@phdthesis{Liaqat2022,
  author    = {Liaqat, Anam},
  title     = {Artificial Evolution of Nucleic Acid Catalysts and their Use for Studying RNA},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-28311},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-283111},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {RNA molecules play diverse roles in biological systems. Post-transcriptional RNA modifications and dynamic structures enhance the functional diversity of RNA. A prerequisite for studying their biological significance is the availability of reliable methods for the detection of RNA modifications and structures. Several promising approaches have been developed in the last few decades; however, efficient, and versatile tools are still required to study the dynamic features of RNA. This thesis focuses on the development of nucleic acid catalysts as a tool to address the current needs in studying RNA. The major part of this thesis aimed at the development of deoxyribozymes as a tool for the detection of RNA modifications. Using in vitro selection from a random DNA library, we found deoxyribozymes that are sensitive to N 6 -isopentenyladenosine (i6A), a native tRNA modification and structural analogue of m6A. The in vitro evolution identified three classes of DNA enzymes: AA, AB08, and AC17 DNAzymes that showed distinct response to i6A modification and showed strong discrimination between structural analogues, i.e., m6A and i6A. In the continuation of the project, we attempted to develop RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes that differentially respond to monomethylated cytidine isomers, 3-methylcytidine (m3C), N4 - methylcytidine (m4C), and 5-methylcytidine (m5C). Several deoxyribozymes were identified from in vitro selection, which are selective for a specific methylated cytidine isomer. The characterization of AL112, AM101, AN05, and AK104 catalysts confirmed the successful evolution of modification-specific and general deoxyribozymes that showed a broad substrate scope. In order to accelerate the DNAzymes discovery, a high throughput sequencing method (DZ-seq) was established that directly quantifies the RNA cleavage activity and cleavage site from deep sequencing data. The libraries contained information about cleavage status, cleavage site and sequence of deoxyribozymes and RNA substrate. The fraction cleaved (FC) data obtained from Dz-seq was validated for a subset of deoxyribozmes using conventional gel based kinetic assay and showed a good linear correlation (R2 = 0.91). Dz-seq possesses a great potential for the discovery of novel deoxyribozymes for the analysis of various RNA modifications in the future. The second objective of the current study was the development of structure-specific RNA labeling ribozymes. Here, we attempted to develop ribozymes that targets RNA of interest by structure-specific interaction rather than base-pairing and focused on a specific RNA G-quadruplex as the target. Two subsequent selection experiments led to the identification of the adenylyltransferase ribozymes AO10.2 and AR9. The partial characterization of these catalysts showed that A010.2 was unable to recognize intact BCL2 structure, but it turned out as the first reported trans-active ribozyme that efficiently labeled uridine in a defined substrate RNA hybridized to the ribozyme. The other ribozyme AR9 was shown to serve as a trans-active, self-labeling ribozyme that catalyzed adenylyl transferase reaction in the presence of the intact BCL2 sequence. Based on these preliminary findings, we envision that AR9 could potentially serve as a reporter RNA by self-labeling in the presence of an RNA G-quadruplex. However, both AO10.2 and AR9 still require more detailed characterization for their potential applications.},
  language  = {en}
}
@incollection{LiaqatSednevHoebartner2022,
  author    = {Liaqat, Anam and Sednev, Maksim V. and H{\"o}bartner, Claudia},
  title     = {In Vitro Selection of Deoxyribozymes for the Detection of RNA Modifications},
  series = {Ribosome Biogenesis: Methods and Protocols},
  booktitle = {Ribosome Biogenesis: Methods and Protocols},
  publisher = {Humana Press},
  isbn      = {978-1-0716-2501-9},
  doi       = {10.1007/978-1-0716-2501-9_10},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-279208},
  publisher      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  pages     = {167-179},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {Deoxyribozymes are artificially evolved DNA molecules with catalytic abilities. RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes have been recognized as an efficient tool for detection of modifications in target RNAs and provide an alternative to traditional and modern methods for detection of ribose or nucleobase methylation. However, there are only few examples of DNA enzymes that specifically reveal the presence of a certain type of modification, including N6-methyladenosine, and the knowledge about how DNA enzymes recognize modified RNAs is still extremely limited. Therefore, DNA enzymes cannot be easily engineered for the analysis of desired RNA modifications, but are instead identified by in vitro selection from random DNA libraries using synthetic modified RNA substrates. This protocol describes a general in vitro selection stagtegy to evolve new RNA-cleaving DNA enzymes that can efficiently differentiate modified RNA substrates from their unmodified counterpart.},
  language  = {en}
}
@unpublished{SednevLiaqatHoebartner2022,
  author    = {Sednev, Maksim V. and Liaqat, Anam and H{\"o}bartner, Claudia},
  title     = {High-Throughput Activity Profiling of RNA-Cleaving DNA Catalysts by Deoxyribozyme Sequencing (DZ-seq)},
  series = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
  journal   = {Journal of the American Chemical Society},
