Single-molecule spectroscopic determination of lac repressor-DNA loop conformation

Ligand-specific changes in conformational flexibility mediate long-range allostery in the lac repressor

Biological regulation ubiquitously depends on protein allostery, but the regulatory mechanisms are incompletely understood, especially in proteins that undergo ligand-induced allostery with few structural changes. Here we used hydrogen-deuterium exchange with mass spectrometry (HDX/MS) to map allosteric effects in a paradigm ligand-responsive transcription factor, the lac repressor (LacI), in different functional states (apo, or bound to inducer, anti-inducer, and/or DNA). Although X-ray crystal structures of the LacI core domain in these states are nearly indistinguishable, HDX/MS experiments reveal widespread differences in flexibility. We integrate these results with modeling of protein-ligand-solvent interactions to propose a revised model for allostery in LacI, where ligand binding allosterically shifts the conformational ensemble as a result of distinct changes in the rigidity of secondary structures in the different states. Our model provides a mechanistic basis for the altered function of distal mutations. More generally, our approach provides a platform for characterizing and engineering protein allostery.

Factors Impacting Invader-Mediated Recognition of Double-Stranded DNA

The development of chemically modified oligonucleotides enabling robust, sequence-unrestricted recognition of complementary chromosomal DNA regions has been an aspirational goal for scientists for many decades. While several groove-binding or strand-invading probes have been developed towards this end, most enable recognition of DNA only under limited conditions (e.g., homopurine or short mixed-sequence targets, low ionic strength, fully modified probe strands). Invader probes, i.e., DNA duplexes modified with +1 interstrand zippers of intercalator-functionalized nucleotides, are predisposed to recognize DNA targets due to their labile nature and high affinity towards complementary DNA. Here, we set out to gain further insight into the design parameters that impact the thermal denaturation properties and binding affinities of Invader probes. Towards this end, ten Invader probes were designed, and their biophysical properties and binding to model DNA hairpins and chromosomal DNA targets were studied. A Spearman's rank-order correlation analysis of various parameters was then performed. Densely modified Invader probes were found to result in efficient recognition of chromosomal DNA targets with excellent binding specificity in the context of denaturing or non-denaturing fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) experiments. The insight gained from the initial phase of this study informed subsequent probe optimization, which yielded constructs displaying improved recognition of chromosomal DNA targets. The findings from this study will facilitate the design of efficient Invader probes for applications in the life sciences.

Serine-γPNA, Invader probes, and chimeras thereof: three probe chemistries that enable sequence-unrestricted recognition of double-stranded DNA

Three probe chemistries are evaluated with respect to thermal denaturation temperatures, UV-Vis and fluorescence characteristics, recognition of complementary and mismatched DNA hairpin targets, and recognition of chromosomal DNA targets in the context of non-denaturing fluorescence in situ hybridization (nd-FISH) experiments: (i) serine-γPNAs (SγPNAs), i.e., single-stranded peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes that are modified at the γ-position with (R)-hydroxymethyl moieties, (ii) Invader probes, i.e., DNA duplexes modified with +1 interstrand zippers of 2'-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyl-RNA monomers, a molecular arrangement that results in a violation of the neighbor exclusion principle, and (iii) double-stranded chimeric SγPNAs:Invader probes, i.e., duplexes between complementary SγPNA and Invader strands, which are destabilized due to the poor compatibility between intercalators and PNA:DNA duplexes. Invader probes resulted in efficient, highly specific, albeit comparatively slow recognition of the model DNA hairpin targets. Recognition was equally efficient and faster with the single-stranded SγPNA probes but far less specific, whilst the double-stranded chimeric SγPNAs:Invader probes displayed recognition characteristics that were intermediate of the parent probes. All three probe chemistries demonstrated the capacity to target chromosomal DNA in nd-FISH experiments, with Invader probes resulting in the most favorable and consistent characteristics (signals in >90% of interphase nuclei against a low background and no signal in negative control experiments). These probe chemistries constitute valuable additions to the molecular toolbox needed for DNA-targeting applications.

Impact of non-nucleotidic bulges on recognition of mixed-sequence dsDNA by pyrene-functionalized Invader probes

Invader probes, i.e., DNA duplexes modified with +1 interstrand zippers of intercalator-functionalized nucleotides like 2'-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyl-RNA monomers, are energetically activated for sequence-unrestricted recognition of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) as they are engineered to violate the neighbor exclusion principle, while displaying high affinity towards complementary DNA sequences. The impact on Invader-mediated dsDNA-recognition upon additional modification with different non-nucleotidic bulges is studied herein, based on the hypothesis that bulge-containing Invader probes will display additionally disrupted base-stacking, more extensive denaturation, and improved dsDNA-recognition efficiency. Indeed, Invader probes featuring a single central large bulge - e.g., a nonyl (C9) monomer - display improved recognition of model DNA hairpin targets vis-à-vis conventional Invader probes (C50 values ∼1.5 μM vs. ∼3.9 μM). In contrast, probes with two opposing central bulges display less favorable binding characteristics. Remarkably, C9-modified Invader probes display perfect discrimination between fully complementary dsDNA and dsDNA differing in only one of eighteen base-pairs, underscoring the high binding specificity of double-stranded probes. Cy3-labeled bulge-containing Invader probes are demonstrated to signal the presence of gender-specific DNA sequences in fluorescent in situ hybridization assays (FISH) performed under non-denaturing conditions, highlighting one potential application of dsDNA-targeting Invader probes.

