title: Sequence-specific binding of DNA and RNA to immobilized Nickel ions.
abstract: Immobilization of divalent Nickel cations provides a tool for affinity purification of proteins containing hexahistidine tags. During experiments to generate single-stranded DNA aptamers to immobilized proteins we inadvertently identified DNA sequences with affinity for Nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni(2+)-NTA) magnetic beads. Analysis of these aptamers revealed that affinity for the Ni(2+)-NTA support requires only single-stranded sequences with multiple adenosine residues. Bound nucleic acids can be eluted with imidazole. A single-stranded dA(20) affinity tag (but not other homopolymer sequences) is sufficient for immobilization of double-stranded DNA PCR products on Ni(2+)-NTA magnetic beads. Addition of an rA(20) sequence to an RNA transcript allowed its affinity capture on Ni(2+)-NTA magnetic beads, suggesting an approach for purification of poly(A) mRNA.
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors: Branislav
authors: B
authors: Nastasijevic
authors: Nicole A
authors: NA
authors: Becker
authors: Susan E
authors: SE
authors: Wurster
authors: L James
authors: LJ
authors: Maher
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D001665:Binding Sites; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D009532:Nickel; D004247:DNA