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A computer program for selection of oligonucleotide primers for polymerase chain reactions.

We have designed a computer program which rapidly scans nucleic acid sequences to select all possible pairs of oligonucleotides suitable for use as primers to direct efficient DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction. This program is based on a set of rules which define in generic terms both the sequence composition of the primers and the amplified region of DNA. These rules (1) enhance primer-to-target sequence hybridization avidity at critical 3'-end extension initiation sites, (2) facilitate attainment of full length extension during the 72 degrees C phase, by minimizing generation of incomplete or nonspecific product and (3) limit primer losses occurring from primer-self or primer-primer homologies. Three examples of primer sets chosen by the program that correctly amplified the target regions starting from RNA are shown. This program should facilitate the rapid selection of effective and specific primers from long gene sequences while providing a flexible choice of various primers to focus study on particular regions of interest.

Algorithms↗

Characterization of Bacterial Communities from Activated Sludge: Culture-Dependent Numerical Identification Versus In Situ Identification Using Group- and Genus-Specific rRNA-Targeted Oligonucleotide Probes

The structures of bacterial communities were studied in activated sludge samples obtained from the aerobic and anaerobic zones of a wastewater treatment plant showing enhanced phosphorous removal. Samples were analyzed by in situ hybridization with oligonucleotide probes complementary to selected regions of the 16S and 23S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) characteristic for defined phylogenetic entities (genera and larger groups). The microbial community structures revealed by molecular techniques were compared with the compositions of culturable bacterial communities, obtained from the characterization of 255 isolates from tryptone-soy (TS) agar and R2A agar. These isolates were characterized by 89 physiological tests and their cellular fatty acid patterns, and identified. Culture-dependent techniques indicated the following distribution: different Aeromonas spp. (2.7-8.3% on R2A agar; 45.0-63.7% on TS agar), Acinetobacter spp. (5.4-9.0% on R2A agar; 5.0-9.1% on TS agar), Pseudomonas spp. (up to 10% on R2A agar) and Shewanella putrefaciens (up to 3.0% on R2A agar), all members of the gamma subclass of Proteobacteria, were isolated most frequently. The relatively rare isolates of the beta subclass were identified as Acidovorax spp., Alcaligenes spp., and Comamonas spp.. The Gram-positive bacteria (high DNA G+C) were assigned mainly to Arthrobacter spp., Microbacterium spp., and Mycobacterium phlei. In order to assess the in situ abundance of the most frequently isolated genus, Aeromonas, two rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes were developed. The two gamma proteobacterial genera Aeromonas and Acinetobacter constituted less than 5% of all bacteria. In situ, Proteobacteria belonging to the beta subclass and high G+C Gram-positive bacteria were dominant. From filamentous bacteria, Sphaerotilus spp. and Leptothrix spp. could be detected occasionally. In addition, one sample contained a high proportion of the morphologically distinct filaments of Microthrix parvicella.

Journal Article↗

Design of bifunctional oligonucleotide intercalator conjugates as inhibitors of gene expression.

Oligonucleotide-intercalator conjugates have been designed to control gene expression at the translational and transcriptional level. The intercalator provides an additional binding energy when the oligonucleotide binds either to a complementary sequence on a single-stranded nucleic acid or to a homopurine.homopyrimidine sequence on duplex DNA. The oligonucleotide-intercalator conjugate can arrest translation of a mRNA (the "antisense" strategy); it can block transcription of DNA (the "antigene" strategy). Some of the intercalators that we have chosen can induce irreversible reactions in their target sequence. Here we summarize the reactions that can be targeted to specific sequences of duplex DNA. Phenanthroline induces cleavage of the two strands of duplex DNA in the presence of Cu(II) and a reducing agent. Ellipticine derivatives can be used to photo-induce cleavage. Psoralen derivatives can cross-link the two strands of DNA under near UV irradiation. In all cases the chemical or photochemical reactions are targeted to a specific sequence of duplex DNA.

Animals↗

A pseudosquare knot structure of DNA in solution.

