Name: preparation of multifunctional silk-based microcapsules loaded with dna plasmids encoding rna aptamers and riboswitches
Uploaded: 2021-10-08T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation of Multifunctional Silk-Based Microcapsules Loaded with DNA Plasmids Encoding RNA Aptamers and Riboswitches at JoVE.com

This work was supported by LRIR 16RH3003J grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, as well as the Synthetic Biology for Military Environments Applied Research for the Advancement of S&#38;T Priorities (ARAP) program of the U.S. Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.
The plasmid vector sequence for ThyRS (pSALv-RS-GFPa1, 3.4 kb) was generously provided by Dr. J. Gallivan. Silkworm cocoons from Bombyx mori were generously donated by Dr. D.L. Kaplan from Tufts University, MA.

1. Construction of plasmid vector.
<ol>
	<li>Construct a plasmid vector (pSALv-RS-GFPa1, 3.4 kb) by amplification of the coding sequence of a theophylline riboswitch (ThyRS) coupled with GFPa1 from pJ201:23976-RS-GFPa1 vector (designed and created by DNA2.0) and insertion into E. coli expression vector, pSAL13. Use forward (5&#39;-CGTGGTACCGGTGATACCAGCATCGTCTTGATG-3&#39;) and reverse (5&#39;-CGTGCTCAGCTTAAGCCAGCTCGTAG-3&#39;) primers to amplify the coding sequence of ThyRS coupled with ...

<ol>
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Selectively permeable hydrogel microcapsules loaded with various types of DNA-encoded sensor designs can be prepared following this protocol. One of the distinctive features of the LbL approach is the ability to tailor the complexity of microcapsules during the bottom-up assembly, which usually starts with the adsorption of molecular species on sacrificial templates. By carefully adjusting concentrations of the initial components, pH conditions, and the number of layers, microcapsules with different DNA loading parameter...

