scholarly journals A unique mode of nucleic acid immunity performed by a single multifunctional enzyme

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Nayeemul Bari ◽  
Lucy Chou-Zheng ◽  
Katie Cater ◽  
Vidya Sree Dandu ◽  
Alexander Thomas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Dual Function ◽  
Bacterial Phyla ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Multiple Components ◽  
Unique Mode ◽  
Phage Dna ◽  
Domains Of Life ◽  
Replication Intermediates

Organisms spanning all domains of life protect against pathogens using diverse mechanisms of nucleic acid immunity which detect and eliminate foreign genetic material1. The perpetual arms race between bacteria and their viruses (phages) has given rise to both innate and adaptive nucleic acid immunity mechanisms, including restriction-modification and CRISPR-Cas, respectively2. These sophisticated systems encode multiple components that sense and degrade phage-derived genetic material while leaving the host genome unharmed. Here, we describe a unique mode of innate immunity performed by a single protein, SERP2475, herein renamed to Nhi. We show that this enzyme protects against phages by preventing phage DNA accumulation, and in a purified system it degrades both DNA and RNA substrates. This enzyme also exhibits ATP-dependent helicase activity, and excess ATP abrogates nuclease function, suggesting a possible mechanism for its regulation. Further, using directed evolution, we isolated and characterized a collection of resistant phage mutants and found that a single-stranded DNA binding protein provides a natural means for phages to escape immunity. These observations support a model in which Nhi senses and degrades phage-specific replication intermediates. We also found that this dual-function enzyme protects against diverse phages, and its homologs are distributed across several bacterial phyla. Altogether, our findings reveal a new innate immune system with minimal composition that provides robust defense against diverse bacterial viruses.

scholarly journals The Nucleic Acid Binding Activity of Bleomycin Hydrolase Is Involved in Bleomycin Detoxification

1998 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3580-3585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjin Zheng ◽  
Stephen Albert Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Binding Activity ◽  
Dual Function ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding ◽  
Peptide Cleavage ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Bleomycin Hydrolase ◽  
Nucleic Acid Binding Activity ◽  
Rna And Dna

ABSTRACT Yeast bleomycin hydrolase, Gal6p, is a cysteine peptidase that detoxifies the anticancer drug bleomycin. Gal6p is a dual-function protein capable of both nucleic acid binding and peptide cleavage. We now demonstrate that Gal6p exhibits sequence-independent, high-affinity binding to single-stranded DNA, nicked double-stranded DNA, and RNA. A region of the protein that is involved in binding both RNA and DNA substrates is delineated. Immunolocalization reveals that the Gal6 protein is chiefly cytoplasmic and thus may be involved in binding cellular RNAs. Variant Gal6 proteins that fail to bind nucleic acid also exhibit reduced ability to protect cells from bleomycin toxicity, suggesting that the nucleic acid binding activity of Gal6p is important in bleomycin detoxification and may be involved in its normal biological functions.

High-resolution nucleic acid sequence mapping via in situ hybridization at the Electron Microscope level

1995 ◽  
Vol 53 ◽  
pp. 752-753
Author(s):  
B.A. Hamkalo ◽  
S. Narayanswami ◽  
A.P. Kausch
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Interphase Nucleus ◽  
Genome Mapping ◽  
Precise Location ◽  
Electron Microscope Level ◽  
Rna Sequences ◽  
Fundamental Interest ◽  
Whole Cells ◽  
Dna And Rna

The availability of nonradioactive methods to label nucleic acids an the resultant rapid and greater sensitivity of detection has catapulted the technique of in situ hybridization to become the method of choice to locate of specific DNA and RNA sequences on chromosomes and in whole cells in cytological preparations in many areas of biology. It is being applied to problems of fundamental interest to basic cell and molecular biologists such as the organization of the interphase nucleus in the context of putative functional domains; it is making major contributions to genome mapping efforts; and it is being applied to the analysis of clinical specimens. Although fluorescence detection of nucleic acid hybrids is routinely used, certain questions require greater resolution. For example, very closely linked sequences may not be separable using fluorescence; the precise location of sequences with respect to chromosome structures may be below the resolution of light microscopy(LM); and the relative positions of sequences on very small chromosomes may not be feasible.

