Correspondence between radioactive and functional methods in the quality control of DNA restriction and modifying enzymes

L E Trujillo, E Pupo, F Miranda, E Pérez, Ernesto I Gonzalez de Valdivia

Abstract

We evaluated the use of two radiolabeled lambda DNA/Hpa II substrates to detect 5'-->3', 3'-->5' single and double stranded DNA dependent exonuclease and phosphatase activities found as contaminants in restriction and modifying enzyme preparations. Looking for the meaning of the radioactive assays results in a real cloning experience, we performed a cloning simulation assay using the same conditions established for the radioactive assay (enzyme units and pmols of DNA ends). As a result, we found that for degradation percentages of the radioactive DNA substrate per enzyme unit below 0.5, the false positives in the cloning stimulation assay were less than 5%. This conditions could ensure a good performance of the enzyme preparations for cloning experiments. Finally, we described the use of the radiolabeled [gamma 33P] ATP lambda Hpa II DNA substrate to detect 5'-->3' single stranded DNA dependent exonuclease and phosphatase contaminating activities in some critical steps of the purification process of the restriction enzyme Kpn I.
Original languageEnglish
JournalRevista Latinoamericana de Microbiologia
Volume38
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)31-7
Number of pages7
ISSN0034-9771
Publication statusPublished - 1996

Keywords

  • Bacteriological Techniques
  • Bacteriophage lambda
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA Modification Methylases
  • DNA Restriction Enzymes
  • DNA, Viral
  • Deoxyribonuclease HpaII
  • Drug Contamination
  • Escherichia coli
  • Exonucleases
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • Radioactive Tracers
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

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