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.     

cDNA末端快速扩增技术的研究进展

cDNA末端快速扩增技术是一种基于多聚酶链式反应的技术 ,它的发展大大便利了应用其它方法获得的部分cDNA序列后克隆全长cDNA 5’和 3’末端的工作。不仅RACE方法能在短时间内得到完整的cDNA末端序列 ,而且一些截短的cDNA末端常常也能在RACE的过程中被扩增 ,而这些截短的产物破坏了全长cDNA克隆的获取。许多研究者对RACE的流程提出了改进方案 ,从而提高了该技术的效力。本文介绍了许多已发表的RACE技术关键步骤的改良 ,包括一些具体有效的操作流程 ,如RNA连接酶介导的RACE/连接锚定PCR等 ,还有其有效性的例证。     

PCR-based cDNA library construction: general cDNA libraries at the level of a few cells.

A procedure for the construction of general cDNA libraries is described which is based on the amplification of total cDNA in vitro. The first cDNA strand is synthesized from total RNA using an oligo(dT)-containing primer. After oligo(dG) tailing the total cDNA is amplified by PCR using two primers complementary to oligo(dA) and oligo(dG) ends of the cDNA. For insertion of the cDNA into a vector a controlled trimming of the 3' ends of the cDNA by Klenow enzyme was used. Starting from 10 J558L micron3 myeloma cells, total cDNA was synthesized and amplified approximately 10(5) fold. A library containing 10(6) clones was established from 1/6 of the amplified cDNA. Screening of the library with probes for three genes expressed in these cells revealed a number of corresponding clones in each case. The longest obtained clones contained inserts of 1.5 kb length. No sequences originating from carriers or from rRNA was found in 14 randomly picked clones.     

New method for the synthesis and cloning of cDNA

A simple method for cloning cDNA has been suggested. The plasmid pUC18 was digested with Pst1. A plasmid primer for cDNA synthesis was prepared by dT tailing with terminal transferase. After synthesis of cDNA, dG tails were added and then 3' ends blocked with rG. The plasmid was digested with Kpn1 and dC tails were added, after which annealing took place and RNA:DNA hybrids were used for Escherichia coli transformation. The efficiency of approx. 10(4) transformants per microgram of starting mRNA has been obtained.     

Functional cloning vectors for use in directional cDNA cloning using cohesive ends produced with T4 DNA polymerase.

This paper describes the construction of 'Prime' cloning vectors, which include phage lambda and plasmid vectors useful for functional cloning in oocytes, yeast, and mammalian cells, and their use in a 'Prime' cloning system. The system takes advantage of the very active and precise 3' exonuclease activity of T4 DNA polymerase to produce single-stranded (ss) ends (cut-back) of vector and insert DNA. This results in the highly efficient directional cloning of cDNA and PCR-amplified DNA. The system obviates the need to digest insert DNA with a restriction endonuclease to unveil cloning sites, and thus eliminates the chance of internal digestion of the insert DNA. The cloning of PCR-amplified DNA, which is sometimes difficult, is made routine with this system. The 'Prime' sequence is included in vector cloning sites and cDNA and PCR primers. The 'Prime' sequence was chosen so that the ss sticky ends are nonpalindromic and will hybridize only to the appropriate partners. This makes cloning with the 'Prime' system very efficient, because neither the vector nor insert DNA is lost to unproductive self-hybridization.     

Rapid amplification of genomic DNA ends bynla III partial digestion and polynucleotide tailing

We report a simple and efficient method, which combines restriction endonuclease digestion and deoxynucleotide tailing, for cloning unknown genomic sequences adjacent to a known sequence. Total genomic DNA is partially digested with the frequent-cutting restriction enzymeNla III. A homo-oligomeric cytosine tail is added by terminal transferase. The tailed DNA fragments are used as the template for cloning flanking regions from all sequences of interest. A first round PCR amplification is performed with a gene-specific primer and the selective (modified polyguanine) anchor primer complementary to the cytosine tail and theNla III recognition site, with a universal amplification primer sequence at its 5′ end. This is followed by another PCR amplification with a nested gene-specific primer and the universal amplification primer. Finally, the amplified products are fractionated, cloned, and sequenced. Using this method, we cloned the upstream region of a salt-induced gene based upon a partial cDNA clone (RSC5-U) obtained from sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.).     

