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In This Article

  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Protocol
  • Representative Results
  • Discussion
  • Disclosures
  • Acknowledgements
  • Materials
  • References
  • Reprints and Permissions

Summary

DNA curtain, a high-throughput single-molecule imaging technique, provides a platform for real-time visualization of diverse protein-DNA interactions. The present protocol utilizes the DNA curtain technique to investigate the biological role and molecular mechanism of Abo1, a Schizosaccharomyces pombe bromodomain-containing AAA+ ATPase.

Abstract

Chromatin is a higher-order structure that packages eukaryotic DNA. Chromatin undergoes dynamic alterations according to the cell cycle phase and in response to environmental stimuli. These changes are essential for genomic integrity, epigenetic regulation, and DNA metabolic reactions such as replication, transcription, and repair. Chromatin assembly is crucial for chromatin dynamics and is catalyzed by histone chaperones. Despite extensive studies, the mechanisms by which histone chaperones enable chromatin assembly remains elusive. Moreover, the global features of nucleosomes organized by histone chaperones are poorly understood. To address these problems, this work describes a unique single-molecule imaging technique named DNA curtain, which facilitates the investigation of the molecular details of nucleosome assembly by histone chaperones. DNA curtain is a hybrid technique that combines lipid fluidity, microfluidics, and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) to provide a universal platform for real-time imaging of diverse protein-DNA interactions.Using DNA curtain, the histone chaperone function of Abo1, the Schizosaccharomyces pombe bromodomain-containing AAA+ ATPase, is investigated, and the molecular mechanism underlying histone assembly of Abo1 is revealed. DNA curtain provides a unique approach for studying chromatin dynamics.

Introduction

Eukaryotic DNA is packaged into a higher-order structure known as chromatin1,2. Nucleosome is the fundamental unit of chromatin, which consists of approximately 147 bp DNA wrapped around the octameric core histones3,4. Chromatin plays a critical role in eukaryotic cells; for example, the compact structure protects DNA from endogenous factors and exogenous threats5. Chromatin structure changes dynamically according to the cell cycle phase and environmental stimuli, and these changes control protein access during DNA transactions ....

Protocol

1. Preparation of the flow cell

  1. Prepare a cleaned fused silica slide containing nano-trench patterns following previously published report25.
    1. Drill two holes with 1 mm diameter in a cleaned fused silica slide (Figure 1A) using a diamond-coated drill bit (see Table of Materials).
    2. Deposit 250 nm of thick aluminum (Al) on the slide using DC sputter32 (see Table of Materia.......

Representative Results

This work describes the procedure for flow cell preparation for the DNA curtain assay (Figure 1A). The DNA curtain assay facilitated the study of histone H3-H4 dimer assembly on DNA by Abo1. First, DNA curtain formation was checked by staining DNA molecules with YOYO-1, an intercalating dye. Green lines were shown in parallel arrays, indicating that YOYO-1 intercalated into DNA molecules, which were well-aligned and stretched at a diffusion barrier under hydrodynamic flow (

Discussion

As a single-molecule imaging technique, DNA curtain has been used extensively to probe DNA metabolic reactions43. DNA curtain is a hybrid system that concatenates lipid fluidity, microfluidics, and TIRFM. Unlike other single-molecule techniques, DNA curtain enables high-throughput real-time visualization of protein-DNA interactions. Therefore, the DNA curtain technique is suitable for probing the mechanism behind molecular interactions, including sequence-specific association, protein movement alo.......

Disclosures

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

The authors appreciate the kind support for Abo1 and Cy5-H3-H4 by Professor Ji-Joon Song, Carol Cho, Ph.D., and Juwon Jang, Ph.D., in KAIST, South Korea. This work is supported by the National Research Foundation Grant (NRF-2020R1A2B5B01001792), intramural research fund (1.210115.01) of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, and the Institute for Basic Science (IBS-R022-D1).

....

