Chain reaction cloning: a one-step method for directional ligation of multiple DNA fragments

A novel DNA assembly method, chain reaction cloning (CRC), is described. CRC enables the ordered assembly of multiple DNA fragments in a single step. The power of the technique was demonstrated by the directed in vitro assembly of a plasmid comprised of six DNA fragments from a pool of 12 available fragments. The odds of obtaining the correct plasmid clone in a single step, using conventional techniques, is less than 1 in 191000000. Using CRC, the desired plasmid was recovered at a frequency of one in two. Ligation is no longer the rate limiting step in cloning, and limitless possibilities exist for the reconstruction of complex genomes.     

Solid phase ligation of synthetic DNA fragments

A synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide (oligo) covalently bound by an internucleotide linkage to the succinylated Sephacryl S-500 support through 1.9-diaminononane spacer was used as starting compound to assemble the E. coli rec A promoter DNA fragment from synthetic oligos by means of T4 DNA ligase. The solid-phase assembly of the designed DNA was performed by two ways: stepwise ligation of two pairs of oligos (2 dyads) or simultaneous ligation of four oligos (tetrad). Both ways gave equal results with some preference in the tetrad case. The reliability of E. coli promoter DNA fragment assembly was demonstrated by cloning it in a plasmid vector and sequencing the cloned DNA by the solid-phase Maxam--Gilbert technique.     

An M13 vector library for cloning DNA with four nucleotide 3' overhangs

A flexible M13 vector library incorporating the BstXI site has been developed. DNA cut by any currently commercially available restriction endonuclease that generates a 4-nucleotide (nt) 3' overhang can be ligated into a specific clone of the library. The BstXI enzyme recognizes a 6-bp bipartite palindromic sequence. The central nucleotides are not specified, and form a 4-base, 3' overhang when cut by BstXI. 5' CCANNNNN NTGG GGTN NNNNNACC 5' Since the 4-base overhang formed is not part of the BstXI recognition sequence, it is possible to generate a library of 256 different clones by introducing the BstXI site, 151 of the possible 256-member library have been isolated, including all 13 M13BF clones in which the overhang formed by BstXI digestion is complementary to those formed by currently available restriction endonucleases. Of these 13 vectors, BstXI digestion of six clones results in nonpalindromic cohesive ends and should facilitate in vitro tandem gene amplification. The BstXI site is adjacent to the four codons corresponding to the factor Xa recognition sequence. Hence the vector library could facilitate the expression of a fusion protein that could be proteolytically cleaved by factor Xa.     

A phagemid vector library for cloning DNA with four-nucleotide 5' or 3' overhangs

A phagemid vector library for cloning DNA with four nucleotide 5' or 3' overhangs has been constructed. This library is based on the pT7T3 vector (Pharmacia) which is a modification of the phagemid pTZ18U vector. We have chosen pT7T3 as the parent vector because it can be used for Sanger's dideoxy sequencing and for the generation of RNA probes with either the T7 or T3 promoter. Each member of the cloning vector series pBM has recognition sites for both of the restriction enzymes BspM1 and BstX1 in addition to the basic multiple cloning sites. BspM1 recognizes the sequence 5'...ACCTGC NNNN/NNNN...3' whereas BstX1 recognizes the sequence 5'...CCAN NNNN/NTGG...3'. Thus these two sites can be overlapped, so that only 256 vectors (instead of 512 vectors) need be constructed to cover all the theoretical possible combinations of sites which give complementary cohesive ends for cloning DNA with four nucleotide 5' or 3' overhangs. This vector library can be used for amplification cloning of DNA in a tandem array by choosing appropriate vectors which have nonpalindromic sequences. We have obtained approximately 200 members of the 256 possible clones and have organized the vectors using a MacIntosh HyperCard program for easy retrieval.     

Molecular cloning of Renibacterium salmoninarum DNA fragments

A Renibacterium salmoninarum enriched recombinant DNA library was constructed to isolate DNA fragments which could be used as probes to detect gene sequences specific for the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease in salmonid fish. One fragment of 149 base pairs was isolated and its specificity and sequence determined. This probe may prove useful in the design of diagnostic tests for the disease in asymptomatic fish and ova.     

