An oligonucleotide hybridization approach to DNA sequencing

We have proposed a DNA sequencing method based on hybridization of a DNA fragment to be sequenced with the complete set of fixed-length oligonucleotides (e.g., 4(8) = 65,536 possible 8-mers) immobilized individually as dots of a 2-D matrix [(1989) Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 303, 1508-1511]. It was shown that the list of hybridizing octanucleotides is sufficient for the computer-assisted reconstruction of the structures for 80% of random-sequence fragments up to 200 bases long, based on the analysis of the octanucleotide overlapping. Here a refinement of the method and some experimental data are presented. We have performed hybridizations with oligonucleotides immobilized on a glass plate, and obtained their dissociation curves down to heptanucleotides. Other approaches, e.g., an additional hybridization of short oligonucleotides which continuously extend duplexes formed between the fragment and immobilized oligonucleotides, should considerably increase either the probability of unambiguous reconstruction, or the length of reconstructed sequences, or decrease the size of immobilized oligonucleotides.     

Improved chips for sequencing by hybridization.

The SHOM method (Sequencing by Hybridization with Oligonucleotide Matrix) developed in 1988 is a new approach to nucleic acid sequencing by hybridization to an oligonucleotide matrix composed of an array of immobilized oligonucleotides. The original matrix proposed for sequencing by SHOM had to contain at least 65,536 octanucleotides. The present work describes a new family of matrices, which allows one to reduce the number of synthesized oligonucleotides 5-15 times without essentially decreasing the resolving power of the method.     

Optimal chips for megabase DNA sequencing

The SHOM method (Sequencing by Hybridization with Oligonucleotide Matrix) developed in 1988 is a new approach to nucleic acid sequencing by hybridization to a octanucleotide matrix composed of an array of immobilized oligonucleotides. The original matrix proposed for sequencing by SHOM had to contain at least 65,536 octanucleotides. The present work describes a new family of matrices for sequencing, which allows one to reduce the number of synthesized oligonucleotides 5-15 times without essentially decreasing the resolving power of the method.     

Determination of the gene sequence and the molecular structure of the enterococcal peptide antibiotic AS-48.

The structural gene of the enterococcal peptide antibiotic AS-48 (as-48) has been identified and cloned by using two degenerate 17-mer DNA oligonucleotides on the basis of the amino acid sequences of two peptides obtained by digestion of the antibiotic with Glu-C endoproteinase. That as-48 gene codes for a 105-amino-acid prepeptide, giving rise to a 70-amino-acid mature protein. Comparative analysis demonstrated that the 16-amino-acid sequence of one of the AS-48 Glu-C peptides, designated V8-5, was composed of a 12-amino-acid sequence corresponding to the C-terminal end sequence (from isoleucine +59 to tryptophan +70 [I+59 to W+70]) of the prepeptide and terminated in four residues forming the N terminus (M+1 to E+4) of a putative AS-48 propeptide. These data, combined with the characteristics of the gene sequence, strongly suggested that the antibiotic peptide was a 70-residue cyclic molecule. We propose that the AS-48 translated primary product is very likely submitted to a posttranslational modification during secretion (i) by an atypical or a typical signal peptidase that cleaves off a 35-residue or shorter signal peptide, respectively, from the prepeptide molecule and (ii) by the linkage of the methionine residue (M+1) to the C-terminal tryptophan residue (W+70) to obtain the cyclic peptide (a tail-head linkage).     

Synthetic oligonucleotides with particular base sequences from the cDNA encoding proteins of Mycobacterium bovis BCG induce interferons and activate natural killer cells.

