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Linearized Plasmid Backbones
This protocol was developed by Tom Knight, samples of standard Registry plasmid backbones prepared using this method were sent out in the Spring 2011 DNA Distribution kits.
Short single stranded DNA fragments will not ligate to 4 bp overhangs. By creating a very short overhang on a PCR of a plasmid backbone, the remnant, when cut with EcoRI and PstI is sufficiently short that it will not anneal at ligation temperature, and will therefore not ligate. This allows us to build high quality construction plasmid backbone without purifying away the cut fragments remaining after PCR.
We are distributing the prepared construction plasmid as purified PCR products, diluted to standard concentration, but prior to cutting with EcoRI and PstI. Standard assembly will cut this plasmid backbone with EcoRI and PstI at the same time that the two assembled fragments are cut with EcoRI and SpeI and with XbaI and PstI, respectively.
The preparation of this PCR fragment is done with primers having short overhangs past the EcoRI and PstI sites, followed by PCR cleanup, dilution to standard concentration, and quality control testing.
Note: The Registry shipping plasmid backbone is pSB1C3. If you are making linearized plasmid backbone in order to send parts to the Registry, you must use pBS1C3.
Primers
gccgctgcagtccggcaaaaaa,SB-prep-3P-1 atgaattccagaaatcatccttagcg,SB-prep-2Ea
Diluted to 30 pmol/ul
These primers have been tested with pSB1C3, pSB1A3, pSB1K3, and pSB1T3.
Using the Linearized Plasmid Backbones
The Spring 2011 DNA Distribution should come with a set of linearized plasmid backbones: pSB1A3, pSB1C3, pSB1K3, and pSB1T3. The linearized plasmid backbones (25ng/ul at 50ul) should be stored at 4C or lower. Prior to ligation the plasmid backbones need to be cut with EcoRI and PstI.
Digest
Enzyme Master Mix for Plasmid Backbone (25ul total, for 6 rxns)
- 5 ul NEB Buffer 2
- 0.5 ul NEB BSA
- 0.5 ul EcoRI-HF
- 0.5 ul PstI
- 0.5 ul DpnI
- 18 ul dH20
Digest Plasmid Backbone
- Add 4 ul linearized plasmid backbone (25ng/ul for 100ng total)
- Add 4 ul of Enzyme Master Mix
- digest 37C/30 min, heat kill 80C/20 min
Ligation
- Add 2ul of digested plasmid backbone (25 ng)
- Add equimolar amount of EcoRI-HF SpeI digested fragment (< 3 ul)
- Add equimolar amount of XbaI PstI digested fragment (< 3 ul)
- Add 1 ul NEB T4 DNA ligase buffer
- Add 0.5 ul T4 DNA ligase
- Add water to 10 ul
- ligate 16C/30 min, heat kill 80C/20 min
- transform with 1-2 ul of product
Making Linearized Plasmid Backbones
Bulk Production
The following is the protocol that we used to create the linearized plasmid backbones shipped with the Spring 2011 DNA Distribution. The protocol is in 96 well format, but may be scaled down to suit smaller batches.
PCR protocol
- 9.6ml of PCR Supermix High Fiedlity
- 67 ul of primer SB-prep-2Eb
- 67 ul of primer SB-prep-3P-1
- 10 ul of template DNA at 10ng/ul (100ng total)
- aliquot 100ul per well in 96 well plate
PCR program
- 95C/2min
- 95C/30s
- 55C/30s
- 68C/3min
- Repeat cycle (steps 2 to 4, 37 more times)
- 68C/10min
PCR cleanup
Purification of 96 well plates was done through Promega Wizard SV 96 PCR Clean-Up kit and a vacuum manifold. The protocol below follows the manual, with a few changes (in bold), however please see manual for setup instructions.
- Add equal volume of Binding Solution to PCR product (add 100ul of Binding Solution to 100ul of product)
- Mix by pipetting, transfer all 200ul to Binding Plate, let sit for 1 min
- Apply vacuum until samples pass through, about 30s to 1 min
- Add 200 ul of freshly prepared 80% ethanol to Binding Plate, let sit for 1min, apply vacuum until ethanol passes through, about 20s to 1 min.
- Repeat ethanol wash (step 4) twice more for three washes total
- Remove Binding Plate from wash manifold, blot on kim wipes, reinstall in wash manifold
- Apply vacuum for 4 min to fully dry Binding Plate
- Remove Binding Plate from wash manifold, blot on kim wipes, reinstall in collection manifold
- Add 50ul of TE buffer, let sit for 1 min, apply vacuum until eluted, about 1 min
- Repeat 50ul elution (step 9) for a total elution of 100ul
- Measure concentration on nanodrop, adjust to 25 ng/ul with TE
Single Reaction PCR
- 100 ul PCR supermix high fidelity
- 0.7 ul of SB-prep-3P-1
- 0.7 ul of SB-prep-2Ea
- 0.5 ul template DNA at 10 ng/ul (Note: Do not use a sample of linearized plasmid backbones (PCRed) as a template)
- PCR program
- 94C/2min
- 94C/30s
- 55C/30s
- 68C/3min
- Repeat cycle (steps 2 to 4, 35 more times)
- 68C/10min
- Digest with DpnI enzyme: 2ul in 100ul reaction, incubate 37C/hour; heat kill 80C/20min
Cleanup
- Add 500 ul Qiagen buffer PB
- Spin through a column twice, discard flowthrough
- Wash 1x with 700 ul buffer PB
- Wash 2x with 760 ul buffer PE
- Discard liquid, spin dry at 17000g for 3 min
- Elute into a new tube twice with 50 ul of TE (100 ul total)
Quality Control
- Run 3 ul on a gel to verify the correct band and concentration and lack of side products
- Quantify concentration on a nanodrop. Expect around 10 ug from a 100 ul PCR reaction (100 ng/ul in 100 ul)
- Perform a ligation test
- Test for both the EcoRI and PstI cutting and ligation efficiency
- Digest in a 15 ul final volume
- 1 ul DNA (approximately 100 ng)
- 1.5 ul NEB Buffer 2 (Not buffer 4; see E-Gel Buffer Compatibility)
- .15 ul BSA
- 0.5 ul either EcoRI-HF or PstI enzyme (not both!)
- 12 ul water
- Digest 37/1 hour; 80/20 min
- Add 5 ul of a 4x ligation master mix
- Ligate 30 min at room temperature
- Heat kill the ligase 80/20 min
- run all 20 ul on a gel
- Compare intensity of the single and double length bands. Good product should show mostly double length bands.
- Ligation master mix
- 50 ul final
- 20 ul T4 DNA ligase buffer
- 5 ul T4 DNA ligase
- 25 ul water
- Transformation test
- Transform 1 ul of the diluted final product into highly competent cells
- Control transform 10 pg of pUC19
- plate on the appropriate antibiotic
- observe few colonies. Any colonies represent background to the three antibiotic assembly process
- Quantify the effective amount of remaining circular DNA able to transform