scholarly journals Suppression of Nonsense Mutations in Cell Culture and Mice by Multimerized Suppressor tRNA Genes

2000 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 3116-3124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Buvoli ◽  
Ada Buvoli ◽  
Leslie A. Leinwand

ABSTRACT We demonstrate here the first experimental suppression of a premature termination codon in vivo by using an ochre suppressor tRNA acting in an intact mouse. Multicopy tRNA expression plasmids were directly injected into skeletal muscle and into the hearts of transgenic mice carrying a reporter gene with an ochre mutation. A strategy for modulation of suppressor efficiency, applicable to diverse systems and based on tandem multimerization of the tRNA gene, is developed. The product of suppression (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase) accumulates linearly with increases in suppressor tRNA concentration to the point where the ochre-suppressing tRNASer is in four- to fivefold excess over the endogenous tRNASer. The subsequent suppressor activity plateau seems to be attributable to accumulation of unmodified tRNAs. These results define many salient variables for suppression in vivo, for example, for tRNA suppression employed as gene therapy for nonsense defects.

1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 2663-2673 ◽  
Author(s):  
M C Strobel ◽  
J Abelson

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae leucine-inserting amber suppressor tRNA gene SUP53 (a tRNALeu3 allele) was used to investigate the relationship between precursor tRNA structure and mature tRNA function. This gene encodes a pre-tRNA which contains a 32-base intron. The mature tRNASUP53 contains a 5-methylcytosine modification of the anticodon wobble base. Mutations were made in the SUP53 intron. These mutant genes were transcribed in an S. cerevisiae nuclear extract preparation. In this extract, primary tRNA gene transcripts are end-processed and base modified after addition of cofactors. The base modifications made in vitro were examined, and the mutant pre-tRNAs were analyzed for their ability to serve as substrates for partially purified S. cerevisiae tRNA endonuclease and ligase. Finally, the suppressor function of these mutant tRNA genes was assayed after their integration into the S. cerevisiae genome. Mutant analysis showed that the totally intact precursor tRNA, rather than any specific sequence or structure of the intron, was necessary for efficient nonsense suppression by tRNASUP53. Less efficient suppressor activity correlated with the absence of the 5-methylcytosine modification. Most of the intron-altered precursor tRNAs were successfully spliced in vitro, indicating that modifications are not critical for recognition by the tRNA endonuclease and ligase.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 3059-3067
Author(s):  
J P Capone ◽  
J M Sedivy ◽  
P A Sharp ◽  
U L RajBhandary

We have used oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis to convert serine codon 27 of the Escherichia coli chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) gene to UAG, UAA, and UGA nonsense codons. The mutant cat genes, under transcriptional control of the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat, were then introduced into mammalian cells by DNA transfection along with UAG, UAA, and UGA suppressor tRNA genes derived from a human serine tRNA. Assay for CAT enzymatic activity in extracts from such cells allowed us to detect and quantitate nonsense suppression in monkey CV-1 cells and mouse NIH3T3 cells. Using such an assay, we provide the first direct evidence that an opal suppressor tRNA gene is functional in mammalian cells. The pattern of suppression of the three cat nonsense mutations in bacteria suggests that the serine at position 27 of CAT can be replaced by a wide variety of amino acids without loss of enzymatic activity. Thus, these mutant cat genes should be generally useful for the quantitation of suppressor activity of suppressor tRNA genes introduced into cells and possibly for the detection of naturally occurring nonsense suppressors.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (9) ◽  
pp. 3059-3067 ◽  
Author(s):  
J P Capone ◽  
J M Sedivy ◽  
P A Sharp ◽  
U L RajBhandary

We have used oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis to convert serine codon 27 of the Escherichia coli chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) gene to UAG, UAA, and UGA nonsense codons. The mutant cat genes, under transcriptional control of the Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat, were then introduced into mammalian cells by DNA transfection along with UAG, UAA, and UGA suppressor tRNA genes derived from a human serine tRNA. Assay for CAT enzymatic activity in extracts from such cells allowed us to detect and quantitate nonsense suppression in monkey CV-1 cells and mouse NIH3T3 cells. Using such an assay, we provide the first direct evidence that an opal suppressor tRNA gene is functional in mammalian cells. The pattern of suppression of the three cat nonsense mutations in bacteria suggests that the serine at position 27 of CAT can be replaced by a wide variety of amino acids without loss of enzymatic activity. Thus, these mutant cat genes should be generally useful for the quantitation of suppressor activity of suppressor tRNA genes introduced into cells and possibly for the detection of naturally occurring nonsense suppressors.