Head-to-head comparison of LNA, MPγPNA, INA and Invader probes targeting mixed-sequence double-stranded DNA

Four probe chemistries are characterized and compared with respect to thermal denaturation temperatures (Tms), thermodynamic parameters associated with duplex formation, and recognition of mixed-sequence double-stranded (ds) DNA targets: (i) oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ONs) modified with Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) monomers, (ii) MPγPNAs, i.e., single-stranded peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes that are functionalized at the γ-position with (R)-diethylene glycol (mini-PEG, MP) moieties, (iii) Invader probes, i.e., DNA duplexes modified with +1 interstrand zipper arrangements of 2'-O-(pyren-1-yl)methyl-RNA monomers, and (iv) intercalating nucleic acids (INAs), i.e., DNA duplexes with opposing insertions of 1-O-(1-pyrenylmethyl)glycerol bulges. Invader and INA probes, which are designed to violate the nearest-neighbor exclusion principle, denature readily, whereas the individual probe strands display exceptionally high affinity towards complementary DNA (cDNA) as indicated by increases in Tms of up to 8 °C per modification. Optimized Invader and INA probes enable efficient and highly specific recognition of mixed-sequence dsDNA targets with self-complementary regions (C50 = 30-50 nM), whereas recognition is less efficient with LNA-modified ONs and fully modified MPγPNAs due to lower cDNA affinity (LNA) and a proclivity for dimerization (LNA and MPγPNA). A Cy3-labeled Invader probe is shown to stain telomeric DNA of individual chromosomes in metaphasic spreads under non-denaturing conditions with excellent specificity.

Direct Single-Molecule Observation of Sequential DNA Bending Transitions by the Sox2 HMG Box

Sox2 is a pioneer transcription factor that initiates cell fate reprogramming through locus-specific differential regulation. Mechanistically, it was assumed that Sox2 achieves its regulatory diversity via heterodimerization with partner transcription factors. Here, utilizing single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy, we show that Sox2 alone can modulate DNA structural landscape in a dosage-dependent manner. We propose that such stoichiometric tuning of regulatory DNAs is crucial to the diverse biological functions of Sox2, and represents a generic mechanism of conferring functional plasticity and multiplicity to transcription factors.

Exploring LacI-DNA dynamics by multiscale simulations using the SIRAH force field

The lac repressor protein (LacI) together with its target regulatory sequence are a common model for studying DNA looping and its implications on transcriptional control in bacteria. Owing to the molecular size of this system, standard all-atom (AA) simulations are prohibitive for achieving relevant biological time scales. As an alternative, multiscale models, which combine AA descriptions at particular regions with coarse-grained (CG) representations of the remaining components, were used to address this computational challenge while preserving the relevant details of the system. In this work, we implement a new multiscale approach based on the SIRAH force field to gain deeper insights into the dynamics of the LacI-DNA system. Our methodology allows for a dual resolution treatment of the solute and solvent, explicitly representing the protein, DNA, and solvent environment without compromising the AA region. Starting from the P1 loop configuration in an undertwisted conformation, we were able to observe the transition to the more stable overtwisted state. Additionally, a detailed characterization of the conformational space sampled by the DNA loop was done. In agreement with experimental and theoretical evidence, we observed the transient formation of kinks at the loop, which were stabilized by the presence of counterions at the minor groove. We also show that the loop's intrinsic flexibility can account for reported FRET measurements and bent conformations required to bind the CAP transcription factor.

Developing a targeting system for bacterial membranes: measuring receptor-phosphatidylglycerol interactions with1H NMR, ITC and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

We report the development of a potential targeting system for bacterial membranes containing phosphatidylglycerol.

Tethered particle motion reveals that LacI·DNA loops coexist with a competitor-resistant but apparently unlooped conformation

The lac repressor protein (LacI) efficiently represses transcription of the lac operon in Escherichia coli by binding to two distant operator sites on the bacterial DNA and causing the intervening DNA to form a loop. We employed single-molecule tethered particle motion to observe LacI-mediated loop formation and breakdown in DNA constructs that incorporate optimized operator binding sites and intrinsic curvature favorable to loop formation. Previous bulk competition assays indirectly measured the loop lifetimes in these optimized DNA constructs as being on the order of days; however, we measured these same lifetimes to be on the order of minutes for both looped and unlooped states. In a range of single-molecule DNA competition experiments, we found that the resistance of the LacI-DNA complex to competitive binding is a function of both the operator strength and the interoperator sequence. To explain these findings, we present what we believe to be a new kinetic model of loop formation and DNA competition. In this proposed new model, we hypothesize a new unlooped state in which the unbound DNA-binding domain of the LacI protein interacts nonspecifically with nonoperator DNA adjacent to the operator site at which the second LacI DNA-binding domain is bound.

Multiple LacI-mediated loops revealed by Bayesian statistics and tethered particle motion

The bacterial transcription factor LacI loops DNA by binding to two separate locations on the DNA simultaneously. Despite being one of the best-studied model systems for transcriptional regulation, the number and conformations of loop structures accessible to LacI remain unclear, though the importance of multiple coexisting loops has been implicated in interactions between LacI and other cellular regulators of gene expression. To probe this issue, we have developed a new analysis method for tethered particle motion, a versatile and commonly used in vitro single-molecule technique. Our method, vbTPM, performs variational Bayesian inference in hidden Markov models. It learns the number of distinct states (i.e. DNA–protein conformations) directly from tethered particle motion data with better resolution than existing methods, while easily correcting for common experimental artifacts. Studying short (roughly 100 bp) LacI-mediated loops, we provide evidence for three distinct loop structures, more than previously reported in single-molecule studies. Moreover, our results confirm that changes in LacI conformation and DNA-binding topology both contribute to the repertoire of LacI-mediated loops formed in vitro, and provide qualitatively new input for models of looping and transcriptional regulation. We expect vbTPM to be broadly useful for probing complex protein–nucleic acid interactions.

