scholarly journals Nonreciprocal exchanges of information between DNA duplexes coinjected into mammalian cell nuclei.

1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
K R Folger ◽  
K Thomas ◽  
M R Capecchi
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Plasmid Dna ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Recombinant Dna ◽  
Dna Duplexes ◽  
Dna Molecules ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Length Polymorphisms

We have examined the mechanism of homologous recombination between plasmid molecules coinjected into cultured mammalian cells. Cell lines containing recombinant DNA molecules were obtained by selecting for the reconstruction of a functional Neor gene from two plasmids that bear different amber mutations in the Neor gene. In addition, these plasmids contain restriction-length polymorphisms within and near the Neor gene. These polymorphisms did not confer a selectable phenotype but were used to identify and categorize selected and nonselected recombinant DNA molecules. The striking conclusion from this analysis is that the predominant mechanism for the exchange of information between coinjected plasmid molecules over short distances (i.e., less than 1 kilobase) proceeds via nonreciprocal homologous recombination. The frequency of homologous recombination between coinjected plasmid molecules in cultured mammalian cells is extremely high, approaching unity. We demonstrate that this high frequency requires neither a high input of plasmid molecules per cell nor a localized high concentration of plasmid DNA within the nucleus. Thus, it appears that plasmid molecules, once introduced into the nucleus, have no difficulty seeking each other out and participating in homologous recombination even in the presence of a vast excess of host DNA sequences. Finally, we show that most of the homologous recombination events occur within a 1-h interval after the introduction of plasmid DNA into the cell nucleus.

Nonreciprocal exchanges of information between DNA duplexes coinjected into mammalian cell nuclei

1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
K R Folger ◽  
K Thomas ◽  
M R Capecchi
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Plasmid Dna ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Recombinant Dna ◽  
Dna Duplexes ◽  
Dna Molecules ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Length Polymorphisms

We have examined the mechanism of homologous recombination between plasmid molecules coinjected into cultured mammalian cells. Cell lines containing recombinant DNA molecules were obtained by selecting for the reconstruction of a functional Neor gene from two plasmids that bear different amber mutations in the Neor gene. In addition, these plasmids contain restriction-length polymorphisms within and near the Neor gene. These polymorphisms did not confer a selectable phenotype but were used to identify and categorize selected and nonselected recombinant DNA molecules. The striking conclusion from this analysis is that the predominant mechanism for the exchange of information between coinjected plasmid molecules over short distances (i.e., less than 1 kilobase) proceeds via nonreciprocal homologous recombination. The frequency of homologous recombination between coinjected plasmid molecules in cultured mammalian cells is extremely high, approaching unity. We demonstrate that this high frequency requires neither a high input of plasmid molecules per cell nor a localized high concentration of plasmid DNA within the nucleus. Thus, it appears that plasmid molecules, once introduced into the nucleus, have no difficulty seeking each other out and participating in homologous recombination even in the presence of a vast excess of host DNA sequences. Finally, we show that most of the homologous recombination events occur within a 1-h interval after the introduction of plasmid DNA into the cell nucleus.

Patterns of integration of DNA microinjected into cultured mammalian cells: evidence for homologous recombination between injected plasmid DNA molecules

1982 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 1372-1387
Author(s):  
K R Folger ◽  
E A Wong ◽  
G Wahl ◽  
M R Capecchi
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Plasmid Dna ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Recipient Cell ◽  
Simian Virus 40 ◽  
Linear Plasmid ◽  
Dna Molecules ◽  
Host Chromosome ◽  
Gene Copies ◽  
Physical Form