The field of synthetic biology offers unique opportunities to develop sensing capabilities by exploiting natural mechanisms evolved by microorganisms to monitor their environment and potential threats. Importantly, these sensing mechanisms are typically linked to a response that protects these microorganisms from harmful exposure, regulating gene expression to mitigate negative effects or prevent intake of toxic materials. There have been significant efforts to engineer these microorganisms to create whole-cell sensors taking advantage of these natural responses but re-directing them to recognize novel targets and/or to produce a measurable signal that can be measured for quantification purposes (typically fluorescence)1,2. Currently, concerns with the use of genetically modified microorganisms (GMOs), especially when releasing in the environment or the human body, due to leakage of whole cells or some of their genetic material, even if encapsulated in a polymer matrix, suggest that alternative ways to exploit these sensing approaches are needed3.
A powerful approach to exploit the benefits of microorganisms-based sensing without the concern for the deployment of GMOs is the use of in vitro transcription/translation (IVTT) systems. From a practical perspective, IVTT systems consist of a mixture containing most of the cell components in an active state that has been &#34;extracted&#34; from cells by different means, including sonication, bead-beating, or others4. The final product of this process is a biochemical reaction mixture already optimized to perform transcription and translation that can be used to test different sensors in an &#34;open vessel&#34; format, without the constraints associated with the use of whole cells (membrane diffusion, transformation efficiency, cell toxicity, etc.). Importantly, different sensor components can be quantitatively added, and their effect studied by different optical and spectrometric techniques, as we have demonstrated5. It has been noticed that the performance of IVTT systems can be inconsistent; however, recent studies have shown approaches to standardize their preparation and characterization, which is of great help when studying their performance in sensor design6. Recently, many examples of IVTT systems using to create paper-based assays through the lyophilization of their components in paper matrices have been demonstrated, including detection of heavy metal ions, drugs, quorum sensing elements, and others7,8,9. An exciting application space for IVTT-based sensors is their use in sensing applications in different types of environments, including soil, water, and the human body. In order to deploy these IVTT systems to these challenging environments, an encapsulation approach need to be implemented to contain the IVTT components and protect them from degradation.
The most common encapsulation approaches for IVTT systems include the use of lipid capsules, micelles, polymersomes, and other tightly enclosed microcontainers10,11,12. One disadvantage of this approach is the need to incorporate either passive or active mechanisms to transport materials in and out of the containers to allow communication with the external environment and provide sensing capabilities. To overcome some of these issues, the study here reports a method that provides a simple yet effective approach to encapsulate the encoding materials for different sensor designs to be expressed in IVTT systems. This approach is based on the use of Layer-by-Layer (LbL) deposition of a biopolymer in the presence of the plasmids of interest to create hollow microcapsules with high porosity, which allows the protected genetic material to interact with the different components of the IVTT of choice. The study demonstrated that encapsulated plasmids could direct transcription and translation when activated within this polymeric matrix, as shown with the response of a plasmid-encoded aptamer and a riboswitch to their corresponding targets. Additionally, this LbL coating protects the plasmids for months without any special storage conditions.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>(Z)-4-(3,5-difluoro-4-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-methyl-1-(2,2,2-trifluoroethyl)-1H-imidazol-5(4 H)-one (DFHBI-1T)</td>
			<td>Lucerna</td>
			<td>DFHBI-1T</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>5x T4 DNA Ligase Buffer</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>46300-018</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>6x Blue Gel Loading Dye</td>
			<td>New England BioLabs</td>
			<td>B7021S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>96-well plates, black circular</td>
			<td>Corning</td>
			<td>3601</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Agarose</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>A9539</td>
			<td>BioReagent, for molecular biology, low EEO</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Ampicillin sodium salt</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>A0166</td>
			<td>powder or crystals, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>BlpI restriction enzymes</td>
			<td>New England BioLabs</td>
			<td>R0585S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Corning Disposable Vacuum Filter/Storage Systems</td>
			<td>FisherScientific</td>
			<td>09-761-1</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Dimethyl sulfoxide, DMSO</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>472301</td>
			<td>ACS reagent, &#8805;99.9%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DNA Plasmid, pET28c-F30-2x Broccoli (5.4 kb), BrocApt.</td>
			<td>Addgene</td>
			<td>Plasmid #66788</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DyLightTM550 Antibody Labeling kit (Invitrogen)</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>84530</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>E. coli S30 extract system for circular DNA</td>
			<td>Promega</td>
			<td>L1020</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon Conical centrifuge tubes, 15 mL</td>
			<td>FisherScientific</td>
			<td>14-959-53A</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Falcon Conical centrifuge tubes, 50 mL</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>14-432-22</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Fisherbrand Microcentrifuge tubes, 1.5 mL</td>
			<td>FisherScientific</td>
			<td>05-408-129</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Hydrofluoric acid, HF</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>695068</td>
			<td>ACS reagent, 48%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Kanamycin sulfate</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>60615</td>
			<td>mixture of Kanamycin A (main component) and Kanamycin B and C</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>KpnI restriction enzymes</td>
			<td>New England BioLabs</td>
			<td>R0142S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LB agar plate supplemented with 100 &#181;g/mL ampicillin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>L5667</td>
			<td>pre-poured agar plates with 100 &#181;g/mL ampicillin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LB agar plate supplemented with 50 &#181;g/mL kanamycin</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>L0543</td>
			<td>pre-poured agar plates with 50 &#181;g/mL kanamycin</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>LB broth (Lennox grade)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>L3022</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lithium bromide, LiBr</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>213225</td>
			<td>ReagentPlus, &#8805;99%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Max Efficiency DH5-&#945; competent E. coli strain</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>18258012</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Methanol</td>
			<td>MilliporeSigma</td>
			<td>322415</td>
			<td>anhydrous, 99.8%</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MilliQ-water</td>
			<td>EMD MilliPore</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Milli-Q Reference Water Purification System</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>MinElute PCR Purification Kit</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>28004</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>N-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-N&#8242;-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride, EDC</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>E1769</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PBS (phosphate buffered saline)</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>10010023</td>
			<td>1x PBS, pH 7.4</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Phusion High-Fidelity DNA Polymerase</td>
			<td>New England Biolabs</td>
			<td>M0530S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyethylenimine, branched</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>408727</td>
			<td>average Mw ~25,000</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PURExpress In Vitro Protein Synthesis Kit</td>
			<td>New England BioLabs</td>
			<td>E6800S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>QIAEX II Gel Extraction Kit</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>20021</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>QIAprep Spin Miniprep Kit</td>
			<td>Qiagen</td>
			<td>&#160;27104</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Quick-Load 2-Log DNA Ladder (0.1-10.0 kb)</td>
			<td>New England BioLabs</td>
			<td>N0469S</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SiO&#8322; silica microspheres, 4.0 &#181;m</td>
			<td>Polysciences, Inc.</td>
			<td>24331-15</td>
			<td>10% aqueous solution</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Slide-A-Lyzer G2 Dialysis Cassettes, 3.5K MWCO, 15 mL</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>87724</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Sodium carbonate, Na&#8322;CO&#8323;</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>222321</td>
			<td>ACS reagent, anhydrous, &#8805;99.5%, powder</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Spectrum Spectra/Por Float-A-Lyzer G2 Dialysis Devices</td>
			<td>FisherScientific</td>
			<td>08-607-008</td>
			<td>Spectrum G235058</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>SYBR Safe DNA gel stain</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>S33102</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>T4 DNA Ligase (5 U/&#181;L)</td>
			<td>ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td>EL0011</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Theophylline</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T1633</td>
			<td>anhydrous, &#8805;99%, powder</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tris Acetate-EDTA buffer (TAE buffer)</td>
			<td>Sigma-Aldrich</td>
			<td>T6025</td>
			<td>Contains 40 mM Tris-acetate and 1 mM EDTA, pH 8.3.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>UltraPure DNase/RNase-Free Distilled Water</td>
			<td>FisherScientific</td>
			<td>10-977-023</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>ZymoPURE II Plasmid MaxiPrep kit</td>
			<td>ZymoResearch</td>
			<td>D4202</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