We report a high-resolution NMR structure of a homodimer formed by a synthetic 25 residue DNA oligonucleotide GCTCCCATGGTTTTTGTGCACGAGC. This structure presents a novel structural motif for single-stranded nucleic acids, called a pseudosquare knot (PSQ). The oligonucleotide was originally designed to mimic a slipped-loop structure (SLS), another "unusual" DNA structure postulated as an alternative conformation for short direct repeats in double-stranded DNA. The design of the sequence is compatible with both SLS and PSQ structures, both of which possess identical sets of base-paired and unpaired nucleotides but different tertiary folds. We used deuteration of the H8 positions of purines to ascertain that the PSQ is actually formed under the conditions used. The PSQ structure was solved based on homonuclear proton nuclear Overhauser effect data using complete relaxation matrix methods. The structure essentially consists of two side-by-side helices connected by single-stranded loops. Each of the helices is well-defined; however, the relative orientation of the two remains undetermined by the NMR data. The sequences compatible with the PSQ formation are frequent in single-stranded genomes; this structure may play a role as a dimerization motif.

Base Composition↗

Design of luminescent biochips based on enzyme, antibody, or DNA composite layers.

The use of beads bearing bioactive molecules to develop generic biochips based on chemi- and electro-chemiluminescent detection was evaluated. The biochips were composed of arrayed biosensors, including enzyme-charged beads, antigen-charged beads, or oligonucleotide-charged beads, entrapped in poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA-SbQ) photopolymer. In each case the sensing layers were spotted at the surface of a glassy carbon electrode as 0.3 microL drops, generating 500-800 microm spots. The luminescent reactions were either catalysed by horseradish peroxidase or triggered by application of a +850 mV potential between the glassy carbon electrode and a platinum pseudo-reference. Enzyme biochips were designed for the concomitant detection of choline, glucose, glutamate, lactate, lysine, and urate, based on the corresponding oxidase-charged beads and the electro-chemiluminescent (ECL) reaction with luminol-immobilised beads of the hydrogen peroxide produced. Limits of detection of 1 micromol L(-1) for glutamate, lysine and uric acid, 20 micromol L(-1) for glucose, and 2 micromol L(-1) for choline and lactate were found with detection ranging over three decades at least. Use of the electro-chemiluminescent biochip was extended to a tri-enzymatic sensing layer based on kinase-oxidase activity for detection of acetate. A reaction sequence using acetate kinase, pyruvate kinase, and pyruvate oxidase enabled the production of H2O2 in response to acetate injection in the range 10 micromol L(-1) to 100 mmol L(-1). Based on IgG-bearing beads, a chemiluminescent immuno-biochip has been also realised for the model detection of human IgG. Biotin-labelled anti-human IgG were used in a competitive assay, in conjunction with peroxidase-labelled streptavidin. Free antigen could then be detected with a detection limit of 25 pg (10(8) molecules) and up to 15 ng. In a similar way, the use of oligonucleotide-immobilised beads enabled the realisation of DNA-sensitive biochips which could be used to detect a biotin-labelled sequence al a level of 5x10(8) molecules.

Antibodies↗

Different conformational families of pyrimidine.purine.pyrimidine triple helices depending on backbone composition.

Different helical conformations of DNA (D), RNA (R), and DNA.RNA (DR) hybrid double and triple helices have been detected using affinity cleavage analysis. Synthetic methods were developed to attach EDTA.Fe to a single nucleotide on RNA as well as DNA oligonucleotides. Cleavage patterns generated by a localized diffusible oxidant in the major groove on the pyrimidine strand of four purine.pyrimidine double helices consisting of all DNA, all RNA, and the corresponding hybrids reveal that the relative cleavage intensity shifts to the 5' end of the purine strand increasingly in the order: DD < DR < RD < RR. These results are consistent with models derived from structural studies. In six pyrimidine.purine.pyrimidine triple helices, the altered cleavage patterns of the Watson-Crick pyrimidine strands reveal at least two conformational families: (i) D + DD, R + DD, D + DR, and R + DR and (ii) R + RD and R + RR.