We examined the fate of DNA microinjected into nuclei of cultured mammalian cells. The sequence composition and the physical form of the vector carrying the selectable gene affected the efficiency of DNA-mediated transformation. Introduction of sequences near the simian virus 40 origin of DNA replication or in the long terminal repeat of avian sarcoma provirus into a recombinant plasmid containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. (pBR322/HSV-tk) enhanced the frequency of transformation of LMtk- and RAT-2tk- cells to the TK+ phenotype 20- to 40-fold. In cells receiving injections of only a few plasmid DNA molecules, the transformation frequency was 40-fold higher after injection of linear molecules than after injection of supercoiled molecules. By controlling the number of gene copies injected into a recipient cell, we could obtain transformants containing a single copy or as many as 50 to 100 copies of the selectable gene. Multiple copies of the transforming gene were not scattered throughout the host genome but were integrated as a concatemer at one or a very few sites in the host chromosome. Independent transformants contained the donated genes in different chromosomes. The orientation of the gene copies within the concatemer was not random; rather, the copies were organized as tandem head-to-tail arrays. By analyzing transformants obtained by coinjecting two vectors which were identical except that in one a portion of the vector was inverted, we were able to conclude that the head-to-tail concatemers were generated predominantly by homologous recombination. Surprisingly, these head-to-tail concatemers were found in transformants obtained by injecting either supercoiled or linear plasmid DNA. Even though we demonstrated that cultured mammalian cells contain the enzymes for ligating two DNA molecules very efficiently irrespective of the sequences or topology at their ends, we found that even linear plasmid DNA was recruited into the concatemer by homologous recombination.

scholarly journals Patterns of integration of DNA microinjected into cultured mammalian cells: evidence for homologous recombination between injected plasmid DNA molecules.

1982 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 1372-1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
K R Folger ◽  
E A Wong ◽  
G Wahl ◽  
M R Capecchi
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Plasmid Dna ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Recipient Cell ◽  
Simian Virus 40 ◽  
Linear Plasmid ◽  
Dna Molecules ◽  
Host Chromosome ◽  
Gene Copies ◽  
Physical Form

We examined the fate of DNA microinjected into nuclei of cultured mammalian cells. The sequence composition and the physical form of the vector carrying the selectable gene affected the efficiency of DNA-mediated transformation. Introduction of sequences near the simian virus 40 origin of DNA replication or in the long terminal repeat of avian sarcoma provirus into a recombinant plasmid containing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. (pBR322/HSV-tk) enhanced the frequency of transformation of LMtk- and RAT-2tk- cells to the TK+ phenotype 20- to 40-fold. In cells receiving injections of only a few plasmid DNA molecules, the transformation frequency was 40-fold higher after injection of linear molecules than after injection of supercoiled molecules. By controlling the number of gene copies injected into a recipient cell, we could obtain transformants containing a single copy or as many as 50 to 100 copies of the selectable gene. Multiple copies of the transforming gene were not scattered throughout the host genome but were integrated as a concatemer at one or a very few sites in the host chromosome. Independent transformants contained the donated genes in different chromosomes. The orientation of the gene copies within the concatemer was not random; rather, the copies were organized as tandem head-to-tail arrays. By analyzing transformants obtained by coinjecting two vectors which were identical except that in one a portion of the vector was inverted, we were able to conclude that the head-to-tail concatemers were generated predominantly by homologous recombination. Surprisingly, these head-to-tail concatemers were found in transformants obtained by injecting either supercoiled or linear plasmid DNA. Even though we demonstrated that cultured mammalian cells contain the enzymes for ligating two DNA molecules very efficiently irrespective of the sequences or topology at their ends, we found that even linear plasmid DNA was recruited into the concatemer by homologous recombination.

Gene replacement with one-sided homologous recombination

1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 360-367
Author(s):  
N Berinstein ◽  
N Pennell ◽  
C A Ottaway ◽  
M J Shulman
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Target Gene ◽  
Gene Replacement ◽  
Immunoglobulin Genes ◽  
Nonhomologous Recombination ◽  
Immunoglobulin Locus ◽  
Chromosomal Sequences ◽  
Dna Vectors

Homologous recombination is now routinely used in mammalian cells to replace endogenous chromosomal sequences with transferred DNA. Vectors for this purpose are traditionally constructed so that the replacement segment is flanked on both sides by DNA sequences which are identical to sequences in the chromosomal target gene. To test the importance of bilateral regions of homology, we measured recombination between transferred and chromosomal immunoglobulin genes when the transferred segment was homologous to the chromosomal gene only on the 3' side. In each of the four recombinants analyzed, the 5' junction was unique, suggesting that it was formed by nonhomologous, i.e., random or illegitimate, recombination. In two of the recombinants, the 3' junction was apparently formed by homologous recombination, while in the other two recombinants, the 3' junction as well as the 5' junction might have involved a nonhomologous crossover. As reported previously, we found that the frequency of gene targeting increases monotonically with the length of the region of homology. Our results also indicate that targeting with fragments bearing one-sided homology can be as efficient as with fragments with bilateral homology, provided that the overall length of homology is comparable. The frequency of these events suggests that the immunoglobulin locus is particularly susceptible to nonhomologous recombination. Vectors designed for one-sided homologous recombination might be advantageous for some applications in genetic engineering.

