Yeast Artificial Chromosome Vector Research Articles

Stabilization of mini-chromosome segregation during mitotic growth by overexpression of YCR041W and its application to chromosome engineering in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Chromosome engineering enables large-scale genome manipulation and can be used as a novel technology for breeding of yeasts. PCR-mediated chromosome splitting (PCS) offers a powerful tool for chromosome engineering by enabling a yeast chromosome to be split at any desired site. By applying PCS, a huge variety of chromosome combinations can be created and the best strain under specific conditions can be selected-a technology that we have called genome reorganization. Once the optimal strain is obtained, chromosome constitutions need to be maintained stably; however, mini-chromosomes of less than 50 kb are at relatively high frequency lost during cultivation. To overcome this problem, in this study we screened for multicopy suppressors of the high loss of mini-chromosomes by using a multicopy genomic library of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We identified a novel gene, YCR041W, that stabilizes mini-chromosomes. The translational product of YCR041W was suggested to play an important role in increasing stability for mini-chromosome maintenance, probably by decreasing the rate of loss during mitotic cell division. The stabilization of mini-chromosomes conferred by YCR041W overexpression was completely dependent on the silencing protein Sir4, suggesting that a process related to telomere function might be involved in mini-chromosome stabilization. Overexpression of YCR041W stabilized not only a yeast artificial chromosome vector, but also a mini-chromosome derived from a natural chromosome. Taking these results together, we propose that YCR041W overexpression can be used as a novel chromosome engineering tool for controlling mini-chromosome maintenance and loss.

Cis-Acting elements within CFTR 5′-flanking DNA are not sufficient to decrease gene expression in response to phorbol ester

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene ( CFTR) is regulated in a tissue-specific and developmental fashion. Although it has been known for some time that phorbol esters decrease CFTR expression in cell lines that have high CFTR mRNA levels, the cis-acting elements that control this down-regulation remain ill-defined. The role of cis-acting elements within the CFTR minimal promoter in modulating responses to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and forskolin was assessed using luciferase reporter gene ( luc)-containing plasmids transfected into Calu-3 and HT-29 cells. PMA treatment had no effect on luciferase activity in Calu-3 cells transiently transfected with plasmids containing luc driven by up to 2.3 kb of CFTR 5′-flanking DNA. PMA increased luciferase activity in transfected HT-29 cells. A more extensive region of DNA was evaluated using a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) containing luc driven by ∼335 of CFTR 5′-flanking DNA (y5′luc) stably introduced into HT-29 cells. Clonal cell lines containing y5′luc were created and assessed for luciferase activity at baseline and in response to forskolin and PMA. There was a wide range of baseline luciferase activities among the clones (42–1038 units/μg protein) that was not entirely due to the number of luc copies present within the cells. Treatment with both PMA and forskolin led to increased luciferase activity in six randomly selected clonal cell lines. As expected, endogenous CFTR expression increased in response to forskolin and decreased in response to PMA. These studies demonstrate that luc-containing YAC vectors can be used to study CFTR expression in human cells. In addition, these data suggest that important regulatory elements responsible for decreased CFTR expression in response to PMA are not located upstream of CFTR in the ∼335 kb 5′-flanking sequence included in this YAC construct.

Construction and screening of YAC libraries.