四甲基氯化铵在PCR扩增小麦基因中的关键作用

利用高简并性引物,用PCR法从小麦DNA或cDNA中合成小麦几丁质酶基因、葡 聚糖酶基因和苯丙氨酸解氨酶基因片段。在PCR反应中添加四甲基氯化铵(TMACl)是合成这些特异基因片段的关键。合成的PCR片段都经末端补齐和磷酸化后用于克隆。核酸序列分析证实,这些PCR产物分别与用于设计PCR引物的基因具有高度的同源性。 Abstract:In the presence of tetramethy1 ammonium chloride(TMAC1),a chitinase gene sequence,a phenylalanine ammonia-lyase gene sequence and a glucanase cDNA sequence of wheat were amplified with highly degenerate primers by PCR.The inclusion of TMAC1 in the PCR reactions was essential for successful amplification of the desired sequences from genomic DNA or cDNA in wheat.The ends of the PCR fragments were made flush and phosphorylated prior to cloning.Sequence analyses of the above PCR fragments confirmed their identities,showing high sequence similarities to the genes used for the design of PCR primers.     

3' RACE walking along a large cDNA employing tiered suppression PCR

Large genes present particular cloning difficulties, especially when expressed at relatively low levels. We describe a novel method, termed 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) walking, for the rapid determination of unknown 3' flanking sequence of a large cDNA. The technique is a derivative of the anchored PCR 5' RACE procedure but includes a specific and limited second-strand cDNA synthesis and a tiered "panhandle" suppression of nonspecific products. The method generated 900 bp of new sequence for the large tammar wallaby ATRY gene in two easy steps, in which standard 3' RACE and PCR-based cDNA library walking proved unsuccessful. This robust approach represents a new tool for isolating unknown sequence under challenging cloning scenarios such as poor library representation, long coding regions, long 3' untranslated regions, and difficult template regions.     

Global amplification of cDNA from limiting amounts of tissue. An improved method for gene cloning and analysis

In this study we present an improved polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methodology to generate large amounts of high-quality complementary DNA (cDNA) from small amounts of initial total RNA. Global amplification of cDNA makes it possible to simultaneously clone many cDNAs and to construct directional cDNA libraries from a sequence-abundance-normalized cDNA population, and also permits rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), from a limited amount of starting material. The priming of cDNAs with an adapter oligo-deoxythymidine (oligo-dT) primer and the ligation of a modified oligonucleotide to the 3′ end of single-stranded cDNAs, through the use of T4 RNA ligase, generates known sequences on either end of the cDNA population. This helps in the global amplification of cDNAs and in the sequence-abundance normalization of the cDNA population through the use of PCR. Utilization of a long-range PCR enzyme mix to amplify the cDNA population helps to reduce bias toward the preferential amplification of shorter molecules. Incorporation of restriction sites in the PCR primers allows the amplified cDNAs to be directionally cloned into appropriate cloning vectors to generate cDNA libraries. RACE-PCR done with biotinylated primers and streptavidin-coated para-magnetic particles are used for the efficient isolation of either full-length coding or noncoding strands.     

