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T W Christianson

Publications and source records attributed to T W Christianson.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Precise mapping and characterization of the RNA primers of DNA replication for a yeast hypersuppressive petite by in vitro capping with guanylyltransferase.

The active origins of DNA replication for yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) mitochondrial DNA share 280 conserved base pairs and have a promoter. Since intact replication intermediates retain their initiating ribonucleotide triphosphate, we used guanylyltransferase to in vitro cap the replication intermediates present in restriction enzyme-cut DNA from an ori-5 hypersuppressive petite. Restriction mapping and RNA sequencing of these labeled intermediates showed that each DNA strand is primed at a single discrete nucleotide, that one primer starts at the promoter and that the other primer starts 34 nt away, outside the conserved region. Deoxyribonuclease digestion of the capped fragments left resistant RNA primers, which enabled identification of zones of transition from RNA to DNA synthesis. Some of the results contradict the prevailing model for priming at the yeast mitochondrial origins.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Multifunctional yeast high-copy-number shuttle vectors.

A set of four yeast shuttle vectors that incorporate sequences from the Saccharomyces cerevisiae 2 mu endogenous plasmid has been constructed. These yeast episomal plasmid (YEp)-type vectors (pRS420 series) differ only in their yeast selectable markers, HIS3, TRP1, LEU2 or URA3. The pRS420 plasmids are based on the backbone of a multifunctional phagemid, pBluescript II SK+, and share its useful properties for growth in Escherichia coli and manipulation in vitro. The pRS420 plasmids have a copy number of about 20 per cell, equivalent to that of YEp24. During non-selective yeast growth, pRS420 plasmids are lost through mitotic segregation at rates similar to other YEp vectors and yeast centromeric plasmid (YCp) vectors, in the range of 1.5-5% of progeny per doubling. The pRS420 series provides high-copy-number counterparts to the current pRS vectors [Sikorski and Hieter, Genetics 122 (1989) 19-27].

Cloning, Molecular↗
PubMed1988

A tridecamer DNA sequence supports human mitochondrial RNA 3'-end formation in vitro.

Vertebrate mitochondrial genomes contain a putative transcription termination site at the boundary between the genes for 16S rRNA and leucyl-tRNA. We have described previously an in vitro transcription system from human cells with the capacity to generate RNA 3' ends with the same map positions as those synthesized in vivo. By assaying the ability of variously truncated templates to support 3'-end formation, we demonstrated that the tridecamer sequence 5'-TGGCAGAGCCCCGG-3', contained entirely within the gene for leucyl-tRNA, is necessary to direct accurate termination. When two tridecamer sequences and their immediate flanking regions were placed in tandem, termination occurred at both promoter-proximal and promoter-distal sites. Furthermore, termination was competitively inhibited, in a concentration-dependent manner, by DNA containing the tridecamer sequence. These results suggest a modest sequence requirement for transcription termination that is contingent on a factor capable of recognizing the presence of the tridecamer DNA sequence.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1986

In vitro transcription of human mitochondrial DNA: accurate termination requires a region of DNA sequence that can function bidirectionally.

Mammalian mitochondrial genomes have a presumptive transcription termination site at the 16S rRNA-tRNALeu gene boundary. We have developed an in vitro system from human KB cells that terminates transcription at this gene boundary. By S1 nuclease protection, the 3' ends of terminated transcripts were mapped 3 and 4 base pairs upstream of the 16S rRNA-tRNALeu gene boundary, in agreement with in vivo data. By high-resolution sizing of transcripts, the 3' end was mapped 7 +/- 1 base pairs downstream from the gene boundary. Termination occurs with equal efficacy from transcriptional initiation at the heavy- or light-strand promoter. All template nucleotide sequence information necessary for termination appears to be located near the termination site itself. An unexpected observation is that the termination region functions bidirectionally.

DNA, Mitochondrial↗