1
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Hebra T, Smrčková H, Elkatmis B, Převorovský M, Pluskal T. POMBOX: A Fission Yeast Cloning Toolkit for Molecular and Synthetic Biology. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:558-567. [PMID: 37991801 PMCID: PMC10877588 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a popular model organism in molecular biology and cell physiology. With its ease of genetic manipulation and growth, supported by in-depth functional annotations in the PomBase database and genome-wide metabolic models,S. pombe is an attractive option for synthetic biology applications. However,S. pombe currently lacks modular tools for generating genetic circuits with more than 1 transcriptional unit. We developed a toolkit to address this gap. Adapted from the MoClo-YTK plasmid kit for Saccharomyces cerevisiae and using the same modular cloning grammar, our POMBOX toolkit is designed to facilitate fast, efficient, and modular construction of genetic circuits inS. pombe. It allows for interoperability when working with DNA sequences that are functional in bothS. cerevisiae and S. pombe (e.g., protein tags, antibiotic resistance cassettes, and coding sequences). Moreover, POMBOX enables the modular assembly of multigene pathways and increases the possible pathway length from 6 to 12 transcriptional units. We also adapted the stable integration vector homology arms to Golden Gate assembly and tested the genomic integration success rates depending on different sequence sizes, from 4 to 24 kb. We included 14 S. pombe promoters that we characterized using two fluorescent proteins, in both minimally defined (EMM2─Edinburgh minimal media) and complex (YES─yeast extract with supplements) media. Then, we examined the efficacy of 6 S. cerevisiae and 6 synthetic terminators in S. pombe. Finally, we used the POMBOX kit for a synthetic biology application in metabolic engineering and expressed plant enzymes in S. pombe to produce specialized metabolite precursors, namely, methylxanthine, amorpha-4,11-diene, and cinnamic acid from the purine, mevalonate, and aromatic amino acid pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Téo Hebra
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Smrčková
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Büsra Elkatmis
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Převorovský
- Department
of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles
University, 128 00 Prague, Czech
Republic
| | - Tomáš Pluskal
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 160 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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2
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The Mis6 inner kinetochore subcomplex maintains CENP-A nucleosomes against centromeric non-coding transcription during mitosis. Commun Biol 2022; 5:818. [PMID: 35970865 PMCID: PMC9378642 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03786-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Centromeres are established by nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant CENP-A. CENP-A is recruited to centromeres by the Mis18–HJURP machinery. During mitosis, CENP-A recruitment ceases, implying the necessity of CENP-A maintenance at centromeres, although the exact underlying mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we show that the inner kinetochore protein Mis6 (CENP-I) and Mis15 (CENP-N) retain CENP-A during mitosis in fission yeast. Eliminating Mis6 or Mis15 during mitosis caused immediate loss of pre-existing CENP-A at centromeres. CENP-A loss occurred due to the transcriptional upregulation of non-coding RNAs at the central core region of centromeres, as confirmed by the observation RNA polymerase II inhibition preventing CENP-A loss from centromeres in the mis6 mutant. Thus, we concluded that the inner kinetochore complex containing Mis6–Mis15 blocks the indiscriminate transcription of non-coding RNAs at the core centromere, thereby retaining the epigenetic inheritance of CENP-A during mitosis. The kinetochore protein Mis6 (CENP-I) plays an important role in CENP-A maintenance during mitosis in fission yeast and blocks the indiscriminate transcription of non-coding RNAs at the core centromere to retain CENP-A during mitosis.