scholarly journals The search for homology does not limit the rate of extrachromosomal homologous recombination in mammalian cells.

Genetics ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 136 (2) ◽  
pp. 597-605
Author(s):  
A S Waldman
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Insertion Mutant ◽  
Insertion Mutation ◽  
Homologous Pairing ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Limiting Step ◽  
Homology Searching ◽  
Rate Limiting

Abstract Mouse LTK- cells were transfected with a pair of defective Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (tk) genes. One tk gene had an 8-bp insertion mutation while the second gene had a 100-bp inversion. Extrachromosomal homologous recombination leading to the reconstruction of a functional tk gene was monitored by selecting for tk positive cells using medium supplemented with hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine. To assess whether the search for homology may be a rate-limiting step of recombination, we asked whether the presence of an excess number of copies of a tk gene possessing both the insertion and inversion mutations could inhibit recombination between the singly mutated tk genes. Effective competitive inhibition would require that homology searching (homologous pairing) occur rapidly and efficiently. We cotransfected plasmid constructs containing the singly mutated genes in the presence or absence of competitor sequences in various combinations of linear or circular forms. We observed effective inhibition by the competitor DNA in six of the seven combinations studied. A lack of inhibition was observed only when the insertion mutant gene was cleaved within the insertion mutation and cotransfected with the two other molecules in circular form. Additional experiments suggested that homologous interactions between two DNA sequences may compete in trans with recombination between two other sequences. We conclude that homology searching is not a rate-limiting step of extrachromosomal recombination in mammalian cells. Additionally, we speculate that a limiting factor is involved in a recombination step following homologous pairing and has a high affinity for DNA termini.

Efficient correction of mismatched bases in plasmid heteroduplexes injected into cultured mammalian cell nuclei

1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-74
Author(s):  
K R Folger ◽  
K Thomas ◽  
M R Capecchi
Keyword(s):  
Plasmid Dna ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Kanamycin Resistance ◽  
Linear Plasmid ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Cell Nuclei ◽  
Heteroduplex Dna ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Repair Mechanisms ◽  
A Cell

Heteroduplexes were prepared from two plasmids, pRH4-14/TK and pRH5-8/TK, containing different amber mutations in the neomycin resistance gene (Neor). The Neor gene was engineered to be expressed in both bacterial and mammalian cells. A functional Neor gene conferred kanamycin resistance to bacteria and resistance to the drug G418 to mammalian cells. In addition, the plasmids contained restriction site polymorphisms which did not confer a selectable phenotype but were used to follow the pattern of correction of mismatched bases in the heteroduplexes. In a direct comparison of the efficiency of transforming mouse LMtk- cells to G418r, the injection of heteroduplexes of pRH4-14/TK-pRH5-8/TK was 10-fold more efficient than the coinjection of pRH4-14/TK and pRH5-8/TK linear plasmid DNA. In fact, injection of 5 to 10 molecules of heteroduplex DNA per cell was as efficient in transforming LMtk- cells to G418r as the injection of 5 to 10 molecules of linear plasmid DNA per cell containing a wild-type Neor gene. To determine the pattern of mismatch repair of the injected heteroduplexes, plasmids were "rescued" from the G418r cell lines. From this analysis we conclude that the generation of wild-type Neor genes from heteroduplex DNA proceeds directly by correction of the mismatched bases, rather than by alternative mechanisms such as recombination between the injected heteroduplexes. Our finding that a cell can efficiently correct mismatched bases when confronted with preformed heteroduplexes suggests that this experimental protocol could be used to study a wide range of DNA repair mechanisms in cultured mammalian cells.

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