Chemical regulated production of cDNAs from genomic DNA fragments in plants

We have developed a new chemical inducible genetic system that allows for the isolation of any cDNA molecule from in vitro generated genomic transgenes in transgenic plants. This system, termed regulated in vivo cDNA generation (RIDE), permits both targeted isolation of individual full-length cDNA molecules and random isolation of any partial or full-length cDNA from in planta genomic libraries. The RIDE system makes use of the 17-beta estradiol-inducible promoter system linked to intron donor and acceptor sites in a new binary vector configuration. In transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants, we show that the RIDE system can isolate low-abundance full-length cDNAs previously unattainable by conventional means at high efficiencies (75-85%). The ability to randomly isolate individual exons and exons spliced together from genomic libraries in planta suggest that this system can be used for the isolation of any cDNA molecules. The RIDE system thus appears to be an efficient and versatile system for the generation of potentially any cDNA molecule. Moreover, the ORF structural data generated will be of value in both verifying and correcting computational ORF predications in the databases available to the scientific community.     

基于PC/Linux的核酸序列电子延伸系统的构建及其应用

新基因全长cDNA序列的获得常常是分子生物学工作者面临的难题。人类基因组计划及其相关计划的实施导致了大量表达序列标签(EST)的产生。利用一定的生物信息学算法,这些EST序列往往可用来对新基因片段进行延伸。采用Linux操作系统,利用Blast软件和Phrap软件以及EST数据库在微机上构建了EST序列的电子延伸系统,并对来自于人胎肝的11386条EST序列和511条插入片段全长cDNA序列进行了电子延伸,结果显示8373条EST序列和389条插入片段全长cDNA序列得到了程度不等的延伸,部分结果通过RACE实验得到证实。该套系统可高效地、规模化进行EST序列的延伸,可为通过实验获得新基因全长cDNA序列提供重要线索。 Abstract:Normally it is difficult to obtain full-length cDNA sequence of novel genes.More and more expressed sequence tags(ESTs) have been obtained since the start-up of human genome project.Powerful system is badly needed for data mining on these EST sequences.Based on a personal computer coupled with Linux operating system and EST database,the Blast software and Phrap software were used to construct a platform for in silico elongation of ESTs in our lab.The performance was tested using 11386 EST sequences and 511 partial-length cDNA sequences.Results demonstrated that 8373 EST and 389 cDNA sequence were elongated using this system.Thus the platform seems to be a fast way for full-length cDNA sequence cloning of new genes.     

一步3’RACE快速构建鸡MnSOD全长cDNA克隆Rapid

本研究尝试将触减 PCR与3’ cDNA末端快速扩增（rapid amplification of cDNA ends,RACE）技术进行结合,仅用一条特异性引物和一条通用引物,成功地实现了从3’末端cDNA库对鸡含锰超氧化物歧化酶（manganese-containing superoxide dismutase,MnSOD）全长cDNA的一步3’RACE快速构建。与常规使用的末端PCR或亚克隆方法相比,该法具有快速、省时、经济和特异性好的优点。Abstract: RACE(rapid amplification of cDNA ends) is a popular technique to rapidly obtain the full-length cDNA. After obtaining the 3’cDNA and 5’cDNA fragments with a overlapped region by 3’RACE and 5’RACE, the full-length cDNA could be generated by end-to-end PCR or subcloning. In this study, 3’RACE combined with touch-down PCR was successfully used for the rapid construction of full-length MnSOD cDNA of chickens. Compared with the conventional end-to-end PCR or subcloning, this method, called one-step 3’RACE, is fast, economical and highly specific. It especially fits the rapid construction of full-length cDNA by RACE method.     

Prediction of human cDNA from its homologous mouse full-length cDNA and human shotgun database

We propose a prediction method for human full-length cDNA by comparing sequence data between human genome shotgun sequence and mouse full-length cDNA. The human genome which is homologous to the mouse full-length cDNA is selected by a homology search program, and the predicted exons are connected at the exon-intron junction which gives the best homology score to the mouse full-length cDNA. The accuracy of the predicted human full-length coding region is 83.3%, and the false positive rate is 16.7%. Five human full-length proteins out of 20 proteins are correctly predicted.     

Polymerase reaction without primers throughout for the reconstruction of full-length cDNA from products of rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE)

Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) has widely been used to determine both ends of the cDNA from its partial sequence. Conventionally, 5'- and 3'-RACE products were ligated at a restriction site in the overlap region to reconstruct the full-length cDNA; however, reconstruction is difficult if no appropriate restriction enzymes are available. Here, we report a novel method to reconstruct full-length cDNA with DNA polymerase. Instead of usual PCR, chain reactions were avoided and the elongation time was shortened, which enables non-specific products or undesired point mutations to be minimized. We successfully reconstructed and TA-cloned a full-length cDNA of echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion gene variant 2 from RACE products obtained from a surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma sample. We also evaluated some parameters to provide recommendations for this new method.     