Shapes of a suspended curly hair

We investigate how natural curvature affects the configuration of a thin elastic rod suspended under its own weight, as when a single strand of hair hangs under gravity. We combine precision desktop experiments, numerics, and theoretical analysis to explore the equilibrium shapes set by the coupled effects of elasticity, natural curvature, nonlinear geometry, and gravity. A phase diagram is constructed in terms of the control parameters of the system, namely the dimensionless curvature and weight, where we identify three distinct regions: planar curls, localized helices, and global helices. We analyze the stability of planar configurations, and describe the localization of helical patterns for long rods, near their free end. The observed shapes and their associated phase boundaries are then rationalized based on the underlying physical ingredients.

Poly(dA:dT)-rich DNAs are highly flexible in the context of DNA looping

Large-scale DNA deformation is ubiquitous in transcriptional regulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes alike. Though much is known about how transcription factors and constellations of binding sites dictate where and how gene regulation will occur, less is known about the role played by the intervening DNA. In this work we explore the effect of sequence flexibility on transcription factor-mediated DNA looping, by drawing on sequences identified in nucleosome formation and ligase-mediated cyclization assays as being especially favorable for or resistant to large deformations. We examine a poly(dA:dT)-rich, nucleosome-repelling sequence that is often thought to belong to a class of highly inflexible DNAs; two strong nucleosome positioning sequences that share a set of particular sequence features common to nucleosome-preferring DNAs; and a CG-rich sequence representative of high G+C-content genomic regions that correlate with high nucleosome occupancy in vivo. To measure the flexibility of these sequences in the context of DNA looping, we combine the in vitro single-molecule tethered particle motion assay, a canonical looping protein, and a statistical mechanical model that allows us to quantitatively relate the looping probability to the looping free energy. We show that, in contrast to the case of nucleosome occupancy, G+C content does not positively correlate with looping probability, and that despite sharing sequence features that are thought to determine nucleosome affinity, the two strong nucleosome positioning sequences behave markedly dissimilarly in the context of looping. Most surprisingly, the poly(dA:dT)-rich DNA that is often characterized as highly inflexible in fact exhibits one of the highest propensities for looping that we have measured. These results argue for a need to revisit our understanding of the mechanical properties of DNA in a way that will provide a basis for understanding DNA deformation over the entire range of biologically relevant scenarios that are impacted by DNA deformability.

LacI-DNA-IPTG loops: equilibria among conformations by single-molecule FRET

The E. coli Lac repressor (LacI) tetramer binds simultaneously to a promoter-proximal DNA binding site (operator) and an auxiliary operator, resulting in a DNA loop, which increases repression efficiency. Induction of the lac operon by allolactose reduces the affinity of LacI for DNA, but induction does not completely prevent looping in vivo. Our previous work on the conformations of LacI loops used a hyperstable model DNA construct, 9C14, that contains a sequence directed bend flanked by operators. Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (SM-FRET) on a dual fluorophore-labeled LacI-9C14 loop showed that it adopts a single, stable, high-FRET V-shaped LacI conformation. Ligand-induced changes in loop geometry can affect loop stability, and the current work assesses loop population distributions for LacI-9C14 complexes containing the synthetic inducer IPTG. SM-FRET confirms that the high-FRET LacI-9C14 loop is only partially destabilized by saturating IPTG. LacI titration experiments and FRET fluctuation analysis suggest that the addition of IPTG induces loop conformational dynamics and re-equilibration between loop population distributions that include a mixture of looped states that do not exhibit high-efficiency FRET. The results show that repression by looping even at saturating IPTG should be considered in models for regulation of the operon. We propose that persistent DNA loops near the operator function biologically to accelerate rerepression upon exhaustion of inducer.

Variational Bayes analysis of a photon-based hidden Markov model for single-molecule FRET trajectories

Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) measurement is a powerful technique for investigating dynamics of biomolecules, for which various efforts have been made to overcome significant stochastic noise. Time stamp (TS) measurement has been employed experimentally to enrich information within the signals, while data analyses such as the hidden Markov model (HMM) have been successfully applied to recover the trajectories of molecular state transitions from time-binned photon counting signals or images. In this article, we introduce the HMM for TS-FRET signals, employing the variational Bayes (VB) inference to solve the model, and demonstrate the application of VB-HMM-TS-FRET to simulated TS-FRET data. The same analysis using VB-HMM is conducted for other models and the previously reported change point detection scheme. The performance is compared to other analysis methods or data types and we show that our VB-HMM-TS-FRET analysis can achieve the best performance and results in the highest time resolution. Finally, an smFRET experiment was conducted to observe spontaneous branch migration of Holliday-junction DNA. VB-HMM-TS-FRET was successfully applied to reconstruct the state transition trajectory with the number of states consistent with the nucleotide sequence. The results suggest that a single migration process frequently involves rearrangement of multiple basepairs.

Sequence dependence of transcription factor-mediated DNA looping

DNA is subject to large deformations in a wide range of biological processes. Two key examples illustrate how such deformations influence the readout of the genetic information: the sequestering of eukaryotic genes by nucleosomes and DNA looping in transcriptional regulation in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. These kinds of regulatory problems are now becoming amenable to systematic quantitative dissection with a powerful dialogue between theory and experiment. Here, we use a single-molecule experiment in conjunction with a statistical mechanical model to test quantitative predictions for the behavior of DNA looping at short length scales and to determine how DNA sequence affects looping at these lengths. We calculate and measure how such looping depends upon four key biological parameters: the strength of the transcription factor binding sites, the concentration of the transcription factor, and the length and sequence of the DNA loop. Our studies lead to the surprising insight that sequences that are thought to be especially favorable for nucleosome formation because of high flexibility lead to no systematically detectable effect of sequence on looping, and begin to provide a picture of the distinctions between the short length scale mechanics of nucleosome formation and looping.

