Biomedical subjects

L W McLaughlin

Publications and source records attributed to L W McLaughlin.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1987

Resolution of RNA using high-performance liquid chromatography.

High-performance liquid chromatographic techniques can be very effective for the resolution and isolation of nucleic acids. The characteristic ionic (phosphodiesters) and hydrophobic (nucleobases) properties of RNAs can be exploited for their separation. In this respect anion-exchange and reversed-phase chromatography have been successfully employed in the analysis and/or isolation of RNAs. In some cases, particularly tRNAs, chromatographic separations which rely upon multiple interactions between the solute and mobile and/or stationary phases have been highly effective. Mixed-mode chromatography involving simultaneous ionic and hydrophobic interactions, has been employed to resolve complex mixtures of tRNAs. Hydrophobic-interaction chromatography using gradients of decreasing salt concentration and weakly hydrophobic stationary phases has allowed the resolution of some tRNA mixtures as well as the analysis of modified materials.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Synthesis and reactivity of intermediates formed in the T4 RNA ligase reaction.

The intermediate adenylated donor derivatives A(5')pp(5')dTp and A(5')pp(5')GpGpGp have been prepared from suitable phosphorylating reagents activated by 1-hydroxybenzotriazole. Phosphodiester bond formation between donor and acceptor oligonucleotides as catalyzed by T4 RNA ligase is shown to be more efficient when the adenylated form of the donor molecule is used.

Escherichia coli↗

PubMed1987

Refinement of the solution structure of the DNA decamer 5'd(CTGGATCCAG)2: combined use of nuclear magnetic resonance and restrained molecular dynamics.

The solution structure of the self-complementary DNA decamer 5'd(CTGGATCCAG)2 comprising the specific target site for the restriction endonuclease BamH1 is investigated by using nuclear magnetic resonance sectroscopy and restrained molecular dynamics. With the exception of the H5'/H5" sugar proton resonances, all the nonexchangeable proton resonances are assigned sequentially by using pure-phase absorption two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy. From the time dependence of the nuclear Overhauser effects a set of 160 approximate interproton distances is determined and used as the basis of a structure refinement employing restrained molecular dynamics in which the interproton distances are incorporated into the total energy function of the system in the form of an effective potential term. Two restrained dynamics simulations are carried out, starting from classical B- and A-DNA [atomic root mean square (rms) difference 5.7 A]. In both cases convergence is achieved to very similar B-type structures with an atomic rms difference of 0.9 A which is comparable to the rms fluctuations of the atoms about their average positions. In addition, the rms difference between the experimental and calculated values of the interproton distances for both average restrained dynamics structures is approximately 0.3 A. These results suggest that the converged restrained molecular dynamics structures represent reasonable approximations of the solution structure. The average restrained dynamics structures exhibit clear sequence-dependent variations of torsion angles and helical parameters. In addition, the structures exhibit a small bend of around 10-20 degrees at the second (TpG) and eighth (CpA) base pair steps. This can be attributed to the positive base roll angles and large base pair slide values at the two Pyr-Pur steps. The central core of the decamer comprising the six-base recognition site for BamH1 (GGATCC), however, is straight.

DNA↗

PubMed1986

Anticodon loop of tRNAPhe: structure, dynamics, and Mg2+ binding.

