Cross-reactive arrays based on three-way junctions

We report herein a novel system for the parallel processing of molecular recognition events utilizing arrays of oligonucleotide-based fluorescent sensors to characterize hydrophobic molecules in solution. The binding domains of the sensors were based on three-way junctions that utilize double helical stems as framework regions to reliably fold regardless of variations in or around the binding domain. A reporting domain was introduced by the specific substitution of a single phosphodiester group with a phosphorothioate, followed by selective functionalization with a fluorophore. The sensors were organized into cross-reactive arrays to yield characteristic fingerprints for samples containing hydrophobic molecules. The fingerprints can be used to characterize steroids in solution, including complex biologically important fluids. Arrays have the potential for clinical applications such as the detection of gross errors in steroidogenesis.     

Estimating the chemical rank of three-way data arrays by a simple linear transform incorporating Monte Carlo simulation

Estimating an appropriate chemical rank of a three-way data array is very important to second-order calibration. In this paper, a simple linear transform incorporating Monte Carlo simulation approach (LTMC) to estimate the chemical rank of a three-way data array was suggested. The new method determines the chemical rank through performing a simple linear transform procedure on the original cube matrix to produce two subspaces by singular value decomposition. One of two subspaces is derived from the original three-way data array itself and the other is derived from a new three-way data array produced by the linear transformation of the original one. Projection technique incorporating the Monte Carlo approach acts as distinguishing criterion to choose the appropriate component number of the system. Simulated three-way trilinear data arrays with different noise types (homoscedastic and heteroscedastic), various noise level as well as high collinearity are used to illustrate the feasibility of the new method. The results have shown that the new method could yield accurate results with different conditions appended. The feasibility of the new method is also confirmed by two real arrays, HPLC-DAD data and excitation-emission fluorescent data. All the results are compared with the other three factor-determining methods: factor indicator function (IND), core consistency diagnostic (CORCONDIA) and two-mode subspace comparison (TMSC) approach. It shows that the newly proposed algorithm can objectively and quickly determine the chemical rank to fit the trilinear model.     

Optimizing cross-reactivity with evolutionary search for sensors

We report a straightforward evolutionary procedure to build an optimal sensor array from a pool of DNA sequences oriented toward three-way junctions. The individual sensors were mined from this pool under separate selection pressures to interact with four steroids, while allowing cross-reactivity, in a manner designed to achieve perfect classification of individual steroids. The resulting sensor array had three sensors and displayed discriminatory capacity between steroid classes over full ranges of concentrations. We propose that similar protocols can be used whenever we have two or more classes of samples, with individual classes being defined through gross differences in ratios of dominant families of responsive components.     

Analytical solution and meaning of feasible regions in two-component three-way arrays

Although many efforts have been directed to the development of approximation methods for determining the extent of feasible regions in two- and three-way data sets; analytical determination (i.e. using only finite-step direct calculation(s) instead of the less exact numerical ones) of feasible regions in three-way arrays has remained unexplored. In this contribution, an analytical solution of trilinear decomposition is introduced which can be considered as a new direct method for the resolution of three-way two-component systems. The proposed analytical calculation method is applied to the full rank three-way data array and arrays with rank overlap (a type of rank deficiency) loadings in a mode. Close inspections of the analytically calculated feasible regions of rank deficient cases help us to make clearer the information gathered from multi-way problems frequently emerged in physics, chemistry, biology, agricultural, environmental and clinical sciences, etc. These examinations can also help to answer, e.g., the following practical question: “Is two-component three-way data with proportional loading in a mode actually a three-way data array?” By the aid of the additional information resulted from the investigated feasible regions of two-component three-way data arrays with proportional profile in a mode, reasons for the inadequacy of the seemingly trilinear data treatment methods published in the literature (e.g., U-PLS/RBL-LD that was used for extraction of quantitative and qualitative information reported by Olivieri et al. (Anal. Chem. 82 (2010) 4510–4519)) could be completely understood.     