Balanced-size and long-size cloning of full-length, cap-trapped cDNAs into vectors of the novel lambda-FLC family allows enhanced gene discovery rate and functional analysis.

We have developed a new class of cloning vectors: lambda-full-length cDNA (lambda-FLC) cloning vectors. These vectors can be bulk-excised for preparing full-length cDNA libraries in which a high proportion of the plasmids carry large inserts that can be transferred into other (for example, functional) vectors. Unlike other cloning vectors, lambda-FLC vectors accommodate a broad range of sizes of eukaryotic cDNA inserts because they contain "size balancers." Further, the main protocol we use for direct bulk excision of plasmids is mediated by a Cre-lox system and is apparently free of size bias. The average size of the inserts from excised plasmid cDNA libraries was 2.9 kb for standard and 6.9 kb for size-selected cDNA. The average insert size of the full-length cDNA libraries was correlated to the rate of new gene discovery, suggesting that effectively cloning rarely expressed mRNAs requires vectors that can accommodate large inserts from a variety of sources. Part of the vectors are also suitable for bulk transfer of inserts into various functional vectors.     

A simplified and efficient vector-primer cDNA cloning system

A simplified, efficient, and versatile vector-primer cDNA cloning system is presented. The dimer-primer system is a modification of the method of Okayama and Berg (1982) with the following features: (i) the vector-primer molecules are more rapidly and reliably prepared by virtue of the elimination of an endonuclease digestion and the agarose gel purification step from the original method, and (ii) the final cDNA products contain polylinkers at both cDNA-vector junctions, simplifying the size analysis, subcloning, and sequencing of inserts. The system is highly efficient, yielding greater than 10(5) transformants using 1 microgram mRNA and 1 pmol of vector-primer ends, with 75% or more of the transformants having inserts. The ability of the system to produce clones of full-length or near full-length is demonstrated by the analysis of 32 ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase small subunit cDNA clones from tomato.     

Expression sequence tag-specific full-length cDNA cloning: actin cDNAs

Current strategies for cDNA cloning are based on construction of cDNA libraries and colony screening. The process of obtaining a full-length cDNA clone can be highly time and labor intensive. Using the human actin gene as a model target cDNA, we have developed an RNA-capture method for rapid cloning of full-length cDNAs. The approach involves the capture of mRNA with expressed sequence tag (EST)-derived, biotin labeled antisense "capture" primers and streptavidin-coated magnetic beads. Full-length cDNA is then synthesized from purified EST-specific mRNA and cloned directly into plasmid vectors. The results of using beta-actin-based capture primers on cytoplasmic RNA were the isolation of both beta- and gamma-actin cDNA clones. Of the 16 actin-specific cDNA clones analyzed, 15 (93%) were full-length. This approach for cloning full-length cDNAs from available ESTs or partial cDNA sequences will facilitate a more rapid and efficient characterization of gene structure and function.     

A method for the preparation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences

We developed a new method for the preparation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences. It is based on the properties of the recently characterized duplex-specific nuclease from the hepatopancreas of the Kamchatka crab. The duplex-specific nuclease is thermostable, effectively cleaves double-stranded DNA, and is inactive toward single-stranded DNA (Shagin et al., Genome Res., 2002, vol. 12, pp. 1935–1942). Our method enables the normalization of cDNA samples enriched with full-length sequences without use of laborious and ineffective stages of physical separation. The efficiency of the method was demonstrated in model experiments using cDNA samples from several human tissues.__________Translated from Bioorganicheskaya Khimiya, Vol. 31, No. 2, 2005, pp. 186–194.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Zhulidov, Bogdanova, Shcheglov, Shagina, Wagner, Khazpekov, Kozhemyako, Lukyanov, Shagin.     

cDNA cloning by amplification of circularized first strand cDNAs reveals non-IRE-regulated iron-responsive mRNAs

Currently, the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) is the most common method for PCR cloning of cDNA. Because RACE uses a gene specific primer and one adaptor primer that is shared by all cDNAs may result in numerous nonspecific products that can hinder the cloning process. Here we report a new method that uses circularized first strand cDNA from mRNA and two gene specific primers to amplify both the 5' and 3' cDNA ends in one reaction. A cDNA band of correct size can be obtained on the first pass in this approach. If the correct size is not obtained on the first pass, amplification of cDNA ends can be repeated until the correct size of the cDNA is obtained. We tested this new method on eight mRNAs that we have previously shown to respond to cellular iron levels. We obtained sequences for six mRNAs that were 43 bp to 1324 bp longer than that reported in GenBank and obtained the same length sequence for the other two mRNAs. RNA folding program shows no iron responsive elements (IRE) on these mRNA. In conclusion, our cloning approach offers a more efficient method for cloning full-length cDNA and it may be used to replace the existing method of 5' end cDNA extension. The data enabled us to exclude the possibility that the expression of these iron responsive genes are regulated by IREs.     

