TAMRA-polypyrrole for A/T sequence visualization on DNA molecules

Nucleic Acids Res. 2018 Oct 12;46(18):e108. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky531.

Abstract

Fluorophore-linked, sequence-specific DNA binding reagents can visualize sequence information on a large DNA molecule. In this paper, we synthesized newly designed TAMRA-linked polypyrrole to visualize adenine and thymine base pairs. A fluorescent image of the stained DNA molecule generates an intensity profile based on A/T frequency, revealing a characteristic sequence composition pattern. Computer-aided comparison of this intensity pattern with the genome sequence allowed us to determine the DNA sequence on a visualized DNA molecule from possible intensity profile pattern candidates for a given genome. Moreover, TAMRA-polypyrrole offers robust advantages for single DNA molecule detection: no fluorophore-mediated photocleavage and no structural deformation, since it exhibits a sequence-specific pattern alone without the use of intercalating dyes such as YOYO-1. Accordingly, we were able to identify genomic DNA fragments from Escherichia coli cells by aligning them to the genomic A/T frequency map based on TAMRA-polypyrrole-generated intensity profiles. Furthermore, we showed band and interband patterns of polytene chromosomal DNA stained with TAMRA-polypyrrole because it prefers to bind AT base pairs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenine / chemistry
  • Adenine / metabolism
  • Base Pairing* / drug effects
  • Base Sequence
  • Benzoxazoles / chemistry
  • Benzoxazoles / pharmacology
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • DNA / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemical synthesis
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • Intercalating Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Intercalating Agents* / chemistry
  • Intercalating Agents* / pharmacology
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Polymers / pharmacology
  • Pyrroles / chemistry*
  • Pyrroles / pharmacology
  • Quinolinium Compounds / chemistry
  • Quinolinium Compounds / pharmacology
  • Rhodamines / chemistry*
  • Rhodamines / pharmacology
  • Single Molecule Imaging / methods
  • Staining and Labeling / methods*
  • Thymine / chemistry
  • Thymine / metabolism

Substances

  • 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine succinimidyl ester
  • Benzoxazoles
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Intercalating Agents
  • Polymers
  • Pyrroles
  • Quinolinium Compounds
  • Rhodamines
  • 1,1'-((4,4,7,7-tetramethyl)-4,7-diazaundecamethylene)bis-4-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydro(benzo-1,3-oxazole)-2-methylidene)quinolinium
  • polypyrrole
  • DNA
  • Adenine
  • Thymine