DNA↗

Evaluation of 2'-modified oligonucleotides containing 2'-deoxy gaps as antisense inhibitors of gene expression.

We have used a previously described 17-mer phosphorothioate (Monia, B.P., Johnston, J.F., Ecker, D. J., Zounes, M.A., Lima, W.F., and Freier, S.M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 19954-19962) for structure-function analysis of 2'-sugar modifications including 2'-O-methyl, 2'-O-propyl, 2'-O-pentyl, and 2'-fluoro. These modifications were analyzed for hybridization affinity to complementary RNA and for antisense activity against the Ha-ras oncogene in cells using a highly sensitive transactivation reporter gene system. Hybridization analysis demonstrated that all of the 2'-modified oligonucleotides hybridized with greater affinity to RNA than an unmodified 2'-deoxy oligonucleotide with the rank order of affinity being 2'-fluoro > 2'-O-methyl > 2'-O-propyl > 2'-O-pentyl > 2'-deoxy. Evaluation of antisense activities of uniformly 2'-modified oligonucleotides revealed that these compounds were completely ineffective in inhibiting Ha-ras gene expression. Activity was restored if the compound contained a stretch of at least five 2'-deoxy residues. This minimum deoxy length correlated perfectly with the minimum length required for efficient RNase H activation in vitro using partially purified mammalian RNase H enzyme. These chimeric 2'-modified/deoxy phosphorothioates displayed greater antisense potencies in inhibiting Ha-ras gene expression, compared with the unmodified uniform deoxy phosphorothioate. Furthermore, antisense potency correlated directly with affinity of a given 2' modification for it's complementary RNA. These results demonstrate the importance of target affinity in the action of antisense oligonucleotides and of RNase H as a mechanism by which these compounds exert their effects.

Base Composition↗

A putative protein kinase gene (kin1+) is important for growth polarity in Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Mixed synthetic oligonucleotides encoding a sequence conserved among tyrosine-specific protein kinases were used to probe the genome of the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. A single gene (kin1+) was isolated that encodes a putative protein kinase closely related to the KIN1- and KIN2-encoded serine/threonine-specific protein kinases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. kin1+ is transcribed into a 3.5-kilobase mRNA that contains an uninterrupted open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 98 kDa. In contrast to results obtained with kin mutants of S. cerevisiae, disruption of the Sc. pombe kin1+ gene resulted in recessive morphological and growth defects. kin1-disrupted cells grew slowly on enriched medium and grew as spheres, in contrast to wild-type Sc. pombe cells, which grow as rods. Relative to kin1+ cells, kin1-disrupted cells were differentially sensitive to lysis by treatment with alpha- and beta-glucanases, suggesting an alteration in either the composition or the organization of their cell walls.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Augmented levels of macrophage and Th1 cell-related cytokine mRNA in submandibular glands of MRL/lpr mice with autoimmune sialoadenitis.

MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) mice spontaneously develop destructive inflammation of the salivary and lachrymal glands resembling Sjögren's syndrome (SS), representing an animal model to study this disease. We used in situ hybridization with synthetic radiolabelled oligonucleotide probes to examine expression of mRNA encoding pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in submandibular glands of 2, 3, 4 and 5-month-old MRL/lpr mice. Phenotypic composition of submandibular gland infiltrates was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Cells expressing tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-12 mRNA were strongly up-regulated at about the time of onset of sialoadenitis, suggesting a role of these cytokines in development of the disease. Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and cytolysin mRNA-expressing cells were gradually up-regulated over the disease course up to 5 months of age, the time when sialoadenitis is at its height, favouring a role of these cytokines in progression of the disease as well. Low levels of IL-10 and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) mRNA-expressing cells were observed at 2, 3 and 4 months of age, and were almost undetectable at 5 months. Maximum levels of CD4+, CD8+ and interdigitating/dendritic cells, as well as of MHC class II and MHC class I expression were seen at 3 months, with CD4+ outnumbering CD8+ cells. Maximum levels of macrophages were seen at 4 months of age. These data argue for a major role of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, IL- 12, IFN-gamma and cytolysin in initiation and perpetuation of autoimmune sialoadenitis in MRL/lpr mice, probably in conjunction with an insufficiency of the anti-inflammatory cytokines TGF-beta and IL-10.