1986 ◽  
Vol 6 (7) ◽  
pp. 2663-2673
Author(s):  
M C Strobel ◽  
J Abelson

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae leucine-inserting amber suppressor tRNA gene SUP53 (a tRNALeu3 allele) was used to investigate the relationship between precursor tRNA structure and mature tRNA function. This gene encodes a pre-tRNA which contains a 32-base intron. The mature tRNASUP53 contains a 5-methylcytosine modification of the anticodon wobble base. Mutations were made in the SUP53 intron. These mutant genes were transcribed in an S. cerevisiae nuclear extract preparation. In this extract, primary tRNA gene transcripts are end-processed and base modified after addition of cofactors. The base modifications made in vitro were examined, and the mutant pre-tRNAs were analyzed for their ability to serve as substrates for partially purified S. cerevisiae tRNA endonuclease and ligase. Finally, the suppressor function of these mutant tRNA genes was assayed after their integration into the S. cerevisiae genome. Mutant analysis showed that the totally intact precursor tRNA, rather than any specific sequence or structure of the intron, was necessary for efficient nonsense suppression by tRNASUP53. Less efficient suppressor activity correlated with the absence of the 5-methylcytosine modification. Most of the intron-altered precursor tRNAs were successfully spliced in vitro, indicating that modifications are not critical for recognition by the tRNA endonuclease and ligase.


1979 ◽  
Vol 254 (21) ◽  
pp. 10803-10810
Author(s):  
M.J. Ryan ◽  
R. Belagaje ◽  
E.L. Brown ◽  
H.J. Fritz ◽  
H.G. Khorana

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 4015-4025
Author(s):  
R H Morse ◽  
S Y Roth ◽  
R T Simpson

Incorporation into a positioned nucleosome of a cis-acting element essential for replication in Saccharomyces cerevisiae disrupts the function of the element in vivo [R. T. Simpson, Nature (London) 343:387-389, 1990]. Furthermore, nucleosome positioning has been implicated in repression of transcription by RNA polymerase II in yeast cells. We have now asked whether the function of cis-acting elements essential for transcription of a gene transcribed by RNA polymerase III can be similarly affected. A tRNA gene was fused to either of two nucleosome positioning signals such that the predicted nucleosome would incorporate near its center the tRNA start site and essential A-box element. These constructs were then introduced into yeast cells on stably maintained, multicopy plasmids. Competent tRNA genes were transcribed in vivo and were not incorporated into positioned nucleosomes. Mutated, inactive tRNA genes were incorporated into nucleosomes whose positions were as predicted. This finding demonstrates that the transcriptional competence of the tRNA gene determined its ability to override a nucleosome positioning signal in vivo and establishes that a hierarchy exists between cis-acting elements and nucleosome positioning signals.


1985 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 213-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Capone ◽  
P.A. Sharp ◽  
U.L. RajBhandary
Keyword(s):  

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 4271-4278 ◽  
Author(s):  
D E Syroid ◽  
R I Tapping ◽  
J P Capone

We have exploited the Escherichia coli lac operator/repressor system as a means to regulate the expression of a mammalian tRNA gene in vivo and in vitro. An oligonucleotide containing a lac operator (lacO) site was cloned immediately upstream of a human serine amber suppressor (Su+) tRNA gene. Insertion of a single lac repressor binding site at position -1 or -32 relative to the coding region had no effect on the amount of functional tRNA made in vivo, as measured by suppression of a nonsense mutation in the E. coli chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene following cotransfection of mammalian cells. Inclusion of a plasmid expressing the lac repressor in the transfections resulted in 75 to 98% inhibition of suppression activity of lac operator-linked tRNA genes but had no effect on expression of the wild-type gene. Inhibition could be quantitatively relieved with the allosteric inducer isopropylthio-beta-D-galactoside (IPTG). Similarly, transcription in vitro of lac operator-linked tRNA genes in HeLa cell extracts was repressed in the presence of lac repressor, and this inhibition was reversible with IPTG. These results demonstrate that the bacterial lac operator/repressor system can be used to reversibly control the expression of mammalian genes that are transcribed by RNA polymerase III.


Cell ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert M. Hudziak ◽  
Frank A. Laski ◽  
Uttam L. Rajbhandary ◽  
Phillip A. Sharp ◽  
Mario R. Capecchi

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