几种全长cDNA文库构建方法比较

全长cDNA文库是高效、大规模获得基因全序列信息的一条有效途径,尤其是对基因组庞大,近期内尚不能进行全基因组测序的生物来说,是一条开展功能基因组研究的重要途径。本文对几种全长cDNA文库的构建方法进行了概述,针对各种方法的原理及优缺点做了分析、比较,并结合本实验室的结果,重点介绍了Cap-trapper法在小麦全长cDNA文库中的应用及文库中全长基因比例判定方法。     

生物信息学在新基因全长cDNA电子克隆中的应用

新基因全长cDNA序列的获得常常是生物学工作者面临的难题,电子克隆是利用生物信息学手段得到新基因全长cDNA序列的新方法。介绍了电子克隆的方法及其生物信息学在其间的具体应用,并概述了一些生物信息学在序列分析中的应用。     

A method for the preparation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences

We developed a new method for the preparation of normalized cDNA libraries enriched with full-length sequences. It is based on the properties of the recently characterized duplex-specific nuclease from the hepatopancreas of the Kamchatka crab. The duplex-specific nuclease is thermostable, it effectively cleaves double-stranded DNA and is inactive toward single-stranded DNA (Shagin et al., Genome Res., 2002, vol. 12, pp. 1935-1942). Our method enables the normalization of cDNA samples enriched with full-length sequences without use of laborious and ineffective stages of physical separation. The efficiency of the method was demonstrated in model experiments using cDNA samples from several human tissues.     

Use of primer-restriction-end adapters in a novel cDNA cloning strategy

We introduce a class of synthetic oligonucleotides, referred to as primer-restriction-end (PRE) adapters, which are bifunctional, one end serving as a primer for a polymerase reaction, while the other end can be ligated to restriction endonuclease digested DNA. Use of such adapters forms the basis of a new method for inserting single-stranded cDNA into cloning vectors, which involves very few separate biochemical modifications of the cDNA and so is appropriate when extensive fractionation of cDNA is desired prior to cloning. This novel methodology is highly efficient in producing full-length cDNA cloned in a predictable orientation within vectors, as we demonstrate by constructing and analysing clones of immunoglobulin lambda light chain cDNA in Escherichia coli.     

Preparation of a differentially expressed, full-length cDNA expression library by RecA-mediated triple-strand formation with subtractively enriched cDNA fragments.

We have developed a fast and general method to obtain an enriched, full-length cDNA expression library with subtractively enriched cDNA fragments. The procedure relies on RecA-mediated triple-helix formation of single-stranded cDNA fragments with a double-stranded cDNA plasmid library. The complexes were then captured from the solutions using the digoxigenin-antidigoxigenin paramagnetic beads followed by recovery of the enriched double-stranded cDNA expression library. We have observed a linear relation between the capture of full-length cDNAs in the library and the fold enrichment in the subtracted cDNA population.     

High Efficiency Selection of Full-length cDNA by Improved Biotinylated Cap Trapper

We report here an improved protocol for the preparation of full-lengthcDNA libraries that improves the previously reported method(Carninci, P., Kvam, K., Kitamura, A. et al. 1996, Genomics,137, 327–336), that allows long cDNAs to be cloned moreefficiently. One potential disadvantage of the original biotinylatedCAP trapper protocol is the exposure of mRNA to chemical andenzymatic attacks during the biotinylation of the cap structure,before the first-strand cDNA synthesis (and selection of full-lengthcDNA by biotinylated cap). Here, we show that the biotinylationof the cap structure is very specific and effective even ifbiotinylation is performed on the mRNA/cDNA hybrid producedby the first-strand cDNA synthesis reaction. Consequently, mRNAremains protected from chemical and enzymatic degradation duringthe overnight biotinylation step, thus making it possible toselect full-length cDNAs of longer average size. We herein reportthe efficiency and specificity of the new version of the protocolfor cap structure biotinylation and capture of full-length cDNA.