Animals↗

The complete genome sequence of Escherichia coli K-12.

The 4,639,221-base pair sequence of Escherichia coli K-12 is presented. Of 4288 protein-coding genes annotated, 38 percent have no attributed function. Comparison with five other sequenced microbes reveals ubiquitous as well as narrowly distributed gene families; many families of similar genes within E. coli are also evident. The largest family of paralogous proteins contains 80 ABC transporters. The genome as a whole is strikingly organized with respect to the local direction of replication; guanines, oligonucleotides possibly related to replication and recombination, and most genes are so oriented. The genome also contains insertion sequence (IS) elements, phage remnants, and many other patches of unusual composition indicating genome plasticity through horizontal transfer.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Viral contribution to dissolved DNA in the marine environment as determined by differential centrifugation and kingdom probing.

Dissolved or filterable (<0.2-(mu)m-pore-size filter) DNA is a ubiquitous component of the dissolved organic matter in the surface waters of this planet. In an effort to understand the composition and possible sources, we subjected dissolved DNA concentrated by vortex flow filtration from offshore and coastal environments to differential centrifugation and probing with 16S rRNA-targeted kingdom oligonucleotide probes. Initial studies with calf thymus soluble DNA and T2 phage particles indicated that high-speed ultracentrifugation (201,000 x g for 90 min), a method to separate viral particles from soluble DNA used by other investigators, resulted in pelleting of nearly all the DNA and virus particles. Lower-speed centrifugation (11,200 to 25,800 x g for 90 min) resulted in >99% of the virus particles being collected in the pellet and (equiv)65% of the calf thymus DNA remaining in the supernatant. Employing this approach, we estimate that approximately 50% of the filterable DNA from marine environments is truly soluble or free DNA and that the other half is composed of bound forms (viral particles and, potentially, colloids). Of the bound form, 17 to 30% could be accounted for by viral particles, by calculating the amount of viral DNA on the basis of viral abundance, leaving a portion of the bound form uncharacterized. Kingdom probing with universal, eubacterial, and eucaryotic probes indicated that dissolved DNA hybridized with all of these probes, while purified standard viral DNAs did not, or hybridized only slightly with the universal probe (tailed oligonucleotide only). Collectively, these data indicate that DNA in viral particles is a small component of the dissolved DNA, the majority being of eubacterial and eucaryotic origin.

Journal Article↗

Laser isolation of plant sex chromosomes: studies on the DNA composition of the X and Y sex chromosomes of Silene latifolia.

X and Y sex chromosomes from the dioecious plant Silene latifolia (white campion) were isolated from mitotic metaphase chromosome preparations on polyester membranes. Autosomes were ablated using an argon ion laser microbeam and isolated sex chromosomes were then recovered on excised fragments of polyester membrane. Sex chromosome associated DNA sequences were amplified using the degenerate oligonucleotide primed polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR) and pools of DOP-PCR products were used to investigate the genomic organization of the S. latifolia sex chromosomes. The chromosomal locations of cloned sex chromosome repeat sequences were analysed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and data complementary to laser ablation studies were obtained by genomic in situ hybridization. In combination, these studies demonstrate that the X and Y sex chromosomes of S. latifolia are of very similar DNA composition and also that they share a significant repetitive DNA content with the autosomes. The evolution of sex chromosomes in Silene is discussed and compared with that in another dioecious species, Rumex acetosa.

DNA, Plant↗

Recognition of specific DNA sequences by mitomycin C for alkylation.

Synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotides were reacted with mitomycin C (MC) under conditions which restricted MC to monofunctional alkylating activity. The yields of monofunctional alkylation of oligonucleotides with variable sequence were determined by enzymatic digestion of the reaction mixture to unreacted nucleosides and the product of alkylation, a MC-deoxyguanosine adduct (2), followed by quantitative analysis by HPLC. The relative yields of 2 reflected relative monoalkylation reactivities. They were compared in a series of oligonucleotides having the sequence 5'-NGN' in which the 5'-base was varied while the 3'-base was kept constant as T. Under Na2S2O4 activation conditions a striking enhancement of the yield was observed at the 5'-CG sequence: 36%, compared to 2% at 5'-AG and 4.1% at 5'-TG. The 5'-GG sequence also showed enhanced reactivity although to a lesser extent (14.7%). The enhancements were specific to the duplex state of the oligonucleotides. Using NADPH:cytochrome c reductase as the reducing agent gave similar results. MC activated by acidic pH also displayed 5'-CG alkylation specificity. 10-Decarbamoyl-MC activated by Na2S2O4 showed the same 5'-CG specificity as MC. Replacement of deoxyguanosine by deoxyinosine in the opposite strand at a 5'-CG site abolished the enhancement of alkylation. Such replacement at a 5'-GG site had a similar effect. It was found that the base 3' to the guanine had only a relatively modest modulating effect on the enhanced reactivity of the G at the 5'-CG sequence. This 3'-base effect appeared to be independent of the 5'-base of the 5'-NGN' triplet. The order of reactivity is 3'-(C greater than T greater than A).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkylating Agents↗

Distinct spatiotemporal distributions of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor channel subunit mRNAs in the mouse cervical cord.

The distribution of five N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channel subunit mRNAs in the mouse spinal cord from embryonic day 13 (E13) through postnatal day 56 (P56) was semiquantitatively examined at the cervical level via in situ hybridization with subunit-specific oligonucleotide probes. Signals for the epsilon 1 subunit mRNA were restricted to the most ventral portion of the spinal cord during embryonic stages. They extended to all laminae of the spinal cord except for the lamina 2 (substantia gelatinosa) during postnatal development. A wide expression of the epsilon 2 subunit mRNA was found in the spinal gray matter from E13 through neonatal stages, but the signals became restricted to the lamina 2 by P21. No significant signals for the epsilon 3 subunit mRNA were detected in the spinal cord at any developmental stages. The epsilon 4 subunit mRNA was distributed widely in the spinal cord during embryonic and early postnatal periods but decreased nearly to background levels by P21. In contrast to the differential distribution of the epsilon subunit mRNAs, the zeta 1 subunit mRNA was found ubiquitously at each developmental stage examined. These findings suggest that the molecular organization of the epsilon subunits may be different between the dorsal horn and the remaining regions in the mature spinal cord, which provides a molecular basis for functional heterogeneity of the NMDA receptor channel. Moreover, this spatial heterogeneity might be generated through drastic alterations in the subunit composition of the channel complex during spinal cord development.

Animals↗

Template-directed synthesis on the oligonucleotide d(C7-G-C7).

When the deoxynucleotide template d(C7-G-C7) is incubated with the activated nucleotides 2-MeImpG and 2-MeImpC, a series of oligomers of G up to the sevenmer and a series of copolymers of composition GnC with n = 3 to 13 are formed. Oligomers GnC with n greater than 7 are completely degraded by pancreatic ribonuclease, establishing that they contain a 3' to 5' internucleotide bond between 5'-C and 3'-G within a sequence of the form (pG)ipC(pG)j. As expected, (pG)7-Cp and (pG)6-Cp are major hydrolysis products. Detailed analysis of the product distribution shows that a substantial fraction of the oligomeric products are of the type (pG)ipC(pG)j with i less than 7. This shows that product synthesis does not necessarily begin at the 3' terminus of the template. The significance of this finding in terms of the origin of molecular replication is discussed.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

Effect of third strand composition on the triple helix formation: purine versus pyrimidine oligodeoxynucleotides.