The discovery by Burke et al. in 1987 () that yeast can accept large pieces of heterologous DNA as yeast artificial chromosomes (YAC) marked a milestone in the analysis of complex genomes. While standard prokaryotic cloning systems, such as plasmids and cosmids, are limited by the size of the DNA fragments they are able to incorporate, YACs allow for the stable integration of exogenous DNA fragments ranging from between 30 kb and several megabases (). Access to large fragments of cloned DNA has facilitated the physical mapping of large loci of interest, chromosomes, and entire genomes and provided a positional cloning approach to genes of interest. The basis of a YAC are the vector arms that contain all functions necessary for mitotic propagation in yeast, including a centromeric sequence (CEN), an autonomous replication sequence (ARS), telomere sequences (TEL), selectable markers (TRP1 and URA3, mediating tryptophan and uracil autotrophy in suitable yeast hosts) and an interruptible marker containing the EcoRI cloning site (SUP4-o, mediating a red/white color selection for DNA insertion events). The most frequently used YAC vector is pYAC4 () which, besides the elements mentioned above, contains the ColE1 replication origin and the ampicillin-selectable marker for propagation in Escherichia coli Fig. 1). Open image in new window Fig. 1. Schematic drawing of the YAC cloning vector pYAC4. Functional elements as well as important restriction sites are indicated. CEN4, centromeric sequence; ARS1, autonomous replication sequence; TEL, telomere repeat sequences; TRP1, URA3, HIS3, tryptophan, uracil, and histidine selectable markers; SUP4, red/white color selection for DNA insertion events; ori, bacterial replication origin and Amp R, ampicillin resistance gene.

Construction of YAC Libraries with Large Inserts

The yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) cloning system makes it possible to clone large pieces of genomic DNA into yeast. Libraries have been made containing clones with inserts in the megabase-pair range. The basic protocol in this unit describes preparation of YAC vectors and transformation of ligated DNA into yeast spheroplasts. A support protocol describes titration of Lyticase to make spheroplasts. Additional support protocols detail two methods for partial digestion of genomic DNA: EcoRI restriction endonuclease-EcoRI methylase competition and the partial digestion of genomic DNA by use of limiting amounts of Mg2+, respectively.

A cre-lox recombination system for the targeted integration of circular yeast artificial chromosomes into embryonic stem cells.

The ability to produce embryonic stem (ES) cell lines containing different yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) integrated into the same location in the genome provides a system for comparing the bio-logical effects of YAC transgenes without the confounding influences of integration site and copy number. A targeting system was developed for the directed integration of circular YACs into mouse ES cells. The system combines Cre-lox recombination technology, specifically a positive-selection integration system, with circular YAC lipofection technology to achieve single copy targeted integration of a transgene. Three independent germline competent ES cell lines [lox-containing ES lines (designated LES)] were created that contain a '-neo-lox' cassette integrated at different sites within the ES genome. A plasmid containing YAC vector sequences and a complementary '-neo-lox' cassette was used to circularize two linear YACs containing genomic DNA from human chromosome 21. The circularized YACs were then targeted to the lox sites of the LES cell lines. Polymerase chain reaction and Southern analysis demonstrated that 21% (5 of 24) of lox-recombinants contain a full-length intact YAC. This system will make the study of YAC transgenic mice more reliable and reproducible, allowing the potential for direct comparison of different transgenes expressed from the same site within the genome.

Construction of a yeast artificial chromosome library of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and identification of clones from the Bs2 resistance locus

A yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library was constructed using high-molecular-weight DNA isolated from pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) leaf protoplasts. Insert DNA was prepared by partial digestion using EcoRI and subjected to electrophoretic fractionation before in-gel ligation to the pJS97/98 YAC vector. Prior to transformation of yeast spheroplasts, ligation products were subjected to a second electrophoretic size selection. The library consists of about 19 000 clones with an average insert size of 500 kb, thus representing approximately three haploid genome equivalents. Three PCR-based markers tightly linked to the pepper Bs2 resistance gene were used to assess the utility of this library for positional cloning. Three YAC clones containing pepper genomic DNA from the Bs2 resistance locus were isolated from the library. The clones ranged in size from 270 kb to 1.2 Mb and should prove useful for the cloning of the Bs2 gene.

