High-throughput Functional Screening using a Homemade Dual-glow Luciferase Assay

Summary

We present a rapid and inexpensive screening method for identifying transcriptional regulators using high-throughput robotic transfections and a homemade dual-glow luciferase assay. This protocol rapidly generates direct side-by-side functional data for thousands of genes and is easily modifiable to target any gene of interest.

Abstract

We present a rapid and inexpensive high-throughput screening protocol to identify transcriptional regulators of alpha-synuclein, a gene associated with Parkinson's disease. 293T cells are transiently transfected with plasmids from an arrayed ORF expression library, together with luciferase reporter plasmids, in a one-gene-per-well microplate format. Firefly luciferase activity is assayed after 48 hr to determine the effects of each library gene upon alpha-synuclein transcription, normalized to expression from an internal control construct (a hCMV promoter directing Renilla luciferase). This protocol is facilitated by a bench-top robot enclosed in a biosafety cabinet, which performs aseptic liquid handling in 96-well format. Our automated transfection protocol is readily adaptable to high-throughput lentiviral library production or other functional screening protocols requiring triple-transfections of large numbers of unique library plasmids in conjunction with a common set of helper plasmids. We also present an inexpensive and validated alternative to commercially-available, dual luciferase reagents which employs PTC124, EDTA, and pyrophosphate to suppress firefly luciferase activity prior to measurement of Renilla luciferase. Using these methods, we screened 7,670 human genes and identified 68 regulators of alpha-synuclein. This protocol is easily modifiable to target other genes of interest.

Introduction

The ability to identify key genetic regulatory elements and the factors that act on them is fundamental for the exploration of numerous biological processes. However, identifying factors that regulate expression of genes in rare cell types, such as specific neuronal populations, can be challenging. Here, we present a protocol for identifying novel transcriptional regulators of alpha-synuclein (SNCA), a gene associated with Parkinson's disease and expressed in dopaminergic neurons in the substantianigra pars compacta region of the midbrain. We accomplish this using a high-throughput, dual-luciferase, in vitro reporter screen to deconstruct alpha-synuclein ....

Protocol

For an experimental overview, see Figure 1.

1. Prepare Reporter Plasmids Containing the Alpha-Synuclein Promoter

Regulatory elements of the alpha-synuclein gene (Figure 2) span approximately 10 kb, from the upstream NACP (non-A beta component of amyloid peptide) dinucleotide repeat sequence^1,2 through intron 2 ³. We include a portion of this region in our reporter construct. We found that plasmids containing intron 2 required special procedures for growth, as outlined below. The luciferase plasmids, pGL4.10 and pGL4.75 (Figure 3), are commerci....

Results

Typical luciferase values, F:R ratios and induction values for a single half-plate are shown in Figure 4. Note the hit in well H2, a 32-fold inducer. Genes causing excessive toxicity (for example, well E3), or wells that were poorly transfected, will produce low values for both firefly and Renilla luciferases, but an average induction value. Genes causing non-specific induction of luciferase activity, perhaps via interaction with the pGL4 backbone, will induce firefly and Renilla

Discussion

Alpha-synuclein has been implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) as a component of Lewy bodies⁴, intracellular inclusions considered pathognomonic for the disease. Numerous genome-wide association studies have linked single nucleotide polymorphisms in alpha-synuclein with increased risk for sporadic PD^5,6,7. Although less common than sporadic PD, familial PD may be also caused by mutations in alpha-synuclein⁸, as well as duplication and triplication of the alpha-synuclein locus^9,1.......

Materials

List of materials used in this article

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
Material
QIAQuick PCR Purification Kit	Qiagen	28106
PureLink Quick Gel Extraction Kit	Invitrogen	K2100-12
PureLink PCR Micro Kit	Invitrogen	K310250
PureLinkHiPure Plasmid Miniprep Kit	Invitrogen	K2100-03
PureLinkHiPure Plasmid Maxiprep Kit	Invitrogen	K2100-07
Bravo Robot	Agilent	-
Robot Pipet Tips with Filter	Agilent	19477-022
Robot Pipet Tips without Filter	Agilent	19477-002
Clear-bottomed 96-well Plates	Corning	3610
Reservoirs	Axygen	RES-SW96-HP-SI
Polystyrene V-bottomed 96-well Plate	Greiner	651101
Polypropylene V-bottomed 96-well Plate	Greiner	651201
Adhesive Plate Covers	CryoStuff	#FS100
Reagent
Phusion DNA Polymerase	New England Biolabs	M0530L
BAC 2002-D6	Invitrogen	2002-D6
Calf Intestine Alkaline Phosphatase	Roche	10713023001
T4 DNA Ligase	New England Biolabs	M0202L
pGL4.10	Promega	E6651
pGL4.74	Promega	E6931
ElectroMAX Stbl4 Competent Cells	Invitrogen	11635-018
Subcloning Efficiency DH5α Competent Cells	Invitrogen	18265-017
DMEM without Phenol Red	Invitrogen	31053-028
Optifect	Invitrogen	12579017
Ciprofloxacin	CellGro	61-277-RF
Tris-Hydrochloride Powder	Sigma	93287
Tris-Base Powder	Sigma	93286
Triton X-100 Pure Liquid	Fisher	BP151-100
DTT	Invitrogen	15508-013
C–nzyme A	Nanolight	309
ATP	Sigma	A6419
Luciferin	Invitrogen	L2912
h-CTZ	Nanolight	301
PTC124	SelleckBiochemicals	S6003