Thirteen kinds of 45-mer single-stranded oligonucleotide, having sequence randomly selected from the known cDNA encoding BCG proteins, were tested for their capability to augment natural killer (NK) cell activity of mouse spleen cells in vitro. Six out of the 13 oligonucleotides showed the activity, while the others did not. In order to know the minimal and essential sequence(s) responsible for the biological activity, 2 kinds of 30-mer and 5 kinds of 15-mer oligonucleotide fragments of an active 45-mer nucleotide were tested for their activity. One of the 30-mer oligonucleotides, designated BCG-A4a, was active, but the other 30-mer was inactive. All of the 15-mer oligonucleotide fragments were inactive. The BCG-A4a also stimulated the spleen cells to produce interferon (IFN)-alpha and -gamma. An experiment using anti-IFN antisera showed that the NK cell activation by the oligonucleotide was ascribed to the IFN-alpha produced. It was noticed that all of the biologically active oligonucleotides possessed one or more palindrome sequence(s), and the inactive ones did not, with an exception of a 45-mer inactive oligonucleotide containing overlapping palindrome sequences (GGGCCCGGG). These findings strongly suggest that certain palindrome sequences, like GACGTC, GGCGCC and TGCGCA, are essential for 30-mer oligonucleotides, like BCG-A4a, to induce IFNs.     

A method for DNA sequencing by hybridization with oligonucleotide matrix.

A new technique of DNA sequencing by hybridization with oligonucleotide matrix (SHOM) which could also be applied for DNA mapping and fingerprinting, mutant diagnostics, etc., has been tested in model experiments. A dot matrix was prepared which contained 9 overlapping octanucleotides (8-mers) complementary to a common 17-mer. Each of the 8-mers was immobilized as individual dot in thin layer of polyacrylamide gel fixed on a glass plate. The matrix was hybridized with the 32P-labeled 17-mer and three other 17-mers differing from the first one by a single base change. The hybridization enabled us to distinguish perfect duplexes from those containing mismatches in 32 out of 35 cases. These results are discussed with respect to the applicability of the approach for sequencing. It was shown that hybridization of DNA with an immobilized 8-mer in the presence of a labeled 5-mer led to the formation of a stable duplex with the 5-mer only if the 5- and the 8-mers were in continuous stacking making a perfect nicked duplex 13 (5+8) base pairs long. These experiments and computer simulations suggest that continuous stacking hybridization may increase the efficiency of sequencing so that random or natural coding DNA fragments about 1000 bases long could be sequenced in more than 97% of cases. Miniaturized matrices or sequencing chips were designed, where oligonucleotides were immobilized within 100 x 100 micron dots disposed at 100 micron intervals. Hybridization of fluorescently labeled DNA fragments with microchips may simplify sequencing and ensure sensitivity of at least 10 attomoles per dot. The perspectives and limitations of SHOM are discussed.     

Detection of mutations in RET proto-oncogene codon 634 through double tandem hybridization

We developed a procedure to detect the 7 point mutations at Cys634 of the proto-oncogene RET, which is responsible for medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Genomic DNA was prepared from blood samples obtained from normal and MTC-affected individuals belonging to a family with a history of the disease. The RET genotype for each individual was first established by performing restriction and sequencing analyses. Single-stranded target DNA was prepared by asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a 93-bp fragment containing Cys634. The target was annealed with pairs of prelabeled stacking oligonucleotides designed to create appropriate 7-nucleotide gaps, which served as the sites of subsequent hybridization with glass-immobilized 7-mer probes. The target-stacking oligonucleotide duplexes were hybridized with DNA chips containing a set of eight 7-mer probes designed to detect the wild-type sequence and the seven point mutations described. We tested two sets of immobilized probes containing internal or 5′-terminal codon-634 single-base variations. Both groups of probes were able to discriminatively identify the mutations. The hybridization patterns indicated that the disease in this family was due to the C634Y mutation, in accord with the original sequence analysis. The hybridization-based mutation assignment was additionally supported by determination of the control homozygous and heterozygous hybridization patterns produced with synthetic targets having the normal or codon 634 mutant sequences. The effects of mismatch type and nearest-neighbor sequences on the occurrence of false-positive (mismatched) hybridizations are discussed.     

