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At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Identification of unintegrated forms of Kirsten murine sarcoma viral DNA and restriction endonuclease cleavage map of linear DNA.

We detected unintegrated linear 7.0-kilobase pair DNA and covalently closed circular DNA species in NIH3T3 cells recently infected with Kirsten murine sarcoma virus. Using the linear DNA, we constructed a restriction endonuclease cleavage map and compared it with the map of Harvey murine sarcoma virus. The restriction endonuclease maps of two segments, one 1.2 kilobase pairs (SmaI site) to 3.7 kilobase pairs (HindIII site) from the right end (corresponding to the viral 3' side) and the other 0.5 kilobase pair (SmaI and KpnI sites) to 0.9 kilobase pair (KpnI site) from the left end, were identical in the two virus types.

Animals↗

Determination of the molecular weight of DNA-bound protein(s) responsible for gel electrophoretic mobility shift of linear DNA fragments examplified with purified viral myb protein.

A protein-DNA complex has less gel electrophoretic mobility than the free DNA fragment. One parameter for the degree of retardation of a linear DNA fragment in a protein-DNA complex is the molecular weight of the bound protein(s). The quotient of the migration distances of free DNA (m) and protein-DNA complex (m') is a function of the molecular weight (MW) of the bound protein(s). Based on the evaluation of the lac repressor induced mobility shift of a 203 bp DNA fragment containing the lac operator in a 5% non-denaturating polyacrylamide gel a direct proportionality could be shown between (m/m'-1) and MW with the proportionality factor K = 215 kDa. The factor K depends on the acrylamide concentration in the gel, getting lower values with increasing acrylamide concentrations. A calculation is given to determine the molecular weight of DNA-binding factors responsible for the decreased electrophoretic mobility of a linear DNA fragment. As an example this calculation was used in order to analyse DNA-binding of the isolated viral myb protein. It could be demonstrated that the viral myb protein binds to DNA as a monomer and as a dimer.

Avian Myeloblastosis Virus↗

Mobility surfaces for field-inversion gel electrophoresis of linear DNA.

The mobility of linear DNA during field-inversion gel electrophoresis was measured as a function of molecular weight Mr, pulse time t, and field strength E. Values of Mr between 48.5 and 194 kilobase pairs (kb), E from 5 to 14 V/cm and pulse times of 0.3 to 12 s were used. The data are presented as three-dimensional surfaces of mobility: E:t for fixed Mr or graphs of mobility: Mr:t for fixed E. The surfaces are not smoothly increasing functions of E, Mr, or t but instead show a valley with minimum mobility and a steep rise in mobility as t increases. For a field of 10 V/cm, 1% agarose gels, and 3:1 ratio of forward:back pulse time, the forward switching time t* at which the mobility changes most rapidly is given by t* = (0.034 +/- 0.003) Mr for Mr in kb and t* in seconds. The data and equations delineate the best conditions to achieve a particular separation.

Bacteriophages↗

PCR-based detection of a rare linear DNA in cell culture.

The described method allows for detection of rare linear DNA fragments generated during genomic deletions. The predicted limit of the detection is one DNA molecule per 10(7) or more cells. The method is based on anchor PCR and involves gel separation of the linear DNA fragment and chromosomal DNA before amplification. The detailed chemical structure of the ends of the linear DNA can be defined with the use of additional PCR-based protocols. The method was applied to study the short-lived linear DNA generated during programmed genomic deletions in a ciliate. It can be useful in studies of spontaneous DNA deletions in cell culture or for tracking intracellular modifications at the ends of transfected DNA during gene therapy trials.

Journal Article↗

Circular and circular-linear DNA molecules of herpes simplex virus.

Circular and circular-linear DNA molecules of herpes simplex virus were isolated from infected cells. Two types of circular-linear DNA molecules are described, one with a circular component of about 8 micrometer and a linear component of 45 micrometer and the other with a circular component of 45 micrometer and a linear component of 8 micrometer. The circular DNA molecules were either the size of linear DNA molecules or were shorter and corresponded to the length of the L (long) component of linear virus DNA.

DNA, Circular↗

Electrotransformation of Streptococcus pyogenes with plasmid and linear DNA.

