Difference between revisions of "20.109(S11):Prepare RNA by IVT (Day3)"
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An optional but often important step is to perform a negative selection. To rid the RNA pool of sequences that bind non-specifically to the column material, one can incubate the library with a column resin that lacks ligand but is otherwise identical to the affinity resin. After all, it would be a shame to think one has found several heme-binding aptamers, only to discover that they in fact bind to agarose beads! The supernatant from the negative selection is then used directly in the positive selection. Sometimes, multiple negative selections may be appropriate. For example, if one is interested in finding an aptamer that binds to a particular ligand but ''not'' to several similar ligands, one could perform negative selections using affinity columns presenting those undesired ligands. No matter how many precautions one takes, the statistics of large numbers suggests that there will always be some false positives: RNA sequences that manage to get detectably amplified, but do not bind to the ligand of interest. | An optional but often important step is to perform a negative selection. To rid the RNA pool of sequences that bind non-specifically to the column material, one can incubate the library with a column resin that lacks ligand but is otherwise identical to the affinity resin. After all, it would be a shame to think one has found several heme-binding aptamers, only to discover that they in fact bind to agarose beads! The supernatant from the negative selection is then used directly in the positive selection. Sometimes, multiple negative selections may be appropriate. For example, if one is interested in finding an aptamer that binds to a particular ligand but ''not'' to several similar ligands, one could perform negative selections using affinity columns presenting those undesired ligands. No matter how many precautions one takes, the statistics of large numbers suggests that there will always be some false positives: RNA sequences that manage to get detectably amplified, but do not bind to the ligand of interest. | ||
− | After one or more column selections, one may perform cloning to select individual RNA species for sequencing or for testing in a functional assay. Again, ligating the DNA library into a plasmid that can be expressed in bacteria is easier than working with the RNA directly. DNA can be isolated from individual colonies of bacteria that each contain a single (putative) aptamer-encoding DNA, then sequenced and transcribed to RNA if desired. A typical starting library might have 10^13 to 10^15 sequences! In | + | After one or more column selections, one may perform cloning to select individual RNA species for sequencing or for testing in a functional assay. Again, ligating the DNA library into a plasmid that can be expressed in bacteria is easier than working with the RNA directly. DNA can be isolated from individual colonies of bacteria that each contain a single (putative) aptamer-encoding DNA, then sequenced and transcribed to RNA if desired. A typical starting library might have 10^13 to 10^15 sequences! In Szostak s early binding experiments, molecules that bound to the aromatic dyes were enriched from less than 1% to greater than 50% of the RNA library population after four rounds of selection, and the unique population was reduced to ~100-100,000 sequences. In our case, we already know the sequences of the two RNAs in question, and are simply interested in their ratio after a round of column selection. The functional assay that can indicate this ratio is a spectroscopic one that measures aptamer binding to heme. |
The IVT will run during the whole lab period. In the meantime, we will discuss a journal article, both to learn more about RNA aptamers and to become comfortable reading and discussing the primary scientific literature. In 2-3 weeks, you will each present an article on your own. | The IVT will run during the whole lab period. In the meantime, we will discuss a journal article, both to learn more about RNA aptamers and to become comfortable reading and discussing the primary scientific literature. In 2-3 weeks, you will each present an article on your own. | ||
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Because you are preparing RNA, you will have to take special precautions today and for the rest of the module. RNA is strikingly different from DNA in its stability. Consequently it is more difficult to work with RNA in the lab. It is not the techniques themselves that are difficult; indeed, many of the manipulations are nearly identical to those used for DNA. However, RNA is rapidly and easily degraded by RNases that exist everywhere. There are several rules for working with RNA. They will improve your chances of success. Please follow them all. | Because you are preparing RNA, you will have to take special precautions today and for the rest of the module. RNA is strikingly different from DNA in its stability. Consequently it is more difficult to work with RNA in the lab. It is not the techniques themselves that are difficult; indeed, many of the manipulations are nearly identical to those used for DNA. However, RNA is rapidly and easily degraded by RNases that exist everywhere. There are several rules for working with RNA. They will improve your chances of success. Please follow them all. | ||
− | *Use warm water on a paper towel to wash lab equipment, like microfuges, before you begin your experiment. Then wipe them down with | + | *Use warm water on a paper towel to wash lab equipment, like microfuges, before you begin your experiment. Then wipe them down with |