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A highly parallel method for measuring the site-specific cleavage of DNA at the single molecule level is described. This protocol demonstrates the technique using the restriction endonuclease NdeI. The method can easily be modified to study any process that results in site-specific DNA cleavage.
Site-specific DNA cleavage (SSDC) is a key step in many cellular processes, and it is crucial to gene editing. This work describes a kinetic assay capable of measuring SSDC in many single DNA molecules simultaneously. Bead-tethered substrate DNAs, each containing a single copy of the target sequence, are prepared in a microfluidic flow channel. An external magnet applies a weak force to the paramagnetic beads. The integrity of up to 1,000 individual DNAs can be monitored by visualizing the microbeads under darkfield imaging using a wide-field, low magnification objective. Injecting of a restriction endonuclease, NdeI, initiates the cleavage reaction. Video microscopy is used to record the exact moment of each DNA cleavage by observing the frame in which the associated bead moves up and out of the focal plane of the objective. Frame-by-frame bead counting quantifies the reaction, and an exponential fit determines the reaction rate. This method allows collection of quantitative and statistically significant data on single molecule SSDC reactions in a single experiment.
Site-specific DNA cleavage (SSDC) is a key step in many genomic transactions. For example, bacterial restriction-modification (RM)1 and CRISPR2 systems protect cells from attack by phages and plasmids by recognizing and cleaving foreign DNA at specific sequences. In type II RM, restriction endonucleases (REs) recognize short 4–8 base pair (bp) sequences via protein-nucleic acid interactions3. CRISPR-associated endonucleases, such as Cas9, bind to sites via hybridization of the target site with crRNAs bound to the endonucleases4. The creation of site-specific double stranded breaks (DSBs) are also the first step in many DNA recombination events5. For example, the diversity of antigen binding regions created by V(D)J recombination requires the recognition and cleavage of specific target sites6. Some transposons are known to target specific DNA sequences, as well7. Not surprisingly, many site-specific nucleases involved in these processes, such as Cas9, are a key component of gene editing technologies8. In addition, novel site-specific endonucleases (i.e., zinc finger nucleases9 and TALENS10) have also been engineered to edit genomes.
Many methods have been employed to measure the kinetics of site-specific cleavage of nucleic acids. These include gel analysis, fluorescence11,12, and sequencing based methods13. A major advancement was achieved with the tethering of microbeads, which allows DSBs in single molecules of DNA to be detected by the motion of a bead after strand separation. In these methods, different types of forces are employed to ensure strand separation and motion of the bead post-cleavage. In one case, optical traps have been used to measure cleavage of DNA by EcoRV14. In these experiments, target search is the objective of the investigation, with conditions optimized so that site-specific binding is the rate limiting step. One drawback of optical traps is that only a single DNA can be observed at a time. In addition, a periodic large pulling force has to be applied to test for the strand separation.
Another technique uses a combination of flow and weak magnetic forces to pull on the bead in a continuous manner15. In this way, diffusion limited cleavage by NdeI is measured. The method employed allows for the simultaneous measurement of several hundred DNAs at once, allowing for statistical significance to be attained in a single experiment. Experiments based on magnetic tweezers have also been used. In one such study, a retroviral integrase was studied by including a DSB in the insertion oligonucleotide16. Successful integration resulted in the incorporation of DSB in the tethered DNA and loss of the attached bead. In a similar study of the ATP-dependent type III restriction endonuclease EcoPI, tens of DNAs were observed in a single experiment17. Magnetic tweezers hold the advantage that tension, as well as DNA looping, can be controlled and monitored during the reaction.
Presented here is a highly parallel single molecule method for measuring SSDC kinetics, which takes advantage of recent improvements in large-scale tethering of DNAs. This method is an improvement and extension of previous methods used to measure DNA replication18, contour length of DNA19, and cleavage by REs15. In this technique, linear DNAs containing a single copy of the recognition sequence are prepared with biotin at one end and digoxigenin at the other. The biotin binds streptavidin, which is covalently attached to a paramagnetic microbead. The DNA-bead complexes are injected into a microfluidic channel that has been functionalized with anti-digoxigenin FAB fragments. The DNA then tethers to the surface attachment points via binding of the digoxigenin to the adsorbed FAB fragments. Weak magnetic forces applied with a permanent magnet keep the bead from sticking non-specifically to the surface. Samples can be injected rapidly (<30 s) into the flow channel to activate the cleavage reaction. Flow is turned off during data collection. As each DNA is cleaved, the exact time of cleavage can be determined by recording the frame in which the bead moves up and out of the focal plan of the objective, thus disappearing from the video record. A frame-by-frame count of remaining beads can be used to quantify the reaction progress.
Presented below is the complete protocol as well as example data collected using NdeI. As an example of how the technique can be applied, cleavage rates for a range of protein concentrations are measured at two different concentrations of magnesium, an essential metal cofactor. Although this application of the protocol uses NdeI, the method can be adapted for use with any site-specific nuclease by varying the DNA substrate design.
1. Making the flow cell
2. Preparation of labeled DNA for tethering
3. Tethering of DNA and beads
4. Data collection and analysis
Using this technique, the SSDC rates of NdeI were measured for a range of protein concentrations (0.25–4.00 U/mL) at two different concentrations of magnesium (2 mM and 4 mM). Each of these conditions was replicated at least twice, with a few hundred to 1,000 tethered DNAs per experiment. Figure 2 describes the experimental design. Figure 3 shows examples of data collection and analysis details. Figure 4 illustrates how the ra...
The protocol can be used to measure the kinetics of any SSDC system, provided that the strand separation is observed during the experiment. The detection of cleavage is affected by observing the detachment of the tethered bead and therefore marks the instant of strand separation. All preceding steps occur before the detection of the cleavage; thus, only the total transit time is recorded.
The flow cell coverslip is functionalized via non-specific adsorption of antibody protein to the clean gla...
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
This work was supported by the National Science Foundation grant MCB-1715317.
Name | Company | Catalog Number | Comments |
5 minute Epoxy | Devcon | 14250 | |
anti-digoxigenin FAB fragments | Roche Diagnostics | 11214667001 | |
camera and software | Jenoptik | GRYPHAX SUBRA | |
data analysis software | Vernier Inc. | LP | |
double sided tape | Grace Biolabs | SA-S-1L | |
Dulbeccos Phosphate Buffered Saline | Corning | 21-031-CV | |
ethanol 95% | VWR | 89370-082 | |
forward primer: digoxigenin-CCAACTTAATCGCCTTGC | Integrated DNA Technologies | n/a | |
image analysis software | National Institutes of Health | ImageJ | |
inverted microscope | Nikon | TE2000 | |
knife printer | Silhouette | ||
M13mp18 DNA | New England Biolabs | N4040S | |
MyOne streptavidin beads | Thermo Fisher Scientific | 65601 | |
NdeI enzyme | New England Biolabs | R0111S | |
PCR cleanup kit | Qiagen | 28104 | |
pluronic F-127 | Anatrace | P305 | |
polyethylene tubing PE-20 | BD Intramedic | 427406 | |
polyethylene tubing PE-60 | BD Intramedic | 427416 | |
Q5 Mastermix | New England Biolabs | M0492S | |
rare earth magnet 0.5" OD 0.25" ID | National Imports | NSN0814 | |
rare earth magnet 0.75" OD 0.5" ID | National Imports | NSN0615 | |
reverse primer: biotin-TGACCATTAGATACATTTCGC | Integrated DNA Technologies | n/a | |
syringe pump | Kent Scientific | Genie Plus | |
β-Casein from bovine Milk | Sigma-Aldrich | C6905 |
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