Unit 9 Flashcards
Describe the five general procedures in DNA cloning
- Obtaining the DNA segment to be cloned
- Selecting a small molecule of DNA capable of autonomous replication
- Joining two fragments covalently (through DNA ligase)
- Moving recombinant DNA from the test tube to a host organism
- Selecting or identifying host cells that contain recombinant DNA
Thousands of restriction endonucleases have been discovered. Are restriction enzymes made by eukaryotes or prokaryotes?
Prokaryotes
What is the biological function of restriction endonucleases in vivo?
To cut out foreign DNA
Discuss the restriction-modification system
- In a host cell’s DNA, the sequence that would be recognized by one of its own restriction endonucleases is protected from digestion by methylation of the DNA, catalyzed by a specific DNA methylase
- The restriction endonuclease and DNA methylase are referred to as teh restriction-modification system
Select a restriction endonuclease that generates sticky ends and one that generates blunt ends
Sticky: BamHI, EcoRI
Blunt: HaeII, PvuII
Sticky ends
Some restriction endonucleases make staggered cuts on the two DNA strands, leaving two to 4 nucleotides of one strand unpaired at each resulting end. There unpaired strands are referred to as sticky ends because they can base-pair with each other or with complementary sticky ends of other DNA fragments
Blunt ends
Some restriction endonucleases cleave both strands of DNA straight across as opposing phosphodiester bonds, leaving no unpaired bases on the ends, often called blunt ends
How are the cloning vector and desired DNA combined?
When two DNA fragments generated by the same restriction endonyclease are mixed together, the complementary ends pair and form hydrogen bonds (a process called annealing), DNA ligase then forms phosphodiester bonds that covalently join the fragments, and the restriction endonuclease cleavage site is restored
What is another name for small molecules that contain DNA capable of self replicating?
Cloning vectors
What are the cloning vectors
- Plasmids
- Viruses
Plasmid
A circular DNA that replicated separately from the host chromosome
Transformation
- In the laboratory, small plasmids can be introduced into bacterial cells by a process called transformation
1) plasmid and bacteria cell are incubated together at 0ºC in NaCl solution
2) Heat shock for 37-43ºC
3) Cells may take up plasmid DNA
Why do plasmids always contain each of the following regions:
the selectable marker gene
A selectable marker gene either permits the growth of a cell (positive selection) or kills the cell (negative selection) so you can identify the population of your bacteria that successfully took up the plasmid and recombination DNA
Why do plasmids always contain each of the following regions:
the origin of replication
This sequence is required to propagate the plasmid. It’s wehre replication starts
Why do plasmids always contain each of the following regions:
unique recognition sequences for restricton endonucleases
Several unique recognition sequences are targets for restriction endonucleases, providing sites where the plasmid can be cut to insert foreign DNA
How plasmids are used to clone DNA
- Plasmids are first cleaved by a restriction endonuclease
- Then, the foreign DNA is cleaved by the same endonuclease will combine with the plasmid
- DNA ligase seals them up
- The cells of interests are transformed then grown on agar plates with compounds that hep the selectivity of the bacteria
What are the two sources of error with doing uptake of plasmids?
- The plasmid did not get the DNA
- The host cell did not pick up a plasmid with recombinant DNA or a plasmid at all
On page 14 make sure you can explain this process
What kind of vector will you use if your goal is to express a eukaryotic gene?
Expression vector
What are the components of an expression vector (make sure you can draw out this diagram)
- Ori
- Gene encoding for repressor
- Promoter
- Operator
- Ribosome binding site
- Multiple cloning sites (cDNA enters)
- Transcription termination sequence
- Selectable gene markers
Promoter
Allows efficient transcription of the inserted gene
Operator
Permits regulation by a repressor that binds to it
Ribosome binding site
Provides sequence signals for the efficient translation of the mRNA derived from the gene
Multiple cloning sites
The gene to be expressed (cDNA) is inserted into one of these restriction sites, near the promoter, with the end of teh the gene encoding the amino terminus positioned the closest to the promoter
Transcription termination sequence
Improves the amount and stability of the mRNA produced
Gene encoding repressor
Creates repressor that binds to the operator and regulates the transcription of the gene
*there is also ori but we’ve already discussed what that is and its importance
Why do we use cDNA instead of just using the DNA from the eukaryote?
