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. 1990 Jul 25;18(14):4207–4213. doi: 10.1093/nar/18.14.4207

Branch capture reactions: effect of recipient structure.

P H Weinstock 1, J G Wetmur 1
PMCID: PMC331180  PMID: 2198537

Abstract

Branch capture reactions (BCR) contain two DNA species: (i) a recipient restriction fragment terminating in an overhang and (ii) a displacer-linker duplex terminating in a displacer tail complementary to the overhang as well as contiguous nucleotides within the recipient duplex. Branched complexes containing both species are captured by ligation of the linker to the recipient overhang. Specificity depends upon branch migration and is increased by substitution of bromodeoxycytidine for deoxycytidine in the displacer. BCR rates and specificities were determined for recipient overhangs that were (i) 5' and 3', (ii) 3 and 4 nucleotides long, and (iii) 0-100% G+C. Model systems permitted independent determination of G+C and branching effects on ligation rates and verification of rapid equilibrium between the branched complex and its component species. With all 4-base overhangs, recipient duplexes permitting extensive branch migration became saturated with displacer-linker duplexes. With increasing G+C, increasing ligation at competing sites led to decreased BCR specificity. BCR may be used to label a DNA fragment prior to electrophoresis, mark a fragment for affinity chromatography, or introduce a new overhang sequence compatible with a restriction endonuclease site in a cloning vector. A protocol was confirmed for mapping restriction sites in cloned DNA.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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