DNA Sequencing by Hybridization to Oligonucleotide Matrix. Calculation of Continuous Stacking Hybridization Efficiency

Abstract

In this paper we consider the efficiency of additional rounds of “continuous stacking” hybridization in DNA sequence reconstruction by hybridization with oligonucleotide matrix (SHOM). After the initial hybridization of target DNA with the matrix of oligonucleotides of fixed length L some additional hybridizations should be carried out in the presence of fluorescently labeled oligonucleotides of another length l. These additional oligonucleotides can hybridize in tandem with matrix tuples (continuous stacking hybridization) thus forming an extended duplex with the target DNA strand. The additional data obtained allows resolutions of branching points arising in the reconstruction procedure. Multiple rounds of continuous stacking hybridization considerably increase the efficiency of the sequencing method, eventually approaching the power of (L+l)-matrix. We develop here an algorithm that allows us to minimize the number of additional hybridization steps, by assembling sets of l-tuples to be added together in each round of continuous stacking hybridization. For SHOM using a matrix of octanucleotides, continuous stacking hybridization with pen- tanucleotides increases the length of unambiguously sequenced DNA from 200 to several thousands of base pairs.     

Probing the W chromosome of the codling moth, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cydia pomonella</Emphasis>, with sequences from microdissected sex chromatin

The W chromosome of the codling moth, Cydia pomonella, like that of most Lepidoptera species, is heterochromatic and forms a female-specific sex chromatin body in somatic cells. We collected chromatin samples by laser microdissection from euchromatin and W-chromatin bodies. DNA from the samples was amplified by degenerate oligonucleotide-primed polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR) and used to prepare painting probes and start an analysis of the W-chromosome sequence composition. With fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), the euchromatin probe labelled all chromosomes, whereas the W-chromatin DNA proved to be a highly specific W-chromosome painting probe. For sequence analysis, DOP-PCR-generated DNA fragments were cloned, sequenced, and tested by Southern hybridization. We recovered single-copy and low-copy W-specific sequences, a sequence that was located only in the W and the Z chromosome, multi-copy sequences that were enriched in the W chromosome but occurred also elsewhere, and ubiquitous multi-copy sequences. Three of the multi-copy sequences were recognized as derived from hitherto unknown retrotransposons. The results show that our approach is feasible and that the W-chromosome composition of C. pomonella is not principally different from that of Bombyx mori or from that of Y chromosomes of several species with an XY sex-determining mechanism. The W chromosome has attracted repetitive sequences during evolution but also contains unique sequences.     

Two genes encoding the bovine mitochondrial ATP synthase proteolipid specify precursors with different import sequences and are expressed in a tissue-specific manner.

Two cDNAs encoding different precursor proteins of the same mature proteolipid subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthase have been cloned from a bovine cDNA library. The hybridisation probe was a mixture of 17-mer oligonucleotides containing 256 discrete sequences. The coding sequences of the two cDNAs differ in 25 silent positions of codons and the 3' non-coding sequences are only weakly related. The precursor sequences, which direct the import of the proteolipid into the mitochondrion, are 61 and 68 amino acids long. They are related to each other in regions which probably are recognition signals for the processing protease. The corresponding genes are expressed differently in various tissues in a way that reflects their embryonic origin.     

Solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis and flow cytometric analysis with microspheres encoded with covalently attached fluorophores

A novel combinatorial approach to synthesize oligonucleotides on fluorescently encoded microspheres based on flow sorting and segmental solid-phase synthesis is described. BODIPY dyes were covalently attached to polystyrene (8.8 microm, 55% DVB) microsphere particles to generate four fluorescently encoded sets. 20-mer oligonucleotide sequences can be synthesized on these microspheres with yields comparable to conventional CPG supports (80% overall yield, average stepwise yield = 99%). The concept of segmental solid-phase synthesis by flow sorting was demonstrated by synthesizing unique 20-mer oligonucleotide sequences on each of four fluorescently encoded microsphere sets by including a flow sorting step (after first eight base additions) and flow cytometric detection of sequences synthesized on each microsphere set by hybridization with fluorescently labeled complementary sequence.     

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of the HU-1 gene of Escherichia coli

Summary The Escherichia coli HU-1 was cloned by use of mixed synthetic oligonucleotides (17-mer) predicted from a portion of its amino acid sequence. The amino acid sequence of the HU-1 protein deduced from the nucleotide sequence is in good agreement with the published sequence. The nucleotide sequence has a possible promoter and a typical ribosomal binding site upstream from the translational initiation codon (GUG) of the HU-1 gene.     