The structure, dynamics, and Mg2+ binding reactions of the isolated anticodon hairpin loop from tRNAPhe (yeast) have been analyzed by fluorescence-detected temperature-jump relaxation, melting experiments, and equilibrium sedimentation. Most of the measurements were performed at an ionic strength of 0.15 M and at temperatures below 25 degrees C, where the hairpin loop proved to be stable. A relaxation effect with a time constant of approximately 100 microseconds, indicated by the Wye base fluorescence, is attributed to a conformational change of the anticodon loop and is very similar to a corresponding transition observed previously for the whole tRNAPhe molecule. A Mg2+ binding site reflected by an inner-sphere relaxation process and associated with a strong increase of the Wye base fluorescence closely resembles a corresponding site observed in the complete tRNAPhe and is attributed to a site in the anticodon loop identified by X-ray analysis. In addition to the Mg2+ site in the loop, which is associated with a binding constant of 2 X 10(3) M-1, the existence of sites with a higher affinity is demonstrated by an unusual relaxation effect, showing a minimum in the reciprocal time constant with increasing Mg2+ concentration. The experimental data can be described by a transition between two states and Mg2+ binding to both states resulting in a reaction cycle, which is extended by an additional Mg2+ binding reaction to one of the states. The unusual effect has not been observed for the complete tRNAPhe and is also not observed when Ca2+ is added instead of Mg2+. This result indicates the existence of a conformational change involving Mg2+ inner-sphere complexation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anticodon↗

PubMed1986

Codon-induced association of the isolated anticodon loop of tRNAPhe.

The binding of the codon UUC to the isolated anticodon loop of tRNAPhe (yeast) has been studied as a model of codon recognition by a simple adaptor. Fluorescence titrations demonstrate that UUC binds to the isolated anticodon loop with an equilibrium constant of 1.4 X 10(3) M-1 (at 7.2 degrees C). Equilibrium sedimentation curves reveal that UUC binding induces association of anticodon loops beyond the dimer stage. A set of complete sedimentation curves obtained for various reactant concentrations was analyzed according to a model with an infinite number of subsequent association steps for UUC-anticodon loop complexes and with equal affinity for each step. The coupling of association and sedimentation was considered quantitatively, and the information resulting from conservation of mass was used by integration. According to this procedure, the experimental data can be described by an isodesmic association constant of 8 X 10(3) M-1 with satisfactory accuracy. Temperature-jump relaxation detected by fluorescence measurements provides independent evidence for codon-induced association of the anticodon loop. The data are consistent with the following mechanism: UUC preferentially binds to one of two loop conformations with a rate constant of 4.5 X 10(6) M-1 s-1; the UUC-anticodon loop complex undergoes association with a rate constant of 6.5 X 10(6) M-1 s-1. The reactions observed for the isolated anticodon loop are surprisingly similar to those observed previously for the complete tRNA, suggesting that simple hairpin loops are appropriate adaptors for a translation process at an early stage of evolution; the codon-induced association of the hairpin loop should be very useful to facilitate the transfer of cognate amino acids during translation.

Anticodon↗

PubMed1985

The structure of the double-stranded RNA pentamer 5'(CACAG) . 5'(CUGUG) determined by nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements: interproton distance determination and structure refinement on the basis of X-ray coordinates.

The structure in solution of the duplex RNA pentamer 5'(CACAG) . 5'(CUGUG), comprising the stem of the T psi C loop of yeast tRNAPhe, has been investigated by means of one- and two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements. All non-exchangeable base and sugar proton resonances with the exception of the H5'/H5" sugar resonances are assigned in a sequential manner. From the relative intensities of the cross-peaks obtained in the pure-phase absorption two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectra at several mixing times, it is deduced that the RNA pentamer adopts an A-type conformation in solution. Cross-relaxation rates and interproton distances are determined from the time dependence of the nuclear Overhauser effects, principally by one-dimensional measurements. The structure of the RNA pentamer is then refined by restrained least-squares minimization on the basis of both distance and planarity restraints using fibre diffraction data as an initial model. The refined structure of the RNA pentamer is of the A type but exhibits local structural variations in glycosidic bond and backbone torsion angles as well as in propeller twist, base roll and base tilt angles.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1985

Donor activation in the T4 RNA ligase reaction.

