Name: modified terminal restriction fragment analysis for quantifying telomere length using in-gel hybridization
Uploaded: 2017-07-10T10:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Modified Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis for Quantifying Telomere Length Using In-gel Hybridization at JoVE.com

The authors acknowledge the support of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute Biobehavioral Oncology shared facility that is supported in part by award P30CA047904.

1. Genomic DNA Extraction
<ol>
	<li>Perform a genomic DNA extraction from the cells (here, cell line BJ-hTERT) to be analyzed using a commercial DNA extraction kit, according to the manufacturer&#39;s instructions.</li>
	<li>Measure the DNA concentration with a spectrophotometer. If the DNA concentration is less than 100 &#181;g/mL, precipitate the DNA with ethanol and resuspend in a volume of TE buffer (10 mM Tris-Cl; 0.1 mM EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid); pH 8.0), to ensure a DNA concentration of 100-600 &#18...

<ol>
	<li>Herbert, B. S., Shay, J. W., Wright, W. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Analysis+of+telomeres+and+telomerase.">Analysis of telomeres and telomerase.</a> Curr Protoc Cell Biol. , 16 (2003).</li><li>Mender, I., Shay, J. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomere+Restriction+Fragment+(TRF)+Analysis.">Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF) Analysis.</a> Bio Protoc. 5 (22), (2015).</li><li>Blackburn, E. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomeres+and+Telomerase:+The+Means+to+the+End+(Nobel+lecture).">Telomeres and Telomerase: The Means to the End (Nobel lecture).</a> Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 49 (41), 7405-7421 (2010).</li><li>Greider, C. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomerase+Discovery:+The+Excitement+of+Putting+Together+Pieces+of+the+Puzzle+(Nobel+lecture).">Telomerase Discovery: The Excitement of Putting Together Pieces of the Puzzle (Nobel lecture).</a> Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 49 (41), 7422-7439 (2010).</li><li>Szostak, J. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=DNA+Ends:+Just+the+Beginning+(Nobel+lecture).">DNA Ends: Just the Beginning (Nobel lecture).</a> Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 49 (41), 7386-7404 (2010).</li><li>Watson, J. M., Riha, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomeres,+Aging,+and+Plants:+From+Weeds+to+Methuselah+-+A+Mini-Review.">Telomeres, Aging, and Plants: From Weeds to Methuselah - A Mini-Review.</a> Gerontology. 57 (2), 129-136 (2011).</li><li>Lu, W., Zhang, Y., Liu, D., Songyang, Z., Wan, M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomeres-Structure,+Function,+and+Regulation.">Telomeres-Structure, Function, and Regulation.</a> Exp Cell Res. 319 (2), 133-141 (2013).</li><li>MacNeil, D. E., Bensoussan, H. J., Autexier, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomerase+Regulation+from+Beginning+to+the+End.">Telomerase Regulation from Beginning to the End.</a> Genes (Basel). 7 (9), 64 (2016).</li><li>Fouquerel, E., Opresko, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Convergence+of+The+Nobel+Fields+of+Telomere+Biology+and+DNA+Repair.">Convergence of The Nobel Fields of Telomere Biology and DNA Repair.</a> Photochem Photobiol. , (2016).</li><li>Bernadotte, A., Mikhelson, V. M., Spivak, I. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Markers+of+Cellular+Senescence.+Telomere+Shortening+as+a+Marker+of+Cellular+Senescence.">Markers of Cellular Senescence. Telomere Shortening as a Marker of Cellular Senescence.</a> Aging (Albany NY). 8 (1), 3-11 (2016).</li><li>Opresko, P. L., Shay, J. W. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomere-Associated+Aging+Disorders.">Telomere-Associated Aging Disorders.</a> Ageing Res Rev. , 1568-1637 (2016).</li><li>Chiodi, I., Mondello, C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomere+and+Telomerase+Stability+in+Human+Diseases+and+Cancer.">Telomere and Telomerase Stability in Human Diseases and Cancer.</a> Front Biosci (Landmark Ed). 1 (21), 203-224 (2016).</li><li>Blackburn, E. H., Epel, E. S., Lin, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Human+Telomere+Biology:+A+Contributory+and+Interactive+Factor+in+Aging,+Disease+Risks,+and+Protection.">Human Telomere Biology: A Contributory and Interactive Factor in Aging, Disease Risks, and Protection.</a> Science. 350 (6265), 1193-1198 (2015).</li><li>Lindqvist, D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Psychiatric+Disorders+and+Leukocyte+Telomere+Length:+Underlying+Mechanisms+Linking+Mental+Illness+with+Cellular+Aging.">Psychiatric Disorders and Leukocyte Telomere Length: Underlying Mechanisms Linking Mental Illness with Cellular Aging.</a> Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 55, 333-364 (2015).</li><li>Bodelon, C., Savage, S. A., Gadalla, S. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomeres+in+Molecular+Epidemiology+Studies.">Telomeres in Molecular Epidemiology Studies.</a> Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci. 125 (113), (2014).</li><li>Kimura, M., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Measurement+of+telomere+length+by+the+Southern+blot+analysis+of+terminal+restriction+fragment+lengths.">Measurement of telomere length by the Southern blot analysis of terminal restriction fragment lengths.</a> Nat Protoc. 5 (9), 1596-1607 (2010).</li><li>Haussmann, M. F., Mauck, R. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=TECHNICAL+ADVANCES:+New+strategies+for+telomere-based+age+estimation.">TECHNICAL ADVANCES: New strategies for telomere-based age estimation.</a> Mol Ecol Resour. 8 (2), 264-274 (2008).</li><li>Nussey, D. H., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Measuring+telomere+length+and+telomere+dynamics+in+evolutionary+biology+and+ecology.">Measuring telomere length and telomere dynamics in evolutionary biology and ecology.</a> Methods Ecol Evol. 5 (4), 299-310 (2014).</li><li>Delany, M. E., Krupkin, A. B., Miller, M. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Organization+of+telomere+sequences+in+birds:+evidence+for+arrays+of+extreme+length+and+for+in+vivo+shortening.">Organization of telomere sequences in birds: evidence for arrays of extreme length and for in vivo shortening.</a> Cytogenet Cell Genet. 90 (1-2), 139-145 (2000).</li><li>Baerlocher, G. M., Vulto, I., de Jong, G., Lansdorp, P. M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Flow+cytometry+and+FISH+to+measure+the+average+length+of+telomeres+(flow+FISH).">Flow cytometry and FISH to measure the average length of telomeres (flow FISH).</a> Nat Protoc. 1 (5), 2365-2376 (2006).</li><li>Sanders, J. L., Newman, A. B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomere+length+in+epidemiology:+a+biomarker+of+aging,+age-related+disease,+both,+or+neither.">Telomere length in epidemiology: a biomarker of aging, age-related disease, both, or neither.</a> Epidemiol Rev. 35, 112-131 (2013).</li><li>Parikh, D., Fouquerel, E., Murphy, C. T., Wang, H., Opresko, P. L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Telomeres+are+partly+shielded+from+ultraviolet-induced+damage+and+proficient+for+nucleotide+excision+repair+of+photoproducts.">Telomeres are partly shielded from ultraviolet-induced damage and proficient for nucleotide excision repair of photoproducts.</a> Nat Commun. 6, 8214 (2015).</li></ol>