scholarly journals Sulfur Modification in Natural RNA and Therapeutic Oligonucleotides

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ya Ying Zheng ◽  
Ying Wu ◽  
Thomas Begley ◽  
Jia Sheng
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Sulfur Modification ◽  
Oxygen Atoms

Sulfur modifications have been discovered on both DNA and RNA. Sulfur substitution of oxygen atoms at nucleobase or backbone locations in the nucleic acid framework led to a wide variety...

scholarly journals Recent developments in nucleic acid based techniques for use in rumen manipulation

2009 ◽  
Vol 38 (spe) ◽  
pp. 341-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher McSweeney ◽  
Seungha Kang ◽  
Emma Gagen ◽  
Carl Davis ◽  
Mark Morrison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microbial Community ◽  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Microbial Communities ◽  
Marker Gene ◽  
Molecular Ecology ◽  
Functional Gene ◽  
Rumen Microorganisms ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Conventional Culture ◽  
Reference Strains

Nucleic acid-based techniques which can be used to characterise complex microbial communities without incubation are now being employed regularly in ruminant nutrition studies. Conventional culture-based methods for enumerating rumen microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, protozoa, and fungi) have been superseded and are now used mainly to obtain pure isolates of novel organisms and reference strains that are required for the development and validation of the nucleic acid approaches. These reference strains are also essential for physiological studies of the lifestyle of the organisms as well as sources of genomic DNA and RNA that can be analysed for functional gene activity. The foundation of the molecular ecology techniques is 16S/18S rDNA sequence analysis which has provided a phylogenetically based classification scheme for enumeration and identification of microbial community members. The use of this marker gene in assays involving the use of single nucleic acid probes or primer sets is rapidly evolving to high throughput approaches such as microarray analysis and new generation sequencing technologies. While these analyses are very informative for determining the composition of the microbial community and monitoring changes in population size, they can only infer function based on these observations. The focus of nucleic acid research is now shifting to the functional analysis of the ecosystem which involves the measurement of functional genes and their expression in the predominant or specific members of the rumen microbial community. Functional gene studies are less developed than 16S rDNA-based analysis of community structure. Also for gene expression studies there are inherent problems involved in extracting high quality RNA from digesta, and priming cDNA synthesis from bacterial mRNA. This paper reviews nucleic acid based molecular methods which have recently been developed for studying the structure and function of rumen microbial communities.

scholarly journals The In-Feed Antibiotic Carbadox Induces Phage Gene Transcription in the Swine Gut Microbiome

mBio ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy A. Johnson ◽  
Torey Looft ◽  
Andrew J. Severin ◽  
Darrell O. Bayles ◽  
Daniel J. Nasko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Genetic Material ◽  
Clinical Importance ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽  
Antibiotic Use ◽  
Human Medicine ◽  
Phage Dna ◽  
Pig Farms ◽  
Collateral Effects