The reason why is because prokaryotes do not have the machinery to remove introns. If we were to transcribe DNA directly, it would have introns included which we don’t want
Therefore, what we must to is take our DNA –> primary mRNA –> mature mRNA and use a reverse transcriptase to turn that into cDNA. Now this version of DNA does not have any introns and the promoter can activate the mRNA of this DNA
Why is it necessary to have a promoter in the expression vector
Because once you have a promoter, you will be able to express the DNA to make RNA
With very strong promoters, expression vectors sometimes recruit many of the cell’s transcription and translation enzymes to “over-express” the cloned gene
Cloned genes are so efficiently expressed that their protein product represent 10% or more of cellular proteins. At these concentrations, some foreign proteins can kill the host, so expression of cloned gene mut be limited
Why does site-directed mutagenesis matter?
Sometimes we want to study proteins and changes accompanied with that. To do so, we must alter the gene. SIte directed mutagenesis changed the DNA (gene) so it may encode a different protein product
What are the two ways to have site-directed mutagenesis
- Synthetic Insert
- Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis
Define site-directed mutagenesis
A set of methods to create specific alterations in the sequence of a gene
Synthetic Insertion
- When you have a plasmid that you cut through restriction endonucleases and insert a desired gene that was identical to what was cut out at the plasmid except for it has maybe one altered nucleotide (making it an mutated)
Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis
- You have specific primers that are complementary to the target region you want to change except there is one mutation in the primer (the mutation you want to observe)
- Even though it isn’t 100% complement, it’s close enough to have the primer bind to the gene sequence
- Then, you have a DNA polymerase come in and use the primer to replicate the rest of the DNA, using the original strand as a template
- Now you have a new DNA strand with you said mutation included
Steps for Oligonucleotide Directed Mutagenesis
- Denature plasmid and anneal oligonucleotide primers with mutation
- Use DNA Polymerase to extend and incorporate the mutagenic primers
- Digest non mutated parental DNA template with methylation-specific nuclease, and anneal newly synthesized strands
- Transform dsDNA into cells. Cell repairs nicks in mutated plasmid
How to synthesize single stranded DNA primers
- Attach nucleoside to silica support. The nucleotide has a DMT protecting it’s 5’ HYDROXYL GROUP
- Then, remove the DMT protection to add your next nucleotide
- Let’s say you wanted to add cytosine, you would then flood the nucleotide with dCTP’s that also have a DMT blocking the 5’ hydroxyl site so you don’t have addition of more than one nucleotide at a time
- Repeat the process until you have your desired primer
Suppose you want to use oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis to make a mutant gene taht encodes a protein containing phenylalanine rather than tyrosine. Given the following DNA and protein sequence, write the sequence of primers you would design to make the mutant protein Coding strand is show 5’ to 3’
- First see the amino acid sequences that you are trying to change
- Figure out what the mRNA code is for the original amino acid
- Figure out what the mRNA code would have to be to make one amino acid change
- Go backwards and find what DNA would encode that mRNA (through base pairing) –> this is one primer
- Do the complementary of the first primer to give you the second primer
!!! be very careful. Sometimes they may give you the coding strand. In this case, whatever your mRNA is with the mutation change is the exact same as your coding strand, except your U’s are swapped for T’s!
Everytime you see coding strand, what does that mean??
It’s the exact same as the mRNA but you are swapping out the U’s for T’s
Describe a procedure used to tag proteins thereby facilitating their purification using affinity chromatography techniques
- Tag sequences can be added to genes such that the result proteins have tags at their amino or carboxyl terminus
GST Tag
- A column is filled with a porous matrix consisting of the ligand (glutathione) immobilized on microscopic beads of stable polymer such as cross-linked agarose
- As the crude extract moves through the matrix, the fusion protein becomes immobilized by binding the glutathione
- The interaction between GST and glutathione is tight but noncovalent, allowing the fusion protein to be gently eluted from the column with a solution containing either a high concentration of salts or free glutathione
What is a His tag and what is it used for?
- Simple sequence of 6 or more His residues
- They bind tightly to Nickel ions
- This can be used in chromatography where a protein with a His tag can bind to immobilized bickel ions and be removed from the column