Transgenic Analysis of a 100-kb Human β-Globin Cluster–Containing DNA Fragment Propagated as a Bacterial Artificial Chromosome

AbstractTo date, the normal transcriptional regulation of the human β-globin gene cluster has been recapitulated most accurately in transgenic mice that carry large yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) or ligated cosmid constructs. However, these large transgenes still exhibit variegated expression levels, perhaps because they tend to rearrange upon integration, or because the cloning vectors remain attached to the globin inserts. To try to circumvent these potential problems, we investigated the transgenic properties of a 100-kb DNA fragment containing the entire human β-globin cluster propagated in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). We created 9 independent mouse lines, each carrying 1 to 6 copies of the human β-globin cluster without the attached BAC vector. Five of the lines carry unrearranged copies of the cluster. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of adult F1 mice showed that 2 lines express human β globin at levels approximately equivalent to the endogenous mouse β-major genes. One line expresses no human β globin, while the remaining 6 lines show intermediate expression levels. Complete γ→β-globin gene switching occurs, but is slightly delayed with respect to the endogenous mouse embryonic→adult switch. Since these data are similar to what has been obtained using globin YACs or ligated cosmids, we conclude that (1) globin transgenes propagated in BACs are no less likely to rearrange than their cosmid or YAC counterparts, and (2) the retention of YAC vector sequences in a transgene probably has no significant impact on globin expression when using constructs of this size.

Transgenic Analysis of a 100-kb Human β-Globin Cluster–Containing DNA Fragment Propagated as a Bacterial Artificial Chromosome

To date, the normal transcriptional regulation of the human β-globin gene cluster has been recapitulated most accurately in transgenic mice that carry large yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) or ligated cosmid constructs. However, these large transgenes still exhibit variegated expression levels, perhaps because they tend to rearrange upon integration, or because the cloning vectors remain attached to the globin inserts. To try to circumvent these potential problems, we investigated the transgenic properties of a 100-kb DNA fragment containing the entire human β-globin cluster propagated in a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). We created 9 independent mouse lines, each carrying 1 to 6 copies of the human β-globin cluster without the attached BAC vector. Five of the lines carry unrearranged copies of the cluster. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of adult F1 mice showed that 2 lines express human β globin at levels approximately equivalent to the endogenous mouse β-major genes. One line expresses no human β globin, while the remaining 6 lines show intermediate expression levels. Complete γ→β-globin gene switching occurs, but is slightly delayed with respect to the endogenous mouse embryonic→adult switch. Since these data are similar to what has been obtained using globin YACs or ligated cosmids, we conclude that (1) globin transgenes propagated in BACs are no less likely to rearrange than their cosmid or YAC counterparts, and (2) the retention of YAC vector sequences in a transgene probably has no significant impact on globin expression when using constructs of this size.

A new yeast artificial chromosome vector designed for gene transfer into mammalian cells

This report describes the construction of a new yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) vector designed for gene transfer into mammalian cells. For ease of use, the two arms of the vector were cloned separately. The vector harbours the Neo and Hyg genes for dominant selection in mammalian cells, a putative human origin of replication, a synthetic matrix attachment region and two loxP sites (one on each arm). The cloning ability of the vector was demonstrated by successful propagation of the cDNA of the cystic fibrosis gene, CFTR, as a YAC in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. A YAC containing the entire CFTR gene was also constructed by retrofitting the two arms of a pre-existing clone (37AB12) with the two arms of the novel vector. Both the cDNA and entire gene containing YACs were circularized in yeast by inducible expression of the Cre recombinase. Recombination occurred very specifically at the loxP sequences present on the two arms of the YAC. Applications of the vector to gene transfer are discussed.

A yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library containing 10 haploid chicken genome equivalents.