FRET studies of a landscape of Lac repressor-mediated DNA loops

DNA looping mediated by the Lac repressor is an archetypal test case for modeling protein and DNA flexibility. Understanding looping is fundamental to quantitative descriptions of gene expression. Systematic analysis of LacI•DNA looping was carried out using a landscape of DNA constructs with lac operators bracketing an A-tract bend, produced by varying helical phasings between operators and the bend. Fluorophores positioned on either side of both operators allowed direct Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) detection of parallel (P1) and antiparallel (A1, A2) DNA looping topologies anchored by V-shaped LacI. Combining fluorophore position variant landscapes allows calculation of the P1, A1 and A2 populations from FRET efficiencies and also reveals extended low-FRET loops proposed to form via LacI opening. The addition of isopropyl-β-d-thio-galactoside (IPTG) destabilizes but does not eliminate the loops, and IPTG does not redistribute loops among high-FRET topologies. In some cases, subsequent addition of excess LacI does not reduce FRET further, suggesting that IPTG stabilizes extended or other low-FRET loops. The data align well with rod mechanics models for the energetics of DNA looping topologies. At the peaks of the predicted energy landscape for V-shaped loops, the proposed extended loops are more stable and are observed instead, showing that future models must consider protein flexibility.

Photophysics of fluorescent probes for single-molecule biophysics and super-resolution imaging

Single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and super-resolution microscopy are important elements of the ongoing technical revolution to reveal biochemical and cellular processes in unprecedented clarity and precision. Demands placed on the photophysical properties of the fluorophores are stringent and drive the choice of appropriate probes. Such fluorophores are not simple light bulbs of a certain color and brightness but instead have their own "personalities" regarding spectroscopic parameters, redox properties, size, water solubility, photostability, and several other factors. Here, we review the photophysics of fluorescent probes, both organic fluorophores and fluorescent proteins, used in applications such as particle tracking, single-molecule FRET, stoichiometry determination, and super-resolution imaging. Of particular interest is the thiol-induced blinking of Cy5, a curse for single-molecule biophysical studies that was later overcome using Trolox through a reducing/oxidizing system but a boon for super-resolution imaging owing to the controllable photoswitching. Understanding photophysics is critical in the design and interpretation of single-molecule experiments.

FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL OF PROTEIN–DNA LOOPS

Protein–DNA loops are essential for efficient transcriptional repression and activation. The geometry and stability of the archetypal Lac repressor tetramer (LacI)–DNA loop were investigated using designed hyperstable loops containing lac operators bracketing a sequence-directed bend. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays, DNA cyclization, and bulk and single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) demonstrate that the DNA sequence controls whether the LacI–DNA loop forms a compact loop with positive writhe or an open loop with little writhe. Monte Carlo methods for simulation of DNA ring closure were extended to DNA loops, including treatment of variable protein hinge angles. The observed distribution of topoisomer products upon cyclization provides a strong constraint on possible models. The experiments and modeling imply that LacI–DNA can adopt a wide range of geometries but has a strong intrinsic preference for an open form. The flexibility of LacI helps explain in vivo observations that DNA looping is less sensitive to DNA length and shape than that expected from the physical properties of DNA. While DNA cyclization suggests two pools of precursor loops for the 9C14 construct, single-molecule FRET demonstrates a single population. This discrepancy suggests that the LacI–DNA structure is strongly influenced by flanking DNA.

Single-molecule colocalization studies shed light on the idea of fully emitting versus dark single quantum dots

In this report the correlation between the solution photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield and the fluorescence emission of individual semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is investigated. This is done by taking advantage of previously reported enhancement in the macroscopic quantum yield of water-soluble QDs capped with dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) when self-assembled with polyhistidine-appended proteins, and by using fluorescence coincidence analysis (FCA) to detect the presence of "bright" and "dark" single QDs in solution. This allows for changes in the fraction of the two QD species to be tracked as the PL yield of the solution is progressively altered. The results clearly indicate that in a dispersion of luminescent nanocrystals, "bright" (intermittently emitting) single QDs coexist with "permanently dark" (non-emitting) QDs. Furthermore, the increase in the fraction of emitting QDs accompanies the increase in the PL quantum yield of the solution. These findings support the idea that a dispersion of QDs consists of two optically distinct populations of nanocrystals--one is "bright" while the other is "dark;" and that the relative fraction of these two populations defines the overall PL yield.

Wrapped-around models for the lac operon complex

The protein-DNA complex, involved in the lac operon of enteric bacteria, is paradigmatic in understanding the extent of DNA bending and plasticity due to interactions with protein assemblies acting as DNA regulators. For the lac operon, two classes of structures have been proposed: 1), with the protein tetramer lying away from the DNA loop (wrapped-away model); and 2), with the protein tetramer lying inside the DNA loop (wrapped-around model). A recently developed electrostatic analytical model shows that the size and net charge of the Lac protein tetramer allow the bending of DNA, which is consistent with another wrapped-around model from the literature. Coarse-grained models, designed based on this observation, are extensively investigated and show three kinds of wrapped-around arrangements of DNA and a lower propensity for wrapped-away configurations. Molecular dynamics simulations of an all-atom model, built on the basis of the most tightly collapsed coarse-grained model, show that most of the DNA double-helical architecture is maintained in the region between O3 and O1 DNA operators, that the DNA distortion is concentrated in the chain beyond the O1 operator, and that the protein tetramer can adapt the N-terminal domains to the DNA tension.

