Efficient Recovery and Sequencing of Mutant Genes from Mammalian Chromosomal DNA (Mutagenesis/Retroviral Vector/Base Substitution/Deletion) CHARLES R
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Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA Vol. 83, pp. 3356-3360, May 1986 Genetics Efficient recovery and sequencing of mutant genes from mammalian chromosomal DNA (mutagenesis/retroviral vector/base substitution/deletion) CHARLES R. ASHMAN, PUDUR JAGADEESWARAN, AND RICHARD L. DAVIDSON Center for Genetics, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago, 808 South Wood Street, Chicago, IL 60612 Communicated by Theodore T. Puck, December 26, 1985 ABSTRACT A retroviral shuttle vector was constructed by was mutagen-induced. In addition, the selectable gene is introducing the Escherichia coli xanthine (guanine) phospho- integrated into chromosomal DNA in the mammalian cells ribosyltransferase gene (gpt) into the pZip-NeoSV(X)1 vector rather than being maintained in an autonomously replicating [Cepko, C. L., Roberts, B. E. & Mulligan, R. C. (1984) CeU molecule. 37, 1053-1062]. This vector was packaged into infectious virus The selectable gene used in this study is the E. coli gpt which then was used to infect a hypoxanthine (guanine) gene, which codes for xanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyl- phosphoribosyltransferase-deficient mouse cell line. Cell lines transferase (XPRTase). This gene was chosen because there that expressed the gpt gene were isolated, and it was found that are selective systems for and against XPRTase activity in these cells contained a single integrated copy of the vector in a both bacteria and mammalian cells. The gpt gene was proviral form. Treatment of these cell lines with either ethyl inserted into the retroviral shuttle vector pZip-NeoSV(X)1 methanesulfonate or BrdUrd produced a >10-fold increase in (8), which can be packaged into a virus that integrates into the frequency of 6-thioguanine-resistant (Sgur) mutants. Intact chromosomal DNA of infected cells. Also, the vector se- gpt genes have been recovered from a number of Sgur cell lines quences can be efficiently recovered from infected cells and after COS cell fusion and introduced into E. coli as part of a introduced into E. coli as plasmids. In this paper we describe plasmid. The complete DNA sequences of three mutant genes a system that uses this retroviral shuttle vector to rescue have been determined. Two of the mutant genes have a single mutant gpt genes from mammalian cells, and we have base substitution, whereas the third has a 34-base-pair dele- sequenced three mutant genes recovered after mutagenesis. tion. This system should be valuable for analyzing mutagenic specificity and the molecular mechanisms of chemical MATERIALS AND METHODS mutagenesis in mammalian cells. A potentially important feature of the system relative to other shuttle-vector systems is Cell Culture, DNA Transfection, and Virus Infection. Line that the mutations are induced in genes integrated into mam- A9 is a hypoxanthine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase malian chromosomes rather than in genes existing as part of (HPRTase)-deficient derivative of mouse L cells (9). COS-1 autonomously replicating plasmids. cells (10) were provided by K. Subramanian and psi-2 cells (11) by R. Mulligan. The basic cell culture medium was "Shuttle vectors" capable of replication in both animal cells Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with and bacteria have been used to study mutagenesis in mam- 10% fetal bovine serum; psi-2 cells were grown in medium malian cells (1-7). The basic strategy has been to introduce supplemented with 10% calf serum. HAT medium (12) is a marker bacterial gene into mammalian cells as part of a supplemented with 0.1 mM hypoxanthine, 0.4 mM amino- shuttle vector, recover populations of shuttle-vector mole- pterin, and 16 AM thymidine. Selections for G418 (13), cules from the cells, transform Escherichia coli, and score 6-thioguanine (Sgu), and ouabain resistance were carried out mutants in the marker gene in the E. coli transformants. The in medium supplemented with 1 mM G418, 36 pzM Sgu, or 1 major advantages of this approach are that large numbers of mM ouabain, respectively. mutant genes are made available for analysis while the A retroviral shuttle vector containing the E. coli gpt gene amount of mammalian cell culture is minimized. However, (hereafter called pZip-GptNeo) was constructed by inserting shuttle-vector molecules spontaneously acquire unusually the gpt gene into the pZip-NeoSV(X)1 vector, which was high frequencies ofbase substitution, deletion, and insertion provided by C. Cepko. Plasmid construction was performed mutations when passaged through mammalian cells. according to standard procedures (14). Here we describe a somewhat different approach that has For DNA transfections, 60-mm culture dishes were inoc- enabled us to efficiently recover mutant genes from mam- ulated with 4 x 105 psi-2 cells. After 24 hr, the cells were malian cells while avoiding the problem of high spontaneous treated with vector DNA by the