Nucleotide sequence of the mitochondrial genes coding for tRNAglyGGR and tRNAvalGUR.

Yeast mitochondrial DNA-pBR322 recombinant DNA molecules known to contain tRNA genes from a tRNA rich region of the yeast genome were used as a source of DNA for restriction mapping and tRNA gene sequence analysis. We report here restriction maps of two segments of yeast mitochondrial DNA and the sequence of mitochondrial genes coding for tRNAglyGGR and tRNAvalGUR. Both genes are flanked by A + T rich DNA and neither has an intervening sequence nor codes for a 3' CCA end. The tRNA structures deduced from the genes have the usual cloverleaf structures and invariant nucleotides. This combination of DNA sequencing and restriction mapping has enabled us to determine that the tRNAvalGUR and a previously sequenced tRNA, the tRNApheUUY are transcribed from the same strand of DNA.     

Unexpected structural diversity in DNA recombination: the restriction endonuclease connection

Transposition requires a coordinated series of DNA breakage and joining reactions. The Tn7 transposase contains two proteins: TnsA, which carries out DNA breakage at the 5' ends of the transposon, and TnsB, which carries out breakage and joining at the 3' ends of the transposon. TnsB is a member of the retroviral integrase superfamily whose hallmark is a conserved DDE motif. We report here the structure of TnsA at 2.4 A resolution. Surprisingly, the TnsA fold is that of a type II restriction endonuclease. Thus, Tn7 transposition involves a collaboration between polypeptides, one containing a DDE motif and one that does not. This result indicates that the range of biological processes that utilize restriction enzyme-like folds also includes DNA transposition.     

Characterization of AloI, a restriction-modification system of a new type.

We report the properties of the new AloI restriction and modification enzyme from Acinetobacter lwoffi Ks 4-8 that recognizes the DNA target 5' GGA(N)6GTTC3' (complementary strand 5' GAAC(N)6TCC3'), and the nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding this enzyme. AloI is a bifunctional large polypeptide (deduced M(r) 143 kDa) revealing both DNA endonuclease and methyltransferase activities. Depending on reaction cofactors, AloI cleaves double-stranded DNA on both strands, seven bases on the 5' side, and 12-13 bases on the 3' side of its recognition sequence, and modifies adenine residues in both DNA strands in the target sequence yielding N6-methyladenine. For cleavage activity AloI maintains an absolute requirement for Mg(2+) and does not depend on or is stimulated by either ATP or S-adenosyl-L-methionine. Modification function requires the presence of S-adenosyl-L-methionine and is stimulated by metal ions (Ca(2+)). The C-terminal and central parts of the protein were found to be homologous to certain specificity (HsdS) and modification (HsdM) subunits of type I R-M systems, respectively. The N-terminal part of the protein possesses the putative endonucleolytic motif DXnEXK of restriction endonucleases. The deduced amino acid sequence of AloI shares significant homology with polypeptides encoding HaeIV and CjeI restriction-modification proteins at the N-terminal and central, but not at the C-terminal domains. The organization of AloI implies that its evolution involved fusion of an endonuclease and the two subunits, HsdM and HsdS, of type I restriction enzymes. According to the structure and function properties AloI may be regarded as one more representative of a newly emerging group of HaeIV-like restriction endonucleases. Discovery of these enzymes opens new opportunities for constructing restriction endonucleases with a new specificity.     

Mechanism of replication of human mitochondrial DNA. Localization of the 5' ends of nascent daughter strands

Human mitochondrial DNA contains two physically separate and distinct origins of DNA replication. The initiation of each strand (heavy and light) occurs at a unique site and elongation proceeds unidirectionally. Animal mitochondrial DNA is novel in that short nascent strands are maintained at one origin (D-loop) in a significant percentage of the molecules. In the case of human mitochondrial DNA, there are three distinct D-loop heavy strands differing in length at the 5' end. We report here the localization of the 5' ends of nascent daughter heavy strands originating from the D-loop region. Analyses of the map positions of 5' ends relative to known restriction endonuclease cleavage sites and 5' end nucleotides indicate that the points of initiation of D-loop synthesis and actual daughter strands are the same. In contrast, the second origin is located two-thirds of the way around the genome where light strand synthesis is presumably initiated on a single-stranded template. Mapping of 5' ends of daughter light strands at this origin relative to known restriction endonuclease cleavage sites reveals two distinct points of initiation separated by 37 nucleotides. This origin is in the same relative genomic position and shows a high degree of DNA sequence homology to that of mouse mitochondrial DNA. In both cases, the DNA region within and immediately flanking the origin of DNA replication contains five tightly clustered tRNA genes. A major portion of the pronounced DNA template secondary structure at this origin includes the known tDNA sequences.     