preparation of multifunctional silk-based microcapsules loaded with dna plasmids encoding rna aptamers and riboswitches

We introduce a protocol for the preparation of DNA-laden silk fibroin microcapsules via the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly method on sacrificial spherical cores. Following adsorption of a prime layer and DNA plasmids, the formation of robust microcapsules was facilitated by inducing &#946;-sheets in silk secondary structure during acute dehydration of a single silk layer. Hence, the layering occurred via multiple hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Upon adsorption of multilayered shells, the core-shell structures can be further functionalized with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and/or antibodies (IgG) to be used for remote sensing and/or targeted delivery. Adjusting several key parameters during sequential deposition of key macromolecules on silica cores such as the presence of a polymer primer, the concentration of DNA and silk protein, as well as a number of adsorbed layers resulted in biocompatible, DNA-laden microcapsules with variable permeability and DNA loadings. Upon dissolution of silica cores, the protocol demonstrated the formation of hollow and robust microcapsules with DNA plasmids immobilized to the inner surface of the capsule membrane. Creating a selectively permeable biocompatible membrane between the DNA plasmids and the external environment preserved the DNA during long-term storage and played an important role in the improved output response from spatially confined plasmids. The activity of DNA templates and their accessibility were tested during in vitro transcription and translation reactions (cell-free systems). DNA plasmids encoding RNA light-up aptamers and riboswitches were successfully activated with corresponding analytes, as was visualized during localization of fluorescently labeled RNA transcripts or GFPa1 protein in the shell membranes.

Here, the study addresses the functionality of DNA templates encoding different sensor designs (two types of RNA-regulated transcription/translation elements) after encapsulation in silk protein capsules. Microcapsules were prepared via templated Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly of the key components: A prime layer, DNA plasmids encoding sensor designs, and silk fibroin biopolymer (Figure 2). Deposition of macromolecules in a layered fashion allows controlling the permeability of the capsule me...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Preparation of Multifunctional Silk-Based Microcapsules Loaded with DNA Plasmids Encoding RNA Aptamers and Riboswitches at JoVE.com

Preparation of Multifunctional Silk-Based Microcapsules Loaded with DNA Plasmids Encoding RNA Aptamers and Riboswitches

The protocol describes the formation of robust and biocompatible DNA-laden microcapsules as multiplexed in vitro biosensors capable of tracking several ligands.

We introduce a protocol for the preparation of DNA-laden silk fibroin microcapsules via the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) assembly method on sacrificial spherical ...

