Selective covalent conjugation of phosphorothioate DNA oligonucleotides with streptavidin

Molecules. 2011 Aug 15;16(8):6916-26. doi: 10.3390/molecules16086916.

Abstract

Protein-DNA conjugates have found numerous applications in the field of diagnostics and nanobiotechnology, however, their intrinsic susceptibility to DNA degradation by nucleases represents a major obstacle for many applications. We here report the selective covalent conjugation of the protein streptavidin (STV) with phosphorothioate oligonucleotides (psDNA) containing a terminal alkylthiolgroup as the chemically addressable linking unit, using a heterobifunctional NHS-/maleimide crosslinker. The psDNA-STV conjugates were synthesized in about 10% isolated yields. We demonstrate that the terminal alkylthiol group selectively reacts with the maleimide while the backbone sulfur atoms are not engaged in chemical conjugation. The novel psDNA-STV conjugates retain their binding capabilities for both biotinylated macromolecules and the complementary nucleic acid. Moreover, the psDNA-STV conjugate retained its binding capacity for complementary oligomers even after a nuclease digestion step, which effectively degrades deoxyribonucleotide oligomers and thus the binding capability of regular DNA-STV conjugates. The psDNA-STV therefore hold particular promise for applications e.g. in proteome research and novel biosensing devices, where interfering endogenous nucleic acids need to be removed from analytes by nuclease digestion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaline Phosphatase / metabolism
  • Biotin / metabolism
  • Biotinylation
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Chromatography, Ion Exchange
  • Cross-Linking Reagents / chemistry
  • DNA / chemistry
  • DNA / metabolism*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Endonucleases / metabolism
  • Escherichia coli
  • Maleimides / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Probes* / analysis
  • Molecular Probes* / chemical synthesis
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides / chemistry
  • Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides / metabolism*
  • Protein Binding
  • Proteomics / methods
  • Spectrometry, Fluorescence
  • Streptavidin / chemistry
  • Streptavidin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Cross-Linking Reagents
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Maleimides
  • Molecular Probes
  • Phosphorothioate Oligonucleotides
  • maleimide
  • Biotin
  • DNA
  • Streptavidin
  • Endonucleases
  • Alkaline Phosphatase