T4 RNA ligase catalyzes the adenylation of donor oligonucleotide substrates. These activated intermediates react with an acceptor oligonucleotide which results in phosphodiester bond formation and the concomitant release of AMP. Adenylation of the four common nucleoside 3',5'-bisphosphates as catalyzed by T4 RNA ligase in the absence of an acceptor oligonucleotide has been examined. The extents of product formation indicate that pCp is the best substrate in the reaction and pGp is the poorest. Kinetic parameters for the joining reaction between the preadenylated nucleoside 3',5'-bisphosphates, A(5')pp(5')Cp or A(5')pp(5')Gp, and a good acceptor substrate (ApApA) or a poor acceptor substrate (UpUpU) have been determined. The apparent Km values for both preadenylated donors in the joining reaction are similar, and the reaction velocity is much faster than observed in the overall joining reaction. The nonnucleotide adenylated substrate P1-(5'-adenosyl) P2-(o-nitrobenzyl) diphosphate also exhibits a similar apparent Km but reacts with a velocity 80-fold slower than the adenylated nucleoside 3',5'-bisphosphates. By use of preadenylated donors, oligonucleotide substrates can be elongated more efficiently than occurs with the nucleoside 3',5'-bisphosphates.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1985

Isolation of specific tRNAs using an ionic-hydrophobic mixed-mode chromatographic matrix.

The coating of a C18-reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography support (octadecylsilyl-Hypersil) with a tetraalkylammonium salt (methyltrioctylammonium chloride) produces a chromatographic matrix with both ionic and hydrophobic character. Using this material oligonucleotides and tRNAs can be separated with high resolution. The observed resolution is in part due to the apparent lack of diffusion processes occurring during chromatography with this matrix. Some tRNAs can be obtained in high purity from a bulk tRNA mixture after a single chromatographic step. In general it is more efficient to use the matrix as the last step of a purification procedure for a particular tRNA. A two-step procedure is described which allows, in some cases, the isolation of small quantities of specific tRNA isoacceptors.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

PubMed1984

Mixed-mode chromatographic matrices for the resolution of transfer ribonucleic acids.

Modification of approximately 65% of the amine groups of an aminopropylsilyl bonded-phase silica high-performance liquid chromatographic anion exchanger (APS-Hypersil) with organic acids containing n-alkyl moieties of different chain lengths, results in mixed mode chromatographic matrices of varying hydrophobic character. These stationary phases result in high resolution of transfer ribonucleic acids (tRNAs) when used with a decreasing gradient of ammonium sulfate. The observed resolution appears to be primarily a function of interfacial precipitation effected by the high initial salt concentration of the mobile phase and the hydrophobic character of the stationary phase, followed by selective resolubilization during the decreasing salt gradient. After resolubilization, adsorptive processes may additionally contribute to resolution. The residual amine groups decrease the hydrophobic character of the stationary phase compared to a pure reversed-phase support. The mixed-mode matrices are useful for the resolution of aminoacylated tRNAs from non-aminoacylated tRNAs.

Ammonium Sulfate↗

PubMed1984

Synthesis and reactions of a nucleoside derivative of phosphoric sulfonic anhydride. Studies related to the mechanisms of coupling reactions in the chemical synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides by phosphotriester procedures.

The synthesis of a model compound, diphenylphosphoric toluene-p-sulfonic anhydride, an arylsubstituted phosphoric sulfonic mixed anhydride, is described. Using the same procedure a thymidyl substituted derivative was prepared. The phosphoric sulfonic anhydride is the presumed intermediate in oligonucleotide coupling reactions involving phosphodiester activation by arenesulfonyl derivatives. This mixed anhydride reacts with a variety of nucleophiles. It can be converted to phophotriester derivatives in the presence of simple alcohols. Phosphotriester formation using the 5'-hydroxyl of a thymidine derivative requires additionally a catalyst such as N-methylimidazole. The reactive intermediate produced upon the addition of N-methylimidazole to the phosphoric sulfonic anhydride has been observed spectroscopically using 31P-NMR.

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1984

Yeast tRNAAsp: codon and wobble codon-anticodon interactions. A transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement study.