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3
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Sakai K, Kondo Y, Fujioka H, Kamiya M, Aoki K, Goto Y. Near-infrared imaging in fission yeast using a genetically encoded phycocyanobilin biosynthesis system. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:273759. [PMID: 34806750 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) is a bright and stable fluorescent protein with near-infrared excitation and emission maxima. Unlike the other conventional fluorescent proteins, iRFP requires biliverdin (BV) as a chromophore. Here, we report that phycocyanobilin (PCB) functions as a brighter chromophore for iRFP than BV, and that biosynthesis of PCB allows live-cell imaging with iRFP in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We initially found that fission yeast cells did not produce BV and therefore did not show any iRFP fluorescence. The brightness of iRFP-PCB was higher than that of iRFP-BV both in vitro and in fission yeast. We introduced SynPCB2.1, a PCB biosynthesis system, into fission yeast, resulting in the brightest iRFP fluorescence. To make iRFP readily available in fission yeast, we developed an endogenous gene tagging system with iRFP and all-in-one integration plasmids carrying the iRFP-fused marker proteins together with SynPCB2.1. These tools not only enable the easy use of multiplexed live-cell imaging in fission yeast with a broader color palette, but also open the door to new opportunities for near-infrared fluorescence imaging in a wider range of living organisms. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichiro Sakai
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Yohei Kondo
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Fujioka
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Mako Kamiya
- Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro Aoki
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
| | - Yuhei Goto
- Quantitative Biology Research Group, Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems (ExCELLS), National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Division of Quantitative Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), 5-1 Higashiyama, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8787, Japan
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4
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Young R, Haines M, Storch M, Freemont PS. Combinatorial metabolic pathway assembly approaches and toolkits for modular assembly. Metab Eng 2020; 63:81-101. [PMID: 33301873 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymben.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Synthetic Biology is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field that is primarily built upon foundational advances in molecular biology combined with engineering design principles such as modularity and interoperability. The field considers living systems as programmable at the genetic level and has been defined by the development of new platform technologies and methodological advances. A key concept driving the field is the Design-Build-Test-Learn cycle which provides a systematic framework for building new biological systems. One major application area for synthetic biology is biosynthetic pathway engineering that requires the modular assembly of different genetic regulatory elements and biosynthetic enzymes. In this review we provide an overview of modular DNA assembly and describe and compare the plethora of in vitro and in vivo assembly methods for combinatorial pathway engineering. Considerations for part design and methods for enzyme balancing are also presented, and we briefly discuss alternatives to intracellular pathway assembly including microbial consortia and cell-free systems for biosynthesis. Finally, we describe computational tools and automation for pathway design and assembly and argue that a deeper understanding of the many different variables of genetic design, pathway regulation and cellular metabolism will allow more predictive pathway design and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Young
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew Haines
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Marko Storch
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK; London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Paul S Freemont
- Department of Infectious Disease, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, South Kensington Campus, Imperial College London, SW7 2AZ, UK; London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, W12 0BZ, UK; UK DRI Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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5
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Wiltschi B, Cernava T, Dennig A, Galindo Casas M, Geier M, Gruber S, Haberbauer M, Heidinger P, Herrero Acero E, Kratzer R, Luley-Goedl C, Müller CA, Pitzer J, Ribitsch D, Sauer M, Schmölzer K, Schnitzhofer W, Sensen CW, Soh J, Steiner K, Winkler CK, Winkler M, Wriessnegger T. Enzymes revolutionize the bioproduction of value-added compounds: From enzyme discovery to special applications. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107520. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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6
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Vještica A, Marek M, Nkosi PJ, Merlini L, Liu G, Bérard M, Billault-Chaumartin I, Martin SG. A toolbox of stable integration vectors in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. J Cell Sci 2020; 133:jcs.240754. [PMID: 31801797 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.240754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a widely used model organism to study many aspects of eukaryotic cell physiology. Its popularity as an experimental system partially stems from the ease of genetic manipulations, where the innate homology-targeted repair is exploited to precisely edit the genome. While vectors to incorporate exogenous sequences into the chromosomes are available, most are poorly characterized. Here, we show that commonly used fission yeast vectors, which upon integration produce repetitive genomic regions, give rise to unstable genomic loci. We overcome this problem by designing a new series of stable integration vectors (SIVs) that target four different prototrophy genes. SIVs produce non-repetitive, stable genomic loci and integrate predominantly as single copy. Additionally, we develop a set of complementary auxotrophic alleles that preclude false-positive integration events. We expand the vector series to include antibiotic resistance markers, promoters, fluorescent tags and terminators, and build a highly modular toolbox to introduce heterologous sequences. Finally, as proof of concept, we generate a large set of ready-to-use, fluorescent probes to mark organelles and cellular processes with a wide range of applications in fission yeast research.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandar Vještica
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Magdalena Marek
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Pedro Junior Nkosi
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Laura Merlini
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gaowen Liu