We report the construction of a YAC library that provides 10-fold redundant coverage of the chicken genome. The library was made by transforming S. cerevisiae AB1380 with YAC constructs consisting of partially digested and size fractionated (>465 kb) EcoRI genomic fragments ligated to pCGS966 YAC vector arms. The primary library provides 8.5-fold redundant coverage and consists of 16,000 clones arrayed in duplicate 96-well microtiter plates and gridded on nylon membranes at high density (18,000 clones/484cm2). The average insert size, 634 kb, was derived from size fractionation of a random sample of 218 YACs. Hybridization of five unlinked chicken genes to colony blots revealed six or more positive clones. This is consistent with the theoretical expectation from average insert sizes and number of clones. A second collection of clones consists of a further 20,000 colonies, of which 20% contain inserts larger than 450 kb and 80% contain only coligated vector arms. We estimate that these clones provide a further 1.5-fold redundant coverage of the chicken genome; thus, the total collection of 36,000 clones provides 10-fold redundant coverage of the chicken genome. The library is intended as a resource for fine-scale analysis of the organization of the chicken genome and is presently being used to construct a contig map of chicken Chromosome (Chr) 16, which contains the MHC and nucleolar organizer.

Yeast artificial chromosome vectors.

The ability to clone DNA fragments is vital to molecular biology. Until fairly recently the most commonly used vectors were plasmids, λ bacteriophage and cosmids (propagated in the bacterial host Escherichia coli), the latter of which could accommodate up to 50 kilobase pairs (kb) of DNA (Burke et al., 1987). The P1 based vectors doubled this maximum size to about 100 kb (Sternberg, 1990). However, many problems of eukaryote molecular biology, such as isolation of very large genes (e.g. the human dystrophin and cystic fibrosis genes), analysis of large transcription units, and physical mapping of ordered fragments from large genomes, require analysis of hundreds or even thousands of kb of contiguous DNA. The introduction of the yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) (Burke et al., 1987) as a cloning vehicle for fragments of DNA, that are at least one order of magnitude larger than was previously achieved using other systems, has opened these areas for investigation.

Efficient manipulation of the human adenovirus genome as an infectious yeast artificial chromosome clone.

A yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) containing a complete human adenovirus type 2 genome was constructed, and viral DNA derived from the YAC was shown to be infectious upon introduction into mammalian cells. The adenovirus YAC could be manipulated efficiently using homologous recombination-based methods in the yeast host, and mutant viruses, including a variant that expresses the human analog of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CDC27 gene, were readily recovered from modified derivatives of the YAC. The application of powerful yeast genetic techniques to an infectious adenovirus clone promises to significantly enhance the genetic analysis of adenovirus and to simplify the construction of adenovirus-based vectors for vaccines or for gene transfer to mammalian cells or whole animals. The adenovirus YAC was produced by homologous recombination in vivo between adenovirus 2 virion DNA and YAC vector plasmids carrying segments of the viral left and right genomic termini. This recombinational cloning strategy is generally applicable to the construction of YACs containing other DNA segments, such as the genomes of other viruses. Further, it is very efficient and may permit the targeted cloning of segments of the genomes of higher organisms directly from genomic DNA.

Measurement of recombination frequencies between two homologous DNA segments embedded in a YAC vector

We measured the frequencies of recombination in a yeast host between two homologous segments of DNA that had been inserted with the same polarity in a yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) vector. Three kinds of YAC clones were constructed in which the gene encoding neomycin(Nm) resistance was sandwiched between two homologous segments of DNA, such as the IS3 elements of Escherichia coli or human Alu sequences. Frequencies of homologous recombination in yeast were measured in terms of loss of resistance to Nm. In the case of IS3 fragments, homologous recombination between them did occur at a relatively high frequency (5 x 10(-4). In contrast, recombination between two Alu sequences did not occur at a detectable level during a 30-day incubation. Thus, the frequency was less than 10(-5). These results indicate that the Alu sequences do not sufficiently promote the frequency of recombination between two homologous fragments in yeast as to induce rearrangements of DNA in a substantial fraction of YAC clones in libraries.

Simultaneous transfer of four functional genes from the HLA class II region into mammalian cells by fusion with yeast spheroplasts carrying an artificial chromosome.