ABSTRACT Carbadox is a quinoxaline-di-N-oxide antibiotic fed to over 40% of young pigs in the United States that has been shown to induce phage DNA transduction in vitro; however, the effects of carbadox on swine microbiome functions are poorly understood. We investigated the in vivo longitudinal effects of carbadox on swine gut microbial gene expression (fecal metatranscriptome) and phage population dynamics (fecal dsDNA viromes). Microbial metagenome, transcriptome, and virome sequences were annotated for taxonomic inference and gene function by using FIGfam (isofunctional homolog sequences) and SEED subsystems databases. When the beta diversities of microbial FIGfam annotations were compared, the control and carbadox communities were distinct 2 days after carbadox introduction. This effect was driven by carbadox-associated lower expression of FIGfams (n = 66) related to microbial respiration, carbohydrate utilization, and RNA metabolism (q < 0.1), suggesting bacteriostatic or bactericidal effects within certain populations. Interestingly, carbadox treatment caused greater expression of FIGfams related to all stages of the phage lytic cycle 2 days following the introduction of carbadox (q ≤0.07), suggesting the carbadox-mediated induction of prophages and phage DNA recombination. These effects were diminished by 7 days of continuous carbadox in the feed, suggesting an acute impact. Additionally, the viromes included a few genes that encoded resistance to tetracycline, aminoglycoside, and beta-lactam antibiotics but these did not change in frequency over time or with treatment. The results show decreased bacterial growth and metabolism, prophage induction, and potential transduction of bacterial fitness genes in swine gut bacterial communities as a result of carbadox administration. IMPORTANCE FDA regulations on agricultural antibiotic use have focused on antibiotics that are important for human medicine. Carbadox is an antibiotic not used in humans but frequently used on U.S. pig farms. It is important to study possible side effects of carbadox use because it has been shown to promote bacterial evolution, which could indirectly impact antibiotic resistance in bacteria of clinical importance. Interestingly, the present study shows greater prophage gene expression in feces from carbadox-fed animals than in feces from nonmedicated animals 2 days after the initiation of in-feed carbadox treatment. Importantly, the phage genetic material isolated in this study contained genes that could provide resistance to antibiotics that are important in human medicine, indicating that human-relevant antibiotic resistance genes are mobile between bacteria via phages. This study highlights the collateral effects of antibiotics and demonstrates the need to consider diverse antibiotic effects whenever antibiotics are being used or new regulations are considered. FDA regulations on agricultural antibiotic use have focused on antibiotics that are important for human medicine. Carbadox is an antibiotic not used in humans but frequently used on U.S. pig farms. It is important to study possible side effects of carbadox use because it has been shown to promote bacterial evolution, which could indirectly impact antibiotic resistance in bacteria of clinical importance. Interestingly, the present study shows greater prophage gene expression in feces from carbadox-fed animals than in feces from nonmedicated animals 2 days after the initiation of in-feed carbadox treatment. Importantly, the phage genetic material isolated in this study contained genes that could provide resistance to antibiotics that are important in human medicine, indicating that human-relevant antibiotic resistance genes are mobile between bacteria via phages. This study highlights the collateral effects of antibiotics and demonstrates the need to consider diverse antibiotic effects whenever antibiotics are being used or new regulations are considered.

The fluorescent staining of a mycobacteriophage (C2) nucleic acid

1971 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Menezes
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Acridine Orange ◽  
Staining Technique ◽  
Fluorescent Staining ◽  
Green Fluorescence ◽  
Acridine Orange Staining ◽  
Fluorescence Characteristic ◽  
Phage Dna ◽  
Acid Dnase

By using the acridine orange staining technique a green fluorescence, characteristic of double-stranded nucleic acid, can be observed with purified preparations of mycobacteriophage C2 and its extracted nucleic acid. DNAse-treated samples do not show this fluorescence, which leads to the conclusion that this fluorescence is associated with phage DNA. Examination of preparations of phage grown in the presence of acridine orange supported these results.

scholarly journals Cleavage of DNA and RNA by PLD3 and PLD4 limits autoinflammatory triggering by multiple sensors

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Gavin ◽  
Deli Huang ◽  
Tanya R. Blane ◽  
Therese C. Thinnes ◽  
Yusuke Murakami ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Type I ◽  
Multiple Sensors ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Elevated Type ◽  
Minor Contribution ◽  
Ifn Γ ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Rna And Dna