Recognition of DNA three-way junctions by metallosupramolecular cylinders: gel electrophoresis studies

The interaction of metallosupramolecular cylinders with DNA three-way junctions has been studied by gel electrophoresis. A recent X-ray crystal structure of a palindromic oligonucleotide forming part of a complex with such a cylinder revealed binding at the heart of a three-way junction structure. The studies reported herein confirm that this is not solely an artefact of crystallisation and reveal that this is a potentially very powerful new mode of DNA recognition with wide scope. The cylinders are much more effective at stabilizing three-way junctions than simple magnesium di-cations or organic or metallo-organic tetra-cations, with the M cylinder enantiomer being more effective than P. The recognition is not restricted to three-way junctions formed from palindromic DNA with a central AT step at the junction; non-palindromic three-way junctions and those with GC steps are also stabilised. The cylinder is also revealed to stabilise other Y-shaped junctions, such as that formed at a fraying point in duplex DNA (for example, a replication fork), and other DNA three-way junction structures, such as those containing unpaired nucleotides, perhaps by opening up this structure to access the central cavity.     

Global structure of a three-way junction in a phi29 packaging RNA dimer determined using site-directed spin labeling

The condensation of bacteriophage phi29 genomic DNA into its preformed procapsid requires the DNA packaging motor, which is the strongest known biological motor. The packaging motor is an intricate ring-shaped protein/RNA complex, and its function requires an RNA component called packaging RNA (pRNA). Current structural information on pRNA is limited, which hinders studies of motor function. Here, we used site-directed spin labeling to map the conformation of a pRNA three-way junction that bridges binding sites for the motor ATPase and the procapsid. The studies were carried out on a pRNA dimer, which is the simplest ring-shaped pRNA complex and serves as a functional intermediate during motor assembly. Using a nucleotide-independent labeling scheme, stable nitroxide radicals were attached to eight specific pRNA sites without perturbing RNA folding and dimer formation, and a total of 17 internitroxide distances spanning the three-way junction were measured using Double Electron-Electron Resonance spectroscopy. The measured distances, together with steric chemical constraints, were used to select 3662 viable three-way junction models from a pool of 65 billion. The results reveal a similar conformation among the viable models, with two of the helices (H(T) and H(L)) adopting an acute bend. This is in contrast to a recently reported pRNA tetramer crystal structure, in which H(T) and H(L) stack onto each other linearly. The studies establish a new method for mapping global structures of complex RNA molecules, and provide information on pRNA conformation that aids investigations of phi29 packaging motor and developments of pRNA-based nanomedicine and nanomaterial.     

Automated prediction of three-way junction topological families in RNA secondary structures

We present an algorithm for automatically predicting the topological family of any RNA three-way junction, given only the information from the secondary structure: the sequence and the Watson–Crick pairings. The parameters of the algorithm have been determined on a data set of 33 three-way junctions whose 3D conformation is known. We applied the algorithm on 53 other junctions and compared the predictions to the real shape of those junctions. We show that the correct answer is selected out of nine possible configurations 64% of the time. Additionally, these results are noticeably improved if homology information is used. The resulting software, Cartaj, is available online and downloadable (with source) at: http://cartaj.lri.fr.     

A flexible trilinear decomposition algorithm for three-way calibration based on the trilinear component model and a theoretical extension of the algorithm to the multilinear component model

There is a great deal of interest in decompositions of multilinear component models in the field of multi-way calibration, especially the three-way case. A flexible novel trilinear decomposition algorithm of the trilinear component model as a modification of an alternating least squares algorithm for three-way calibration is proposed. The proposed algorithm (constrained alternating trilinear decomposition, CATLD) is based on an alternating approximate least-squares scheme, in which two extra terms are added to each loss function, making it more efficient and flexible. The analysis of simulated three-way data arrays shows that it converges fast, is insensitive to initialization, and is insensitive to the overestimated number of components used in the decomposition. The analysis of real excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and real high performance liquid chromatography–photodiode array detection (HPLC–DAD) data arrays confirms the results of the simulation studies, and shows that the proposed algorithm is favorable not only for EEMs but also for HPLC–DAD data. The three-way calibration method based on the CATLD algorithm is very efficient and flexible for direct quantitative analysis of multiple analytes of interest in complex systems, even in the presence of uncalibrated interferents and varying background interferents. Additionally, a theoretical extension of the proposed algorithm to the multilinear component model (constrained alternating multilinear decomposition, CAMLD) is developed.     