Exon 5 of the human aprt gene contains an oligo-purine-oligopyrimidine stretch of 17 bp (5'-CCCTCTTCTCTCTCCT-3') within the coding region. (T,C)-, (G,T)- and (G,A)-containing oligonucleotides were compared for their ability to form stable triple helices with their DNA target. (G,T) oligodeoxynucleotides, whether parallel or antiparallel, were unable to bind to this sequence. This is in contrast to (G,A) (purine) and (T,C) (pyrimidine) oligonucleotides, which bind to the duplex at near neutral pH. Binding was highly sequence specific, as unrelated competitors were unable to interfere with target recognition. A major difference between the purine and pyrimidine oligodeoxynucleotides was observed in the kinetics of binding: the (G,A) oligonucleotide binds to its target much faster than the (T,C) oligomer. With the purine oligonucleotide, complete binding was achieved in a matter of minutes at micromolar concentrations, whereas several hours were required with the pyrimidine oligomer. Thus, the general observation that triplex formation is slow with pyrimidine oligodeoxynucleotides does not hold for (G,A) oligodeoxynucleotides. Purine and pyrimidine oligodeoxynucleotides covalently linked to a psoralen group were able to induce crosslinks on the double-stranded DNA target upon UV irradiation. This study provides a detailed comparison of the different types of DNA triplexes under the same experimental conditions.

Acridines↗

Kinetics of extension of O6-methylguanine paired with cytosine or thymine in defined oligonucleotide sequences.

The frequency of extending m6G.C or m6G.T pairs, when the 3' and 5' flanking neighbors of m6G are either cytosines or thymines, was investigated using primed 25-base-long oligonucleotides and the Klenow fragment of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I (Kf). The efficiency, Vmax/Km, of extension to the following normal base pair was up to 40-fold greater than for the formation of the m6G.T or m6G.C pair. The frequencies of inserting either dCMP or dTMP opposite these m6G bases did not appear to be different in the two sequences, C-m6G-C and T-m6G-T, but extension was favored in the C-m6G-C sequence. The m6G.T pair extended to a C.G pair most efficiently, indicating that it was not a strong block to continued replication past the template lesion. Thus, m6G.T flanked by cytosines replicates more readily than when flanked by thymines, increasing G----A transitions. These data lend further support to the importance of sequence context in mutagenesis.

Base Composition↗

Differential regional distribution of AMPA receptor subunit messenger RNAs in the human spinal cord as visualized by in situ hybridization.

The electrophysiological characteristics of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors vary with their subunit composition. The establishment of the subunit distribution is an essential step in the understanding of the function of these receptors. In the spinal cord, AMPA receptors are involved in normal and, possibly, pathological processes. Using in situ hybridization histochemistry with radiolabelled oligonucleotides as probes, we have studied the distribution of AMPA receptor subunit messenger RNAs (spliced flip and flop variants of glutamate receptor subunits A-D) in the human post mortem spinal cord. Transcripts for flip variants were preferentially expressed in the superficial dorsal horn, with a dorsoventral decreasing gradient of the signals. Transcripts for flop variants were also abundantly present in all layers of the gray matter, with the highest signal being observed for glutamate receptor subunit Bflop. Accordingly, flop forms were predominant in areas other than the superficial dorsal horn. This differential distribution of transcripts in the dorsal horn suggests that the subunit composition of AMPA receptors varies with the afferent inputs; AMPA receptors on neurons in the superficial dorsal horn, where terminals of thin primary afferents conducting noxious information are located, contain more flip forms, whereas neurons in the deep dorsal horn, where thick primary afferents mediating innocuous stimuli terminate, have AMPA receptors which are mainly composed of flop forms of glutamate receptor subunits A and B. The relatively high abundance of glutamate receptor subunit B transcripts in the superficial laminae of the dorsal horn indicates that AMPA receptors in these laminae have lower Ca2+ permeability. In addition, the relative abundance of glutamate receptor subunits Bflip and Dflop may show that AMPA receptors in the superficial dorsal horn have slow desensitization, while those of motor neurons have rapid desensitization.

Adult↗