Materials

NameCompanyCatalog NumberComments
1 mL luer-lock syringeBecktonDickinson301321
1' x 3' fused-silca slide glassG. Finkenbeiner1 inch x 3 inch rectangular and 1 mm thickness
10 mL luer-lock syringeBecktonDickinson302149
18:1 (Δ9-Cis) PC (DOPC)Avanti850375This is a component of biotinylated lipid stock
18:1 Biotinyl cap PEAvanti870273This is a component of biotinylated lipid stock
18:1 PEG2000 PEAvanti880130This is a component of biotinylated lipid stock
3 mL luer-lock syringeBecktonDickinson302832
6-way sample injection valveIDEXMX series II
950K PMMAAll-resist671.04
AcetoneSAMCHUNA1759
Adenosine 5'-triphosphate disodium salt hydrate (ATP)SigmaA2383
Aluminum (Al)TASCO, South KoreaLT50AI414Diameter 4 inch, thickness 1/4 inch
Amicon Ultra centrifugal filter, MWCO 10 kDaMilliporeZ648027
AmpicillinMbcellMB-A4128Antibiotics
AZ 300 MIF developerMerck10454110521Used for removing aluminum
BladeDORCODN5212 mm x 6 m
Boron trichloride (BCl3)UNIONGASPurity: >99.99%
Bovine serum albumin (BSA)SigmaA7030
CatalaseSigmaC40-1gThis is a component of 100x gloxy stock
Chlorine (Cl2)UNIONGASPurity: >99.99%
Clear double-sided tape3M313770
D-(+)-glucoseSigmaG7528
DC sputterSoronaSRM-120Used for deposition aluminum on a slide
Diamond-coated drill bitEurotoolDIB-211.00Used for making holes in a fusced silica slide
DL-Dithiothreitol (DTT)SigmaD0632
Dove-prismKorea Electro-Optics Co. Ltd.1906-106Custom-made fused-silica dove prism with anti-reflection coating
DrillDremelDremel 3000Used for making holes in a fusced silica slide
Electron Bean LithographyNanobeam Ltd.NB3
Ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA)SigmaEDS-1KG
Fingertight fittingsIDEXF-300It is connected with "PFA Tubing Natural" to form luer-lock tubing
Flangeless male nutIDEXP-235It is connected with "PFA Tubing Natural" to form luer-lock tubing
Freeze Dryer, HyperCOOLLabogeneHC3110Used for lyophilizing liquid proteins
Glucose oxidaseSigmaG2133-50KUThis is a component of 100x gloxy stock
Guanidinium hydrochlorideAcros Organics364790025
Hamilton syringeHamilton Company80065This syringe is used for sample injection
Hellmanex IIISigmaZ805939
HiLoad 26/600 SuperdexTM 200 pgCytiva28-9893-36Used for FPLC (size exclusion)
Hot plate stirrerCorningPC-420D
Hydrochloric acidSigmaH1759Used for Tris-HCl
Index matching oilZEISS444970-9000-000
Inductively coupled plasma-reactive ion etchingTop Technology Ltd.FabStar
Isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)Glentham Life SciencesGC6586-100gUsed for induction of β-galactosidase activity
Lambda phage DNANEBN0311
LB brothBD difco244610Media for E.coli cell growth
Luer adapter 10-32IDEXP-659This connects luer-lock syringe and tubing
Magnesium chloride hexahydratefisher bioreagentsBP214
Methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)KAYAKU ADVANCED MATERIALSUsed for developing solution
Microscope (Eclipse Ti2)NikonEclipse Ti2Inverted fluorescence microscope
Microscope glass coverslipMARIENFELD10114222 x 50 mm (No. 1)
Microscope slideDURAN GROUPDU.2355013Slide glass ground edge 45°, plain 26 x 76 mm
NanoportIDEXN-333-01
Objective lensNikonCFI Plan Apochromat VC 60XC WIImmersion type: water, magnification: 60x, correction: 18, working distance: 0.29 (0.31-0.28)
One Shot BL21 (DE3)pLysS Chemically Competent E. coliThermo Fisher ScientificC6060-03Competent cell for overexpressing proteins
Oxygen (O2)NOBLEGAS, South KoreaPurity: >99.99%
PFA tubing naturalIDEX1512LIt is connected with "Fingertight Fittings" to form luer-lock tubing
Phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF)Roche11359061001Protease inhibitor
Sephacryl S-200 High ResolutionCytiva17-0584-01Used for FPLC (size exclusion)
Shut-off valveIDEXP-732
Sodium acetateSigma791741
Sodium chloride (NaCl)SigmaS3014
Sodium hydroxide (NaOH)Sigmas5881
Spectra/Por molecularporous membrane tubing, MWCO 6-8 kDaSpectrum laboratories132660
StreptavidinThermo Fisher ScientificS888
Sulfur tetralfluoride (SF4)NOBLEGAS, South KoreaPurity: >99.99%
Syringe pumpKD Scientific78-8210
Tetrafluoromethane (CF4)NOBLEGAS, South KoreaPurity: >99.99%
TritonX-100SigmaT9284
Trizma baseSigmaT1503Used for Tris-HCl
TSKgel SP-5PWTOSOH14715Used for FPLC (ion exchange)
Union assemblyIDEXP-760This connects tubings
UreaSigmaU5378
Vacuum ovenJeio TechOV-11
YOYO-1Thermo Fisher ScientificY3601This intercalation dye is diluted in DMSO
β-mercaptoethanol (BME)SigmaM6250

References

  1. Woodcock, C. L., Ghosh, R. P. Chromatin higher-order structure and dynamics. Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology. 2 (5), 000596 (2010).
  2. Kim, K., Eom, J., Jung, I. Characterization of structural variations in the conte....

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DNA CurtainSingle molecule ImagingChromatin DynamicsHistone ChaperonesTIRF MicroscopyBiomolecule InteractionsLambda DNAStreptavidinBiotinylated LipidYOYO 1 DyeMicrofluidic System

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