Cloning and characterization of mouse growth hormone-releasing hormone (GRH) complementary DNA: increased GRH messenger RNA levels in the growth hormone-deficient lit/lit mouse

We have isolated and cloned the full length cDNA for mouse GH-releasing hormone (mGRH) from mouse hypothalamus using a recently described strategy involving the polymerase chain reaction technique (PCR). Degenerate oligonucleotide primers were selected based on short (six amino acids) conserved regions in the human and rat GRH peptides that would recognize DNA sequences encoding similar amino acids regardless of codon usage. Primer-extended cDNA was amplified by PCR on cDNA templates prepared by reverse transcribing total mouse hypothalamic RNA. After cloning and sequencing the initial product, the 3' and 5' ends of mGRH were generated using a separate PCR strategy (RACE protocol). The mGRH cDNA encodes a 103-amino acid reading frame, structurally similar to the human and rat GRH genes, containing a signal sequence, a 42-residue GRH peptide, and a 31-residue C-terminal region. Although the structures of mouse and rat GRH are highly conserved in the signal peptide and C-terminal region, there is considerable diversity in the GRH region, which exhibits nearly comparable homology with the rat (68%) and human (62%) structures. Differences between mouse and rat GRH were also found in the amino acid cleavage sites at the 5' and 3' ends of the mature peptide and at the polyadenylation signal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

MOLECULAR ANALYSES OF LINEAR CHLOROPLAST PLASMIDS FROM ERNODESMIS VERTICILLATA

Ernodesmis verticillata contains novel, linear plasmid-like DNA molecules in its chloroplasts, whose function remains unclear. Their molecular architecture is putatively a "hairpin," wherein every molecule consists of a long inverted repeat folded back on itself. Thus, each molecule is composed of a terminal (telomeric) domain, a central inverted repeat, and a "loop" domain. Cloning strategies have been devised for characterizing the terminal and loop regions, since they might contain landmark features like replication origins. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify loop domains of native molecules, and ligation of the PCR products with commercial cloning vectors initially yielded 11 clones. So far, no recognizable sequences have turned up in the loop domains of the molecules. Unlike what has been reported for most linear plasmids, we have been unable to verify that any proteins are associated with either the 5'- or 3'-ends of the Ernodesmis plasmids. In fact, the 5'-end of each molecule contains a terminal phosphate that is accessible to alkaline phosphatase and subsequently to T4 polynucleotide kinase in vitro. It is also possible to modify the 3'-end with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) for homopolymeric tailing. Poly-(C) tailing of native molecules promotes their annealing to poly-(G) tailed vectors, for cloning of the terminal domains. An initial library of 14 TdT clones (10 unique) indicates that short (11–28 bp) direct repeats occur near the termini of the plasmids. Shorter (4–6 bp) inverted repeats at the very ends may lead to terminal foldbacks that might serve to protect the termini.     

Uracil DNA glycosylase-mediated cloning of polymerase chain reaction-amplified DNA: application to genomic and cDNA cloning.

A simple and rapid method for cloning of amplification products directly from the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been developed. The method is based on the addition of a 12-base dUMP-containing sequence (CUACUACUACUA) to the 5' end of PCR primers. Incorporation of these primers during PCR results in the selective placement of dUMP residues into the 5' end of amplification products. Selective degradation of the dUMP residues in the PCR products with uracil DNA glycosylase (UDG) disrupts base pairing at the termini and generates 3' overhangs. Annealing of 3' protruding termini to vector DNA containing complementary 3' ends results in chimeric molecules which can be transformed, with high efficiency, without in vitro ligation. Directional cloning of PCR products has also been accomplished by incorporating different dU-containing sequences at the end of each PCR primer. Substitution of all dT residues in PCR primers with dU eliminates cloning of aberrant "primer dimer" products and enriches cloning of genuine PCR products. The method has been applied to cloning of inter-Alu DNA sequences from human placental DNA. Using a single primer, DNA sequences between appropriately oriented Alu sequences were amplified and cloned. Cloning of cDNA for the glyceraldehyde-3'-phosphate dehydrogenase gene from rat brain RNA was also demonstrated. The 3' end region of this gene was amplified by the 3' RACE method and the amplified DNA was cloned after UDG digestion. Characterization of cloned DNAs by sequence analysis showed accurate repair of the cloning junctions. The ligase-free cloning method with UDG should prove to be a widely applicable procedure for rapid cloning of PCR-amplified DNA.