MutH complexed with hemi- and unmethylated DNAs: coupling base recognition and DNA cleavage

MutH initiates mismatch repair by nicking the transiently unmethylated daughter strand 5' to a GATC sequence. Here, we report crystal structures of MutH complexed with hemimethylated and unmethylated GATC substrates. Both structures contain two Ca2+ ions jointly coordinated by a conserved aspartate and the scissile phosphate, as observed in the restriction endonucleases BamHI and BglI. In the hemimethylated complexes, the active site is more compact and DNA cleavage is more efficient. The Lys residue in the conserved DEK motif coordinates the nucleophilic water in conjunction with the phosphate 3' to the scissile bond; the same Lys is also hydrogen bonded with a carbonyl oxygen in the DNA binding module. We propose that this Lys, which is conserved in many restriction endonucleases and is replaced by Glu or Gln in BamHI and BglII, is a sensor for DNA binding and the linchpin that couples base recognition and DNA cleavage.     

Detection of mutations and DNA polymorphisms using whole genome Southern Cross hybridization.

We report a general method for the detection of restriction fragment length alterations associated with mutations or polymorphisms using whole genomic DNA rather than specific cloned DNA probes. We utilized a modified Southern Cross hybridization to display the hybridization pattern of all size-separated restriction fragments from wild-type Caenorhabditis elegans to all the corresponding fragments in a particular mutant strain and in a distinct C. elegans variety. In this analysis, almost all homologous restriction fragments are the same size in both strains and result in an intense diagonal of hybridization, whereas homologous fragments that differ in size between the two strains generate an off-diagonal spot. To attenuate the contribution of repeated sequences in the genome to spurious off-diagonal spots, restriction fragments from each genome were partially resected with a 3' or 5' exonuclease and not denatured, so that only the DNA sequences at the ends of these fragments could hybridize. Off-diagonal hybridization spots were detected at the expected locations when genomic DNA from wild-type was compared to an unc-54 mutant strain containing a 1.5 kb deletion or to a C. elegans variety that contains dispersed transposon insertions. We suggest that this modified Southern Cross hybridization technique could be used to identify restriction fragment length alterations associated with mutations or genome rearrangements in organisms with DNA complexities as large as 10(8) base pairs and, using rare-cutting enzymes and pulse-field gel electrophoresis, perhaps as large as mammalian genomes. This information could be used to clone fragments associated with such DNA alterations.     

A general method to optimize the amount of enzyme in restriction and DNA modification reactions using the beta galactosidase blue-white plaques assay

We propose a simple and economical method for assaying the activity of restriction and other modifying enzymes. The method involves assaying the use of the blue and white colored phenotypes of bacterial colonies obtained by digesting the polylinker sequence of M13 bacteriophage vectors followed by transformation in appropriate strains on X-gal/IPTG plates. In conjunction with restriction enzymes and DNA ligases, the method can evaluate polymerase activity and can be applied to test 3'...5' exonuclease activities such as that of T4 DNA polymerase, without having to use expensive radioisotopes. We describe its application in the assessment of restriction enzymes, DNA ligase and DNA polymerase activities.     

Application of methylase-limited partial NotI cleavage for a long-range restriction map of the human ABL locus

The use of partial restriction digests for mapping complex genomes by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis has been limited by the difficulty of consistently obtaining these digests in agarose, which is a necessary matrix for high-molecular-weight DNA. Enzyme cleavage in agarose is faster then diffusion for most of the enzymes which cleave infrequently. We have developed a method for the production of partial digests in agarose for the endonuclease NotI (5' . . . GC/GGCCGC . . . 3') which circumvents the diffusion problem by using the blocking methylase M. BspRI (5' . . . GGmCC . . . 3'), which competes for the same sites. Using various ratios of the methylase and endonuclease results in partial digests in any size range desired. We report the successful application of this technique to the production of NotI partial digests of human genomic DNA for the mapping of the ABL locus of human chromosome 9.     

Identification and characterisation of PmaCI an endonuclease of novel specificity from Pseudomonas maltophila.

