S1核酸酶作用与微环DNA分子的克隆策略

米曲霉来源的S1 核酸酶具有降解单链DNA或RNA的作用。在适当的条件下 ,该酶能将不同的环形DNA分子从超螺旋转变成开环和线形结构 ,对质粒pUC19的实验证明 ,S1 核酸酶的这种转变作用与加入的酶量呈正相关。在 2 5 μL总反应体积中 ,按 10 0ngDNA加入 5u至 17u的S1 核酸酶 ,能获得较高比例的线形DNA。由于微环DNA分子太小 ,单酶切位点的出现率较低 ,很难用常规方式进行克隆 ,以S1 核酸酶进行线形化是微环DNA克隆的途径。pC3是已知最小的真核生物线粒体DNA类质粒 (5 37bp) ,经S1 核酸酶线形化后 ,成功地克隆到pMD18 T载体上。     

Comparison of the conformation of RNA from phage MS2 and 16S rRNA. Accessibility to nucleases S1 and SV specific to secondary structure and thermal stability

The hydrolysis of E. coli 16S rRNA by nucleases specific to the secondary structure elements (S1 and SV), the melting of the RNA after partial hydrolysis by nuclease S1 and the electrophoretic mobility of hydrolysis products after denaturation-renaturation of RNA were studied. It was shown that the sensitivity of 16S rRNA to nuclease S1 depends on Zn or Mg ions concentration. The melting curves after partial hydrolysis by nuclease S1 were characterized by a decrease of the hyperchromic effect (by approximately 15%) and by a increase of Tm (by 3 degrees). After RNA denaturation followed by slow or fast renaturation the electrophoretic patterns of the hydrolysis products were not changed, as in the case of phage MS2 RNA. It was supposed, that the rRNA molecule has a stable "nucleus" (or "nuclei"), which is organized as an intramolecular association of parallelly oriented double-stranded fragments of this RNA. Previously, such a mode of the spatial organization was proposed by us for phage MS2 RNA.     

Secondary structure of Tetrahymena thermophilia 5S ribosomal RNA as revealed by enzymatic digestion and microdensitometric analysis.

The secondary structure of [32P] end-labeled 5S rRNA from Tetrahymena thermophilia (strain B) has been investigated using the enzymes S1 nuclease, cobra venom ribonuclease and T2 ribonuclease. The results, analyzed by scanning microdensitometry and illustrated by three-dimensional computer graphics, support the secondary structure model of Curtiss and Vournakis for 5S rRNA. Aberrent mobility of certain RNA fragments on sequencing gels was observed as regions of band compression. These regions are postulated to be caused by stable internal base-pairing. The molecule was probed with T2 RNase in neutral (pH 7.5) and acidic (pH 4.5) buffers and only minor structural differences were revealed. One of the helices was found to be susceptible to enzymatic attack by both the single-strand and double-strand specific enzymes. These observations are evidence for the existence of dynamic structural equilibria in 5S rRNA.     

Identification of proteins crosslinked to RNA in 40S ribosomal subunits of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

RNA-protein crosslinks were introduced into the 40S ribosomal subunits from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by mild UV treatment. Proteins crosslinked to the 18S rRNA molecule were separated from free proteins by repeated extraction of the treated subunits and centrifugation in glycerol gradients. After digestion with RNase to remove the RNA molecules, proteins were radio-labeled with 125I and identified by electrophoresis on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels with carrier total 40S ribosomal proteins and autoradiography. Proteins S2, S7, S13, S14, S17/22/27, and S18 were linked to the 18S rRNA. A shorter period of irradiation resulted in crosslinking of S2 and S17/22/27 only. Several of these proteins were previously demonstrated to be present in ribosomal core particles or early assembled proteins.     

Identification of proteins crosslinked to RNA in 40S ribosomal subunits of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

RNA-protein crosslinks were introduced into the 40S ribosomal subunits from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by mild UV treatment. Proteins crosslinked to the 18S rRNA molecule were separated from free proteins by repeated extraction of the treated subunits and centrifugation in glycerol gradients. After digestion with RNase to remove the RNA molecules, proteins were radio-labeled with ¹²⁵I and identified by electrophoresis on two-dimensional polyacrylamide gels with carrier total 40S ribosomal proteins and autoradiography. Proteins S2, S7, S13, S14, S17/22/27, and S18 were linked to the 18S rRNA. A shorter period of irradiation resulted in crosslinking of S2 and S17/22/27 only. Several of these proteins were previously demonstrated to be present in ribosomal core particles or early assembled proteins.     

