Mutant DNA Polymerases: Strand Displacement With Reduced Nuclease Activity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing thermostable DNA polymerases exhibit inefficient strand displacement activity and high 5′-3′ exo/endo nuclease activity, which hampers their effectiveness in nucleic acid synthesis and amplification processes.

Innovation Solution

Mutations in the polymerase domain, particularly at specific amino acid positions, enhance 5′-3′ strand displacement activity and reduce 5′-3′ exo/endo nuclease activity, resulting in improved thermostable DNA polymerases with enhanced performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If existing thermostable DNA polymerases are used, then they maintain stability at elevated temperatures, but they exhibit inefficient strand displacement activity and high 5'-3' exo/endo nuclease activity

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovethermostabilityVSAvoidnuclease activity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by mutating specific amino acid residues in the polymerase domain to alter the enzyme's functional properties. Mutations at positions corresponding to residues 565, 566, 567, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575, 576, 577, 578, 579, 580, 581, 582, 583, 584, 585, 586, 587, 588, 589, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760, 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1000 change the enzyme's catalytic properties, reducing nuclease activity while preserving polymerase function and thermostability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Stability of the object's composition

If existing thermostable DNA polymerases are used, then they maintain structural integrity at high temperatures, but they exhibit poor strand displacement activity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidstrand displacement activity
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by introducing mutations in the polymerase domain that specifically enhance strand displacement activity. These mutations alter the enzyme's interaction with DNA substrates, enabling efficient displacement of downstream strands while maintaining the enzyme's structural integrity and thermostability during repeated PCR cycles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If mutations are introduced to improve strand displacement activity, then 5'-3' strand displacement activity increases, but 5'-3' exo/endo nuclease activity may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestrand displacement activityVSAvoidnuclease activity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making specific localized mutations at defined positions in the polymerase domain. These targeted mutations at specific amino acid positions create local changes that enhance strand displacement activity while simultaneously reducing nuclease activity, rather than making global changes to the enzyme structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20250283061A1Mutant DNA polymerase(s) with improved strand displacement ability
Publication Date: 2025.09.11 ROCHE MOLECULAR SYSTEMS INC
  • US20250283061A1 patent drawing
  • US20250283061A1 patent drawing
  • US20250283061A1 patent drawing

AI summary

Disclosed are DNA polymerases having increased 5′-3′ strand displacement activity and substantially reduced 5′-3′ exonuclease and endonuclease activity relative to a corresponding, unmodified polymerase. The polymerases are useful in a variety of disclosed primer extension methods. Also disclosed are related compositions, including recombinant nucleic acids, vectors, and host cells, which are useful, e.g., for production of the DNA polymerases.