• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.128-134
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• 2003

Transformation-associated recombination (TAR) cloning is based on co-penetration into yeast spheroplasts of genomic DNA along with TAR vector DNA that contains 5'- and 3'-sequences (hooks) specific for a gene of interest, followed by recombination between the vector and the human genomic DNA to establish a circular YAC. Typically, the frequency of recombinant insert capture is 0.01-1% for single-copy genes by TAR cloning. To further refine the TAR cloning technology, we determined the effect of GC content on target hooks required for gene isolation utilizing the $Tg\cdot\AC$ mouse transgene as the targeted region. For this purpose, a set of vectors containing a B1 repeated hook and Tg AC-specific hooks of variable GC content (from 18 to 45%) was constructed and checked for efficiency of transgene isolation by radial TAR cloning. Efficiency of cloning decreased approximately 2-fold when the TAR vector contained a hook with a GC content ～${\leq}23$% versus ～40%. Thus, the optimal GC content of hook sequences required for gene isolation by TAR is approximately 40%. We also analyzed how the distribution of high GC content (65%) within the hook affects gene capture, but no dramatic differences for gene capturing were observed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1036-1043
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• 2006

The transformation-associated recombination (TAR) cloning technique allows selective isolation of chromosome regions or genes from complex genome. The procedure requires knowledge of relatively small genomic sequences that reside adjacent to the chromosome region of interest. This method involves homologous recombination during spheroplast transformation between genomic DNA and a TAR vector that has 5' and 3' gene targeting sequences (hooks). To examine whether TAR cloning can be applied to the isolation of gene homologues, we chose the HPRT genes from human and mouse genome. As results, the yield of positive clones for HPRT gene from human and mouse genome when using a TAR vector containing mHPRT hook or hHPRT hook was almost same level. Analysis of the gap regions in mHPRT revealed that they contain abnormalities that could result in instability of the sequences. In conclusion, we were able to use the TAR cloning technology to isolate gene homologue (orthologue) from nonidentical genome. Moreover, the use of the TAR cloning system may accelerate work on closing the remaining gaps in mammalian genome to achieve the goal of annotation of all mammalian genes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.322-328
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• 2003

The Transformation-Associated Recombination (TAR) cloning technique allows selective isolation of chromosomal regions and genes from complex genomes. The procedure requires knowledge of relatively small genomic sequences that reside adjacent to the chromosomal region of interest. This technique involves homologous recombination during yeast spheroplast transformation between genomic DNA and a TAR vector that has 5'and 3' gene targeting sequences. In this study, we examined the minimum size of specific hooks required for a single-copy gene isolation and compared the utility of different TAR vectors, radial and unique vectors, by cloning the same single-copy gene. The efficiency of TAR cloning of the hHPRT gene was same using hooks varying from 750 to 63 bp. The number of transformants decreased approximately 20-fold when the TAR vector contained two unique hooks versus using a radial vector, but the percentage of positive recombinants increased over 2-fold when a unique TAR vector was used. Therefore, we suggest that the two-unique TAR vector is suitable for general TAR cloning given its high selectivity, and the radial TAR vector is more suitable when genomic DNA is in limited quantity, for example, DNA isolated from pathological specimens. Moreover, we confirm the minimal length of a unique sequence in a TAR vector is approximately 60 bp for a single-copy gene isolation.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.239-245
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• 2005

Transformation-Associated Recombination (TAR) cloning technique allows selective isolation of chromosomal regions and genes from complex genomes. The procedure requires knowledge of relatively small genomic sequences that reside adjacent to the chromosomal region of interest. This technique involves homologous recombination during yeast spheroplast transformation between genomic DNA and a TAR vector that has 5' and 3' gene targeting sequences. In this study, we examined the effect of non-homologous spacing sequence in target hooks on homologous recombination using a plasmid model system. The efficiency of homologous recombination between the modified his3-TRP1-his3 fragments and HlS3 gene on plasmid were analyzed by the characterization of $Ura^+$ transformants. The numbers of $Ura^+$ transformant showed same level when seven different modified his3-TRP1-his3 fragments were used. But the percentage of positive recombinants. $Trp^+His^-$, dramatically decreased when used the modified his3-TRP1-his3 fragments contained incorrect spacing of nonhomologous region. As a result, we suggest that incorrect spacing inhibits the homologous recombination between target hook and substrate DNA. Therefore, we should consider the correct spacing in target hook when the target hook are used for cloning of orthologue gene.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.243-249
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• 2007

The centromere is a highly differentiated structure of the chromosome that fulfills a multitude of essential mitotic and meiotic functions. Alphoid DNA (${\alpha}$-satellite) is the most abundant family of repeated DNA found at the centromere of all human chromosomes, and chromosomes of primates in general. The most important parts in the development of Human Artificial Chromosomes (HACs), are the isolation and maintenance of stability of centromeric region. For isolation of this region, we could use the targeting hook with alphoid DNA repeat and cloned by Transformation-Associated Recombination (TAR) cloning technique in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The method includes rolling-circle amplification (RCA) of repeats in vitro to 5 kb-length and elongation of the RCA products by homologous recombination in yeast. Four types of $35\;kb{\sim}50\;kb$ of centromeric DNA repeat arrays (2, 4, 5, 6 mer) are used to examine the stability of repeats in homologous recombination mutant strains (rad51, rad52, and rad54). Following the transformation into wild type, rad51 and rad54 mutant strains, there were frequent changes in inserted size. A rad52 mutant strain showed extremely low transformation frequency, but increased stability of centromeric DNA repeat arrays at least 3 times higher than other strains. Based on these results, the incidence of large mutations could be reduced using a rad52 mutant strain in maintenance of centromeric DNA repeat arrays. This genetic method may use more general application in the maintenance of tandem repeats in construction of HAC.