The significance of this protocol is that it provides a means for keeping DNA-encoded sensors functional by immobilizing DNA plasmid templates into semipermeable biocompatible microcapsules. The proposed DNA immobilization technique is versatile. It allows the fabrication of multifunctional biosensors with different in vitro activation mechanisms.We envision these microcapsules, coupled with the proper sensing elements, could be used to study different biological processes, including the release of signaling molecules in different environments such as biofilms and organs. This technique can provide insights into the biological systems at the microscale, particularly how the immobilization of DNA and molecular crowding can affect the kinetics and mechanism of gene activation. Start with the deposition of the polyethyleneimine prime layer onto the sacrificial silica, or SiO2, microparticles by adding one milliliter of polyethyleneimine solution to 300 microliters of the microparticles in a two-milliliter microcentrifuge tube.Agitate the mixture on a ThermoMixer at 800 rotations per minute at ambient conditions. Collect the microparticles by centrifugation at 0.2 g for one minute at room temperature, and carefully remove the supernatant. After 15 minutes, wash the microparticles four times with one milliliter of DNase-and RNase-free deionized water by centrifugation at 0.2 g for one minute at room temperature, discarding the supernatant after each centrifugation.Next, adjust the concentration of DNA plasmids from 50 to 200 nanogram per microliters with DNase-and RNase-free distilled water, and use one milliliter of the prepared solutions to deposit the DNA on the polyethyleneimine-primed microparticles. Gently agitate the microparticle mixture on a ThermoMixer at four degrees Celsius and 800 rpm for 15 minutes, and then collect the microparticles by centrifugation at 0.2 g for one minute. Mark the tubes for DNA plasmids encoding theophylline riboswitch, coupled with GFPa1 as ThyRS-GFPa1, and DNA plasmids encoding Broccoli aptamer as BrocApt.Carefully remove the supernatant, and wash the microparticles four times with one milliliter of DNase-and RNase-free distilled water as previously demonstrated, discarding the supernatant after each centrifugation. To deposit the silk fibroin layer, add one milliliter of the reconstituted aqueous silk fibroin solution to the DNA-absorbed microparticles, and gently vortex agitate the mixture on the ThermoMixer at 750 rpm for 15 minutes at 10 degrees Celsius. Collect the microparticles by centrifugation, and then wash them once with one milliliter of DNase-and RNase-free distilled water, as explained before.Repeat the centrifugation, and discard the supernatant. Add 0.5 milliliters of DNase and RNase distilled water, and mix the microparticles by vortexing. Then, treat the microparticles with 0.5 milliliters of 100%methanol at 10 degrees Celsius for five minutes on a ThermoMixer.After collecting the microparticles by centrifugation, treat the particles with 100%methanol on the ThermoMixer at 750 rotations per minute for 10 minutes at 10 degrees Celsius for beta-sheet formation. Centrifuge the mixture at 0.2 g for one minute at four degrees Celsius to collect microparticles before washing the particles twice with one milliliter of DNase-and RNase-free distilled water as demonstrated before. Dissolve SiO2 cores of microparticles by adding 8%hydrofluoric acid solution to pelleted core shell microparticles.Transfer the dissolved particles solutions to dialysis devices, and dialyze them against deionized water in a beaker. Then, use a one-milliliter pipette to collect the silk microcapsules suspension from dialysis devices into new two-milliliter microcentrifuge tubes. Transfer 100 microliters of the microcapsule sample into a single well of eight-well chambered glass slides, and allow the capsules to sediment for 20 to 30 minutes prior to imaging using a confocal laser scanning microscope, or CLSM.Pipette 100 microliters of the suspension of capsules into each well of a chambered glass slide. To each well, sequentially add 300 microliters of the fluorophore solution of varying molecular weights from the lowest to the highest. Mix the mixture by pipetting up and down, and let the mixture incubate for one hour at room temperature until the diffusion of fluorophore solutions reaches equilibrium.Later, transfer the slide to a CLSM to image each well using a 100x oil immersion objective at an excitation wavelength of 488 nanometers. Identify the area of interest by adjusting the focal plane, and focus on the capsules that appear in the form of circles of the largest diameter. Perform in vitro transcription/translation reaction by sequentially adding the cell-free components to a sample of microcapsules and incubating the tube at 30 degrees Celsius for four hours.Check the fluorescence on a plate reader using excitation wavelength at 488 nanometers and emission for GFP/FITC filter at around 510 nanometers. Finally, image the silk microcapsules on the CLSM system using lasers at 488 and 561 nanometers. In the study, robust silk fibroin microcaps with a homogeneous size of around 4.5 micrometers and a shell thickness of approximately 500 nanometers were produced.The permeability of the hollow silk fibroin capsule shells was analyzed by following the molecular weight cutoff method. An increase in the concentration of a polyethyleneimine prime layer leads to increased colloidal stability of microcapsules with more permeable shells, while eliminating the prime layer causes aggregation of capsules with less permeable shell membranes. The GFPa1 expression kinetics during ThyRS activation revealed higher GFPa1 gene activation from DNA plasmids loaded into silk microcapsules than control non-encapsulated DNA.In the representative analysis, CLSM images of silk fibroin capsules loaded with 32 DNA copies per capsule before and after incubation in the in vitro transcription, translation system are displayed. The cross-sectional intensity profiles of the silk fibroin capsules demonstrated the expression of GFPa1. The transcription kinetics of 20 layered silk microcapsules loaded with 30 DNA copies per capsule was compared with control non-encapsulated DNA.The higher output signal from silk microcapsules than non-encapsulated DNA samples of equivalent concentrations confirmed the effectivity of silk microcapsules. Following this protocol, several high-resolution microscopy techniques can be applied to image DNA entanglement in the immobilized state and decoupled gene activation process in vitro. This technique can be applied to answer molecular-level dynamics in minimal artificial cells.Specifically, when coupled with proper gene elements, the microcapsules can be used to study cell-to-cell communication.

