Ligase-free subcloning: a versatile method to subclone polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products in a single day.

Often, it is convenient to subclone polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products into a plasmid vector for subsequent replication in bacteria, but conventional subcloning methods often fail. We report a rapid and versatile method to subclone PCR products directionally into a specific site of virtually any plasmid vector. The procedure requires only four primers, does not require DNA ligase, and may be accomplished in a single day. Ligase-free subcloning is performed by incorporating into the PCR primers sequences at the 5' ends that result in PCR products whose 3' ends are complementary to the 3' ends of the recipient linearized plasmid. The PCR product and the linearized plasmid are spliced together in a second PCR reaction in which Taq polymerase extends the complementary overlapping 3' ends (ligation by overlap extension). Denaturation followed by heterologous reannealing and cyclization results in a cyclic recombinant plasmid with two nicks that may be used directly to transform competent Escherichia coli. In our hands, ligase-free subcloning is rapid, and offers many advantages over existing strategies.     

Ligation-independent cloning of PCR products (LIC-PCR).

A new procedure has been developed for the efficient cloning of complex PCR mixtures, resulting in libraries exclusively consisting of recombinant clones. Recombinants are generated between PCR products and a PCR-amplified plasmid vector. The procedure does not require the use of restriction enzymes, T4 DNA ligase or alkaline phosphatase. The 5'-ends of the primers used to generate the cloneable PCR fragments contain an additional 12 nucleotide (nt) sequence lacking dCMP. As a result, the amplification products include 12-nt sequences lacking dGMP at their 3'-ends. The 3'-terminal sequence can be removed by the action of the (3'----5') exonuclease activity of T4 DNA polymerase in the presence of dGTP, leading to fragments with 5'-extending single-stranded (ss) tails of a defined sequence and length. Similarly, the entire plasmid vector is amplified with primers homologous to sequences in the multiple cloning site. The vector oligos have additional 12-nt tails complementary to the tails used for fragment amplification, permitting the creation of ss-ends with T4 DNA polymerase in the presence of dCTP. Circularization can occur between vector molecules and PCR fragments as mediated by the 12-nt cohesive ends, but not in mixtures lacking insert fragments. The resulting circular recombinant molecules do not require in vitro ligation for efficient bacterial transformation. We have applied the procedure for the cloning of inter-ALU fragments from hybrid cell-lines and human cosmid clones.     

一种高效构建同源重组DNA片段的方法——融合PCR

融合PCR技术（fusion PCR）采用具有互补末端的引物,形成具有重叠链的PCR产物,通过PCR产物重叠链的延伸,从而将不同来源的任意DNA片段连接起来,此技术在不需要内切酶消化和连接酶处理的条件下实现DNA片段的体外连接,为同源重组片段的构建提供了快速简捷的途径。对原有的融合PCR技术进行改进,以三个同源重组线性DNA片段的构建为例,详细论述了改进的融合PCR技术的反应过程及技术体系。结果表明,改进的融合PCR技术可以同时进行三个片段及四个片段的融合反应,产物长度均在4.5kb以上,各同源重组片段在扩增过程中均无突变发生,获得的片段可以用于后续实验分析。     

PCR-mediated recombination and mutagenesis

Gene Splicing by Overlap Extension (gene SOEing) is a sequence-independent method for site-directed mutagenesis and/or recombination of DNA molecules. It is based on the idea that a PCR product can be engineered by adding or changing sequences at its ends so that the product can itself be used to prime DNA synthesis in a subsequent overlap-extension reaction to create mutant or recombinant molecules. As the engineered genes are created in vitro without reliance on host organisms or restriction sites, gene SOEing provides a powerful and versatile tool for genetic investigation and engineering.     

