarved by an osmotic stress and resuscitated in rich medium was observed. Enrichment improved recovery of mutator cells and allowed them to be detected in samples, suggesting that DNA modifications, such as stress-induced alterations and supercoiling phenomena, should be taken into consideration before beginning RAPD analyses.