Characterization of the ribosomal ribonucleic acids of blue-green algae

Summary The ribosomal RNA components of 12 species of blue-green algae have been characterized. The 23S RNA of most species is labile and discrete cleavage products were detected by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In contrast, the 23S and 16S RNA's of three species, Anacystis nidulans, Nostoc sp. and Oscillatoria tenuis were essentially undegraded (apart from a hidden break in some of the 23S RNA molecules) and these are the most suitable species for further study. The undegraded 23S and 16S RNA's have similar molecular weights (1.07×10⁶ and 0.53–0.54×10⁶ respectively) to the corresponding molecules from bacteria and eukaryote chloroplasts. The nucleotide base compositions of separated, intact, 23S and 16S RNA's from blue-green algae are also of the prokaryotic type. For instance, the (G+C) content of each RNA is approximately 52 moles % and the (G-C)+(A-U) values are high (16–24 moles %). Blue-green algae, like other organisms, contain a 5S ribosomal RNA. Its electrophoretic mobility in polyacrylamide gels and its behaviour on methylated-albumen-kieselguhr-columns relative to E. coli, plant cytoplasmic and plant chloroplast 5S RNA's, are described.     

Conserved portion in bacterial ribosomal RNA

The conserved portion in bacterial ribosomal RNA was studied by the DNA-RNA hybridization method. The hybridization percentages were as follows: Bacillus subtilis DNA and B. subtilis 23S rRNA, 0.16; Escherichia coli DNA and E. coli 23S rRNA, 0.15; B. subtilis DNA and E. coli 23S rRNA, 0.03; E. coli DNA and B. subtilis 23S rRNA, 0.04. The RNA's extracted from the heterologous hybrids could be rehybridized with DNA's of B. subtilis and E. coli. The average chain lengths of the RNA's were estimated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and Sephadex gel filtration. The results suggested that the size might be larger than 30 nucleotides. Nucleotide compositions of the RNA's in the hybrids were also studied. Both RNA's contained higher molar percentages of guanylic acid and cytidylic acid than the whole rRNA's.     

Using a cationic carbocyanine dye to assess RNA loading in Northern gel analysis.

In Northern blotting, one must have a means of assessing the uniformity of RNA loaded into each lane of a gel. As an alternative to "common gene" controls and previously published nucleic acid dyes (ethidium bromide, acridine orange, methylene blue), we have utilized a cationic carbocyanine dye (Stains All) for the assessment of RNA gel loading uniformity over the range of 5-25 micrograms RNA/lane. The following protocol is suitable for messages of well-characterized mobility and utilizes xylene cyanol as a 4-kb marker; as such, it will migrate between 28S and 18S rRNA over a wide range of agarose concentrations. Optimally, it is best that the message(s) of interest should migrate either as a smaller species than 18S or as a larger species than 28S; this allows either the 28S or 18S ribosomal band to be separated from the message(s) of interest by severing the gel transversely at the xylene cyanol front. Severing the gel in such a manner makes it possible to simultaneously submit that portion of the gel containing either the 28S or 18S rRNA band to Stains All staining while immediately continuing with the transfer of that portion of the gel containing the mRNA of interest. We have found the dye to interact linearly with rRNA whether data were gathered by densitometrically scanning the gels themselves or photographs of the gels.     

Different conformations of ribosomal DNA in active and inactive chromatin in Xenopus laevis

The chromatin structure of the ribosomal DNA in Xenopus laevis was studied by micrococcal nuclease digestions of blood, liver and embryonic cell nuclei. We have found that BglI-restricted DNA from micrococcal nuclease-digested blood cell nuclei has an increased electrophoretic mobility compared to the undigested control. Micrococcal nuclease digestion of liver cell nuclei causes a very slight shift in mobility, only in the region of the spacer containing the "Bam Islands". In contrast, the mobility of ribosomal DNA in chromatin of embryonic cells, under identical digestion conditions, remains unaffected by the nuclease activity. Denaturing gels or ligase action on the nuclease-treated DNA abolishes the differences in the electrophoretic mobility. Ionic strength and ethidium bromide influence the relative electrophoretic migration of the two DNA fragment populations, suggesting that secondary structure may play an important role in the observed phenomena. In addition, restriction analysis under native electrophoretic conditions of DNA prepared from blood, liver and embryonic cells shows that blood cell DNA restriction fragments always have a faster mobility than the corresponding fragments of liver and embryo cell DNA. We therefore propose that nicking activity by micrococcal nuclease modifies the electrophoretic mobility of an unusual DNA conformation, present in blood cell, and to a lesser extent, in liver cell ribosomal chromatin. A possible function for these structures is discussed. The differences of the ribosomal chromatin structures in adult and embryonic tissues may reflect the potential of the genes to be expressed.     