Following electrophoresis, the genomic DNA smear is higher than 800 bp. This can occur if the restriction enzymes are faulty or if additional enzymes (as described above) are needed. A second possible explanation is that the protein is still attached to the DNA. When determining the DNA concentration by spectrophotometer, the 260/280 ratio should be around 1.8. If this ratio is &#60;1.5, there is protein contamination which can interfere with restriction enzyme digestion. Either the DNA sample would need to be re-isolate...

Telomeres, situated at the ends of chromosomes, are nucleotide repeats of the sequence TTAGGG (on human chromosomes) that play a critical role in protecting cellular genetic information3,4,5. Telomeres are several thousand base pairs in length and serve to protect the integrity of the rest of the chromosome during DNA replication. Replication of chromosomes is not perfect resulting in the ends of the chromosome not being completely copied. This inefficiency in replication is termed the &#34;end-replication problem&#34; and results in loss of some of the telomere repeats during each round of replication6,7. Telomere length can be restored after cell division by telomerase, an enzyme that replaces the lost telomere sequences8,9. Telomerase, however, is not activated in most human somatic cells and as a result, over time, telomeres will shorten, eventually resulting in cellular senescence10. Due to telomere shortening, telomeres are regarded as a biomarker of aging and risk of age-related diseases11,12. Additionally, telomere length can be affected by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors and other stimuli such as oxidative stress, indicating that telomere length can play a role as a biomarker in toxicological, epidemiological and behavioral studies13,14,15.
This article demonstrates a technique for measuring telomere length using a modified terminal restriction fragment (TRF) analysis adapted from Mender and Shay2 and Kimura et al.16, and similar to Herbert, Shay and Wright1 and Haussmann and Mauck17. Traditionally, TRF analysis involves a Southern blot procedure. Southern blots are considered the &#34;gold-standard&#34; for studying telomere length and are actively used for examining leukocyte telomere length in epidemiology studies18. This TRF analysis uses digested genomic DNA leaving behind the telomere repeats. The DNA fragments are then separated by gel electrophoresis, denatured and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane. The telomere sequences are hybridized to a telomere oligonucleotide probe. Rather than transferring the separated telomeres to a membrane, other TRF techniques use in-gel hybridization techniques with and without denaturation of the DNA. The inclusion of denaturation is important when considering the detection of interstitial telomeres, which have been reported in some species19. Procedures that lack denaturing steps only detect the single stranded DNA overhangs at terminal telomeres and will not bind to interstitial telomere sequences18.
Besides TRF analysis, there are several other techniques for measuring telomere length that each have their own advantages and disadvantages. The Flow-FISH technique can measure mean telomere length of individual cells of a distinct cell type using flow cytometry16,20. While it can accurately tag telomeres with highly specific probes and reduce human error through automation, Flow-FISH is expensive, less efficient and requires fresh samples and a highly-skilled technician, limiting its ability for epidemiology studies16. In addition, this method does not account for potential changes in the number of chromosomes in the cell population. Another technique, qPCR, is widely accepted as a means of measuring telomere length for epidemiology studies16 due to its high-throughput, low-cost and requirement for small amounts of DNA compared to other methods. However, qPCR can only measure average telomeric DNA content relative to a single copy gene and is, thus, an indirect estimate of average telomere length. It also yields a high coefficient of variance in comparison studies, compared to southern blots, leading to questionable accuracy21.
The TRF procedure has its own deficiencies that limit its use for some studies. TRF techniques require a large amount of DNA compared to other methods (between 2 and 3 &#181;g per sample). This limits the technique&#39;s applications to examining telomere length of clinical samples for which sufficient genomic DNA can be collected, and cannot be used on degraded DNA samples. Additionally, the TRF analysis is costly and labor intensive, requiring 4-5 days to yield results. However, the TRF yields a low coefficient of variance granting its reproducibility. While this protocol is different than the traditional Southern blot (utilizing in situ gel hybridization), the two techniques are fundamentally the same.
The technique presented here is a combination of a Southern blot and in-gel hybridization; associating the DNA denaturing step from Southern blots with the in-gel hybridization. This combination has the added benefit of improved probe signal strength compared to the Southern blot and has consistently yielded quantifiable results within our lab. Additionally, the use of radioactive probes rather than chemiluminescent probes yields higher signal intensity and allows for visualization and quantification with a phosphorimager, making the analyses of the TRF user-friendly.

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			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
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			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:216px;">Rsa1, restriction enzyme</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">New England Biolabs, Inc</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">R0167S</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">10,000 U/mL, DNA digestion.&#160; Comes with Cutsmart Buffer (digestion buffer)</td>
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		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:216px;">Hinf1, restriction enzyme</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">New England Biolabs, Inc</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">R0155S</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">10,000 U/mL, DNA digestion.&#160; Comes with Cutsmart Buffer (digestion buffer)</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Seakem GTG Agarose</td>
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			<td style="width:119px;">50071</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">electrophoresis grade agarose</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Optikinase&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">affymetrix</td>
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			<td style="width:167px;">T4 Polynucleotide Kinase</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">C-Strand Probe (3&#39;-(G3AT2)4-&#39;5)</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Integrated DNA Technologies</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Custom ordered DNA oligonucleotide</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Gamma-ATP-P32</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Perkin Elmer</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">BLU502Z</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Radioisotope</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Qiagen Blood and Cell Culture DNA Mini Kit</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Qiagen</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:119px;">13323</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">DNA extraction kit</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">GE Illustra Microspin G-25 column</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">GE Healthcare Life Sciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">27-5325-01</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For purification of readioactive oligo probe</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Ficoll 400</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Owl A5 Gel electrophoresis system (20 cm x 25 cm)</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">ThermoFisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A5</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Gel electrophoresis</td>
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			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:216px;">Horizon 11.4 Gel electrophoresis system (11 cm x 14 cm)</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Corel Life Sciences</td>
			<td align="right" style="width:119px;">11068020</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Gel electrophoresis</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Nylon mesh, 50, 12&#34; x 12&#34;</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">GE Storage Phosphor Screens</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">GE Healthcare Life Sciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">28-9564-75</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Phosphor Screen Exposure Cassette</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">GE Healthcare Life Sciences</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">63-0035-44</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Isotemp Hybridzation Incubator</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">13-247-20Q</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Cylindrical hybridization tubes</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Fisher Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">13-247-300</td>
			<td style="width:167px;"></td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">The Belly Dancer orbital shaker</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Sigma-aldrich</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Z768499-1EA</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Orbital shaker</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Typhoon 9400</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">ABI</td>
			<td style="width:119px;"></td>
			<td style="width:167px;">For imaging of gels and phosphor screens</td>
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		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">GraphPad Prism 6</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">GraphPad</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Version 6.05</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Graphing Program</td>
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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Microsoft Excel</td>
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			<td style="width:167px;">Spreadsheet program</td>
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			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Nanodrop</td>
			<td style="width:116px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Nanodrp 2000</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Spectrophotometer</td>
		</tr>
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modified terminal restriction fragment analysis for quantifying telomere length using in-gel hybridization