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Melvin Bérard
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ingrid Billault-Chaumartin
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sophie G Martin
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne, Biophore building, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
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7
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Ebina H, Ji L, Sato M. CLASP promotes microtubule bundling in metaphase spindle independently of Ase1/PRC1 in fission yeast. Biol Open 2019; 8:bio.045716. [PMID: 31615768 PMCID: PMC6826280 DOI: 10.1242/bio.045716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Microtubules in the mitotic spindle are organised by microtubule-associated proteins. In the late stage of mitosis, spindle microtubules are robustly organised through bundling by the antiparallel microtubule bundler Ase1/PRC1. In early mitosis, however, it is not well characterised as to whether spindle microtubules are actively bundled, as Ase1 does not particularly localise to the spindle at that stage. Here we show that the conserved microtubule-associated protein CLASP (fission yeast Peg1/Cls1) facilitates bundling of spindle microtubules in early mitosis. The peg1 mutant displayed a fragile spindle with unbundled microtubules, which eventually resulted in collapse of the metaphase spindle and abnormal segregation of chromosomes. Peg1 is known to be recruited to the spindle by Ase1 to stabilise antiparallel microtubules in late mitosis. However, we demonstrate that the function of Peg1 in early mitosis does not rely on Ase1. The unbundled spindle phenotype of the peg1 mutant was not seen in the ase1 mutant, and Peg1 preferentially localised to the spindle even in early mitosis unlike Ase1. Moreover, artificial overexpression of Ase1 in the peg1 mutant partially suppressed unbundled microtubules. We thus conclude that Peg1 bundles microtubules in early mitosis, in a distinct manner from its conventional Ase1-dependent functions in other cell cycle stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hirohisa Ebina
- Laboratory of Cytoskeletal Logistics, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Liang Ji
- Laboratory of Cytoskeletal Logistics, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.,Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Sato
- Laboratory of Cytoskeletal Logistics, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan .,Department of Biophysics and Biochemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.,Institute for Medical-Oriented Structural Biology Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.,Institute for Advanced Research of Biosystem Dynamics, Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, TWIns, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
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8
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Vassaux A, Meunier L, Vandenbol M, Baurain D, Fickers P, Jacques P, Leclère V. Nonribosomal peptides in fungal cell factories: from genome mining to optimized heterologous production. Biotechnol Adv 2019; 37:107449. [PMID: 31518630 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Fungi are notoriously prolific producers of secondary metabolites including nonribosomal peptides (NRPs). The structural complexity of NRPs grants them interesting activities such as antibiotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. The discovery of these compounds with attractive activities can be achieved by using two approaches: either by screening samples originating from various environments for their biological activities, or by identifying the related clusters in genomic sequences thanks to bioinformatics tools. This genome mining approach has grown tremendously due to recent advances in genome sequencing, which have provided an incredible amount of genomic data from hundreds of microbial species. Regarding fungal organisms, the genomic data have revealed the presence of an unexpected number of putative NRP-related gene clusters. This highlights fungi as a goldmine for the discovery of putative novel bioactive compounds. Recent development of NRP dedicated bioinformatics tools have increased the capacity to identify these gene clusters and to deduce NRPs structures, speeding-up the screening process for novel metabolites discovery. Unfortunately, the newly identified compound is frequently not or poorly produced by native producers due to a lack of expression of the related genes cluster. A frequently employed strategy to increase production rates consists in transferring the related biosynthetic pathway in heterologous hosts. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview about the topic of NRPs discovery, from gene cluster identification by genome mining to the heterologous production in fungal hosts. The main computational tools and methods for genome mining are herein presented with an emphasis on the particularities of the fungal systems. The different steps of the reconstitution of NRP biosynthetic pathway in heterologous fungal cell factories will be discussed, as well as the key factors to consider for maximizing productivity. Several examples will be developed to illustrate the potential of heterologous production to both discover uncharacterized novel compounds predicted in silico by genome mining, and to enhance the productivity of interesting bio-active natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Vassaux
- TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Microbial Processes and Interactions, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Avenue de la Faculté d'Agronomie, B5030 Gembloux, Belgium; Univ. Lille, INRA, ISA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, EA 7394-ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Loïc Meunier
- TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Microbial Processes and Interactions, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Avenue de la Faculté d'Agronomie, B5030 Gembloux, Belgium; InBioS-PhytoSYSTEMS, Eukaryotic Phylogenomics, University of Liege, Boulevard du Rectorat 27, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Micheline Vandenbol
- TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Microbiologie et Génomique, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Avenue de la Faculté d'Agronomie, B5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Denis Baurain
- InBioS-PhytoSYSTEMS, Eukaryotic Phylogenomics, University of Liege, Boulevard du Rectorat 27, B-4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Patrick Fickers
- TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Microbial Processes and Interactions, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Avenue de la Faculté d'Agronomie, B5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Philippe Jacques
- TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, Microbial Processes and Interactions, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liege, Avenue de la Faculté d'Agronomie, B5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Valérie Leclère
- Univ. Lille, INRA, ISA, Univ. Artois, Univ. Littoral Côte d'Opale, EA 7394-ICV-Institut Charles Viollette, F-59000 Lille, France.