DNA curvature and flexibility in vitro and in vivo

It has been more than 50 years since the elucidation of the structure of double-helical DNA. Despite active research and progress in DNA biology and biochemistry, much remains to be learned in the field of DNA biophysics. Predicting the sequence-dependent curvature and flexibility of DNA is difficult. Applicability of the conventional worm-like chain polymer model of DNA has been challenged. The fundamental forces responsible for the remarkable resistance of DNA to bending and twisting remain controversial. The apparent 'softening' of DNA measured in vivo in the presence of kinking proteins and superhelical strain is incompletely understood. New methods and insights are being applied to these problems. This review places current work on DNA biophysics in historical context and illustrates the ongoing interplay between theory and experiment in this exciting field.

Tetramer opening in LacI-mediated DNA looping

Lactose repressor protein (LacI) controls transcription of the genes involved in lactose metabolism in bacteria. Essential to optimal LacI-mediated regulation is its ability to bind simultaneously to two operators, forming a loop on the intervening DNA. Recently, several lines of evidence (both theoretical and experimental) have suggested various possible loop structures associated with different DNA binding topologies and LacI tetramer structural conformations (adopted by flexing about the C-terminal tetramerization domain). We address, specifically, the role of protein opening in loop formation by employing the single-molecule tethered particle motion method on LacI protein mutants chemically cross-linked at different positions along the cleft between the two dimers. Measurements on the wild-type and uncross-linked LacI mutants led to the observation of two distinct levels of short tether length, associated with two different DNA looping structures. Restricting conformational flexibility of the protein by chemical cross-linking induces pronounced effects. Crosslinking the dimers at the level of the N-terminal DNA binding head (E36C) completely suppresses looping, whereas cross-linking near the C-terminal tetramerization domain (Q231C) results in changes of looping geometry detected by the measured tether length distributions. These observations lead to the conclusion that tetramer opening plays a definite role in at least a subset of LacI/DNA loop conformations.

First-principles calculation of DNA looping in tethered particle experiments

We calculate the probability of DNA loop formation mediated by regulatory proteins such as Lac repressor (LacI), using a mathematical model of DNA elasticity. Our model is adapted to calculating quantities directly observable in tethered particle motion (TPM) experiments, and it accounts for all the entropic forces present in such experiments. Our model has no free parameters; it characterizes DNA elasticity using information obtained in other kinds of experiments. It assumes a harmonic elastic energy function (or wormlike chain type elasticity), but our Monte Carlo calculation scheme is flexible enough to accommodate arbitrary elastic energy functions. We show how to compute both the 'looping J factor' (or equivalently, the looping free energy) for various DNA construct geometries and LacI concentrations, as well as the detailed probability density function of bead excursions. We also show how to extract the same quantities from recent experimental data on TPM, and then compare to our model's predictions. In particular, we present a new method to correct observed data for finite camera shutter time and other experimental effects. Although the currently available experimental data give large uncertainties, our first-principles predictions for the looping free energy change are confirmed to within about 1 k(B)T, for loops of length around 300 basepairs. More significantly, our model successfully reproduces the detailed distributions of bead excursion, including their surprising three-peak structure, without any fit parameters and without invoking any alternative conformation of the LacI tetramer. Indeed, the model qualitatively reproduces the observed dependence of these distributions on tether length (e.g., phasing) and on LacI concentration (titration). However, for short DNA loops (around 95 basepairs) the experiments show more looping than is predicted by the harmonic-elasticity model, echoing other recent experimental results. Because the experiments we study are done in vitro, this anomalously high looping cannot be rationalized as resulting from the presence of DNA-bending proteins or other cellular machinery. We also show that it is unlikely to be the result of a hypothetical 'open' conformation of the LacI tetramer.

Monitoring Simultaneous Distance and Orientation Changes in Discrete Dimers of DNA Linked Gold Nanoparticles

Important optical properties of discrete pairs of DNA tethered gold nanoparticles, including their scattering cross-section and resonance wavelength, depend both on the dimer structure and the refractive index of their immediate environment. We show that far-field polarization microscopy aids the optical identification and interpretation of structural changes including hinge motions and nanoscale distance changes in individual assemblies. Grecco and Martinez have shown in their theoretical work that the interparticle separation dependent polarization anisotropy of discrete nanoparticle dimers enables nanoscale distance measurements (Optics Express 2006, 14, 8716 - 8721). Here we implement this approach experimentally and evaluate measured polarization anisotropies in the framework of a dipolar coupling model. We use polarization sensitive darkfield microscopy to resolve simultaneous distance and orientation changes during the compaction of discrete pairs of DNA tethered gold nanoparticles by fourth generation polyamidoamino (PAMAM) dendrimers. The relative contributions from interparticle separation and refractive index variations to changes in the light polarization and scattering intensity are quantified and compared.