Specific hydrolysis of rabbit globin messenger RNA by S1 nuclease.

S1 nuclease isolated from Aspergillus oryzae has been used to investigate the secondary structure of rabbit globin messenger RNA (mRNA). The enzyme, which is specific for single stranded nucleotides, digests globin mRNA to a limited extent, with 65-75% of the mRNA nucleotides resistant to digestion under mild conditions. This limited digestion is not due to enzyme inactivation, but rather to the normal activity of the single-strand nuclease. The reaction was studied as a function of temperature, salt and enzyme concentration. Analysis of the products of digestion on 20% acrylamide- 7M urea slab gels reveals a stable pattern of unique fragments ranging in size from 9 to 71 nucleotides. Separated alpha and beta globin mRNAs show similar, but not identical gel patterns, indicating strong structural similarities between the two species. The high degree of nuclease resistance, along with the fragment patterns seen on polyacrylamide gels, gives evidence to support a model of rabbit globin mRNA which contain specific, rather than random, helical structure.     

Investigation of the tertiary folding of Escherichia coli ribosomal RNA by intra-RNA cross-linking in vivo

"In vivo" cross-links were introduced into ribosomal RNA by direct ultraviolet irradiation of intact Escherichia coli cells, during growth in a 32P-labelled medium. Ribosomes were isolated from the irradiated cultures, dissociated into subunits and subjected to partial digestion with cobra venom nuclease. The intra-RNA cross-linked fragments were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and the sites of cross-linking determined, using our published methodology. A comparison with the data previously obtained by this procedure, after irradiation of isolated 30 S and 50 S subunits, showed that in the case of the 50 S subunit nine out of the ten previous cross-links in the 23 S RNA could be identified in the "in vivo" experiments, and correspondingly in the 30 S subunit five out of the six previous cross-links in the 16 S RNA were identified. Some new cross-links were found, as well as two cross-links in the 16 S RNA, which had hitherto only been observed after partial digestion of irradiated 30 S subunits with ribonuclease T1. The relevance of these data to the tertiary folding of the rRNA in situ is discussed, with particular reference to the work of other authors, in which "naked" RNA was used as the substrate for cross-linking and model-building studies.     

The calculation of plant 5S rRNAs secondary structure

Using commercially available computer software package for ribonucleic acid (RNA) secondary structure analysis we calculated the free energy (delta G) of all higher plant 5S rRNA species. To gain insight into the relation between structure (nucleotide sequence) and free energy we generated point mutants of plant 5S rRNA and calculated their secondary structure. This analysis permitted to identify single sites which affect the stability and conformation of RNA molecule. Furthermore, the calculated data were compared with the electrophoretic mobility of 5S rRNA on polyacrylamide gels.     

Free ribosomal DNA molecules from Tetrahymena pyriformis GL are giant palindromes

Restriction ondonuclease EcoRI was used to study the structure of the free ribosomal DNA molecules from Tetrahymena pyriformis, strain GL. From the following observations we conclude that the free rDNA molecules from Tetrahymena are giant palindromes³, each containing two genes for preribosomal RNA arranged in rotational symmetry as inverted repeating sequences. Analyses of the sizes of products of partial or complete digestion and quantitative analyses of the products of complete digestion of uniformly ³²P-labeled rDNA yielded an RI endonucleolytic cleavage map which showed that the EcoRI recognition sites are arranged symmetrically about the center of the rDNA molecule.When heat-denatured rDNA was rapidly cooled under conditions in which no renaturation would occur between separated complementary strands of DNA, molecules of half the size of the original rDNA molecule were produced. These were double-stranded DNA molecules as evidenced by their resistance to digestion with S1 nuclease. Moreover, they could be digested with EcoRI to produce fragments of sizes which would be predicted from the assumption that each single strand of the original rDNA molecule had folded back on itself to form a “hair-pin” double-stranded DNA structure. Hybridization experiments between ribosomal RNA and purified rDNA showed that each rDNA molecule contains two genes for rDNA. Hybridization of the isolated EcoRI fragments of rDNA with 25 S or 17 S rRNA suggested that the two structural genes for 17 S rRNA are located near the center of the rDNA molecule and the two genes for 25 S rRNA are found in distal positions.     