Orthogonal gas sensor arrays by chemoresistive material design

Gas sensor arrays often lack discrimination power to different analytes and robustness to interferants, limiting their success outside of research laboratories. This is primarily due to the widely sensitive (thus weakly-selective) nature of the constituent sensors. Here, the effect of orthogonality on array accuracy and precision by selective sensor design is investigated. Therefore, arrays of (2–5) selective and non-selective sensors are formed by systematically altering array size and composition. Their performance is evaluated with 60 random combinations of ammonia, acetone and ethanol at ppb to low ppm concentrations. Best analyte predictions with high coefficients of determination (R²) of 0.96 for ammonia, 0.99 for acetone and 0.88 for ethanol are obtained with an array featuring high degree of orthogonality. This is achieved by using distinctly selective sensors (Si:MoO₃ for ammonia and Si:WO₃ for acetone together with Si:SnO₂) that improve discrimination power and stability of the regression coefficients. On the other hand, arrays with collinear sensors (Pd:SnO₂, Pt:SnO₂ and Si:SnO₂) hardly improve gas predictions having R² of 0.01, 0.86 and 0.28 for ammonia, acetone and ethanol, respectively. Sometimes they even exhibited lower coefficient of determination than single sensors as a Si:MoO₃ sensor alone predicts ammonia better with a R² of 0.68.

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Graphical abstract Conventional arrays (red) with weakly-selective sensors span a significantly smaller volume in the analyte space than arrays containing distinctly-selective sensors (orthogonal array, green). Orthogonal arrays feature better accuracy and precision than conventional arrays in mixtures of ammonia, acetone and ethanol.

     

DNA three-way junction with a dinuclear iron(II) supramolecular helicate at the center: a NMR structural study

A tetracationic supramolecular helicate, [Fe2L3]4+ (L = C25H20N4), with a triple-helical architecture is found to induce the formation of a three-way junction (3WJ) of deoxyribonucleotides with the helicate located in the center of the junction. NMR spectroscopic studies of the interaction between the M enantiomer of the helicate and two different oligonucleotides, [5'-d(TATGGTACCATA)]2 and [5'-d(CGTACG)]2, show that, in each case, the 2-fold symmetry of the helicate is lifted, while the 3-fold symmetry around the helicate axis is retained. The 1:3 helicate/DNA stoichiometry estimated from 1D NMR spectra supports a molecular model of a three-way junction composed of three strands. Three separate double-helical arms of the three-way junction are chemically identical giving rise to one set of proton resonances. The NOE contacts between the helicate and DNA unambiguously show that the helicate is fitted into the center of the three-way junction experiencing a hydrophobic 3-fold symmetric environment. Close stacking interactions between the ligand phenyl groups and the nucleotide bases are demonstrated through unusually large downfield shifts (1-2 ppm) of the phenyl protons. The unprecedented 3WJ arrangement observed in solution has also been found to exist in the crystal structure of the helicate adduct of [d(CGTACG)2] (Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2006, 45, 1227).     