We report the use of MonoQ FPLC (Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography) for the rapid purification of a novel Type II restriction endonuclease PmaCI, from Pseudomonas maltophila, which recognises the sequence 5'-CAC decreases GTG-3'. The resulting enzyme is free of other nucleases to a level suitable for its characterisation by multiple-substrate digestion and DNA sequencing techniques. This method appears to be widely applicable and we have used it for the isolation of restriction endonucleases of comparable purity from a range of other organisms. Also described is a rapid method for screening a library of small inserted regions in recombinant M13 molecules for the presence and subsequent screening of restriction sites of interest.     

Recognition sequence of restriction endonuclease KpnI from Klebsiella pneumoniae.

We have determined the recognition sequence of the restriction endonuclease KpnI, previously isolated from Klebsiella pneumoniae. The enzyme cleaves the twofold rotationally symmetric sequence (see book for formula) at the positions indicated by the arrows, producing 3' protruding cohesive ends, four nucleotides in length. The specific cleavage site was unambiguously deduced using both 3' and 5' end analyses of KpnI generated restriction fragments of simian-virus 40 (SV40) DNA (1 site), adenovirus-2 (Ad-2) DNA (8 sites), and a plasmid (pCRI) DNA (2 sites).     

The DNA sequence recognized by the EcoDXX1 restriction endonuclease

EcoDXX1 is a type-I restriction enzyme coded for by the plasmid pDXX1. Like other type-I restriction endonucleases, the enzyme catalyses the modification of susceptible DNA. We have determined the DNA sequence recognised by EcoDXX1 to be: 5'TCANNNNNNNATTC-3' 3'-AGTNNNNNNNTAAG-5' where N can be any nucleotide. This sequence has an overall structure very similar to previously determined type-I sequences.     

LoxP-directed cloning: use of Cre recombinase as a universal restriction enzyme.

We have developed a novel way to use the Cre/loxP system for in vitro manipulation of DNA and a technique to clone DNA into circular episomes. The method is fast, reliable, and allowsflexible cloning of DNA fragments into episomes containing a loxP site. We show that a loxP site can serve as a universal target site to clone a DNA fragment digested with any restriction enzyme(s). This technique abolishes the need for compatible restriction sites in cloning vectors and targets by generating custom-designed 5' 3', or blunt ends in the desired orientation and reading frame in the vector Therefore, this method eliminates the limitations encountered when DNA fragments are cloned into vectors with a confined number of cloning sites. The 34-bp loxP sequence assures uniqueness, even when large episomes are manipulated. We present three examples, including the manipulation of a bacterial artificial chromosome. Because DNA manipulation takes place at a loxP site, we refer to this technique as loxP-directed cloning.     

Transposition of Mu DNA: joining of Mu to target DNA can be uncoupled from cleavage at the ends of Mu

Transposition of Mu involves transfer of the 3' ends of Mu DNA to the 5' ends of a staggered cut in the target DNA. We find that cleavage at the 3' ends of Mu DNA precedes cutting of the target DNA. The resulting nicked species exists as a noncovalent nucleoprotein complex in which the two Mu ends are held together. This cleaved donor complex completes strand transfer when a target DNA, Mu B protein, and ATP are provided. Mu end DNA sequences that have been precisely cut at their 3' ends by a restriction endonuclease, instead of by Mu A protein and HU, are efficiently transferred to a target DNA upon subsequent incubation with Mu A protein, Mu B protein, and ATP. Cleavage of the Mu ends therefore cannot be energetically coupled with joining these ends to a target DNA. We discuss the DNA strand transfer mechanism in view of these results, and propose a model involving direct transfer of the 5' ends of the cut target DNA, from their original partners, to the 3' ends of Mu.     

Nucleotide sequences of DNA encoding the 3' ends of SV40 mRNA. I. The sequence of the DNA fragment Hi-DII,III-G.

The 3' ends of the mRNA coding for the early and late proteins of SV40 DNA overlap. We have analyzed the restriction endonuclease fragment of SV40 DNA complementary to the 3' untranslated ends of the mRNA and the codons for the COOH-terminal amino acids of early and late protein. The sequence of this DNA fragment is presented.     

Characterization of BseMII, a new type IV restriction-modification system, which recognizes the pentanucleotide sequence 5'-CTCAG(N)(10/8)/

We report the properties of the new BseMII restriction and modification enzymes from Bacillus stearothermophilus Isl 15-111, which recognize the 5'-CTCAG sequence, and the nucleotide sequence of the genes encoding them. The restriction endonuclease R.BseMII makes a staggered cut at the tenth base pair downstream of the recognition sequence on the upper strand, producing a two base 3'-protruding end. Magnesium ions and S:-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) are required for cleavage. S:-adenosylhomocysteine and sinefungin can replace AdoMet in the cleavage reaction. The BseMII methyltransferase modifies unique adenine residues in both strands of the target sequence 5'-CTCAG-3'/5'-CTGAG-3'. Monomeric R.BseMII in addition to endonucleolytic activity also possesses methyltransferase activity that modifies the A base only within the 5'-CTCAG strand of the target duplex. The deduced amino acid sequence of the restriction endonuclease contains conserved motifs of DNA N6-adenine methylases involved in S-adenosyl-L-methionine binding and catalysis. According to its structure and enzymatic properties, R.BseMII may be regarded as a representative of the type IV restriction endonucleases.     

