Single molecule detection of direct, homologous, DNA/DNA pairing.

Citation:

Danilowicz C, Lee CH, Kim K, Hatch K, Coljee VW, Kleckner N, Prentiss M. Single molecule detection of direct, homologous, DNA/DNA pairing. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009;106 (47) :19824-9.

Date Published:

2009 Nov 24

Abstract:

Using a parallel single molecule magnetic tweezers assay we demonstrate homologous pairing of two double-stranded (ds) DNA molecules in the absence of proteins, divalent metal ions, crowding agents, or free DNA ends. Pairing is accurate and rapid under physiological conditions of temperature and monovalent salt, even at DNA molecule concentrations orders of magnitude below those found in vivo, and in the presence of a large excess of nonspecific competitor DNA. Crowding agents further increase the reaction rate. Pairing is readily detected between regions of homology of 5 kb or more. Detected pairs are stable against thermal forces and shear forces up to 10 pN. These results strongly suggest that direct recognition of homology between chemically intact B-DNA molecules should be possible in vivo. The robustness of the observed signal raises the possibility that pairing might even be the "default" option, limited to desired situations by specific features. Protein-independent homologous pairing of intact dsDNA has been predicted theoretically, but further studies are needed to determine whether existing theories fit sequence length, temperature, and salt dependencies described here.

Key Publications by Subject Area

Chromosomes as Mechanical Objects

• Kleckner, N., Zickler, D., Jones, G.H., Henle, J., Dekker, J. and Hutchinson, J. 2004. A mechanical basis for chromosome function. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 101, 12592-12597.

• Fisher, J.K. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Magnetic Force Micropiston: an integrated force microfluidic device for the application of compressive forces in a confined environment. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85 023704 (2014)

Mammalian chromosome dynamics

• Liang, Z., Zickler, D., Prentiss, M., Chang, F.S., Witz, G., Maeshima, K. and Kleckner, N. 2015. Chromosomes progress to metaphase in multiple discrete steps via global compaction/expansion cycles. Cell 161: 1124-1137.

E.coli chromosome dynamics

• Fisher, J.K., Bourniquel, A., Witz, G., Weiner, B., Prentiss, M. and Kleckner, N. 2013. Four-dimensional imaging of E. coli organization and dynamics in living cells. Cell 153, 882-895.

• Kleckner, N., Fisher, J.K., Stouf, M., White, M.A., Bates, D. and Witz, G. 2014. The bacterial nucleoid: nature, dynamics and sister segregation. Curr. Opin. Microbiol. 22: 127-137.

Meiotic Crossover Interference

• Zhang, L., Wang, S., Yin, S., Hong, S. Kim, K.P. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Topoisomerase II mediates meiotic crossover interference. Nature 511: 551-556.

• Zhang, L, Espagne, E., De Muyt, A., Zickler, D. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Interference-mediated synaptonemal complex formation with embedded crossover-designation. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111(47):E5059-68. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1416411111.

• Wang, S., Zickler, D., Kleckner, N. and Zhang, L. 2015. Meiotic crossover patterns: obligatory crossover, interference and homeostasis in a single process. Cell Cycle, 14(3): 305-314.

Homologous Chromosome Pairing

• Zickler, D. and Kleckner, N. 2015. Recombination, pairing and synapsis of homologs in meiosis. In Kowalczykowski, S., Hunter, N. and Heyer, W.-D., DNA Replication (Cold Spring Harbor: Cold Spring Harbor Press) Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 2015;7:a016626 doi: 10.1101/CSHPERSPECT.a016626.

• Gladyshev E. and Kleckner, N. 2014. Direct recognition of homology between double helices of DNA in Neurospora crassa. Nat. Commun. 5: 3509 doi: 10.1038/ncomms4509.

• Mirkin, E.V., Chang, F. S. and Kleckner, N. 2013. Dynamic trans interactions in yeast chromosomes. PLoS One 8(9): e75895. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0075895

• Danilowicz, C., Lee, C.H., Kim K., Hatch, K., Coljee, V.W., Kleckner, N. and Prentiss, M. 2009. Single molecule detection of direct, homologous DNA/DNA pairing. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 106, 19,824-19,829.

• Weiner, B.M. and Kleckner, N. 1994. Chromosome pairing via multiple interstitial interactions before and during meiosis in yeast. Cell 77: 977-991.

• Burgess, S.M., Kleckner, N. and Weiner, B.M. 1999. Somatic pairing of homologs in budding yeast: existence and modulation. Genes Dev. 13, 1627-1641.

• Kleckner, N. and Weiner, B.M. 1993. Potential advantages of unstable interactions for pairing of chromosomes in meiotic, somatic and premeiotic cells. Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 58: 553-565.

Meiotic Sordaria Chromosomes

• De Muyt A, Zhang, L., Piolot, T., Kleckner, N., Espagne,, E. and Zickler D. 2014. E3 ligase Hei10: a multi-faceted structure-based signaling molecule with roles within and beyond meiosis. Genes Dev 28: 1111-1123.

• Storlazzi, A., Gargano, S., Ruprich-Robert, G., Falque, M., David, M., Kleckner, N. and Zickler, D. 2010. Recombination proteins mediate meiotic spatial chromosome organization and pairing. Cell 141 94-106.

Nancy Kleckner

Herchel Smith Professor of Molecular Biology

Single molecule detection of direct, homologous, DNA/DNA pairing.

Citation:

Date Published:

Abstract:

Key Publications by Subject Area