Summary

Быстрая проверка Терминаторов Используя ПГР-голубой плазмид и Золотые ворота в сборе

Published: April 25, 2016
doi:

Summary

This protocol utilizes Golden Gate Assembly and the plasmid pGR-blue to rapidly quantify the strength of terminators found in silico.

Abstract

The goal of this protocol is to allow for the rapid verification of bioinformatically identified terminators. Further, the plasmid (pGR-Blue) is designed specifically for this protocol and allows for the quantification of terminator efficiency. As a proof of concept, six terminators were bioinformatically identified in the mycobacteriophage Bernal13. Once identified, terminators were then made as oligonucleotides with the appropriate sticky ends and annealed together. Using Golden Gate Assembly (GGA), terminators were then cloned into pGR-Blue. Under visible light, false positive colonies appear blue and positively transformed colonies are white/yellow. After induction of an arabinose inducible promoter (pBad) with arabinose, colony strength can be determined by measuring the ratio of green fluorescent protein (GFP) produced to red fluorescent protein (RFP) produced. With pGR-Blue, the protocol can be completed in as little as three days and is ideal in an educational setting. Additionally, results show that this protocol is useful as a means for understanding in silico predictions of terminator efficiency related to the regulation of transcription.

Introduction

Large synthetic biology projects necessitate the use of highly effective transcription terminators to help regulate gene expression. Identification of novel terminators requires bioinformatic analysis of novel genomes. However, as increasing amounts of bioinformatic software are developed, each with a unique algorithm utilized for prediction, more discrepancy between putative results occurs. Because this process is somewhat subjective and is done in silico, these predictions need biological confirmation.1 Additionally, the volume of putative terminators identified through in-silico analysis requires the use of cloning strategies that can be completed in a relatively short time frame.

The PGR-Blue plasmid is a modification of the PGR plasmid that has been redesigned to use Golden Gate Assembly (GGA) to simplify the cloning procedure by allowing for all reaction steps to be simultaneously performed in one micro-centrifuge tube.2,3 Color selection was incorporated into the plasmid to increase the ease of identifying positive colonies. A successful ligation should be white/yellow in visible light and fluoresce green under blue (450 nm) or ultraviolet (UV) light when grown on plates containing arabinose. Because uncut pGR-blue contains a blue chromo protein (amilCP), colonies containing an unmodified plasmid are blue under visible light. This simplification along with the streamlined protocol allows researchers to proceed from bioinformatic identification to biological confirmation in three to four days. The design nature of this system can be beneficial both in the research lab and in educational settings.

The pGR-Blue plasmid allows for quantification of terminator strength.4 A single arabinose inducible promoter is used to produce green fluorescent protein (GFP) and red fluorescent protein (RFP). The terminator is cloned into the plasmid after the GFP sequence but before the RFP sequence, thus stopping the transcription of the RFP protein. The strength of the terminator is determined by the ratio of GFP produced to RFP produced.

The Vision and Change5 report suggested that Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education incorporate research based experiences into the classroom.6 However, this requires the development of protocols that can be done by students with limited skill sets in a defined time frame. While the protocol can be accomplished in as little as three days, it was also designed so that each major step could be accomplished in a separate weekly (2-3 hr) lab period to create a Course Research Experience (CRE). When used in this manner, the procedure will take between three and six weeks and is appropriate for both introductory and advanced courses in Genetics, Cell Biology or Bioinformatics.

Protocol

1. Проектирование и заказа олигонуклеотиды с Соответствующих липкими концами Выявление потенциальных Rho-независимого терминатора путем геномного анализа с помощью программ, которые свободно доступны в Интернете. 7 При работе с двухцепочечной ДНК, определяют ориентац…

Representative Results

Этот протокол будет производить клетки , содержащие ПГР-синего цвета с терминатором лигированы между GFP и RFP с использованием Golden Gate в сборе (рис 2). Положительные колонии, содержащие вставку лигировали могут быть выбраны на основе цвета. В видимом свете положи?…

Discussion

Наиболее важным шагом в этом протоколе является правильная разработка олигонуклеотид перед заказом. Олигонуклеотиды должны иметь соответствующие липкие концы добавлены к концам 5'как на верхней и нижней нити, чтобы гарантировать, что GGA включение возможно. Кроме того, важно, чтобы п?…

Disclosures

The authors have nothing to disclose.

Acknowledgements

Авторы хотели бы признать Малькольм Кэмпбелл и Тодд Eckdahl с Genome Consortium для активного обучения (GCAT) и Альянса HHMI-научного образования – фага Hunters Выросшие Genomics и эволюционная наука программы (SEA-фагов).

Этот проект был поддержан грантами от Национального центра исследовательских ресурсов (P20RR016460) и Национального института общих медицинских наук (P20GM103429) из Национальных институтов здравоохранения. Это исследование было поддержано частично Национальным научным фондом в рамках гранта # IIA-1457888. Кроме того, институциональные (Ouachita Baptist University) средства были предоставлены через JD Patterson Summer Research Fellowship.

Materials

pGR-Blue Plasmid Addgene 68374
pGR-Plasmid Addgene 46002
AeraSeal-(Sterile Sheets) Excel Scientific BS-25 Sterile Sheets only
10X T4 DNA ligase Buffer NEB
BsaI-HF NEB R3535S The non-HF enzyme will work but is less heat stable. 
NEB Golden Gate Assembly Mix NEB E1600S Commerial Master Mix refered to in the protocol.
T4 DNA ligase NEB M0202S
Round Microcentrifuge Floating Rack Nova Tech International F18875-6401
Ampicillin sodium salt Sigma Aldrich A9518
L-(+)-Arabinose Sigma Aldrich A-3256 D-Arabinose will not induce the pBAD promoter
Luria Base (LB) – Broth, Miller Sigma Aldrich L1900
Luria Base (LB) – Agar , Miller  Sigma Aldrich L2025
Tecan-Infinite M200 Plate Reader Tecan
Mix & Go Competent Cells – Strain JM109 Zymo Research T3005 Use company recommended transformation protocol
ApE: A plasmid editor-software http://biologylabs.utah.edu/jorgensen/wayned/ape/
Tris-HCl, Molecular Grade Promega H5121
Sodium Chloride (Crystalline/Biological, Certified) Fisher Chemical S671
Comercial Oligonucleotide synthesis Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) http://www.idtdna.com/site
Microtest Tissue Culture Plates- 96 well (Sterile) Falcon 35-3072
mycobacteriophage "Bernal13" Genebank KJ510413
Nuclease Free Water Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) IDT004
Sterile, L-shaped Hockey-Stick Cell Life Science Products 6444-S1
Nano-Drop 2000c UV-Vis Spectrometer Thermo Scientific 2000c
ARNold: a web tool for the prediction of Rho-independent transcription terminators. http://rna.igmors.u-psud.fr/

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Cite This Article
Bradshaw, J. C., Gongola, A. B., Reyna, N. S. Rapid Verification of Terminators Using the pGR-Blue Plasmid and Golden Gate Assembly. J. Vis. Exp. (110), e54064, doi:10.3791/54064 (2016).

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