Gene transfer using yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones provides an opportunity to study the expression of several linked genes within an environment more closely approximating their normal chromosomal context. A YAC clone spanning 330 kb of the HLA class II region from centromeric of TAP 1 to telomeric of HLA-DQA1 was retrofitted by homologous recombination with a neomycin plasmid targeted either to an Alu repeat sequence within the YAC genomic insert or to the Ura-3 gene within the right arm of the YAC vector. The modified YAC clones were transferred to Chinese hamster ovary or L cells by spheroplast fusion. Eight of 14 Alu-retrofitted and 10 of 15 right arm-retrofitted neomycin clones retained the six human loci known to be encoded by the YAC as well as portions of the left and right YAC vector arms. All tested L cell transformants showed IFN-gamma-inducible TAP 1 and TAP 2 mRNA expression. Two of eight analyzed clones expressed HLA-DQB mRNA and one of four expressed HLA-DQA. Cells expressing both the HLA-DQA and -DQB mRNA showed HLA-DQ cell surface expression. These studies establish the feasibility of introducing groups of functional genes into mammalian cells by spheroplast fusion with a single YAC clone.

A human genome YAC library in a selectable high-copy-number vector

An experimental yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) library consisting of one genome equivalent of human DNA was prepared in a selectable high-copy-number (hcn) YAC vector. Screening for unique loci was accomplished by PCR of successively smaller DNA pools and by hybridization to high-density microcolony blots. Inserts averaged 200 kb in size, but several YACs with inserts averaging about 650 kb were obtained when polyamines were added prior to yeast transformation. YACs were identified for 17 out of 29 sequence-tagged sites ( STS) screened by a PCR-based approach. All YACs in the size range of 100–600 kb that were examined could be obtained at significantly elevated copy numbers following growth of the clones in methotrexate/sulfanilamide/thymidine-supplemented medium. The hcn YACs could also be selected during growth in microtiter dishes, and the resulting clones were used to prepare high-density microcolony DNA blots for hybridization with radiolabeled PCR products. DNA pools for the PCR-based screening of this experimental library are available to investigators interested in applications of hcn YACs.

Microinjection of Intact 200- to 500-kb Fragments of YAC DNA into Mammalian Cells

DNA of yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) was prepared for microinjection by separation from most of the natural yeast chromosomes on a pulsed-field gel, treatment with agarase, and centrifugation. A salt concentration of 100 mM NaCl was necessary to protect the DNA from shear during these procedures. Injection of a 590-kb YAC, yGART2, into Chinese hamster ovary cells gave rise to cells expressing the 40-kb human GART gene carried on the YAC. Nine of 12 cell lines analyzed contained an intact stretch of at least 110 kb of YAC DNA surrounding the GART gene, and one cell line contained at least 480 kb, but not the entire 590 kb, intact. Mouse L A-9 cells were similarly injected with DNA of a 230-kb YAC containing the human beta-globin gene cluster and a mammalian selectable marker. Seven of 10 of the resulting cell lines contained both YAC vector arms plus the intact 140-kb SfiI fragment spanning the beta-globin gene. Three cell lines were analyzed by RecA-assisted restriction endonuclease (RARE) cleavage and found to contain the entire intact 210-kb YAC insert. Introduction of similarly prepared DNA into mammalian cells by lipofection gave rise to cell lines with multiple YAC fragments that were generally shorter than the YAC fragments found in microinjected cell lines. The results show that microinjection of gel-purified YAC DNA into mammalian cells is an efficient method of transferring DNA fragments several hundred kilobase pairs in size into mammalian cells.