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9
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Taylor GM, Mordaka PM, Heap JT. Start-Stop Assembly: a functionally scarless DNA assembly system optimized for metabolic engineering. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:e17. [PMID: 30462270 PMCID: PMC6379671 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 11/02/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA assembly allows individual DNA constructs or libraries to be assembled quickly and reliably. Most methods are either: (i) Modular, easily scalable and suitable for combinatorial assembly, but leave undesirable 'scar' sequences; or (ii) bespoke (non-modular), scarless but less suitable for construction of combinatorial libraries. Both have limitations for metabolic engineering. To overcome this trade-off we devised Start-Stop Assembly, a multi-part, modular DNA assembly method which is both functionally scarless and suitable for combinatorial assembly. Crucially, 3 bp overhangs corresponding to start and stop codons are used to assemble coding sequences into expression units, avoiding scars at sensitive coding sequence boundaries. Building on this concept, a complete DNA assembly framework was designed and implemented, allowing assembly of up to 15 genes from up to 60 parts (or mixtures); monocistronic, operon-based or hybrid configurations; and a new streamlined assembly hierarchy minimizing the number of vectors. Only one destination vector is required per organism, reflecting our optimization of the system for metabolic engineering in diverse organisms. Metabolic engineering using Start-Stop Assembly was demonstrated by combinatorial assembly of carotenoid pathways in Escherichia coli resulting in a wide range of carotenoid production and colony size phenotypes indicating the intended exploration of design space.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M Taylor
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Paweł M Mordaka
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - John T Heap
- Imperial College Centre for Synthetic Biology, Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
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10
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Abstract
Efficient DNA assembly methods are essential tools for synthetic biology and metabolic engineering. Among several recently developed methods that allow assembly of multiple DNA fragments in a single step, DNA assembly using type IIS enzymes provides many advantages for complex pathway engineering. In particular, it provides the ability for the user to quickly assemble multigene constructs using a series of simple one-pot assembly steps starting from libraries of cloned and sequenced parts. We describe here a protocol for assembly of multigene constructs using the modular cloning system (MoClo). Making constructs using the MoClo system requires to first define the structure of the final construct to identify all basic parts and vectors required for the construction strategy. Basic parts that are not yet available need to be made. Multigene constructs are then assembled using a series of one-pot assembly steps with the set of identified parts and vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvestre Marillonnet
- Department of Cell and Metabolic Biology, Leibniz-Institut für Pflanzenbiochemie, Halle, Germany.