preparation-multifunctional-silk-based-microcapsules-loaded-with-dna

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Homemade Site Directed Mutagenesis of Whole Plasmids

Site directed mutagenesis of whole plasmids is a simple way to create slightly different variations of an original plasmid. With this method the cloned target gene can be altered by substitution, deletion or insertion of a few bases directly into a plasmid. It works by simply amplifying the whole plasmid, in a non PCR-based thermocycling reaction. During the reaction mutagenic primers, carrying the desired mutation, are integrated into the newly synthesized plasmid. In this video tutorial we demonstrate an easy and cost effective way to introduce base substitutions into a plasmid. The protocol works with standard reagents and is independent from commercial kits, which often are very expensive. Applying this protocol can reduce the total cost of a reaction to an eighth of what it costs using some of the commercial kits. In this video we also comment on critical steps during the process and give detailed instructions on how to design the mutagenic primers.

Site directed mutagenesis of whole plasmids is a simple way to create slightly different variations of an original plasmid. Here we demonstrate an easy and cost effective way to introduce base substitutions into a plasmid using standard reagents.

Site directed mutagenesis of whole plasmids is a simple way to create slightly different variations of an original plasmid. With this method the cloned ...

Visualizing Single-molecule DNA Replication with Fluorescence Microscopy

We describe a simple fluorescence microscopy-based real-time method for observing DNA replication at the single-molecule level. A circular, forked DNA template is attached to a functionalized glass coverslip and replicated extensively after introduction of replication proteins and nucleotides (Figure 1). The growing product double-strand DNA (dsDNA) is extended with laminar flow and visualized by using an intercalating dye. Measuring the position of the growing DNA end in real time allows precise determination of replication rate (Figure 2). Furthermore, the length of completed DNA products reports on the processivity of replication. This experiment can be performed very easily and rapidly and requires only a fluorescence microscope with a reasonably sensitive camera.


This protocol demonstrates a simple single-molecule fluorescence microscopy technique for visualizing DNA replication by individual replisomes in real time.

We describe a simple fluorescence microscopy-based real-time method for observing DNA replication at the single-molecule level. A circular, forked DNA ...

Generation of RNA/DNA Hybrids in Genomic DNA by Transformation using RNA-containing Oligonucleotides

Synthetic short nucleic acid polymers, oligonucleotides (oligos), are the most functional and widespread tools of molecular biology. Oligos can be produced to contain any desired DNA or RNA sequence and can be prepared to include a wide variety of base and sugar modifications. Moreover, oligos can be designed to mimic specific nucleic acid alterations and thus, can serve as important tools to investigate effects of DNA damage and mechanisms of repair. We found that Thermo Scientific Dharmacon RNA-containing oligos with a length between 50 and 80 nucleotides can be particularly suitable to study, in vivo, functions and consequences of chromosomal RNA/DNA hybrids and of ribonucleotides embedded into DNA. RNA/DNA hybrids can readily form during DNA replication, repair and transcription, however, very little is known about the stability of RNA/DNA hybrids in cells and to which extent these hybrids can affect the genetic integrity of cells. RNA-containing oligos, therefore, represent a perfect vector to introduce ribonucleotides into chromosomal DNA and generate RNA/DNA hybrids of chosen length and base composition. Here we present the protocol for the incorporation of ribonucleotides into the genome of the eukaryotic model system yeast /Saccharomyces cerevisiae/. Yet, our lab has utilized Thermo Scientific Dharmacon RNA-containing oligos to generate RNA/DNA hybrids at the chromosomal level in different cell systems, from bacteria to human cells.