  doi       = {10.1021/jacs.1c12489},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-258520},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes have found broad application as useful tools for RNA biochemistry. However, tedious in vitro selection procedures combined with laborious characterization of individual candidate catalysts hinder the discovery of novel catalytic motifs. Here, we present a new high-throughput sequencing method, DZ-seq, which directly measures activity and localizes cleavage sites of thousands of deoxyribozymes. DZ-seq exploits A-tailing followed by reverse transcription with an oligo-dT primer to capture the cleavage status and sequences of both deoxyribozyme and RNA substrate. We validated DZ-seq by conventional analytical methods and demonstrated its utility by discovery of novel deoxyribozymes that allow for cleaving challenging RNA targets or the analysis of RNA modification states.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LiaqatSednevStilleretal.2021,
  author    = {Liaqat, Anam and Sednev, Maksim V. and Stiller, Carina and H{\"o}bartner, Claudia},
  title     = {RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes differentiate methylated cytidine isomers in RNA},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  volume    = {60},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  doi       = {10.1002/anie.202106517},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-256519},
  pages     = {19058-19062},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Deoxyribozymes are emerging as modification-specific endonucleases for the analysis of epigenetic RNA modifications. Here, we report RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes that differentially respond to the presence of natural methylated cytidines, 3-methylcytidine (m\(^3\)C), N\(^4\)-methylcytidine (m\(^4\)C), and 5-methylcytidine (m\(^5\)C), respectively. Using in vitro selection, we found several DNA catalysts, which are selectively activated by only one of the three cytidine isomers, and display 10- to 30-fold accelerated cleavage of their target m\(^3\)C-, m\(^4\)C- or m\(^5\)C-modified RNA. An additional deoxyribozyme is strongly inhibited by any of the three methylcytidines, but effectively cleaves unmodified RNA. The mXC-detecting deoxyribozymes are programmable for the interrogation of natural RNAs of interest, as demonstrated for human mitochondrial tRNAs containing known m\(^3\)C and m\(^5\)C sites. The results underline the potential of synthetic functional DNA to shape highly selective active sites.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LiaqatSednevStilleretal.2021,
  author    = {Liaqat, Anam and Sednev, Maksim V. and Stiller, Carina and H{\"o}bartner, Claudia},
  title     = {RNA-Cleaving Deoxyribozymes Differentiate Methylated Cytidine Isomers in RNA},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  volume    = {60},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  number    = {35},
  doi       = {10.1002/anie.202106517},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-254544},
  pages     = {19058-19062},
  year      = {2021},
  abstract  = {Deoxyribozymes are emerging as modification-specific endonucleases for the analysis of epigenetic RNA modifications. Here, we report RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes that differentially respond to the presence of natural methylated cytidines, 3-methylcytidine (m\(^3\)C), N\(^4\)-methylcytidine (m\(^4\)C), and 5-methylcytidine (m\(^5\)C), respectively. Using in vitro selection, we found several DNA catalysts, which are selectively activated by only one of the three cytidine isomers, and display 10- to 30-fold accelerated cleavage of their target m\(^3\)C-, m\(^4\)C- or m\(^5\)C-modified RNA. An additional deoxyribozyme is strongly inhibited by any of the three methylcytidines, but effectively cleaves unmodified RNA. The m\(^X\)C-detecting deoxyribozymes are programmable for the interrogation of natural RNAs of interest, as demonstrated for human mitochondrial tRNAs containing known m\(^3\)C and m\(^5\)C sites. The results underline the potential of synthetic functional DNA to shape highly selective active sites.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{LiaqatStillerMicheletal.2020,
  author    = {Liaqat, Anam and Stiller, Carina and Michel, Manuela and Sednev, Maksim V. and H{\"o}bartner, Claudia},
  title     = {N\(^6\)-Isopentenyladenosine in RNA Determines the Cleavage Site of Endonuclease Deoxyribozymes},
  series = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  journal   = {Angewandte Chemie International Edition},
  edition   = {Early View},
  doi       = {10.1002/ange.202006218},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-212121},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {RNA-cleaving deoxyribozymes can serve as selective sensors and catalysts to examine the modification state of RNA. However, site-specific endonuclease deoxyribozymes that selectively cleave posttranscriptionally modified RNA are extremely rare and their specificity over unmodified RNA is low. In this study, we report that the native tRNA modification N\(^6\)-isopentenyladenosine (i\(^6\)A) strongly enhances the specificity and has the power to reconfigure the active site of an RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme. Using in vitro selection, we identified a DNA enzyme that cleaves i\(^6\)A-modified RNA at least 2500-fold faster than unmodified RNA. Another deoxyribozyme shows unique and unprecedented behaviour by shifting its cleavage site in the presence of the i\(^6\)A RNA modification. Together with deoxyribozymes that are strongly inhibited by i\(^6\)A, these results highlight intricate ways of modulating the catalytic activity of DNA by posttranscriptional RNA modifications.},
  language  = {en}
}