calcium phosphate method mutation frequencies. We have introduced a selectable gene (15). Four hours later, the DNA was removed and the cells into mammalian cells as part of a retroviral shuttle vector and were given a 20% (vol/vol) glycerol shock for 4 min. After 2 isolated infected cells that express the gene. After mutagen- days of growth under nonselective conditions, the cells from esis, cell lines with mutations in the selectable gene were each dish were harvested and plated in four 100-mm dishes isolated. Shuttle-vector sequences containing the mutant containing G418 medium. gene were then recovered from the mutant cell lines and For virus infections, G418r psi-2 colonies that had been introduced into E. coli. In contrast to earlier studies, the transfected with the pZip-GptNeo vector were pooled and population of shuttle-vector molecules used to transform E. coli is recovered from a clonal population of mutant cells. Abbreviations: bp, base pair(s); EtMes, ethyl methanesulfonate; This increases the likelihood that the recovered mutant gene HAT, hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine; HPRTase, hypoxan- thine (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase; kb, kilobase(s); LTR, long terminal repeat; MK, minimal agar medium with kanamycin; The publication costs of this article were defrayed in part by page charge MKSgu, minimal agar medium with kanamycin and thioguaniine; payment. This article must therefore be hereby marked "advertisement" SV40, simian virus 40; Sgu, 6-thioguanine; XPRTase, xanthine in accordance with 18 U.S.C. §1734 solely to indicate this fact. (guanine) phosphoribosyltransferase. 3356 Downloaded by guest on September 28, 2021 Genetics: Ashman et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83 (1986) 3357 grown to near confluence in a 100-mm dish. The G418 from a Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV) provirus medium was removed and replaced with nonselective medi- cloned in pBR322. Most of the viral sequences were deleted um (6 ml per dish). Twenty-four hours later, this medium was and unique BamHI and Xho I sites were created. The viral collected and filtered through 0.45-,um filters, and Polybrene sequences remaining include the long terminal repeats (8 ug/ml) was added to the filtrate. The filtrate was added to (LTRs), which contain sequences necessary for initiation and 60-mm dishes containing 5 x 105 A9 cells for 3 hr. Two days polyadenylylation of viral transcripts as well as integration of later, the cells were harvested and plated in either G418 or viral sequences into chromosomal DNA. Also, the vector HAT medium. contains the sequences necessary for reverse transcription of Recovery and Analysis of Vector DNA. Equal numbers (1.5 the viral genome and encapsidation ofviral RNA. To give this x 106) of virus-infected, HATr A9 cells and COS cells were vector the properties of a "shuttle" vector, a fragment plated together in 100-mm dishes and were fused 2 days later containing the simian virus 40 (SV40) origin of replication, by addition of 50% PEG plus 10% dimethyl sulfoxide for 1 the pBR322 origin of replication, and the neo gene from TnS min (16). Two days later, low molecular weight DNA was was introduced into the Xho I site. The presence of the SV40 extracted (17) and used to transform E. coli (18). Bacterial and pBR322 origins of replication enable the vector to strains DH-1 (18) and DT-2 (5) were provided by R. replicate in mammalian cells and bacteria, while the neo gene Kucherlapati (University of Illinois at Chicago). Kanamycin- provides a selectable marker in bacteria (Kanr) and mamma- resistant (Kan9 transformants were selected on plates con- lian cells (G418D. taining that drug at 50 ,g/ml. Sgur transformants were High titers of virus are produced when the pZip- selected as described (5). Preparation of plasmid DNA, NeoSV(X)l vector is introduced into psi-2 cells (11). This cell restriction enzyme digestion, agarose gel electrophoresis, line, which contains a defective Mo-MuLV provirus, supplies and Southern blotting were carried out as described (5). all the functions in trans necessary for the packaging ofRNA Mutagenesis. Virus-infected A9 cells maintained in HAT into virus but is incapable of packaging its own RNA. To medium were inoculated at a density of 106 cells per dish into determine whether the pZip-GptNeo vector could likewise be 150-mm tissue culture dishes containing medium supplement- packaged into a transmissible virus, it was transfected into ed with 0.1 mM hypoxanthine, 16 AM thymidine, and ethyl the psi-2 cell line and transformants were selected in G418 methanesulfonate (EtMes). After 18 hr, the medium was medium. In one experiment, the transfection of 2 x 106 psi-2 replaced with fresh G418 medium. After 10 days of growth in cells with 10 ,ug of vector DNA gave about 100 G418r G418 medium, the cells were harvested and mutant frequen- colonies. cies were determined. For Sgu resistance, three 100-mm Medium from cultures of G418r psi-2 cells was collected dishes were inoculated with 1-2 x 105 cells per dish; for and used as a source of virus to infect A9 cells.