No abstract

Recombination of wild-type and mutant loxP sites mediated by wild-type Cre protein was analyzed in vivo using a sensitive phage P1 transduction assay. Contrary to some earlier reports, recombination between loxP sites was found to be highly specific: a loxP site recombined in vivo only with another of identical sequence, with no crossover recombination either between a wild-type and mutant site; or between two different mutant sites tested. Mutant loxP sites of identical sequence recombined as efficiently as wild-type. The highly specific and efficient recombination of mutant loxP sites in vivo helped in developing a procedure to progressively truncate DNA from either end of large genomic inserts in P1-derived artificial chromosomes (PACs) using transposons that carry either a wild-type or mutant loxP sequence. PAC libraries of human DNA were constructed with inserts flanked by a wild-type and one of the two mutant loxP sites, and deletions from both ends generated in clones using newly constructed wild-type and mutant loxP transposons. Analysis of the results provides new insight into the very large co-integrates formed during P1 transduction of plasmids with loxP sites: a model with tri- and possibly multimeric co-integrates comprising the PAC plasmid, phage DNA, and transposon plasmid(s) as intermediates in the cell appears best to fit the data. The ability to truncate a large piece of DNA from both ends is likely to facilitate functionally mapping gene boundaries more efficiently, and make available precisely trimmed genes in their chromosomal contexts for therapeutic applications.

A general approach for isolating large nested deletions in P1 artificial chromosomes (PACs) and bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) by retrofitting with a loxP site-containing Tn10 mini-transposon is described. Cre-mediated recombination between the loxP site existing in these clones and one introduced by transposition leads to deletions and inversions of the DNA between these sites. Large deletions are selectively recovered by transducing the retrofitted PAC or BAC clones with P1 phage. The requirement that both loxP sites in the cointegrate be packaged into a P1 head ensures that only large deletions are rescued. PCR analyses identified these deletions as products of legitimate recombination between loxP sites mediated by Cre protein. BACs produce deletions much more efficiently than PACs although the former cannot be induced to greater than unit copy in cells. Mammalian cell-responsive antibiotic resistance markers are introduced as part of the transposon into genomic clone deletions for subsequent functional analysis. Most importantly, the loxP site retrofitting and P1 transduction can be performed in the same bacterial host containing these clones directly isolated from PAC or BAC libraries. These procedures should facilitate physical and functional mapping of genes and regulatory elements in these large plasmids.

We have partially purified a nuclear protein (PPT) from Physarum polycephalum that binds to the extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA telomeres of this acellular slime mold. Binding is specific for the (T2AG3).telomere repeats, as evidenced by nitrocellulose filter binding assays, by gel mobility shift assays with both DNA fragments and double-stranded oligonucleotides, and by DNase I footprinting. PPT is remarkably heat stable, showing undiminished binding activity after incubation at 90°C. It sediments at 1.2S, corresponding to a molecular weight of about 10,000 (for a globular protein), and its binding activity is undiminished by incubation with RNase, suggesting that it is not a ribonucleoprotein. We hypothesize that PPT plays a structural role in telomeres, perhaps preventing nucleolytic degradation or promoting telomere extension by a telomere-specific terminal transferase.Telomeres are specialized structures composed of repetitive DNA sequences that are found at the ends of linear chromosomes. They are required for both the proper replication and the stability of chromosomes. Removal of RNA primers during DNA synthesis leaves a 5'-terminal gap in one of the daughter molecules. Repetitive priming would result in a gradual loss of DNA from chromosome ends.