Concentration and length dependence of DNA looping in transcriptional regulation

In many cases, transcriptional regulation involves the binding of transcription factors at sites on the DNA that are not immediately adjacent to the promoter of interest. This action at a distance is often mediated by the formation of DNA loops: Binding at two or more sites on the DNA results in the formation of a loop, which can bring the transcription factor into the immediate neighborhood of the relevant promoter. These processes are important in settings ranging from the historic bacterial examples (bacterial metabolism and the lytic-lysogeny decision in bacteriophage), to the modern concept of gene regulation to regulatory processes central to pattern formation during development of multicellular organisms. Though there have been a variety of insights into the combinatorial aspects of transcriptional control, the mechanism of DNA looping as an agent of combinatorial control in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes remains unclear. We use single-molecule techniques to dissect DNA looping in the lac operon. In particular, we measure the propensity for DNA looping by the Lac repressor as a function of the concentration of repressor protein and as a function of the distance between repressor binding sites. As with earlier single-molecule studies, we find (at least) two distinct looped states and demonstrate that the presence of these two states depends both upon the concentration of repressor protein and the distance between the two repressor binding sites. We find that loops form even at interoperator spacings considerably shorter than the DNA persistence length, without the intervention of any other proteins to prebend the DNA. The concentration measurements also permit us to use a simple statistical mechanical model of DNA loop formation to determine the free energy of DNA looping, or equivalently, the for looping.

Computational analysis of looping of a large family of highly bent DNA by LacI

Sequence-dependent intrinsic curvature of DNA influences looping by regulatory proteins such as LacI and NtrC. Curvature can enhance stability and control shape, as observed in LacI loops formed with three designed sequences with operators bracketing an A-tract bend. We explore geometric, topological, and energetic effects of curvature with an analysis of a family of highly bent sequences, using the elastic rod model from previous work. A unifying straight-helical-straight representation uses two phasing parameters to describe sequences composed of two straight segments that flank a common helically supercoiled segment. We exercise the rod model over this two-dimensional space of phasing parameters to evaluate looping behaviors. This design space is found to comprise two subspaces that prefer parallel versus anti-parallel binding topologies. The energetic cost of looping varies from 4 to 12 kT. Molecules can be designed to yield distinct binding topologies as well as hyperstable or hypostable loops and potentially loops that can switch conformations. Loop switching could be a mechanism for control of gene expression. Model predictions for linking numbers and sizes of LacI-DNA loops can be tested using multiple experimental approaches, which coupled with theory could address whether proteins or DNA provide the observed flexibility of protein-DNA loops.

Interconvertible lac repressor-DNA loops revealed by single-molecule experiments

At many promoters, transcription is regulated by simultaneous binding of a protein to multiple sites on DNA, but the structures and dynamics of such transcription factor-mediated DNA loops are poorly understood. We directly examined in vitro loop formation mediated by Escherichia coli lactose repressor using single-molecule structural and kinetics methods. Small (∼150 bp) loops form quickly and stably, even with out-of-phase operator spacings. Unexpectedly, repeated spontaneous transitions between two distinct loop structures were observed in individual protein–DNA complexes. The results imply a dynamic equilibrium between a novel loop structure with the repressor in its crystallographic “V” conformation and a second structure with a more extended linear repressor conformation that substantially lessens the DNA bending strain. The ability to switch between different loop structures may help to explain how robust transcription regulation is maintained even though the mechanical work required to form a loop may change substantially with metabolic conditions.

Some proteins that regulate DNA transcription do so by binding simultaneously to two separated sites on the DNA molecule, forming a DNA loop. Although such loops are common, many of their features are poorly characterized. Of particular interest is the question of how some proteins accommodate the formation of loops of different sizes, particularly when the loops are small and thus require strong bending (and, in some cases, twisting) of the DNA to form. We observed the shape and behavior of individual DNA molecules bent into tight loops by Lac repressor, a transcription-regulating protein from the bacterium Escherichia coli. Loops were formed in DNA molecules with repressor-binding sites on opposite faces of the DNA double helix almost as readily as in those with sites on the same side, suggesting that the repressor is highly flexible. The DNA can switch back and forth between a tighter and a looser loop structure “on the fly” during the lifetime of a single loop, further evidence that Lac repressor is capable of adopting different shapes that may serve to minimize DNA bending or twisting in loops. The ability of the repressor to readily switch between different loop shapes may allow it to maintain effective control of transcription across situations in which the difficulty of bending or twisting DNA changes substantially.

A large-scale conformational change in a transcription factor protein allows DNA loops to dynamically switch between alternative conformations that may contribute to robust transcription regulation.

G-quadruplex structures of human telomere DNA examined by single molecule FRET and BrG-substitution

The human telomere is known to form the G-quadruplex structure to inhibit the activity of telomerase. Its detailed structure has been of great interest. Recently, two kinds of the parallel-antiparallel hybrid structures have been specified in K(+) solution. However, the G-quadruplex structure is generally thought to be in equilibrium among different structures. Here, we describe the single-pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer (sp-FRET) experiments on telomere samples with bromoguanine (BrG)-substitutions, which control the G-quadruplex structures, at different positions and one without any substitution. The observed FRET distributions were decomposed into five components and the relative population of these components depended on the BrG-substitution positions. In order to consistently explain the variety of conformations, we proposed a novel structural model, the so-called triple-strand-core model. On the basis of this model, the components of the FRET distributions were attributed to the mixed-chair hybrid structures, which were reported recently, and chair-type antiparallel structures, which can be predicted from this model. The FRET efficiencies of these structures were explained in terms of partially broken structures due to steric hindrance and inappropriate capping. This basic model also consistently explains experimental results reported previously. Furthermore, using this model, the folding pathway of the hybrid structures and T-loop formation can be predicted.

Distribution analysis for single molecule FRET measurement

A new numerical analysis method for experimental single-pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer (sp-FRET) data is proposed. In this method, every single data point was plotted in a style of a cumulative distribution function and dedicated to curve-fitting analysis, so that the analysis does not depend on bin size. A series of numerical simulations showed that this analysis has a more efficient and accurate resolvability of components than a fitting method based on Gaussian functions to a histogram plot. A simulated data based on experimental FRET distributions were also used to discuss the fitting errors of this method. The proposed method was applied to sp-FRET experiments of doubly dye-labeled double-strand DNA with a short sequence. Mixtures of up to three species were analyzed, and the contributions up to four subpopulations were successfully resolved.