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11
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Shichino Y, Otsubo Y, Kimori Y, Yamamoto M, Yamashita A. YTH-RNA-binding protein prevents deleterious expression of meiotic proteins by tethering their mRNAs to nuclear foci. eLife 2018; 7:32155. [PMID: 29424342 PMCID: PMC5807050 DOI: 10.7554/elife.32155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Accurate and extensive regulation of meiotic gene expression is crucial to distinguish germ cells from somatic cells. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, a YTH family RNA-binding protein, Mmi1, directs the nuclear exosome-mediated elimination of meiotic transcripts during vegetative proliferation. Mmi1 also induces the formation of facultative heterochromatin at a subset of its target genes. Here, we show that Mmi1 prevents the mistimed expression of meiotic proteins by tethering their mRNAs to the nuclear foci. Mmi1 interacts with itself with the assistance of a homolog of Enhancer of Rudimentary, Erh1. Mmi1 self-interaction is required for foci formation, target transcript elimination, their nuclear retention, and protein expression inhibition. We propose that nuclear foci formed by Mmi1 are not only the site of RNA degradation, but also of sequestration of meiotic transcripts from the translation machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Shichino
- Laboratory of Cell Responses, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Yoko Otsubo
- Laboratory of Cell Responses, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Kimori
- Department of Imaging Science, Center for Novel Science Initiatives, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Japan.,Laboratory of Biological Diversity, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Cell Responses, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan
| | - Akira Yamashita
- Laboratory of Cell Responses, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan.,Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Japan
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12
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Kiriya K, Tsuyuzaki H, Sato M. Module-based systematic construction of plasmids for episomal gene expression in fission yeast. Gene 2017; 637:14-24. [PMID: 28935259 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2017.09.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a powerful model organism for cell biology and molecular biology, as genetic manipulation is easily achieved. Introduction of exogenous genes cloned in episomal plasmids into yeast cells can be done through well-established transformation methods. For expression of genes in S. pombe cells, the multi-copy plasmid pREP1 and its derivatives, including pREP41 and pREP81, have been widely used as vectors. Although recent advancement of technology brought a number of useful genetic elements such as new promoters, selection marker genes and fluorescent protein tags, introduction of those elements into conventional pREP1 requires a large commitment of both time and effort because cloning procedures need to be repeated until the final products are constructed. Here, we introduce materials and methods to construct many pREP1-type plasmids easily and systematically using the Golden Gate shuffling method, which enables one-step ligation of many DNA fragments into a plasmid. These materials and methods support creation of expression plasmids employing a variety of novel genetic elements, which will further facilitate genetic studies using S. pombe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keita Kiriya
- Laboratory for Cytoskeletal Logistics, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Japan
| | - Hayato Tsuyuzaki
- Laboratory for Cytoskeletal Logistics, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Japan; Computational Bio Big Data Open Innovation Laboratory (CBBD-OIL), National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), AIST Tokyo Waterfront Main Building, 2-3-26 Aomi, Tokyo 135-0064, Japan
| | - Masamitsu Sato
- Laboratory for Cytoskeletal Logistics, Department of Life Science and Medical Bioscience, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Waseda University, Japan; Institute for Medical-oriented Structural Biology, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsucho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.
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13
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Kakui Y, Rabinowitz A, Barry DJ, Uhlmann F. Condensin-mediated remodeling of the mitotic chromatin landscape in fission yeast. Nat Genet 2017; 49:1553-1557. [PMID: 28825727 PMCID: PMC5621628 DOI: 10.1038/ng.3938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The eukaryotic genome consists of DNA molecules far longer than the cells that contain them. They reach their greatest compaction during chromosome condensation in mitosis. This process is aided by condensin, a structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) family member. The spatial organization of mitotic chromosomes and how condensin shapes chromatin architecture are not yet fully understood. Here we use chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) to study mitotic chromosome condensation in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. This showed that the interphase landscape characterized by small chromatin domains is replaced by fewer but larger domains in mitosis. Condensin achieves this by setting up longer-range, intrachromosomal DNA interactions, which compact and individualize chromosomes. At the same time, local chromatin contacts are constrained by condensin, with profound implications for local chromatin function during mitosis. Our results highlight condensin as a major determinant that changes the chromatin landscape as cells prepare their genomes for cell division.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasutaka Kakui
- Chromosome Segregation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Adam Rabinowitz
- Bioinformatics Core, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - David J Barry
- Advanced Light Microscopy Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Frank Uhlmann
- Chromosome Segregation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
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14