This work shows how to form an RNA/DNA hybrid at the chromosomal level and reveal transfer of genetic information from RNA to genomic DNA in yeast cells.

Synthetic short nucleic acid polymers, oligonucleotides (oligos), are the most functional and widespread tools of molecular biology. Oligos can be ...

In vitro Transcription and Capping of Gaussia Luciferase mRNA Followed by HeLa Cell Transfection

In vitro transcription is the synthesis of RNA transcripts by RNA polymerase from a linear DNA template containing the corresponding promoter sequence (T7, T3, SP6) and the gene to be transcribed (Figure 1A). A typical transcription reaction consists of the template DNA, RNA polymerase, ribonucleotide triphosphates, RNase inhibitor and buffer containing Mg2+ ions.
Large amounts of high quality RNA are often required for a variety of applications. Use of in vitro transcription has been reported for RNA structure and function studies such as splicing1, RNAi experiments in mammalian cells2, antisense RNA amplification by the "Eberwine method"3, microarray analysis4 and for RNA vaccine studies5. The technique can also be used for producing radiolabeled and dye labeled probes6. Warren, et al. recently reported reprogramming of human cells by transfection with in vitro transcribed capped RNA7. The T7 High Yield RNA Synthesis Kit from New England Biolabs has been designed to synthesize up to 180 &mu;g RNA per 20 &mu;l reaction. RNA of length up to 10kb has been successfully transcribed using this kit. Linearized plasmid DNA, PCR products and synthetic DNA oligonucleotides can be used as templates for transcription as long as they have the T7 promoter sequence upstream of the gene to be transcribed.
Addition of a 5' end cap structure to the RNA is an important process in eukaryotes. It is essential for RNA stability8, efficient translation9, nuclear transport10 and splicing11. The process involves addition of a 7-methylguanosine cap at the 5' triphosphate end of the RNA. RNA capping can be carried out post-transcriptionally using capping enzymes or co-transcriptionally using cap analogs. In the enzymatic method, the mRNA is capped using the Vaccinia virus capping enzyme12,13. The enzyme adds on a 7-methylguanosine cap at the 5' end of the RNA using GTP and S-adenosyl methionine as donors (cap 0 structure). Both methods yield functionally active capped RNA suitable for transfection or other applications14 such as generating viral genomic RNA for reverse-genetic systems15 and crystallographic studies of cap binding proteins such as eIF4E16.
In the method described below, the T7 High Yield RNA Synthesis Kit from NEB is used to synthesize capped and uncapped RNA transcripts of Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) and Cypridina luciferase (CLuc). A portion of the uncapped GLuc RNA is capped using the Vaccinia Capping System (NEB). A linearized plasmid containing the GLuc or CLuc gene and T7 promoter is used as the template DNA. The transcribed RNA is transfected into HeLa cells and cell culture supernatants are assayed for luciferase activity. Capped CLuc RNA is used as the internal control to normalize GLuc expression.

In vitro Transcription and Capping of Gaussia Luciferase mRNA Followed by HeLa Cell Transfection

This method describes high yield in vitro synthesis of both capped and uncapped mRNA from a linearized plasmid containing the Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) gene. The RNA is purified and a fraction of the uncapped RNA is enzymatically capped using the Vaccinia virus capping enzyme. In the final step, the mRNA is transfected into HeLa cells and cell culture supernatants are assayed for luciferase activity.

In vitro transcription is the synthesis of RNA transcripts by RNA polymerase from a linear DNA template containing the corresponding promoter sequence ...

Preparation of DNA-crosslinked Polyacrylamide Hydrogels

Mechanobiology is an emerging scientific area that addresses the critical role of physical cues in directing cell morphology and function. For example, the effect of tissue elasticity on cell function is a major area of mechanobiology research because tissue stiffness modulates with disease, development, and injury. Static tissue-mimicking materials, or materials that cannot alter stiffness once cells are plated, are predominately used to investigate the effects of tissue stiffness on cell functions. While information gathered from static studies is valuable, these studies are not indicative of the dynamic nature of the cellular microenvironment in vivo. To better address the effects of dynamic stiffness on cell function, we developed a DNA-crosslinked polyacrylamide hydrogel system (DNA gels). Unlike other dynamic substrates, DNA gels have the ability to decrease or increase in stiffness after fabrication without stimuli. DNA gels consist of DNA crosslinks that are polymerized into a polyacrylamide backbone. Adding and removing crosslinks via delivery of single-stranded DNA allows temporal, spatial, and reversible control of gel elasticity. We have shown in previous reports that dynamic modulation of DNA gel elasticity influences fibroblast and neuron behavior. In this report and video, we provide a schematic that describes the DNA gel crosslinking mechanisms and step-by-step instructions on the preparation DNA gels.