Isolation, characterization, and expression of cDNA encoding a rat liver endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase

We have isolated a cDNA encoding an endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase, an asparagine-linked oligosaccharide processing enzyme, from a rat liver lambda gt11 library. Two degenerate oligonucleotides, based on amino acid sequence data from the purified enzyme, were used as primers in the polymerase chain reaction with liver cDNA as a template to generate an unambiguous cDNA probe. The cDNA fragment (524 base pair) obtained was then used to isolate cDNA clones by hybridization. We isolated two overlapping clones which were used to construct a full-length cDNA of 3392 base pairs. A single open reading frame of 1040 amino acids encodes a protein with a molecular mass of 116 kilodaltons containing the six known peptide sequences. The deduced amino acid sequence revealed no classical signal sequence or membrane-spanning domain. The alpha-mannosidase encoding cDNA can be expressed transiently in COS cells using the mammalian expression vector pXM, causing a 400-fold increase in alpha-mannosidase activity as well as a dramatic increase in immunoreactive polypeptide. The rat liver endoplasmic reticulum alpha-mannosidase bears striking homology to the vacuolar alpha-mannosidase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.     

Structural Studies of 2-Thiouridine in RNA

Abstract

A pentamer RNA sequence, Gs²UUUC, and a s²U containing 14-mer RNA tetraloop hairpin were synthesized and characterized by NMR and by UV melting studies. These oligonucleotides were used as models to understand the effect of 2-thiouridine substitution on RNA structure and the potential for stabilization of tRNA codon-anticodon interactions through sU-34 modification. The magnitude of the effect of sU in our model system is comparable to the 20° C stabilization reported for 2-thiolation in a codonanticodon model system composed of two tRNAs with complementary anticodon sequences.     

W (A or T) sequences as probes and primers suitable for genomic mapping and fingerprinting.

A limitation to the use of oligonucleotide probes as tools for genetic and physical mapping has been the low hybridization positive frequency obtained by oligonucleotides of sufficient length to hybridize preferentially to cloned insert DNA (and not host E. coli genomic DNA). Both computer and experimental results now indicate that oligonucleotide probes composed of W (A or T) sequence are preferentially found in eukaryotic DNA, and can be used to provide high frequency, discriminative hybridization. Such W sequences may be useful as either probes or PCR primers in molecular diagnostic applications as well as in genetic and physical mapping.     

Universal minicircle sequence-binding protein, a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein that recognizes the two replication origins of the kinetoplast DNA minicircle

Replication of the kinetoplast DNA minicircle lagging (heavy (H))-strand initiates at, or near, a unique hexameric sequence (5'-ACGCCC-3') that is conserved in the minicircles of trypanosomatid species. A protein from the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata binds specifically a 14-mer sequence, consisting of the complementary strand hexamer and eight flanking nucleotides at the H-strand replication origin. This protein was identified as the previously described universal minicircle sequence (UMS)-binding protein (UMSBP) (Tzfati, Y., Abeliovich, H., Avrahami, D., and Shlomai, J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 21339-21345). This CCHC-type zinc finger protein binds the single-stranded form of both the 12-mer (UMS) and 14-mer sequences, at the replication origins of the minicircle L-strand and H-strand, respectively. The attribution of the two different DNA binding activities to the same protein relies on their co-purification from C. fasciculata cell extracts and on the high affinity of recombinant UMSBP to the two origin-associated sequences. Both the conserved H-strand hexamer and its flanking nucleotides at the replication origin are required for binding. Neither the hexameric sequence per se nor this sequence flanked by different sequences could support the generation of specific nucleoprotein complexes. Stoichiometry analysis indicates that each UMSBP molecule binds either of the two origin-associated sequences in the nucleoprotein complex but not both simultaneously.     

A method for the preparation of size marker for synthetic oligonucleotides

Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase was used for the addition of [alpha-32P]dCTP to the 3'-OH termini of oligo(dT)12-18. A collection of oligonucleotides with chain lengths ranging continuously from 13-mer to over 100-mer was generated. The reaction mixture was then mixed with oligo(dT)12-18 labeled with [gamma-32P]ATP by T4 polynucleotide kinase. A sequence ladder with the bottom base as 12-mer was then formed. These oligonucleotides served as size marker for the purification and identification of oligonucleotides on polyacrylamide gel.