An efficient cloning of DNA fragments by a method based on uracil-DNA glycosylase and endonuclease IV

We introduced a novel method to clone random DNA fragments independent of ligation reaction. The method involves the generation of long protruding ends on PCR amplification DNA. Both oligonucleotides used for the amplification of the vector DNA carried one uracil residue at the tenth position from the 5′ end and this made the creation of the 3′ protruding ends of linearized vector possible by uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) and endonuclease IV (Endo IV). 76 groups of annealed oligonucleotides that had ten-nucleotides protruding at 3′-end, which were complementary to those at 3′-end of the linearized vector, were designed. The linearized vector and the annealed oligonucleotide were mixed together to transform E.coli directly without ligation reaction. The number of the clone that grew on the plates had been demonstrated to reach 1 × 10⁵ transformants/μg and 96.1% of transformants harbored the cloned fragments. From the results of transformation, we can confirm that the efficiency of the creation of 3′ protruding ends in our method is high and our cloning method is benefit to produce recombinants easily and efficiently.     

Template-switching during DNA synthesis by Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase I.

Recombinant DNA molecules are often generated during the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) when partially homologous templates are available [e.g., see Pääbo et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 4718-4721]. It has been suggested that these recombinant molecules are a consequence of truncated extension products annealing to partially homologous templates on subsequent PCR cycles. However, we demonstrate here that recombinants can be generated during a single round of primer extension in the absence of subsequent heat denaturation, indicating that template-switching produces some of these recombinant molecules. Two types of template-switches were observed: (i) switches to pre-existing templates and (ii) switches to the complementary nascent strand. Recombination is reduced several fold when the complementary template strands are physically separated by attachment to streptavidin magnetic beads. This result supports the hypothesis that either the polymerase or at least one of the two extending strands switches templates during DNA synthesis and that interaction between the complementary template strands is necessary for efficient template-switching.     

Engineering hybrid genes without the use of restriction enzymes: gene splicing by overlap extension

Gene splicing by overlap extension is a new approach for recombining DNA molecules at precise junctions irrespective of nucleotide sequences at the recombination site and without the use of restriction endonucleases or ligase. Fragments from the genes that are to be recombined are generated in separate polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). The primers are designed so that the ends of the products contain complementary sequences. When these PCR products are mixed, denatured, and reannealed, the strands having the matching sequences at their 3' ends overlap and act as primers for each other. Extension of this overlap by DNA polymerase produces a molecule in which the original sequences are 'spliced' together. This technique is used to construct a gene encoding a mosaic fusion protein comprised of parts of two different class-I major histocompatibility genes. This simple and widely applicable approach has significant advantages over standard recombinant DNA techniques.     

Directional cloning of native PCR products with preformed sticky ends (Autosticky PCR)

A novel method for the directional cloning of native PCR products was developed. Abasic sites in DNA templates make DNA polymerases stall at the site during synthesis of the complementary strand. Since the 5′ ends of PCR product strands contain built-in amplification primers, abasic sites within the primers result in the formation of 5′ single-stranded overhangs at the ends of the PCR product, enabling its direct ligation to a suitably cleaved cloning vector without any further modification. This “autosticky PCR” (AS-PCR) overcomes the problems caused by end sensitivity of restriction enzymes, or internal restriction sites within the amplified sequences, and enables the generation of essentially any desired 5′ overhang.     

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.     

USER friendly DNA engineering and cloning method by uracil excision

Here we report a PCR-based DNA engineering technique for seamless assembly of recombinant molecules from multiple components. We create cloning vector and target molecules flanked with compatible single-stranded (ss) extensions. The vector contains a cassette with two inversely oriented nicking endonuclease sites separated by restriction endonuclease site(s). The spacer sequences between the nicking and restriction sites are tailored to create ss extensions of custom sequence. The vector is then linearized by digestion with nicking and restriction endonucleases. To generate target molecules, a single deoxyuridine (dU) residue is placed 6–10nt away from the 5′-end of each PCR primer. 5′ of dU the primer sequence is compatible either with an ss extension on the vector or with the ss extension of the next-in-line PCR product. After amplification, the dU is excised from the PCR products with the USER enzyme leaving PCR products flanked by 3′ ss extensions. When mixed together, the linearized vector and PCR products directionally assemble into a recombinant molecule through complementary ss extensions. By varying the design of the PCR primers, the protocol is easily adapted to perform one or more simultaneous DNA manipulations such as directional cloning, site-specific mutagenesis, sequence insertion or deletion and sequence assembly.     