The conformations of the ribotrinucleoside bisphosphates GpApC and GpApU, the codon and wobble codon for aspartic acid respectively, bound to yeast tRNAAsp in solution, have been examined by means of time-dependent transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements to determine distances between bound ligand protons. The conformations of the two bound ribotrinucleoside bisphosphates are shown to be very similar with an overall root-mean-square difference in interproton distances of 0.03 nm. The ribose conformations of all the residues are 3'-endo; the glycosidic bond torsion angles of the A and C residues of GpApC and of the A and U residues of GpApU are in the low anti range. These features are typical of an A-RNA type structure. In contrast, the G residue of both GpApC and GpApU exists as a mixture of syn and anti conformations. The overall conformation of the two bound ribotrinucleoside bisphosphates is also similar to A-RNA and the stability of the complexes is enhanced by extensive base-base stacking interactions. In addition, it is shown that the binding of the codon GpApC to tRNAAsp induces self-association into a multicomplex system consisting of four GpApC-tRNAAsp complexes, whereas the wobble codon GpApU fails to induce any observable self-association.

Anticodon↗

PubMed1984

Polymer supported DNA synthesis using hydroxybenzotriazole activated phosphotriester intermediates.

Phosphorylation of N-acyl-5'-O-DMTr-d-nucleosides, or similarly protected DNA-dimers having a free 3'-OH group, with 2-chlorophenyl-0,0-bis(1-benzotriazolyl)phosphate affords reactive 3'-phosphotriester derivatives. The latter intermediates can be used, without further purification, for the synthesis of DNA-fragments on the controlled pore glass/long chain alkylamine support. Further, 2-cyano-1,1-dimethylethoxy dichlorophosphine proved to be very suitable for the preparation of 5'-phosphorylated DNA-fragments on the same type of solid support.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed1984

Preparation of oligonucleotides corresponding to the acceptor stem of yeast tRNAPhe and their interaction with yeast ATP(CTP):tRNA nucleotidyltransferase.

Seven oligonucleotides corresponding to the 3' and 5' sequences of the acceptor stem of yeast tRNAPhe have been prepared by chemical synthesis, chemical-enzymatic synthesis or by isolation from tRNA hydrolysates. The oligonucleotides have been examined as substrates for phosphodiester bond synthesis in the presence of ATP as catalysed by yeast ATP (CTP): tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. Oligonucleotides which correspond to the sequence of the 3'-strand of the tRNA acceptor stem and possess no secondary structure exhibit little or no activity with the enzyme. The ability of the enzyme to catalyse the synthesis of a phosphodiester linkage using ATP and an oligonucleotide corresponding to the 3'-strand of the acceptor stem is in general dramatically increased when an oligonucleotide corresponding to the sequence of the 5'-strand of tRNA acceptor stem is present. In cases where significant activity was observed kinetic parameters have been determined.

Adenosine Monophosphate↗

PubMed1984

The solution structure of a RNA pentadecamer comprising the anticodon loop and stem of yeast tRNAPhe. A 500 MHz 1H-n.m.r. study.

A 500 MHz 1H-n.m.r. study on the semi-synthetic RNA pentadecamer 5'-r(C-A-G-A-Cm-U-Gm-A-A-Y-A-psi-m5C-U-G) comprising the anticodon loop and stem (residues 28-42) of yeast tRNAPhe is presented. By using pre-steady-state nuclear-Overhauser-effect measurements all exchangeable and non-exchangeable base proton resonances, all H1' ribose resonances and all methyl proton resonances are assigned and over 70 intra- and inter-nucleotide interproton distances determined. From the distance data the solution structure of the pentadecamer is solved by model-building. It is shown that the pentadecamer adopts a hairpin-loop structure in solution with the loop in a 3'-stacked conformation. This structure is both qualitatively and quantitatively remarkably similar to that of the anticodon loop and stem found in the crystal structures of tRNAPhe with an overall root-mean-square difference of 0.12 nm between the interproton distances determined by n.m.r. and X-ray crystallography. The hairpin-loop solution structure of the pentadecamer is very stable with a 'melting' temperature of 53 degrees C in 500 mM-KCl, and the structural features responsible for this high stability are discussed. Interaction of the pentadecamer with the ribotrinucleoside diphosphate UpUpC, one of the codons for the amino acid phenylalanine, results only in minor perturbations in the structure of the pentadecamer, and the 3'-stacked conformation of the loop is preserved. The stability of the pentadecamer-UpUpC complex (K approximately 2.5 X 10(4) M-1 at 0 degrees C) is approximately an order of magnitude greater than that of the tRNAPhe-UpUpC complex.

