Crossref journal-article
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (341)
Abstract

We report a strategy for encapsulating and condensing DNA. When T5 phage binds to its membrane protein receptor, FhuA, its double stranded DNA (120,000 bp) is progressively released base pair after base pair in the surrounding medium. Using cryoelectron microscopy, we have visualized the structures formed after T5 phage DNA is released into neutral unilamellar proteoliposomes reconstituted with the receptor FhuA. In the presence of spermine, toroidal condensates of circumferentially wrapped DNA were formed. Most significantly, the sizes of these toroids were shown to vary, from 90 to 200 nm in their outer diameters, depending on the number of DNA stands transferred. We have also analyzed T5 DNA release in bulk solution containing the detergent-solubilized FhuA receptor. After DNA release in a spermine containing solution, huge DNA condensates with a diameter of about 300 nm were formed containing the DNAs from as many as 10–20 capsids. At alkaline pH, the condensates appeared as large hollow cylinders with a diameter of 200 nm and a height of 100–200 nm. Overall, the striking feature of our experiments is that, because of the progressive release of DNA from the phage capsid, the mechanism of toroid formation is fundamentally different from that in the classical studies in which highly dilute, “naked” DNA is condensed by direct addition of polyvalent cations; as a consequence, our method leads to toroids of arbitrary size.

Bibliography

Lambert, O., Letellier, L., Gelbart, W. M., & Rigaud, J.-L. (2000). DNA delivery by phage as a strategy for encapsulating toroidal condensates of arbitrary size into liposomes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 97(13), 7248–7253.

Dates
Type When
Created 23 years, 1 month ago (July 26, 2002, 10:41 a.m.)
Deposited 3 years, 4 months ago (April 12, 2022, 10:03 p.m.)
Indexed 1 year ago (Aug. 12, 2024, 9:15 a.m.)
Issued 25 years, 2 months ago (June 6, 2000)
Published 25 years, 2 months ago (June 6, 2000)
Published Online 25 years, 2 months ago (June 6, 2000)
Published Print 25 years, 2 months ago (June 20, 2000)
Funders 0

None

@article{Lambert_2000, title={DNA delivery by phage as a strategy for encapsulating toroidal condensates of arbitrary size into liposomes}, volume={97}, ISSN={1091-6490}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.130187297}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.130187297}, number={13}, journal={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, publisher={Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, author={Lambert, Olivier and Letellier, Lucienne and Gelbart, William M. and Rigaud, Jean-Louis}, year={2000}, month=jun, pages={7248–7253} }