用寡核苷酸本身作为PCR引物检测其重组DNA

以待检测的寡核苷酸本身作为一个引物,加上两个载体特异引物,组成两对PCR引物。含待检测寡核苷酸片段的重组DNA用这两对引物可分别扩增出两个大小不同的片段,而载体DNA只有一对引物（即载体特异引物）可扩增出一个较小的片段。     

Use of gap repair in fission yeast to obtain novel alleles of specific genes.

We have adapted a method for making libraries of mutations in any specific gene for use in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe . This elegant and simple method consists of PCR amplification of the gene of interest, followed by co-transformation of fission yeast with the PCR fragment and a linearized plasmid vector prepared such that the ends of the vector share DNA sequence with the ends of the PCR fragment. Homologous recombination between the vector and the PCR fragment occurs at a high frequency and results in a collection of yeast transformants, most harboring a mutated allele of the original gene within the vector of choice. This library can then be screened or selected for phenotypes of interest.     

一步法快速构建多片段连接的同源臂载体

目的：建立一种简便、高效,可一步完成多个片段连接,从而构建含同源臂的载体的方法。方法：按照酶切后可产生前后片段相匹配的粘性末端接头的原则设计PCR引物,在目的片段两端均引入BsaⅠ酶切位点。以G160基因为例,PCR扩增打靶用左右同源臂片段、示踪基因CMV-EGFP片段、载体骨架pMD19－T等4个片段,纯化后一起加入一个反应管中,并加入BsaⅠ限制性内切酶和T7DNA连接酶及相应缓冲液,进行酶切、酶连接共10～50个循环反应,一步构建含同源臂载体的质粒;产物经高温处理后,直接转化感受态细胞,并进行重组子PCR鉴定;对pMD19－T载体进行优化,突变载体上的BsaⅠ酶切位点,把示踪基因CMV-EGFP片段引入pHSG298－T载体,再选择不同的G160基因同源臂片段组合对构建系统进行验证。结果：重组质粒酶切和PCR结果表明,应用一步法可成功连接多个片段来构建含同源臂及示踪基因的克隆载体;用优化后的pMD19－T－O载体体系,在2d内即完成了6种各含4个片段的载体的构建。结论：多个基因片段一步无缝连接的方法简便、易行、可靠,不仅可快速构建某类载体系统,还可对基因进行精确的点突变,该系统可用于快速构建基因打靶载体。     

Open reading frame analysis by selective PCR-mediated deletion mutagenesis

Recently, we demonstrated that a nested set of DNA fragments can be obtained by using one specific primer and one semirandom primer in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We now describe a strategy for selective deletion mutagenesis that is based on this observation. The gene of interest is cloned as a fusion construct with a selectable marker in a small vector, allowing for PCR amplification of the entire recombinant plasmid. The specific primer is complementary to the vector sequence beyond the gene of interest and is oriented downstream. The 3′ end of the semirandom primer is complementary to a triplet (GAT) that is scattered over the entire open reading frame (ORF). It is shown by nucleotide sequence analysis that deletion mutants result exclusively from annealing of the semirandom primer at different GAT triplets. PCR products resulting fro from annealing to GAT triplets elsewhere in the plasmid are counterselected by the need for replication functions and for the expression of the selectable marker. This technique is demonstrated on the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ORF YCL56C.     