Electrotransformation was used to introduce both plasmid and linear DNA into Streptococcus pyogenes. The method was optimized using strain NZ131, for which transformation frequencies up to 10(7) per micrograms of plasmid DNA were obtained. A linear fragment of DNA, containing the streptokinase gene (ska) in which an internal fragment had been replaced with an erythromycin resistance gene (erm), was transformed into strain NZ131 with a frequency of 10(3) per micrograms DNA. The introduction of linear DNA into S. pyogenes by electrotransformation should be useful for future genetic analyses as well as targeted gene replacement.

Blotting, Southern↗

Terminal region recognition factor 1, a DNA-binding protein recognizing the inverted terminal repeats of the pGKl linear DNA plasmids.

The yeast linear DNA plasmids pGKl1 and pGKl2 contain inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) and terminal proteins covalently bound to the 5' termini of each plasmid. The presence of these features suggests a protein-primed mechanism of DNA replication, similar to that exemplified by mammalian adenovirus and phi 29 phage of Bacillus subtilis. In this paper, we report the identification of an activity in cytoplasmic extracts of yeast harboring the pGKl plasmids that recognizes the termini of both pGKl1 and pGKl2. We call this activity TRF1, for terminal region recognition factor 1. Deletion analyses and DNase I protection experiments demonstrate that the activity recognizes base pairs 107-183 within the ITR of pGKl1, and base pairs 126-179 within the ITR of pGKl2. The presence of T-tracts within these two regions, but otherwise dissimilar nucleotide sequences, suggests that TRF1 recognizes a common structural feature within the ITRs of the two plasmids. TRF1 has been partially purified from yeast cytoplasmic extracts and Southwestern analysis indicates that the apparent molecular mass of the protein is 16 kDa. By expressing three open reading frames from pGKl2 in Escherichia coli, we found that open reading frame 10 (ORF10) of pGKl2 encodes TRF1. The sequence of the ORF10 gene product indicates that TRF1 is a highly basic protein of small molecular mass. Comparison of TRF1 with other DNA-binding proteins known to recognize the terminal regions of linear DNAs, such as NFI and NFIII involved in adenovirus DNA replication, and phi 29 p6, involved in phi 29 DNA replication, indicates that TRF1 has a different mode of binding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human 170 kDa and 180 kDa topoisomerases II bind preferentially to curved and left-handed linear DNA.

The binding activities of the 170 kDa and the 180 kDa human topoisomerases II (topo II alpha and topo II beta) to linear DNA fragments with different degrees of curvature were characterized. In gel retardation experiments it was shown that both forms of the enzyme bind preferentially to a curved 287 bp fragment, forming a detectable stable complex. The affinity for straight DNA fragments of similar length is significantly lower. Both a commercially available topo II alpha, isolated from placenta, and topo II alpha and topo II beta purified from nuclear extracts of the Namalwa lymphoma tissue culture line gave similar results. The effects of double-stranded poly[d(A-T)], poly[d(G-C)], supercoiled plasmid DNA and linear Z-DNA on the topo II-complex with curved DNA were analyzed in competition experiments. The hierarchy of affinities of the 180 kDa topo II beta for these DNAs has the order: linear left-handed DNA > supercoiled DNA > or = curved DNA >> poly[d(A-T)] > poly[d(G-C)]. The 170 kDa topo II alpha binds with similar affinity to curved DNA and linear Z-DNA > or = supercoiled DNA >> linear B-DNA. The data imply that human topoisomerase II binding is more sensitive to DNA secondary structure than to DNA sequence per se. The ability of the enzyme to preferentially recognize a wide variety of sequences in unusual secondary structures suggests a mode of targeting the enzyme in vivo to regions of high negative supercoiling.

Animals↗

Ligation of exogenous linear DNA after gene transfer in vitro and in vivo.

BACKGROUND: We have analyzed the physical/topographical state of linear exogenous DNA after gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. METHODS AND RESULTS: Linear DNA carrying a luciferase expression cassette, either intact or corrupted within the coding region, was tested in gene transfer experiments in vitro and in vivo. To this, a plasmid with a CMV-IE1 promoter-driven luciferase gene was rendered non-functional by the insertion of a 1.2 kb EcoRV-EcoRV fragment. After removal of the insert by digestion with EcoRV, the resulting linear DNA fragments were used to transfect HeLa cells. The recovery of luciferase activity from these cells indicated functional reconstitution of the expression cassette. Recovery of low molecular weight DNA from HeLa cells allowed amplification of an intact luciferase gene, confirming accurate ligation of free DNA ends. In the mouse, rapid intravenous injection of plasmid DNA, linearized within the luciferase gene, resulted in significant luciferase activities in liver and lung. Ligation products could be detected by PCR. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that linear DNA is efficiently circularized after gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. Secondly, equally high luciferase activities were observed in the mouse after rapid intravenous injection of luciferase expression cassettes, either consisting of linear DNA produced by PCR, or carried by linearized plasmid DNA. These findings encourage the use of linear DNA elements for gene transfer applications in vivo.

