SIU

BIOTECHNOLOGY - MICR 421


Chapter 5. Chemical Synthesis, Sequencing and Amplification of DNA

I. Chemical Synthesis of DNA

II. DNA Sequencing Techniques

III. Polymerase Chain Reaction


I.

Uses for Chemically Synthesized DNA

1. Labeled DNA probes to detect a target sequence

2. Primers needed for enzymatic biosynthesis of labeled probes and cDNA, DNA sequencing , and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

3. Mutagenesis. Altering a nucleotide sequence to introduce a mutation into a gene

4. Production of linkers and adapters for cloning

5. Synthesis of entire genes that cannot be cloned


Chemical Synthesis of DNA

(See Figs. 5.1 - 5.7)

Automated. Uses a DNA synthesizer

Phosphoramadites. Modified deoxyribonucleosides that are chemically coupled during synthesis

(See Fig. 5.3)

All steps are carried out while the DNA strand is bound to a column

(See FIg. 5.2)

Does not require a template strand of DNA, so you specify the sequence you need

Chemical synthesis proceeds in the 3' to 5' direction (remember that biosynthesis is in the 5' to 3' direction)

Not as efficient as DNA polymerase

The effiency of chemical coupling of phosporamadites affects the amount (yield) of the oligonucleotide that is produced.

See Table 5.1

Ex. Synthesis of a 20-mer with a coupling efficiency of 99%

0.9920 x 100 = 82% of product is full length of 20 bp

Long sequences are difficult to accurately synthesize


Synthesis of a labeled DNA Probe Using Based on the Amino Acid Sequence of the Gene Product

You know the protein you are interested in and want to use a DNA probe to screen a gene library to clone the gene. However, you have no clue as to what the sequence of the probe needs to be so that it will hybridize to the gene during library screening.

1.) Purify the gene product (protein)

2.) Determine sequence of 10 to 50 amino acids at the amino terminal end

Use an amino acid analyzer

Ex. Asn-Phe-Tyr-Ala-Trp-Lys-etc.

3.) Determine all possible coding sequences using the genetic code. There will be several possibilities because the code is degenerate (redundant).

4.) Chemically synthesize all possible combinations of oligonucleotides

(Fewer oliogos can be synthesized if the codon bias of the organism is known)

Use a DNA synthesizer and phosphoramadites

5.) Attach a detectable label

Ex. Use a kinase and AT32P to end label the 5' end of the oligos with radioactive phosphate

Compare this method for producing a labeled probe with the random primer method discussed in Chapter 4.



II. DNA Base Sequence Determination: Sanger Dideoxy Chain Termination Method

You have succeeded in cloning the target DNA, now you want to know its nucleotide (base) sequence.

Components of Sanger Sequencing Reactions (Fig. 5.17)

1. DNA to be sequenced (template)

2. Primer (How do you know what the sequence of the primer should be?)

3. dNTPs: one radiolabeled (Ex. dAT32P or 35S-dATP, for detection)

4. ddNTPs (Fig. 5.14)

5. DNA polymerase

 

Comparison of the chemical sturctures of:

Dideoxynucleoside triphosphate (ddNTP)

See Fig. 5.14 A.

Deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP)

See Fig. 5.14 B

 

DNA biosynthesis is terminated after incorporation of a ddNTP. WHY?

See Figs. 5.15 and 5.16

 

Steps:

1.) Four reactions are run in separate tubes at the same time.

Each of the four tubes contains , dATP, dTTP, dCTP and dGTP, a radiolabeled dNTP such as dATP containing a 35S or 32P label, but only one ddNTP (a different one in each tube).

2.) Each reaction is analyzed by gel electrophoresis to separate the synthesized strands by their length.

An electric charge is generated across the sequencing gel. A cathode (negative electrode) is placed at the top of the gel and an anode (positive electrode) is placed at the bottom of the gel. Since DNA carries a net negative charge, the fragments will be repelled from the cathode and will be attracted to the anode.

Polyacrylamide (or agarose) is a polymer that forms a meshwork that causes larger fragments to move more slowly than the smaller fragments as they migrate from the cathode to the anode end of the gel.

3.) The position of the labeled DNA fragments in the gel is determined by autoradiography which produces a picture of the gel by exposing it to film.

See Fig. 5.18

The nucleotide sequence of the DNA is read from the bottom of the gel to the top.

The bottom of the gel corresponds to the 5' end of the DNA strand while the top of the gel corresponds to the 3' end.

A sequencing gel can be used to determine the sequence of a strand of DNA that is ~250-500 nucleotides long.

Most DNA to be sequenced is much longer, Ex. 1000 nucleotides for a typical E. coli gene.

Primer walking is used to determine the complete sequence.

(See Fig. 5.21)

 

Automated Sequencing With ddNTPs Containing Fluorescent Labels

o Must run 4 separate reactions as for Sanger sequencing

o The 4 reactions are combined and analyzed in 1 lane of an electrophoresis gel


III. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

See Figs. 5.22 to 5.25

1. DNA containing the target

Templates for synthesis of complementary strands

May be genomic DNA or cloned DNA located within a vector

2. Taq polymerase

Thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus

Thermophilic bacterium that grow in hot springs at ~60-80 oC

3. Set of 2 primers that flank the region of DNA to be amplified

Needed to prime DNA synthesis by providing a 3'-hydroxyl group

Forward primer hybridizes to upstream region of one DNA strand

Reverse primer hybridizes to downstream region of the other strand

4. dNTPs

 

~95oC to denature the target (make it single stranded)

~55oC to allow the primers to bind (hybridize, anneal) to the target

~75oC optimal temperature for polymerase activity of Taq

 

Some Uses for PCR

1. DNA fingerprinting for identification of individuals

Exs.

Forensic analysis of DNA from crime scenes

Determining paternity (relationship of offspring to mother or father)

 

2. Detection of low levels of DNA

Ex. Diagnosis of viral diseases such as AIDS and screening donated blood

 

3. Screening individuals for inherited mutations

Ex. Detection of genetic defects of a fetus while still in the womb

 

4. Taxonomy and study of microbial communities

Ex. Amplification of 16S rRNA (Prokaryotes) or 18S rRNA genes (Eukaryotes)

-Genus and species can be identified after determining the gene's sequence and comparing it to the sequence of known organisms

5. DNA sequencing (cycle sequencing, see above) and many any other uses


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SIUC / College of Science / Microbiology / Microbiology 421
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Last updated: Septmeber 21, 2005 /jdh


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