AbstractPhospholipase D3 (PLD3) and PLD4 polymorphisms have been associated with several important inflammatory diseases. Here, we show that PLD3 and PLD4 digest ssRNA in addition to ssDNA as reported previously. Moreover, Pld3−/−Pld4−/− mice accumulate small ssRNAs and develop spontaneous fatal hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) characterized by inflammatory liver damage and overproduction of Interferon (IFN)-γ. Pathology is rescued in Unc93b13d/3dPld3−/−Pld4−/− mice, which lack all endosomal TLR signaling; genetic codeficiency or antibody blockade of TLR9 or TLR7 ameliorates disease less effectively, suggesting that both RNA and DNA sensing by TLRs contributes to inflammation. IFN-γ made a minor contribution to pathology. Elevated type I IFN and some other remaining perturbations in Unc93b13d/3dPld3−/−Pld4−/− mice requires STING (Tmem173). Our results show that PLD3 and PLD4 regulate both endosomal TLR and cytoplasmic/STING nucleic acid sensing pathways and have implications for the treatment of nucleic acid-driven inflammatory disease.

scholarly journals Skipping and sliding to optimize target search on protein-bound DNA and RNA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misha Klein ◽  
Tao Ju Cui ◽  
Ian MacRae ◽  
Chirlmin Joo ◽  
Martin Depken
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Single Molecule ◽  
Diffusion Limit ◽  
Optimal Search ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Argonaute Proteins ◽  
Large Pool ◽  
Search Speed ◽  
Crowded Environments ◽  
Acid Substrate

Rapidly finding a specific nucleic-acid sequences in a large pool of competing off-targets is a fundamental challenge overcome by all living systems. To optimize the search and beat the diffusion limit, it is known that searchers should spend time sliding along the nucleic-acid substrate. Still, such sliding generally has to contend with high levels of molecular crowding on the substrate, and it remains unclear what effect this has on optimal search strategies. Using mechanistic modelling informed by single-molecule data, we show how sliding combined with correlated short-ranged skips allow searchers to maintain search speed on densely crowded substrates. We determine the conditions of optimal search, which show that an optimized searchers always spend more than half its time skipping and sliding along the substrate. Applying our theory to single-molecule data, we determine that both human and bacterial Argonaute proteins alternate between sliding 10 nt and skipping 30 nt along the substrate. We show that this combination of skipping and sliding lengths allows the searcher to maintain search speeds largely unaffected by molecular roadblocks covering up to 70% of the substrate. Our novel combination of experimental and theoretical approach could also help elucidate how other systems ensure rapid search in crowded environments.

scholarly journals STUDIES ON NUCLEIC ACID METACHROMASY

1965 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 327-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ned Feder ◽  
Merrill K. Wolf
Keyword(s):  
Nucleic Acid ◽  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Toluidine Blue ◽  
Color Contrast ◽  
Tissue Sections ◽  
Dna And Rna ◽  
Excellent Preservation ◽  
Structural Preservation ◽  
Intense Color

Acrolein-fixed, polyester wax-embedded tissue sections showed excellent preservation of light microscopic architecture and, when stained with toluidine blue, intense color contrast between DNA, which stained orthochromatically, and RNA, which stained metachromatically. This method has practical value for differentiating DNA from RNA in the same section. The color contrast was impaired by substituting formaldehyde for acrolein or paraffin for polyester wax, and was negligible in tissues fixed in formaldehyde or Carnoy's fluid and embedded in paraffin. Quality of structural preservation paralleled degree of color contrast. Metachromatic staining can be analysed, by the quantitative parameters of Bradley and colleagues, to provide inferences regarding the conformation of biopolymers in tissue sections. Comparison of the nucleic acid color contrasts in toluidine blue-stained sections with titrations of fixative-treated nucleic acids against toluidine blue in solution indicated a greater difference in conformation between DNA- and RNA-protein in acrolein-polyester sections than between acrolein-treated free DNA and RNA in solution. This is supported by recent evidence that the conformation of ribosomal RNA is quite different in whole ribosomes from that assumed by the same RNA free in solution. The acrolein-polyester method may enhance color contrast by providing superior preservation of ordered nucleoprotein conformations.

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