Animals↗

Hairpin plasmid--a novel linear DNA of perfect hairpin structure.

The terminal structures of deletion derivatives of linear DNA killer plasmid from yeast were analyzed. The yeast Kluyveromyces lactis harbors two unique double-stranded linear DNA killer plasmids, pGKL1 of 8.9 kb and pGKL2 of 13.4 kb. The killer toxin and the resistance to the killer are coded by pGKL1, while pGKL2 is required for the maintenance of pGKL1 in the cell. When the pGKL plasmids from K. lactis were transferred into Saccharomyces cerevisiae by transformation, non-killer transformants harboring pGKL2 and new plasmids, F1 of 7.8 kb and F2 of 3.9 kb, were obtained. F2 was shown to be a linear DNA arising from a 5-kb deletion of the right part of pGKL1. F1 was an inverted dimer of F2. Here we show that F2 has two different terminal structures: one end has a protein attached at the 5' terminus whereas the two strands of duplex are linked together at the other end, thus forming a hairpin structure. This is a novel type of autonomously replicating DNA molecule.

Base Sequence↗

Viscometric analysis of the interaction of bisphenanthridinium compounds with closed circular supercoiled and linear DNA.

The interaction with closed circular supercoiled and linear DNA of bisphenanthridinium compounds substituted through both the meta and para positions of the 6-phenyl group, along with appropriate monomer intercalators as controls, has been investigated by viscometric titration. When CPK models for the phenanthridinium rings of the three bis-compounds are oriented in a parallel manner as a model for intercalation, their ring plane to ring plane distances are approximately 7 to 8 A (SR 2430), 11 A (SR 2193), and 15 A (SR 2166). In SR 2430 the two phenanthridines are linked through the para positions of the 6-phenyl group; this chain allows intercalation of the two rings at adjacent binding sites in DNA, but is not long enough to accommodate an excluded site. The viscometric titrations with both superhelical and linear DNA clearly indicate that SR 2430 gives results close to those of the monomer control compounds while SR 2193 and SR 2166 have approximately twice the unwinding angle and DNA length increase on binding to DNA as the monomer compounds. These phenanthridinium compounds, therefore, are capable of bisintercalation only if their linking groups are of sufficient length to allow an excluded binding site between base pairs. This conclusion is supported by DNA thermal denaturation experiments in the presence of these compounds.

Chemical Phenomena↗

Nature of phi chi 174 linear DNA from a DNA ligase-defective host.

Linear DNAs have been prepared from phiX phage and from phiX RF II (double-stranded circular form of phiX DNA, formed during infection and nicked in one or both strands) molecules derived from infection at the restrictive temperature of Escherichia coli ts7, a host mutant with a temperature-sensitive DNA ligase activity. The linear DNA from these phages can be circularized by annealing with fragments of phiX RF DNA produced by the Haemophilus influenzae restriction nuclease. The circularization experiment indicated that the site of breakage of the linear phage DNAs is not unique nor confined to a particular region of the genome. These linear DNAs were less than 0.1% as infective as circular phage DNA. The linear, positive strand of late RF II DNA, however, is uniquely nicked in the region of the phiX genome corresponding to cistron A. Although a low level of infectivity is associated with the linear DNA derived from late RF II, this infectivity appears to be a result of the association of linear positive and linear negative strands during the infectivity assay.

Coliphages↗

Rotor speed dependent sedimentation of circular and linear DNA.

The sedimentation rate of large, linear DNA molecules has been shown to be rotor speed dependent (Rubenstein and Leighton, Biophys. Chem. 1 (1974)). In this communication we report the first studies designed to measure the rotor speed effect with a homogenous, linear viral DNA larger than bacteriophage T2 DNA. We also report the first studies using a homogenous, circular episomal DNA of known molecular weight. For this circular DNA a small rotor speed effect, previously unsuspected, was discovered.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Rotor speed dependent sedimentation of circular and linear DNA.

