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Making and Using an Oligo Probe Labeled with Alkaline Phosphatase. Alk-Phos Direct Amersham Life Technologies. Outline. Basic idea of the labeled probe The probe labeling reaction = linking of an oligonucleotide to the enzyme alkaline phosphatase Hybridization and rinse considerations
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Making and Using an Oligo Probe Labeled withAlkaline Phosphatase Alk-Phos Direct Amersham Life Technologies
Outline • Basic idea of the labeled probe • The probe labeling reaction = linking of an oligonucleotide to the enzyme alkaline phosphatase • Hybridization and rinse considerations • Visualization – light production by action of the enzyme alkaline phosphatase on the substrate CDP-Star
The basics • The enzyme alkaline phosphatase (alk phos) can produce light given an appropriate substrate. • Alk phos can be covalently linked to a nucleic acid probe and remain active. • The probe labeled with alk phos can hybridize to target DNA on a membrane. • The alk phos stays active even after hybridization. • Addition of substrate to the blot and recording of the light produced on film shows where on the blot hybridization occurred!
The labeling reaction • Oligonucleotide or polynucleotide probe • Alkaline phosphatase enzyme • specially developed thermostable enzyme • thermostability allows a broader range of temperatures for establishing appropriate hybridization stringency • Formaldehyde crosslinker
Chemistry of the formaldehyde cross-linking reaction • Proteins can be covalently cross-linked to nucleic acids by formaldehyde. • Formaldehyde can also cross-link proteins to each other. • Formaldehyde is a highly reactive dipolar compound. • Carbon atom of formaldehyde acts as nucleophilic center. • Amino or imino group + formaldehyde Schiff base • Schiff base intermediate + 2nd amino group cross-link • Reaction is reversible at low pH.
Lysine Arginine Histidine
Note available amino group on each of the bases adenine and cytosine.
Formaldehyde crosslinking Protein Formaldehyde Schiff base or imine A or C of Nucleic Acid oligo- or polymer
Hyb and rinse considerations • The presence of AlkPhos interferes with base pairing • So, in any given hybridization solution, probe labeled with alkaline phosphatase will have more difficulty hybridizing than a probe labeled with radioactivity or a less bulky label • i.e., the presence of Alk Phos has lowered the Tm of the probe. • Think of needing a new mathematical term in the Tm equation
Hyb and rinse considerations • AlkPhos Direct hybridization and 1o wash solutions contain urea, a denaturant. Why? • Background: You would like to be able to hybridize at a temperature low enough to preserve the activity of the Alk Phos enzyme. • Denaturant lowered Tm, so inclusion of a denaturant means you can lower the temperature and thereby preserve enzyme activity. • Urea is less damaging to AlkPhos than formamide, the traditional denaturant in hybridization solutions.
Hyb and rinse considerations (cont’d) • At or near the Tm, a perfectly complementary oligonucleotide is essentially completely bound, or completely free (no bubbles in the hybrid). • During hybridization, in high [probe], when an oligonucleotide separates from the target, it can be replaced by another probe • During rinse, in the absence of additional probe, when an oligonucleotide separates from target, it won’t be replaced by another probe • Short rinses required to avoid losing hybrids between target and probe!
The light producing reaction: • Occurs in alkaline conditions • Caution: Low pH will • inhibit alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity. • reverse the cross-links formed during the formaldehyde driven cross-linking reaction! • Uses dioxetane substrates
Excited anion Light producing reaction [2’spiroadamantane]-4-methoxy-3-[3”-(phosphoryl)phenyl]1,2,-dioxetane
Dioxetane substrates • can detect < 100 fg of nucleic acid in a single band • radioactivity is still more sensitive • half-life of excited molecule ranges from 2 minutes - several hours - several days • depends on specific dioxetane molecule and environment in which the excited molecule is found
Dioxetane substrates (cont’d) • nylon membranes stabilize decay • excited anion stabilized by hydrophobic pocket • hydrophobic interactions blue shift to 466 nm • chlorinated dioxetanes (CSPD) minimize both hydrophobic interactions and self-aggregation to cause more rapid decay • AMPPD, CSPD, CDP- Star don’t work with nitrocellulose • Nitrocellulose is insufficiently hydrophobic
CDP-Star • is a stabilized dioxetane • has short lag phase fast results • The turnover rate for various enzyme/substrate combinations varies. The higher the turnover rate, the shorter the lag phase. • Turnover rate = the number of enzymatic reaction repetitions/unit time • yields maximum light by 4 hours and continues light production for several days • allows multiple exposures to film, so the user • can optimize signal to noise • can more accurately compare intensities of sample in different lanes = more accurate relative quantitation
P.S. • 10-3 = milli • 10-6 = micro • 10-9 = nano • 10-12 = pico • 10-15 = femto • 10-18 = ??? • 10-21 = zepto