Mva1269I: a monomeric type IIS restriction endonuclease from Micrococcus varians with two EcoRI- and FokI-like catalytic domains

Type II restriction endonuclease Mva1269I recognizes an asymmetric DNA sequence 5'-GAATGCN / -3'/5'-NG / CATTC-3' and cuts top and bottom DNA strands at positions, indicated by the "/" symbol. Most restriction endonucleases require dimerization to cleave both strands of DNA. We found that Mva1269I is a monomer both in solution and upon binding of cognate DNA. Protein fold-recognition analysis revealed that Mva1269I comprises two "PD-(D/E)XK" domains. The N-terminal domain is related to the 5'-GAATTC-3'-specific restriction endonuclease EcoRI, whereas the C-terminal one resembles the nonspecific nuclease domain of restriction endonuclease FokI. Inactivation of the C-terminal catalytic site transformed Mva1269I into a very active bottom strand-nicking enzyme, whereas mutants in the N-terminal domain nicked the top strand, but only at elevated enzyme concentrations. We found that the cleavage of the bottom strand is a prerequisite for the cleavage of the top strand. We suggest that Mva1269I evolved the ability to recognize and to cleave its asymmetrical target by a fusion of an EcoRI-like domain, which incises the bottom strand within the target, and a FokI-like domain that completes the cleavage within the nonspecific region outside the target sequence. Our results have implications for the molecular evolution of restriction endonucleases, as well as for perspectives of engineering new restriction and nicking enzymes with asymmetric target sites.     

Modular construction of plasmids through ligation-free assembly of vector components with oligonucleotide linkers

We have developed a modular method of plasmid construction that can join multiple DNA components in a single reaction. A nicking enzyme is used to create 5' and 3' overhangs on PCR-generated DNA components. Without the use of ligase or restriction enzymes, components are joined using oligonucleotide linkers that recognize the overhangs. By specifying the sequences of the linkers, desired components can be assembled in any combination and order to generate different plasmid vectors.     

Comparison of multiple HLA-A alleles at the DNA level by using Southern blotting and HLA-A-specific probes

Numerous alleles of the HLA-A gene have been serologically identified. In this report we present a rapid and straightforward means to assess HLA-A polymorphism at the genomic level. Using 5' and 3' HLA-A-specific DNA probes and Southern blotting, we have placed the recognition sequences for five endonucleases relative to the coding regions of 15 HLA-A alleles. These data permit two interesting conclusions: four of the HLA-A alleles studied are associated with unique restriction fragments, and HLA-A alleles of a cross-reactive group are more closely related at the DNA level than are noncross-reactive alleles.     

Efficient concerted integration of retrovirus-like DNA in vitro by avian myeloblastosis virus integrase.

We report the efficient concerted integration of a linear virus-like DNA donor into a 2.8 kbp circular DNA target by integrase (IN) purified from avian myeloblastosis virus. The donor was 528 bp, contained recessed 3' OH ends, was 5' end labeled, and had a unique restriction site not found in the target. Analysis of concerted (full-site) and half-site integration events was accomplished by restriction enzyme analysis and agarose gel electrophoresis. The donor also contained the SupF gene that was used for genetic selection of individual full-site recombinants to determine the host duplication size. Two different pathways, involving either one donor or two donor molecules, were used to produce full-site recombinants. About 90% of the full-site recombinants were the result of using two donor molecules per target. These results imply that juxtapositioning an end from each of two donors by IN was more efficient than the juxtapositioning of two ends of a single donor for the full-site reaction. The formation of preintegration complexes containing integrase and donor on ice prior to the addition of target enhanced the full-site reaction. After a 30 min reaction at 37 degrees C, approximately 20-25% of all donor/target recombinants were the result of concerted integration events. The efficient production of full-site recombinants required Mg2+; Mn2+ was only efficient for the production of half-site recombinants. We suggest that these preintegration complexes can be used to investigate the relationships between the 3' OH trimming and strand transfer reactions.