Single-molecule manipulation reveals supercoiling-dependent modulation of lac repressor-mediated DNA looping

Gene expression regulation is a fundamental biological process which deploys specific sets of genomic information depending on physiological or environmental conditions. Several transcription factors (including lac repressor, LacI) are present in the cell at very low copy number and increase their local concentration by binding to multiple sites on DNA and looping the intervening sequence. In this work, we employ single-molecule manipulation to experimentally address the role of DNA supercoiling in the dynamics and stability of LacI-mediated DNA looping. We performed measurements over a range of degrees of supercoiling between -0.026 and +0.026, in the absence of axial stretching forces. A supercoiling-dependent modulation of the lifetimes of both the looped and unlooped states was observed. Our experiments also provide evidence for multiple structural conformations of the LacI-DNA complex, depending on torsional constraints. The supercoiling-dependent modulation demonstrated here adds an important element to the model of the lac operon. In fact, the complex network of proteins acting on the DNA in a living cell constantly modifies its topological and mechanical properties: our observations demonstrate the possibility of establishing a signaling pathway from factors affecting DNA supercoiling to transcription factors responsible for the regulation of specific sets of genes.

Intrinsic curvature of DNA influences LacR-mediated looping

Protein-mediated DNA looping is a common mechanism for regulating gene expression. Loops occur when a protein binds to two operators on the same DNA molecule. The probability of looping is controlled, in part, by the basepair sequence of inter-operator DNA, which influences its structural properties. One structural property is the intrinsic or stress-free curvature. In this article, we explore the influence of sequence-dependent intrinsic curvature by exercising a computational rod model for the inter-operator DNA as applied to looping of the LacR-DNA complex. Starting with known sequences for the inter-operator DNA, we first compute the intrinsic curvature of the helical axis as input to the rod model. The crystal structure of the LacR (with bound operators) then defines the requisite boundary conditions needed for the dynamic rod model that predicts the energetics and topology of the intervening DNA loop. A major contribution of this model is its ability to predict a broad range of published experimental data for highly bent (designed) sequences. The model successfully predicts the loop topologies known from fluorescence resonance energy transfer measurements, the linking number distribution known from cyclization assays with the LacR-DNA complex, the relative loop stability known from competition assays, and the relative loop size known from gel mobility assays. In addition, the computations reveal that highly curved sequences tend to lower the energetic cost of loop formation, widen the energy distribution among stable and meta-stable looped states, and substantially alter loop topology. The inclusion of sequence-dependent intrinsic curvature also leads to nonuniform twist and necessitates consideration of eight distinct binding topologies from the known crystal structure of the LacR-DNA complex.

Single-molecule fluorescence analysis of cellular nanomachinery components

Recent progress in proteomics suggests that the cell can be conceived as a large network of highly refined, nanomachine-like protein complexes. This working hypothesis calls for new methods capable of analyzing individual protein complexes in living cells and tissues at high speed. Here, we examine whether single-molecule fluorescence (SMF) analysis can satisfy that demand. First, recent technical progress in the visualization, localization, tracking, conformational analysis, and true resolution of individual protein complexes is highlighted. Second, results obtained by the SMF analysis of protein complexes are reviewed, focusing on the nuclear pore complex as an instructive example. We conclude that SMF methods provide powerful, indispensable tools for the structural and functional characterization of protein complexes. However, the transition from in vitro systems to living cells is in the initial stages. We discuss how current limitations in the nanoscopic analysis of living cells and tissues can be overcome to create a new paradigm, nanoscopic biomedicine.

Fluorescence from diffusing single molecules illuminates biomolecular structure and dynamics

This review provides an account of single-molecule fluorescence methodologies for freely diffusing molecules applied to a diverse array of biological problems pertaining to biomolecular folding and assembly. We describe the principles of confocal fluorescence microscopy to detect and analyze fluorescence bursts from diffusing single molecules. These methods including single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer, coincidence, correlations and polarization offer a powerful means to uncover hidden information about conformational sub-populations and interconversion dynamics of biomolecular systems in a wide range of timescales. We offer several key examples to illustrate how these methodologies have been extremely useful in teasing out structural and dynamical aspects of many important biomolecular systems.

Lesion recognition and cleavage by endonuclease V: a single-molecule study

Endonuclease V (endo V) recognizes and cleaves deoxyinosine in deaminated DNA. These enzymatic activities are precursors of DNA repair and are fueled by metal ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, with the former being associated with protein binding and the latter with DNA cleavage. Using the technique of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), we determined the single-molecule kinetics of endo V in a catalytic cycle using a substrate of deoxyinosine-containing single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The ssDNA was labeled with TAMRA, a fluorescence donor, while the endo V was labeled with Cy5, a fluorescence acceptor. The time lapses of FRET, resulting from the sequential association, recognition, and dissociation of the deoxyinosine by the endo V, were determined at 5.9, 14.5, and 9.1 s, respectively, in the presence of Mg2+. In contrast, the process of deoxyinosine recognition appeared little affected by the metal type. The prolonged association and dissociation events in the presence of the Ca2+-Mg2+ combination, as compared to that of Mg2+ alone, support the hypothesis that endo V has two metal binding sites to regulate its enzymatic activities.

