Revision as of 23:47, 30 October 2017

SynORI inducible global copy number control device

This device is part of SynORI framework. It is used to induce a certain copy number of a plasmid.

See how this part fits into the whole SynORI framework by pressing here!

Sequence and Features

Figure 1. Main principles of ColE1 plasmid family replication. Rop protein interaction region marked in red square. (Citation needed)

Introduction

Biology

Repressor of primer (ROP) is a small dimeric protein that participates in ColE1 plasmid family copy number control, by increasing affinity between two complementary RNAs - RNA I (Replication inhibitor) and RNA II (Replication activator) (Fig. 1). ^[1] By increasing affinity of the two RNA molecules Rop decreases the rate of of plasmid replication initiation events.

Figure 2. Structure of the ColE1 Rop protein, at 1.7 angstroms resolution.^[2]

Rop dimer is a bundle of four tightly packed alpha helices that are held by hydrophobic interactions (Fig. 2).

Usage with SynORI (Framework for multi-plasmid systems)

About SynORI

SynORI is a framework for multi-plasmid systems created by Vilnius-Lithuania 2017 which enables quick and easy workflow with multiple plasmids, while also allowing to freely pick and modulate copy number for every unique plasmid group! Read more about [http://2017.igem.org/Team:Vilnius-Lithuania SynORI here]!

Regulative RNA II molecule in SynORI

RNA II gene is foundational and central biobrick of SynORI system, and by far the only one that is mandatory for framework to run. The two main functions of RNA II is as follows:

1. Initiating plasmid replication
2. Interacting with RNA I of specific plasmid group (See below)

RNA II and RNA I in the engineering of unique plasmid groups for multi-plasmid system

RNA II molecule interacts with inhibitory RNA I molecule with three secondary structure RNA stem loops. In order to create plasmid groups with independent copy number control, one group's RNA II molecule must interact only with the same group's RNA I molecule.

For example if there are two plasmid groups in a cell - A and B - RNA II of A group
would only interact with RNA I A, and not RNA I B.

Figure 1. RNA I AND II group interaction example

See the Design section or [http://2017.igem.org/Team:Vilnius-Lithuania Vilnius-Lithuania 2017 team wiki] for more insight about our synthetic origin of replication (SynORI).

Origin of RNA II biobrick

If RNA II and RNA I are naturally an antisense system, why are there two separate constructs in SynORI system?

In order to flexibly control the synthesis of RNA I, the RNA I gene first needed to be inactivated in ColE1 origin of replication. That, however, was not a trivial task, because by changing RNA I promoter sequence, one also changes the RNA II secondary structure, which is crucial for plasmid replication initiation. This is the main reason why, in SynORI framework, the wildtype ColE1 ORI is split into two different parts - RNR I and RNA II .

<Picture of how RNA I promoter mutations might destroy RNA II secondary structure.>

Characterization of RNA II (Vilnius-Lithuania 2017)

RNA I inactivation in wild type replicon

References

1. ↑ Castagnoli L, Scarpa M, Kokkinidis M, Banner DW, Tsernoglou D, Cesareni G. Genetic and structural analysis of the ColE1 Rop (Rom) protein. The EMBO Journal. 1989;8(2):621-629.
2. ↑ Banner DW, Kokkinidis M, Tsernoglou D. Structure of the ColE1 Rop protein at 1.7 Å resolution. J Mol Biol. 1987 m.;196(3):657–75.