There are several different techniques for measuring telomere length, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The traditional approach, Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF) analysis, utilizes a DNA hybridization technique whereby genomic DNA samples are digested with restriction enzymes, leaving behind telomere DNA repeats and some sub-telomeric DNA. These are separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, transferred to a filter membrane and hybridized to oligonucleotide probes tagged with either chemiluminescence or radioactivity to visualize telomere restriction fragments. This approach, while requiring a larger quantity of DNA than other techniques such as PCR, can measure the telomere length distribution of a population of cells and allows measurement expressed in absolute kilobases. This manuscript demonstrates a modified DNA hybridization procedure for determining telomere length. Genomic DNA is first digested with restriction enzymes (that do not cut telomeres) and separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The gel is then dried and the DNA is denatured and hybridized in situ to a radiolabeled oligonucleotide probe. This in situ hybridization avoids loss of telomere DNA and improves signal intensity. Following hybridization, the gels are imaged utilizing phosphor screens and the telomere length is quantified using a graphing program. This procedure was developed by the laboratories of Drs. Woodring Wright and Jerry Shay at the University of Texas Southwestern1,2. Here, we present a detailed description of this procedure, with some modifications.

Three concentrations of DNA (1, 2 and 3 &#181;g) isolated from the cell line BJ-hTERT (telomerase immortalized human foreskin fibroblasts)22 and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were analyzed for telomere length. Table 1 shows the lane assignments for each DNA sample. Figure 1 shows a nucleic acid fluorescent stain of the gel. The molecular weight standards are clearly visible. The distance from the top...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Modified Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis for Quantifying Telomere Length Using In-gel Hybridization at JoVE.com

Modified Terminal Restriction Fragment Analysis for Quantifying Telomere Length Using In-gel Hybridization

In this article, a detailed protocol for quantifying telomere length using a modified terminal restriction fragment analysis is discussed that provides fast and efficient direct measurement of telomere length. This technique can be applied to a variety of cell sources of DNA for quantifying telomere length.

There are several different techniques for measuring telomere length, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The traditional approach, Telomere ...

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Targeted antigen delivery to cross-presenting dendritic cells (DC) in vivo efficiently induces T effector cell responses and displays a valuable approach ...

Natural Killer (NK) and CAR-NK Cell Expansion Method using Membrane Bound-IL-21-Modified B Cell Line

Natural Killer NK and CAR-NK Cell Expansion Method using Membrane Bound-IL-21-Modified B Cell Line

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified immune cell therapy has become an emerging treatment for cancers and infectious diseases. NK-based immunotherapy, ...

CAM-Delam Assay to Score Metastatic Properties by Quantifying Delamination and Invasion Capacity of Cancer Cells

The major cause of cancer-related deaths is metastasis formation (i.e., when cancer cells spread from the primary tumor to distant organs and form ...

Multiparametric Tumor Organoid Drug Screening Using Widefield Live-Cell Imaging for Bulk and Single-Organoid Analysis

Patient-derived tumor organoids (PDTOs) hold great promise for preclinical and translational research and predicting the patient therapy response from ex ...