Structural analyses of E. coli 5S RNA fragments, their associates and complexes with proteins L18 and L25.

The structure of Escherichia coli 5S RNA fragments 1-41 and 42-120 has been studied by the read-off gel sequencing technique using S1 nuclease and cobra venom RNase as probes. Comparison of the digestion patterns with those of reassociated and intact 5S RNA suggests that the structure of both fragments is very similar to that of the corresponding regions in the intact molecule. Six different fragments obtained by partial digestion with T1 RNase and S1 nuclease have been used for reconstitution of 5S RNA, its certain structural regions and complexes with ribosomal proteins L18 and L25 recognizes the double-helix consisting of nucleotides 79-97 (i.e. prokaryotic stem), whereas a loop-region around position 40 (possible positions 39-47) is involved in the interaction with protein L18.     

Differences in chromatin from normal and leukemic human cells as shown by digestion with restriction nucleases

Sequence homology was found by computer analysis between potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV) RNA and U3B snRNA of Novikoff hepatoma cells. This homology is colinear in arrangement, extends in length to 81% of the entire U3B snRNA molecule and is involved in the PSTV molecule unique sites which, if depicted in terms of the secondary structure of the circular PSTV molecule, reveal a conspicuous regularity in their location. A strong relation in primary structure between PSTV and U3B snRNA is demonstrated by statistical analysis.     

Characterization of 10S RNA: a new stable rna molecule from Escherichia coli.

Summary When cells of Escherichia coli are labeled with ³²P_i for long periods of time and the cell content is subjected to electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels, an RNA band appears which is about 10S in size. This band seems to contain three conformers. After treatment with formamide only a single band appears in this region of the gel, which contains 550 nucleotides as determined from its mobility. The complexity of the fingerprint of this material, after digestion with T₁-RNase, is in agreement with the size as determined by the mobility, this confirming that indeed it is a single molecule. Composition of the T₁-oligonucleotides was determined by digesting the T₁-generated oligonucleotides with pancreatic RNase and T₂-RNase. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of these digestions suggests that 10S RNA contains 609 nucleotides. The molecule contains, besides the four regular bases, one copy per molecule of the modified base pseudouridine.10S RNA cannot be processed by cell extracts to tRNA-sized molecules and does not bind significantly to ribosomes, hence it is unlikely to be a tRNA precursor or an mRNA.     

Extracellular nucleases of Alteromonas espejiana BAL 31.IV. The single strand-specific deoxyriboendonuclease activity as a probe for regions of altered secondary structure in negatively and positively supercoiled closed circular DNA.

The dependence of the initial rate of introduction of the first single-chain scission (initial nicking rate) into covalently closed circular phage PM2 DNA by the single strand-specific nuclease from Alteromonas espejiana BAL 31 upon the superhelix density (sigma) of the DNA has been examined. The initial nicking rate decreases with decreasing numbers of negative superhelical turns (decreasing values of -sigma), which behavior is characteristic of other single strand-specific nucleases as reported earlier. In contrast to earlier work, the initial nicking rates of closed circular DNAs by the action of the Alteromonas nuclease have been shown to be readily measurable at values of -sigma as low as 0.02. However, even at the elevated concentrations of enzyme and extended digestion periods required to cause nicking at an appreciable rate at near-zero values of sigma, closed circular DNA containing very few superhelical turns (form IO DNA) is not cleaved at a detectable rate. When this DNA is rendered positively supercoiled by ethidium bromide (EtdBr), it is not affected by the nuclease until very high positive values of sigma are attained, at which low rates of cleavage can be detected at elevated enzyme concentrations. The effects of EtdBr on the enzyme activity have been tested and are entirely insufficient to allow the interpretation of zero nicking rates as the result of inhibition of the nuclease activity by the dye. Positively supercoiled DNA is concluded not to contain regions having significant single-stranded character until values of sigma are reached which are very much higher than the values of -sigma for which negatively supercoiled DNAs behave as if they contain unpaired or weakly paired bases.