Introduction of YACs containing a putative mammalian replication origin into mammalian cells can generate structures that replicate autonomously

Yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) containing or lacking a biochemically defined DNA replication origin were transferred from yeast to mammalian cells in order to determine whether origin-dependent autonomous replication would occur. A specialized YAC vector was designed to enable selection for YACs in mammalian cells and for monitoring YAC abundance in individual mammalian cells. All of eight clones made with linear and circularized YACs lacking the origin and seven of nine clones made with linear and circularized YACs containing the origin region contained single copies of the transfected YAC, along with various amounts of yeast DNA, integrated into single but different chromosomal sites. By contrast, two transformants derived from circularized YACs containing the putative replication origin showed very heterogeneous YAC copy number and numerous integration sites when analyzed after many generations of in vitro propagation. Analysis of both clones at an early time after fusion revealed variously sized extrachromosomal YAC/yeast structures reminiscent of the extrachromosomal elements found in some cells harboring amplified genes. The data are consistent with the interpretation that YACs containing a biochemically defined origin of replication can initially replicate autonomously, followed by integration into multiple chromosomal locations, as has been reported to occur in many examples of gene amplification in mammalian cells.

A large inverted duplicated DNA region associated with an amplified oncogene is stably maintained in a YAC.

In the polyoma virus (Py) transformed 3B rat cell line the Py oncogene and adjacent cellular DNA are amplified in arrays of very large inverted duplications. A region of the 3B amplified DNA was cloned as a 550 kb insert in a Yeast Artificial Chromosome (YAC) vector, designated y3B01. Analysis of the y3B01 cloned insert revealed it contained a large inverted duplicated DNA region which was approximately 400 kb in size (two palindromic arms of about 200 kb). At least 420 kb of the 550 kb YAC insert has been identified as being derived from the 3B amplified DNA and the amplicon in 3B cells is at least 220 kb in size. No DNA instability of the y3B01 YAC clone was detected. The y3B01 DNA replicated as efficiently as yeast chromosomes and was structurally stable in yeast cells during more than 30 cell divisions. Comparison of the restriction endonuclease maps of the inverted duplicated region of the y3B01 DNA insert and the amplified 3B genomic DNA did not reveal any gross differences suggesting that no rearrangements had occurred during or after the cloning into the YAC vector. These results suggest that large inverted duplications, which can show instability in prokaryotic cloning systems, can be stably cloned and maintained in YAC vectors in yeast.

31] Alginate as matrix support for yeast artificial chromosome cloning

Publisher Summary The use of the yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) for cloning large fragments into yeast has greatly facilitated the physical map constructions of large complex genomes. The major advantage of the YAC vector over cosmid vectors is that YAC vectors can incorporate inserts of heterologous DNA in the size range from 100 to 1000 kbp. The other advantage of the YAC system is that palindromic and repetitive DNA sequences are more stable in yeast than in Escherichia coli ( E. coli ). Thus, YAC libraries might contain mammalian genomic DNA sequences that are underrepresented or absent in E. coli libraries. This has been supported by the finding that YAC clones can be used to close some of the gaps in the cosmid cloning of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome. In addition, scientists reported that the efficiency of cell wall regeneration is directly related to the alginate concentration, with higher efficiency observed at higher alginate concentration. The chapter demonstrates that similar efficiency can be obtained with either 1.25 or 3% (w/v) alginate solutions. However, the use of the 3% (w/v) alginate solution is not recommended because of its high viscosity and lengthy remelting time.

Characterization by yeast artificial chromosome cloning of the linked apolipoprotein(a) and plasminogen genes and identification of the apolipoprotein(a) 5' flanking region.

The apoprotein(a) [apo(a)] gene encodes a protein component of the circulating lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)]. The apo(a) gene is highly homologous to the plasminogen gene. It encodes one of the most polymorphic human proteins, due to variability in the number of repetitions of structures called kringles. In addition, Lp(a) levels vary among individuals by more than two orders of magnitude, the high levels being highly correlated with predisposition to early atherosclerotic disease. To better understand the genetics and function of the apo(a) gene, we have cloned in yeast artificial chromosome vectors DNA fragments comprising the linked apo(a) and plasminogen genes and other members of the plasminogen family. By a combination of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and genome walking experiments, we have identified the 5' portion and flanking regions of the apo(a) gene.