Efficient synthesis of DNA dumbbells using template-induced chemical ligation in double-stranded polynucleotides closed by minihairpin fragments

The chemical ligation of 17 50-54-membered nicked DNA dumbbells with different closing fragments, nick positions, and nucleotides facing the nick were investigated. T4, T5, GTA4C, GCGA2GC, and GCGA3GC sequences were chosen as the closing fragments. The nicks were placed in the center of the duplex stem or were adjacent to the closing fragments. N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethylcarbodiimide and cyanogen bromide were used as the condensing agents. We showed that the ligation efficiency is 10%-90% depending on the sequence of the closing fragments, nick position, and nucleotides facing the nick. Coupling yields of 80%-90% were observed when the nick was situated in the middle of the molecule between two T residues or was adjacent to GCGA2GC or GCGA3GC minihairpins. In the last case, the reacting 3'-phosphate and 5'-hydroxy groups were brought close together by only two base pair minihairpins. The coupling yields did not depend on the nature of the condensing agent. On the basis of the results obtained, we believe a rational design of nicked DNA dumbbells has been developed for efficient chemical synthesis of closed dumbbells.     

Purification and cloning of DNA fragments fractionated on agarose gels

Purification of DNA fragments from acrylamide or agarose gels is a commonly used technique in the molecular biology laboratory. This article describes a rapid, efficient, and inexpensive method of purifying DNA fractions from an agarose gel. The purified DNA is suitable for use in a wide range of applications including ligation using DNA ligase. The procedure uses standard high-melting-temperature agarose and normal TBE electrophoresis buffer. In addition, the protocol does not involve the use of highly toxic organic solvents such as phenol.     

Rapid and efficient method for cloning of blunt-ended DNA fragments

We describe a system to generate cDNA or genomic libraries from DNA segments that have blunt termini. Background and rearrangement levels are low, but efficiencies are high and the procedural times very short. T4 ligase in the presence of polyethylene glycol produces high Mr oligomers of vector and insert. These concatemers are reduced to vector-insert monomers at a high frequency by subsequent cleavage with a restriction endonuclease, which recognises the insert rarely, if at all, and the vector once. The monomers are recircularised under standard ligation conditions prior to transformation. Thus insertion conditions are optimised independently of those for recircularisation. All reading frames for expression libraries are generated by short BAL 31 cleavage followed by the blunt-end cloning procedure. Similarly, genomic expression libraries can be made by BAL 31 or mung-bean nuclease treatment after cleavage with DNase I is the presence of Mn2+. The technique is suitable for any DNA segment that is blunt-ended or can be made so. When the vector is treated with alkaline phosphatase, recombinants are generated at a frequency greater than 90% and have single inserts. Yields are 3-5 X 10(6) colony-forming units per micrograms of insert.     

Molecular cloning of fragments of bacteriophage T4 DNA

Summary Non-glucosylated T4 DNA was digested with R. EcoRI and the resulting fragments covalently joined to vectors. The genetic content of each -T4 hybrid was determined by marker-rescue tests. The isolation of many recombinants containing partialdigestion products of T4 DNA provided the overlapping sequences necessary to order fragments within the T4 genome. The present analyses include parts of the early region between genes 42 and 46, and much of the late region between genes 50 and 29. T4 cytosine-DNA digested to completion by R.EcoRI was used to identify the fragments of DNA within the -T4 recombinants. The T4 cytosine-DNA was also sensitive to R.HindIII and R.Xho but not to R.BamH1.     

Efficient de novo assembly and modification of large DNA fragments

Science China Life Sciences - Synthetic genomics has provided new bottom-up platforms for the functional study of viral and microbial genomes. The construction of the large, gigabase (Gb)-sized...     

A small cosmid for efficient cloning of large DNA fragments

The production and use of the 6 kb cosmid pHC79, a derivative of pBR322, is described. It can be used for cloning of fragments cleaved by EcoRI, ClaI, BamHI (also BglII, BclI, Sau3A and MboI), SalI (also XhoI and AvaI), EcaI and PstI. Hybrid cosmids containing inserts in the size range of 40 kb are packaged in vitro and transduced with an efficiency of 5 X 10(4) - 5 X 10(5) clones/microgram of insert DNA. Prefractionation of the DNA fragments to be cloned into 40 kb sized fragments ensures the cloning of contiguous stretches of DNA. Proteins produced in vitro by the cosmid pHC79 are identical to the ones produced by its pBR322 parent.     

Efficient DNA ligation by selective heating of DNA ligase with a radio frequency alternating magnetic field

We present a simple method for efficient DNA ligation utilizing the heat generation of ferromagnetic particles subjected to an ac magnetic field. We carry out the ligation of DNA fragments with cohesive ends using T4 DNA ligase immobilized on the surface of ferromagnetic particles. When a radio frequency alternating magnetic field is applied, ferromagnetic particles dissipate heat and DNA ligase on the particles is selectively heated up and activated with little influence on the annealing of DNA ends, as a result of which the ligation efficiency increases. We show that the ligation efficiency increases with an increase in the field amplitude.