Under the microscope: single molecule symposium at the University of Michigan, 2006

In recent years, a revolution has occurred in the basic sciences, which exploits novel single molecule detection and manipulation tools to track and analyze biopolymers in unprecedented detail. A recent Gordon Research Conference style meeting, hosted by the University of Michigan, highlighted current status and future perspectives of this rising field as researchers begin to integrate it with mainstream biology and nanotechnology.

Dissecting and reducing the heterogeneity of excited-state energy transport in DNA-based photonic wires

Molecular photonic wires are one-dimensional representatives of a family of nanoscale molecular devices that transport excited-state energy over considerable distances in analogy to optical waveguides in the far-field. In particular, the design and synthesis of such complex supramolecular devices is challenging concerning the desired homogeneity of energy transport. On the other hand, novel optical techniques are available that permit direct investigation of heterogeneity by studying one device at a time. In this article, we describe our efforts to synthesize and study DNA-based molecular photonic wires that carry several chromophores arranged in an energetic downhill cascade and exploit fluorescence resonance energy transfer to convey excited-state energy. The focus of this work is to understand and control the heterogeneity of such complex systems, applying single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy (SMFS) to dissect the different sources of heterogeneity, i.e., chemical heterogeneity and inhomogeneous broadening induced by the nanoenvironment. We demonstrate that the homogeneity of excited-state energy transport in DNA-based photonic wires is dramatically improved by immobilizing photonic wires in aqueous solution without perturbation by the surface. In addition, our study shows that the in situ construction of wire molecules, i.e., the stepwise hybridization of differently labeled oligonucleotides on glass cover slides, further decreases the observed heterogeneity in overall energy-transfer efficiency. The developed strategy enables efficient energy transfer between up to five chromophores in the majority of molecules investigated along a distance of approximately 14 nm. Finally, we used multiparameter SMFS to analyze the energy flow in photonic wires in more detail and to assign residual heterogeneity under optimized conditions in solution to different leakages and competing energy-transfer processes.

Biological consequences of tightly bent DNA: the other life of a macromolecular celebrity

The mechanical properties of DNA play a critical role in many biological functions. For example, DNA packing in viruses involves confining the viral genome in a volume (the viral capsid) with dimensions that are comparable to the DNA persistence length. Similarly, eukaryotic DNA is packed in DNA-protein complexes (nucleosomes), in which DNA is tightly bent around protein spools. DNA is also tightly bent by many proteins that regulate transcription, resulting in a variation in gene expression that is amenable to quantitative analysis. In these cases, DNA loops are formed with lengths that are comparable to or smaller than the DNA persistence length. The aim of this review is to describe the physical forces associated with tightly bent DNA in all of these settings and to explore the biological consequences of such bending, as increasingly accessible by single-molecule techniques.

Solution-Phase Single Quantum Dot Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer

We present a single particle fluorescence resonance energy transfer (spFRET) study of freely diffusing self-assembled quantum dot (QD) bioconjugate sensors, composed of CdSe-ZnS core-shell QD donors surrounded by dye-labeled protein acceptors. We first show that there is direct correlation between single particle and ensemble FRET measurements in terms of derived FRET efficiencies and donor-acceptor separation distances. We also find that, in addition to increased sensitivity, spFRET provides information about FRET efficiency distributions which can be used to resolve distinct sensor subpopulations. We use this capacity to gain information about the distribution in the valence of self-assembled QD-protein conjugates and show that this distribution follows Poisson statistics. We then apply spFRET to characterize heterogeneity in single sensor interactions with the substrate/target and show that such heterogeneity varies with the target concentration. The binding constant derived from spFRET is consistent with ensemble measurements.

Probing the Kinetics of Membrane-Mediated Helix Folding

The kinetics of peptide-membrane association have been studied previously using stopped-flow tryptophan fluorescence; however, such experiments do not directly report the coil-to-helix transition process, which is a hallmark of peptide-membrane interaction. Herein, we report a new method for directly assessing the kinetics of the helix formation accompanied by the peptide-membrane association. This method is based on the technique of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and an amino acid FRET pair, p-cyano-L-phenylalanine and tryptophan. To demonstrate the utility of this method, we have studied the membrane-mediated helix folding dynamics of a mutant of magainin 2, an antibiotic peptide found in the skin of the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis. Our results indicate that the coil-to-helix transition occurs during the binding of the peptide to the lipid vesicle (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)], 3:1, wt/wt) but prior to the full insertion of the peptide into the hydrophobic region of the lipid bilayers.

Chain dynamics and power-law distance fluctuations of single-molecule systems

Chain-dynamics-induced distance fluctuations between any two points in a finite chain with or without cross links are investigated. This model leads to three regimes of temporal behavior for distance autocorrelation: (i) initial flat time dependence, (ii) t(-alpha) power law, and (iii) long-time exponential decay. For an ideal Rouse chain with frequency-independent friction, alpha = 1/2. The span of the characteristic power-law behavior of a long chain could be reduced significantly with the presence of cross links.

Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Biorecognition: Evaluation of Surface Coverage and Activity

Modifying the surfaces of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) by the covalent attachment of biomolecules will enable their implementation as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging or as media for magnetically assisted bioseparations. In this paper we report both the surface coverage and the activity of IgG antibodies on MNPs. The antibodies were immobilized on gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles by conventional methods using aminopropyltriethoxy silane and subsequent activation by glutaraldehyde. Novel fluorescence methods were used to provide a quantitative evaluation of this well-known approach. Our results show that surface coverage can be stoichiometrically adjusted with saturated surface coverage occurring at approximately 36% of the theoretical limit. The saturated surface coverage corresponds to 34 antibody molecules bound to an average-sized MNP (32 nm diameter). We also show that the immobilized antibodies retain approximately 50% of their binding capacity at surface-saturated levels.