The sedimentation rate of large, linear DNA molecules has been shown to be rotor speed dependent (Rubenstein and Leighton, Biophys. Chem. 1 (1974)). In this communication we report the first studies designed to measure the rotor speed effect with a homogenous, linear viral DNA larger than bacteriophage T2 DNA. We also report the first studies using a homogenous, circular episomal DNA of known molecular weight. For this circular DNA a small rotor speed effect, previously unsuspected, was discovered.

Journal Article↗

Molecular interaction between simian virus 40 DNA and Escherichia coli RNA polymerase. Mapping of the initiation sites on supercoiled and linear DNA.

A detailed map of the initiation sites recognized by the Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (holoenzyme) on simian virus 40 (SV40) DNA has been constructed. An approach is described in order to compare the sites recognized on supercoiled as well as relaxed linear DNA. For localization of the initiation sites on supercoiled DNA, RNA polymerase-SV40 DNA Form I binary complexes are stabilized by incubation with three ribonucleoside triphosphates. The stable initiation complexes are cleaved with single cut restriction endonucleases in order to generate termination sites at precisely defined locations. Elongation of the RNA chains up to the cleavage site produces a defined set of discrete RNA species, whose size can be determined with accuracy by agarose gel electrophoresis following glyoxal denaturation. Each transcript is oriented by following two different experimental approaches. 1) The DNA of an SV40 deletion mutant is used as a template in comparison with that of wild type SV40; and 2) the RNAs synthesized after cleavage with different single cut restriction endonucleases are compared. Determination of the length and polarity of these RNAs allows us to accurately position the initiation sites on the physical map of the SV40 genome. A similar analysis was conducted for the mapping of the initiation sites recognized on precut linear SV40 DNA. Comparison of the two templates (supercoiled and linear) reveals that modification of the DNA conformation affects selection by the enzyme of certain promoters. Although most of the promoters are common to both templates, four are specifically recognized on superhelical DNA, while two others are used exclusively on linear SV40 DNA.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗

PCR-generated linear DNA fragments utilized as a hantavirus DNA vaccine.

The field of DNA vaccines has grown rapidly, and since most such vaccines involve the inoculation of large circular DNA molecules previously propagated in bacteria, several inconveniences (e.g. the presence of antibiotic resistance genes, impurities from bacterial cultures or inefficient uptake of the large and bulky plasmid DNA molecules to the nucleus) are debated. In this study, we have explored the possibility of using smaller and more flexible PCR-generated linear DNA fragments instead. Phosphorothioate (PTO)-modified primers were used successfully to protect the PCR-generated DNA fragments from exonuclease degradation, and by using a nuclear localization signal-peptide to target the linear DNA to the nucleus the immune response against the encoded antigen was further improved. This approach was tested in cell culture using a sensitive reporter system and in vivo with DNA encoding the amino-terminus of the Puumala hantavirus nucleocapsid protein. Our results indicate that linear DNA fragments have a great potential as a genetic vaccine and phosphorothioate modification in combination with a nuclear localization signal peptide increase the stability and targets the linear DNA molecules to the nucleus resulting in an improved biological response examined both in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗

Linear DNA low efficiency transfection by liposome can be improved by the use of cationic lipid as charge neutralizer.

A plasmid expressing the beta-galactosidase enzyme was used to transfect Vero cells in order to evaluate the efficiency of a liposome-mediated transfection by circular and linear DNA. The results obtained showed a low rate of transfection by linear DNA:liposome complexes. To explore whether the structure of the complexes was interfering with the transfection, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used. It has confirmed the difference between the linear and circular condensates: whereas the circular DNA:liposome complexes presented compact spherical or cylindrical structures of about 100-800 nm, the linear DNA showed pearl necklace-like structures, with pearls varying from 250 to 400 nm. On the basis of the theory proposed by Kuhn et al. (1999), low concentrations of cationic amphihile were used to neutralize or reverse the DNA charge in order to improve the transfection efficiency of the linear DNA. Using this method, we were able to obtain the expression of the transgene without an associated toxicity observed with the linear DNA liposome delivery.

Animals↗