Nucleic acid secondary structures containing the double-headed nucleoside 5'(S)-C-(2-(thymin-1-yl)ethyl)thymidine

Oligodeoxynucleotides containing the double-headed nucleoside 5'(S)-C-(2-(thymin-1-yl)ethyl)thymidine were prepared by standard solid phase synthesis. The synthetic building block for incorporating the double-headed moiety was prepared from thymidine, which was stereoselectively converted to a protected 5'(S)-C-hydroxyethyl derivative and used to alkylate the additional thymine by a Mitsunobu reaction. The oligodeoxynucleotides were studied in different nucleic acid secondary structures: duplexes, bulged duplexes, three-way junctions and artificial DNA zipper motifs. The thermal stability of these complexes was studied, demonstrating an almost uniform thermal penalty of incorporating one double-headed nucleoside moiety into a duplex or a bulged duplex, comparable to the effects of the previously reported double-headed nucleoside 5'(S)-C-(thymin-1-yl)methylthymidine. The additional base showed only very small effects when incorporated into DNA or RNA three-way junctions. The various DNA zipper arrangements indicated that extending the linker from methylene to ethylene almost completely removed the selective minor groove base-base stacking interactions observed for the methylene linker in a (-3)-zipper, whereas interactions, although somewhat smaller, were observed for the ethylene linker in a (-4)-zipper motif.     

A cost-effective detection of low-abundance mutation with DNA three-way junction structure and lambda exonuclease

We presented a low-abundance mutation detection method with lambda exonuclease and DNA threeway junction structure.The assistant strand in the DNA three-way junction structure could regulate the reaction system from the kinetics and thermodyna mics aspects.The optimization of the assista nt strand helps to improve the selectivity of the mutant-type DNA to the wild-type DNA about 35 times.Moreover,the cost of the optimization process could be saved by about 90%.The method was applied to the detection of a human ovarian cancer-related gene mutation BRCA1(rs1799949,c.2082 CT).The limit of detection to the mutation abundance in the DNA three-way junction structure system(0.2%) was one order lower compared with that in the double-stranded DNA structure system(2%).The mutation abundance in different standard samples was quantitively measured,and the results were consistent with the initial abundance in the standard samples.     

Stabilisation of a nucleic acid three-way junction by an oligonucleotide containing a single 2'-C to 3'-O-phosphate butylene linkage prepared by a tandem RCM-hydrogenation method

A cyclic dinucleotide with a butylene linker between the upper 2'-C position and the 3'-O-phosphate linkage was synthesised from simple nucleoside building blocks via a tandem ring-closing metathesis and hydrogenation procedure. The major of two phosphorus epimers was incorporated into an oligodeoxynucleotide, as well as into an LNA-DNA mixmer oligonucleotide. These were evaluated as parts in three different secondary structures, a duplex, a bulged duplex and a three-way junction, with both DNA and RNA complements. In the DNA:RNA hybrid molecule, the oligodeoxynucleotide containing this single 2'-C to 3'-O-phosphate butylene linkage was found to stabilise a three-way junction.     

Aptamer-based folding fluorescent sensor for cocaine.

We adapted in two steps a deoxyribonucleotide-based aptamer to signal the recognition of cocaine: an instability was engineered in one stem of a three-way junction that forms the cocaine-binding pocket and the resulting short stem was end labeled with a fluorophore and a quencher. In the absence of cocaine, two stems are open, but in its presence they close and the three-way junction forms. This major structural change brings fluorophore and quencher together thereby signaling the presence and concentration of ligand. The sensor is selective for cocaine over its metabolites, can operate in serum, and is useful for the screening of cocaine hydrolases.     

A novel efficient way to estimate the chemical rank of high-way data arrays

A novel method, a subspace projection of pseudo high-way data array (SPPH), was developed for estimating the chemical rank of high-way data arrays. The proposed method determines the chemical rank through performing singular value decomposition (SVD) on the slice matrices of original high-way data array to produce a pseudo high-way data array and employing the idea of the difference of the original truncated data set and the pseudo one. Compared with traditional methods, it uses the information from eigenvectors combined with the projection residual to estimate the rank of the three-way data arrays instead of using the eigenvalue. In order to demonstrate the excellent performance of the new method, simulated and real three-way data arrays were carried out by the proposed method. The results showed that the proposed method could accurately and quickly determine the chemical rank to fit the trilinear model. Moreover, the newly proposed method was compared with the other four factor-determining methods, i.e. factor indicator function (IND), ADD-ONE-UP, core consistency diagnostic (CORCONDIA) and two-mode subspace comparison (TMSC) approaches. It was found that the proposed method can deal with more complex situations with existence of severe collinearity and trace concentration than many other methods can and performs well in practical applications.     

