title: Vika/vox, a novel efficient and specific Cre/loxP-like site-specific recombination system.
abstract: Targeted genome engineering has become an important research area for diverse disciplines, with site-specific recombinases (SSRs) being among the most popular genome engineering tools. Their ability to trigger excision, integration, inversion and translocation has made SSRs an invaluable tool to manipulate DNA in vitro and in vivo. However, sophisticated strategies that combine different SSR systems are ever increasing. Hence, the demand for additional precise and efficient recombinases is dictated by the increasing complexity of the genetic studies. Here, we describe a novel site-specific recombination system designated Vika/vox. Vika originates from a degenerate bacteriophage of Vibrio coralliilyticus and shares low sequence similarity to other tyrosine recombinases, but functionally carries out a similar type of reaction. We demonstrate that Vika is highly specific in catalyzing vox recombination without recombining target sites from other SSR systems. We also compare the recombination activity of Vika/vox with other SSR systems, providing a guideline for deciding on the most suitable enzyme for a particular application and demonstrate that Vika expression does not cause cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. Our results show that Vika/vox is a novel powerful and safe instrument in the 'genetic toolbox' that can be used alone or in combination with other SSRs in heterologous hosts.
authors.affiliation: Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, University of Technology, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: Madina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimova
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abi-Ghanem
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Vineeth
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Surendranath
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Pisabarro
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buchholz
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001287:Attachment Sites, Microbiological; D001435:Bacteriophages / Q000201:enzymology; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D019426:Integrases / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D045522:Recombinases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D014443:Tyrosine
chemical_list: D045522:Recombinases; D014443:Tyrosine; C045073:Cre recombinase; D019426:Integrases