Harnessing homologous recombination in vitro to generate recombinant DNA via SLIC

We describe a new cloning method, sequence and ligation-independent cloning (SLIC), which allows the assembly of multiple DNA fragments in a single reaction using in vitro homologous recombination and single-strand annealing. SLIC mimics in vivo homologous recombination by relying on exonuclease-generated ssDNA overhangs in insert and vector fragments, and the assembly of these fragments by recombination in vitro. SLIC inserts can also be prepared by incomplete PCR (iPCR) or mixed PCR. SLIC allows efficient and reproducible assembly of recombinant DNA with as many as 5 and 10 fragments simultaneously. SLIC circumvents the sequence requirements of traditional methods and functions much more efficiently at very low DNA concentrations when combined with RecA to catalyze homologous recombination. This flexibility allows much greater versatility in the generation of recombinant DNA for the purposes of synthetic biology.     

Universal TA cloning

TA cloning is one of the simplest and most efficient methods for the cloning of PCR products. The procedure exploits the terminal transferase activity of certain thermophilic DNA polymerases, including Thermus aquaticus (Taq) polymerase. Taq polymerase has non-template dependent activity which preferentially adds a single adenosine to the 3'-ends of a double stranded DNA molecule, and thus most of the molecules PCR amplified by Taq polymerase possess single 3'-A overhangs. The use of a linearized "T-vector" which has single 3'-T overhangs on both ends allows direct, high-efficiency cloning of PCR products, facilitated by complementarity between the PCR product 3'-A overhangs and vector 3'-T overhangs. The TA cloning method can be easily modified so that the same T-vector can be used to clone any double-stranded DNA fragment, including PCR products amplified by any DNA polymerase, as well as all blunt- and sticky-ended DNA species. This technique is especially useful when compatible restriction sites are not available for the subcloning of DNA fragments from one vector to another. Directional cloning is made possible by appropriate hemi-phosphorylation of both the T-vectors and the inserts. With a single T-vector at hand, any DNA fragment can be cloned without compromising the cloning efficiency. The universal TA cloning method is thus both convenient and labor-saving.     

Directional cloning of native PCR products with preformed sticky ends (Autosticky PCR)

A novel method for the directional cloning of native PCR products was developed. Abasic sites in DNA templates make DNA polymerases stall at the site during synthesis of the complementary strand. Since the 5′ ends of PCR product strands contain built-in amplification primers, abasic sites within the primers result in the formation of 5′ single-stranded overhangs at the ends of the PCR product, enabling its direct ligation to a suitably cleaved cloning vector without any further modification. This “autosticky PCR” (AS-PCR) overcomes the problems caused by end sensitivity of restriction enzymes, or internal restriction sites within the amplified sequences, and enables the generation of essentially any desired 5′ overhang. Received: 11 August 1998 / Accepted: 2 October 1998     

Gene splicing and mutagenesis by PCR-driven overlap extension

Extension of overlapping gene segments by PCR is a simple, versatile technique for site-directed mutagenesis and gene splicing. Initial PCRs generate overlapping gene segments that are then used as template DNA for another PCR to create a full-length product. Internal primers generate overlapping, complementary 3' ends on the intermediate segments and introduce nucleotide substitutions, insertions or deletions for site-directed mutagenesis, or for gene splicing, encode the nucleotides found at the junction of adjoining gene segments. Overlapping strands of these intermediate products hybridize at this 3' region in a subsequent PCR and are extended to generate the full-length product amplified by flanking primers that can include restriction enzyme sites for inserting the product into an expression vector for cloning purposes. The highly efficient generation of mutant or chimeric genes by this method can easily be accomplished with standard laboratory reagents in approximately 1 week.     

A modified plasmid vector pCMV–3Tag–LIC for rapid, reliable, ligation-independent cloning of polymerase chain reaction products

Here we present a modified vector pCMV–3Taq–LIC for a rapid, simple, and relatively cheap method to build expression constructs. After being digested by Nt.BspQI and EcoRV, a lineal vector with specific 11-base single overhangs is obtained. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products with complementary overhangs are created by building appropriate extensions into the primers and treating them with T4 DNA polymerase. The annealing of the insert and the vector is performed in the absence of ligase by simple mixing of the DNA fragments. This process is very specific because only the desired products can form. Using this vector, we successfully constructed hnRNP K full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) expression plasmid.