Our laboratory has developed DNA-crosslinked polyacrylamide hydrogels, a dynamic hydrogel system, to better understand the effects of modulating tissue stiffness on cell function. Here, we provide schematics, descriptions, and protocols to prepare these hydrogels.

Mechanobiology is an emerging scientific area that addresses the critical role of physical cues in directing cell morphology and function. For example, ...

Real-time Imaging of Single Engineered RNA Transcripts in Living Cells Using Ratiometric Bimolecular Beacons

The growing realization that both the temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression can have important consequences on cell function has led to the development of diverse techniques to visualize individual RNA transcripts in single living cells. One promising technique that has recently been described utilizes an oligonucleotide-based optical probe, ratiometric bimolecular beacon (RBMB), to detect RNA transcripts that were engineered to contain at least four tandem repeats of the RBMB target sequence in the 3&#8217;-untranslated region. RBMBs are specifically designed to emit a bright fluorescent signal upon hybridization to complementary RNA, but otherwise remain quenched. The use of a synthetic probe in this approach allows photostable, red-shifted, and highly emissive organic dyes to be used for imaging. Binding of multiple RBMBs to the engineered RNA transcripts results in discrete fluorescence spots when viewed under a wide-field fluorescent microscope. Consequently, the movement of individual RNA transcripts can be readily visualized in real-time by taking a time series of fluorescent images. Here we describe the preparation and purification of RBMBs, delivery into cells by microporation and live-cell imaging of single RNA transcripts.

Ratiometric bimolecular beacons (RBMBs) can be used to image single engineered RNA transcripts in living cells. Here, we describe the preparation and purification of RBMBs, delivery of RBMBs into cells by microporation and fluorescent imaging of single RNA transcripts in real-time.

The growing realization that both the temporal and spatial regulation of gene expression can have important consequences on cell function has led to the ...

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology

Until recently, astronaut blood samples were collected in-flight, transported to earth on the Space Shuttle, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. If humans are to travel beyond low Earth orbit, a transition towards space-ready, point-of-care (POC) testing is required. Such testing needs to be comprehensive, easy to perform in a reduced-gravity environment, and unaffected by the stresses of launch and spaceflight. Countless POC devices have been developed to mimic laboratory scale counterparts, but most have narrow applications and few have demonstrable use in an in-flight, reduced-gravity environment. In fact, demonstrations of biomedical diagnostics in reduced gravity are limited altogether, making component choice and certain logistical challenges difficult to approach when seeking to test new technology. To help fill the void, we are presenting a modular method for the construction and operation of a prototype blood diagnostic device and its associated parabolic flight test rig that meet the standards for flight-testing onboard a parabolic flight, reduced-gravity aircraft. The method first focuses on rig assembly for in-flight, reduced-gravity testing of a flow cytometer and a companion microfluidic mixing chip. Components are adaptable to other designs and some custom components, such as a microvolume sample loader and the micromixer may be of particular interest. The method then shifts focus to flight preparation, by offering guidelines and suggestions to prepare for a successful flight test with regard to user training, development of a standard operating procedure (SOP), and other issues. Finally, in-flight experimental procedures specific to our demonstrations are described.

Spaceflight blood diagnostics need innovation. Few demonstrations have been published illustrating in-flight, reduced-gravity health diagnostic technology. Here we present a method for construction and operation of a parabolic flight test rig for a prototype point-of-care flow-cytometry design, with components and preparation strategies adaptable to other setups.

Until recently, astronaut blood samples were collected in-flight, transported to earth on the Space Shuttle, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. If ...