Anticodon↗

PubMed1984

Structure of the ribotrinucleoside diphosphate codon UpUpC bound to tRNAPhe from yeast. A time-dependent transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement study.

The structure of the ribotrinucleoside diphosphate UpUpC, the codon for phenylalanine, bound to yeast tRNAPhe in solution is elucidated using time-dependent proton-proton transferred nuclear Overhauser enhancement measurements to determine distances between bound ligand protons. The glycosidic bond and ribose conformations are low anti and 3'-endo, respectively, typical of an A-RNA type structure. The main chain torsion angles are all within the range of those expected for A-RNA but small differences from those in conventional A-RNA 11 result in a special structure with a larger rotation per residue (40 to 45 degrees compared to 32.7 degrees in R-RNA 11) and almost perfect stacking of the bases. These two structural features, which are similar to those found in the anticodon triplet of the monoclinic crystal form of tRNAPhe, can account for the known greater stability of the codon-anticodon complex relative to an equivalent double helical RNA trimer with a conventional A-RNA structure.

Codon↗

PubMed1984

Fluorescent labelling of tRNA and oligodeoxynucleotides using T4 RNA ligase.

3'-O-(5'-phosphoryldeoxycytidyl) phosphorothioate and fluorescent 3'-O-(5'-phosphoryldeoxycytidyl) S-bimane phosphorothioate can be ligated to tRNA by T4 RNA ligase. They are also efficient donors for the enzymatic ligation to oligodeoxynucleotides bearing a 3'-cytidine terminus. Cytidine 3',5'-bisphosphate is also a substrate for the ligation reaction with DNA restriction fragments with a 3'-terminate cytidylic acid residue. Oligo- and polynucleotides with a 3'-phosphorothioate group react readily with electrophiles as exemplified by the reaction with monobromobimane.

Bridged Bicyclo Compounds↗

PubMed1983

A nuclear magnetic resonance study of the ribotrinucleoside diphophate UpUpC.

500 MHz 1H, 67.89 MHz 13C and 80.97 MHz 31P-NMR studies are reported on the ribotrinucleoside diphosphate UpUpC, the triplet codon corresponding to the amino acid phenylalanine. Complete spectral assignments are given and conformational parameters for the backbone and the furanose rings are determined. All three nucleotide units show a near-balance for the N/S equilibrium with a slight preference for the N-type ribose (approximately 60%). The backbone conformation around the C3'-03' bonds show a preference for the trans domain, while the orientation around the C5'-05' bonds is predominantly trans.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy↗

PubMed1983

tRNA separation by high-performance liquid chromatography using an aggregate of ODS-Hypersil and trioctylmethylammonium chloride.

High-performance liquid chromatography on a reversed-phase support treated with a tetraalkylammonium salt was used to separate tRNAs from baker's yeast. While resolution by this column appears to result from both anion-exchange and reversed-phase chromatography, it is the hydrophobic interactions which govern the separation of one tRNA from another. Chromatography of bulk tRNA resulted in a number of fractions with different amino acid acceptor activities and little cross-contamination. In some cases the column resolved several single nucleotide modifications of tRNAPhe. Using a 250 x 6.2 mm column it has been possible to chromatograph a minimum of 100 A260 units of tRNA without serious loss in resolution. tRNAs isolated from this column as the last step of a purification procedure have very high amino acid acceptor activities.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