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Celińska E, Ledesma-Amaro R, Larroude M, Rossignol T, Pauthenier C, Nicaud JM. Golden Gate Assembly system dedicated to complex pathway manipulation in Yarrowia lipolytica. Microb Biotechnol 2017; 10:450-455. [PMID: 28217858 PMCID: PMC5328822 DOI: 10.1111/1751-7915.12605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Revised: 12/30/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we have adopted Golden Gate modular cloning strategy to develop a robust and versatile DNA assembly platform for the nonconventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. To this end, a broad set of destination vectors and interchangeable building blocks have been constructed. The DNA modules were assembled on a scaffold of predesigned 4 nt overhangs covering three transcription units (each bearing promoter, gene and terminator), selection marker gene and genomic integration targeting sequences, constituting altogether thirteen elements. Previously validated DNA modules (regulatory elements and selection markers) were adopted as the Golden Gate bricks. The system's operability was demonstrated based on synthetic pathway of carotenoid production. This technology greatly enriches a molecular biology toolbox dedicated to this industrially relevant microorganism enabling fast combinatorial cloning of complex synthetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewelina Celińska
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Microbiology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, ul. Wojska Polskiego 48, 60-627, Poznan, Poland
| | - Rodrigo Ledesma-Amaro
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Macarena Larroude
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Tristan Rossignol
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Cyrille Pauthenier
- Institute of System and Synthetic Biology, Universite d'Evry vald'Essonnes, Bt. Geneavenir 6 Genopole Campus 1, 5 rue Henry Desbrueres, 91000, Evry, France
| | - Jean-Marc Nicaud
- Micalis Institute, INRA, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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15
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Messerschmidt SJ, Schindler D, Zumkeller CM, Kemter FS, Schallopp N, Waldminghaus T. Optimization and Characterization of the Synthetic Secondary Chromosome synVicII in Escherichia coli. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2016; 4:96. [PMID: 28066763 PMCID: PMC5179572 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2016.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Learning by building is one of the core ideas of synthetic biology research. Consequently, building synthetic chromosomes is the way to fully understand chromosome characteristics. The last years have seen exciting synthetic chromosome studies. We had previously introduced the synthetic secondary chromosome synVicII in Escherichia coli. It is based on the replication mechanism of the secondary chromosome in Vibrio cholerae. Here, we present a detailed analysis of its genetic characteristics and a selection approach to optimize replicon stability. We probe the origin diversity of secondary chromosomes from Vibrionaceae by construction of several new respective replicons. Finally, we present a synVicII version 2.0 with several innovations including its full compatibility with the popular modular cloning (MoClo) assembly system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja J Messerschmidt
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Daniel Schindler
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Celine M Zumkeller
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Franziska S Kemter
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Nadine Schallopp
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
| | - Torsten Waldminghaus
- LOEWE Center for Synthetic Microbiology, SYNMIKRO, Philipps-Universität Marburg , Marburg , Germany
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16
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Moore SJ, Lai HE, Kelwick RJR, Chee SM, Bell DJ, Polizzi KM, Freemont PS. EcoFlex: A Multifunctional MoClo Kit for E. coli Synthetic Biology. ACS Synth Biol 2016; 5:1059-1069. [PMID: 27096716 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.6b00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Golden Gate cloning is a prominent DNA assembly tool in synthetic biology for the assembly of plasmid constructs often used in combinatorial pathway optimization, with a number of assembly kits developed specifically for yeast and plant-based expression. However, its use for synthetic biology in commonly used bacterial systems such as Escherichia coli has surprisingly been overlooked. Here, we introduce EcoFlex a simplified modular package of DNA parts for a variety of applications in E. coli, cell-free protein synthesis, protein purification and hierarchical assembly of transcription units based on the MoClo assembly standard. The kit features a library of constitutive promoters, T7 expression, RBS strength variants, synthetic terminators, protein purification tags and fluorescence proteins. We validate EcoFlex by assembling a 68-part containing (20 genes) plasmid (31 kb), characterize in vivo and in vitro library parts, and perform combinatorial pathway assembly, using pooled libraries of either fluorescent proteins or the biosynthetic genes for the antimicrobial pigment violacein as a proof-of-concept. To minimize pathway screening, we also introduce a secondary module design site to simplify MoClo pathway optimization. In summary, EcoFlex provides a standardized and multifunctional kit for a variety of applications in E. coli synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon J Moore
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.,Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Hung-En Lai
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.,Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Richard J R Kelwick
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.,Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Soo Mei Chee
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - David J Bell
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Karen Marie Polizzi
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.,Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Paul S Freemont
- Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K.,Department of Medicine, Imperial College London , South Kensington Campus, Exhibition Road, London, SW7 2AZ, U.K
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