Amplification, Next-generation Sequencing, and Genomic DNA Mapping of Retroviral Integration Sites

Retroviruses exhibit signature integration preferences on both the local and global scales. Here, we present a detailed protocol for (1) generation of diverse libraries of retroviral integration sites using ligation-mediated PCR (LM-PCR) amplification and next-generation sequencing (NGS), (2) mapping the genomic location of each virus-host junction using BEDTools, and (3) analyzing the data for statistical relevance. Genomic DNA extracted from infected cells is fragmented by digestion with restriction enzymes or by sonication. After suitable DNA end-repair, double-stranded linkers are ligated onto the DNA ends, and semi-nested PCR is conducted using primers complementary to both the long terminal repeat (LTR) end of the virus and the ligated linker DNA. The PCR primers carry sequences required for DNA clustering during NGS, negating the requirement for separate adapter ligation. Quality control (QC) is conducted to assess DNA fragment size distribution and adapter DNA incorporation prior to NGS. Sequence output files are filtered for LTR-containing reads, and the sequences defining the LTR and the linker are cropped away. Trimmed host cell sequences are mapped to a reference genome using BLAT and are filtered for minimally 97% identity to a unique point in the reference genome. Unique integration sites are scrutinized for adjacent nucleotide (nt) sequence and distribution relative to various genomic features. Using this protocol, integration site libraries of high complexity can be constructed from genomic DNA in three days. The entire protocol that encompasses exogenous viral infection of susceptible tissue culture cells to integration site analysis can therefore be conducted in approximately one to two weeks. Recent applications of this technology pertain to longitudinal analysis of integration sites from HIV-infected patients.

We describe a protocol for amplifying retroviral integration sites from the genomic DNA of infected cells, sequencing the amplified virus-host junctions, and then mapping these sequences to a reference genome. We also describe techniques to quantify the distribution of integration sites relative to various genomic annotations using BEDTools.

Retroviruses exhibit signature integration preferences on both the local and global scales. Here, we present a detailed protocol for (1) generation of ...

Visualization of Surface-tethered Large DNA Molecules with a Fluorescent Protein DNA Binding Peptide

Large DNA molecules tethered on the functionalized glass surface have been utilized in polymer physics and biochemistry particularly for investigating interactions between DNA and its binding proteins. Here, we report a method that uses fluorescent microscopy for visualizing large DNA molecules tethered on the surface. First, glass coverslips are biotinylated and passivated by coating with biotinylated polyethylene glycol, which specifically binds biotinylated DNA via avidin protein linkers and significantly reduces undesirable binding from non-specific interactions of proteins or DNA molecules on the surface. Second, the DNA molecules are biotinylated by two different methods depending on their terminals. The blunt ended DNA is tagged with biotinylated dUTP at its 3' hydroxyl terminus, by terminal transferase, while the sticky ended DNA is hybridized with biotinylated complimentary oligonucleotides by DNA ligase. Finally, a microfluidic shear flow makes single DNA molecules stretch to their full contour lengths after being stained with fluorescent protein-DNA binding peptide (FP-DBP).

We present an approach for visualizing fluorescent protein DNA binding peptide (FP-DBP)-stained large DNA molecules tethered on the polyethylene glycol (PEG) and avidin-coated glass surface and stretched with microfluidic shear flows.

Large DNA molecules tethered on the functionalized glass surface have been utilized in polymer physics and biochemistry particularly for investigating ...

Preparation of Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Tissue Cores for both RNA and DNA Extraction

Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue (FFPET) represents a valuable, well-annotated substrate for molecular investigations. The utility of FFPET in molecular analysis is complicated both by heterogeneous tissue composition and low yields when extracting nucleic acids. A literature search revealed a paucity of protocols addressing these issues, and none that showed a validated method for simultaneous extraction of RNA and DNA from regions of interest in FFPET. This method addresses both issues. Tissue specificity was achieved by mapping cancer areas of interest on microscope slides and transferring annotations onto FFPET blocks. Tissue cores were harvested from areas of interest using 0.6 mm microarray punches. Nucleic acid extraction was performed using a commercial FFPET extraction system, with modifications to homogenization, deparaffinization, and Proteinase K digestion steps to improve tissue digestion and increase nucleic acid yields. The modified protocol yields sufficient quantity and quality of nucleic acids for use in a number of downstream analyses, including a multi-analyte gene expression platform, as well as reverse transcriptase coupled real time PCR analysis of mRNA expression, and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) analysis of DNA methylation.

This modified extraction protocol improves RNA and DNA yields from more precisely targeted regions of interest in histopathologic tissue blocks.

Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue (FFPET) represents a valuable, well-annotated substrate for molecular investigations. The utility of FFPET in ...