Automatic decoding of sensor types within randomly ordered,high-density optical sensor arrays

In this paper automatic sensor identification of sensor classes within a high-density randomized array, without a priori knowledge of sensor locations, is demonstrated. Two different fluorescence-based sensor types, with hundreds of replicates each, were randomly distributed into an optical imaging fiber array platform. The sensor element types were vapor-sensitive microspheres with the environmentally-sensitive fluorescent dye Nile Red adsorbed on their surface. Nile Red undergoes spectral changes when exposed to different microenvironmental polarity conditions, e.g. microsphere surface polarity or odor exposure. These reproducible sensor spectral changes, or sensor-response profiles, enable sensors within a randomized array to be grouped into categories by optical decoding methods. Two computational decoding methods (supervised and unsupervised) are introduced; equal classification rates were achieved for both. By comparing sensor responses from a randomized array with those obtained from known (control) arrays, 587 sensors were correctly classified with 99.32% accuracy. Although both methods were equally effective, the unsupervised method, which uses sensor response changes to odor exposure, is a better decoding model for the vapor-sensitive arrays studied, because it relies only on the odor-response profiles. Another decoding technique employed the emission spectra of the sensors and is more applicable to other types of multiplexed fluorescence-based arrays and assays. The sensor-decoding techniques are compared to demonstrate that sensors within high-density optical chemosensor arrays can be positionally-registered, or decoded, with no additional overhead in time or expense other than collecting the sensor-response profiles.     

Reusable split-aptamer-based biosensor for rapid detection of cocaine in serum by using an all-fiber evanescent wave optical biosensing platform

A rapid, facile, and sensitive assay of cocaine in biological fluids is important to prevent illegal abuse of drugs. A two-step structure-switching aptasensor has been developed for cocaine detection based on evanescent wave optical biosensing platform. In the proposed biosensing platform, two tailored aptamer probes were used to construct the molecular structure switching. In the existence of cocaine, two fragments of cocaine aptamer formed a three-way junction quickly, and the fluorophore group of one fragment was effectively quenched by the quencher group of the other one. The tail of the three-way junction hybridized with the cDNA sequences immobilized on the optical fiber biosensor. Fluorescence was excited by evanescent wave, and the fluorescence signal was proportional to cocaine concentration. Cocaine was detected in 450 s (300 s for incubation and 150 s for detection and regeneration) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 165.2 nM. The proposed aptasensor was evaluated in human serum samples, and it exhibited good recovery, precision, and accuracy without complicated sample pretreatments.     

Use of pseudo-sample extraction and the projection technique to estimate the chemical rank of three-way data arrays

Determining the rank of a trilinear data array is a first step in subsequent trilinear component decomposition. Different from estimating the rank of bilinear data, it is more difficult to decide the significant number of component to fit the trilinear decompositions exactly. General methods of rank estimation utilize the information contained in the singular values but ignore information from eigenvectors. In this paper, a rank estimating method specifically for trilinear data arrays is proposed. It uses the idea of direct trilinear decomposition (DTLD) to compress the cube matrix into two pseudo sample matrices which are then decomposed by singular value decomposition. Two eigenvectors combined with the projection technique are used to estimate the rank of trilinear data arrays. Simulated trilinear data arrays with homoscedastic and heteroscedastic noise, different noise levels, high collinearity, and real three-way data arrays have been used to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Compared with other factor-determining methods, for example use of the factor indication function (IND), residual percentage variance (RPV), and the two-mode subspace comparison approach (TMSC), the results showed that the new method can give more reliable answers under the different conditions applied.