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The present invention relates to methods of replacing nucleotides in target nucleic acid sequences using DNA-LNA chimeras. The method of the present invention provides for replacing a first nucleotide in a target sequence by exposing the target sequence to a DNA-LNA heteropolymer and thereby replacing the first nucleotide with a second nucleotide. The invention also features the DNA-LNA chimeras themselves as well as methods of making them.
1. A heteropolymer for introducing a single base change in a target oligonucleotide, wherein the target oligonucleotide comprises a 3′ → 5′ strand of contiguous nucleic acids having a target sequence of nucleic acids comprising a nucleotide to be modified, wherein said heteropolymer comprises:
a first strand having a sequence of nucleic acids that is completely complementary to the target sequence of nucleic acids except for a single nucleotide on the first strand at a position corresponding to the position of the nucleotide to be modified on the target sequence, wherein the first strand comprises one or more locked nucleic acids;
and a second strand having a sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids that is completely complementary to the first strand,
wherein at least two homologous regions of the first strand comprise at least 3 contiguous LNA-type nucleobases which are Watson-Crick paired to deoxyribo-type nucleobases of the second strand.
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This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application serial number 60/386,222 filed Jun. 12, 2001, arising from conversion of non-provisional U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/879,310, (entitled LOCKED NUCLEIC ACID CONTAINING HETEROPOLYMERS AND RELATED METHODS, and filed on Jun. 12, 2001), to a provisional application by petition filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 8, 2002, the specification of which in herein incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
The present invention relates to the fields of nucleic acid chimeras and methods of making single base changes in nucleic acid sequences. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods of using DNA-LNA (locked nucleic acid) heteropolymers to make single nucleotide base changes in target nucleic acid.
Methods of changing one or more nucleotides in a nucleic acid sequence are useful in several applications, including the identification and alteration of gene function in an organism. Such site-directed gene manipulation has been moderately successful via homologous recombination in animal models, and particularly, in mammalian cell cultures. See, e.g., Yoon, et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:2071�2076 (1996).
Unfortunately, the success of conventional homologous recombination in animal models has been limited in plant cells due to the low frequency of homologous recombination. See, Zhu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 96:8768�8773 (1999). Moreover, this method also suffers from complications of random insertion in the absence of correct sequence homology. See, Capecchi, M. R., Science 244:1288�1292 (1989). Triple-helix forming oligonucleotides coupled to cross linking agents have been used with limited success to alter DNA sequences. However, the utility of this approach is constrained by the absolute necessity that the target DNA sequence must consist of homopyrimidine or homopurine stretches in the target DNA sequences.
Another method for gene targeting involves the use of chimeric DNA/RNA oligonucleotides to introduce single-point mutations in certain nucleotide sequences. Such mutations induced by chimeric DNA/RNA oligonucleotides generally have involved alteration of 1�2 base pairs in the target site, and is suitable for many applications, such as site specific mutagenesis, gene knockouts, and allelic replacements. For example, tyrosinase is an essential enzyme in melanin synthesis, produced by melanocytes, and sufficient for pigmentation change in vitro and in vivo. Melanocytes from albino mice contain a homozygous point mutation (TGT→TCT) in the tyrosinase gene. This results in an amino acid sequence change from Cys to Ser at amino acid 85 of the mature tryosinase. This single amino acid change is responsible for the complete inactivation of tyrosinase and the resultant absence of pigmentation. Thus, correction of the point mutation in tyrosinase gene results in the restoration of the enzyme activity and in changes of the pigmentation of the cell.
This ability to correct single point mutations has enabled the creation of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of genetic diseases not otherwise available. For example, sickle cell anemia is the classic prototype of a hereditary hemoglobinpathy resulting from a point mutation in the β-globin gene. The single point correction of an A- to -T mutation within the β-globin results in the change from a mutant valine to the normal glutamic acid residue. Correction of the mutant allele through a gene conversion mechanism provides a means for gene therapy that avoids the the attendant problems associated with current therapies such as transduction methods based on retro- and adenovirus vectors. See, e.g., Cole-Strauss, et al. Science, 273:1386�1389 (1996).
It may be possible to use such chimeric DNA/RNA oligonucleotides to: (1) create cell and animal disease models for drug target validation (2) produce novel plants with desired input traits, e.g., heat, cold and salt resistance, and output traits, e.g., higher fiber content and nutritional value (3) correct small genetic mutations that cause disease (4) alter normal genes and thereby modulate disease-relevant pathways and (5) optimize other industrial applications such as fermentation. See, http://www.valigen.net/tech.htm.
Chimeric mutational vectors (CMVs) having non-natural nucleotides are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,731,181 and 5,795,972. The CMVs are said to comprise two complimentary oligoncleobase strands, wherein the oligonucleobases are either ribo-type (i.e., having a 2′ hydroxyl) or 2′-deoxyribo-type. At least three contiguous bases of one strand are ribo-type nucleobases, preferably nuclease resistant nucleobases. The patents state that the nucleobases of a chain of a CMV can be any nucleobase now known or to be developed that hybridizes by Watson-Crick base pairing to DNA. CMVs have been shown to effect single point mutations in wild type human liver/bone/kidney episomal alkaline phosphatase.
While these strategies have been successful in animal models, little is known about the use of single point gene modification or the introduction of CMVs in plant systems. As noted above, the applicability of site-specific gene modification has wide reaching utilities in the agricultural industry, including the development of herbicide- and disease-resistant plants. For such applications, heritablity of gene modifications and stable transmission of modified genetic traits to plant progeny is a necessity. While chimeric DNA/RNA oligonucleotides have been used to engineer herbicide-resistant maize plants without integrating foreign genes or regulatory sequences into the plants, the frequency rates in plants are approximately three orders of magnitude lower than those reported for chimeric gene modification in animal systems. See, Zhu et al., Nature Biotechnology, 18:555�558 (2000). Studies suggest this lower success rate may be due to the differences in efficiencies of homologous pairing, strand transfer, or mismatch repair between mammalian and plant cells. Thus, a need remains for addressing these lower frequencies of gene modification in plant systems. Likewise, there exists a need to improve upon the homologous pairing, strand transfer, or mismatch repair efficiencies currently attainable.
Even in animal models, the success rate of current chimeric RNA-DNA techniques converting single point mutations is quite low, hovering around 13�30%. See generally, Kren et al, Nature Medicine 4:285�290 (1998). Indeed, the low frequency of specificity remains a serious limitation in the realm of therapeutics. Severe difficulties arise under conditions where the single point mutation is inaccessible due to intrastrand folding and intermolecular conformational stabilities.
Recently, oligonucleotide analogues have been developed to investigate the conformational transition that occurs when oligonucleotides hybridize to a target sequence, from the relatively random coil structure of the single stranded state to the ordered structure of the duplex state. For example, conformationally restricted oligonucleotide analogues that include locked nucleoside analogues (LNAs) are described in PCT WO 99/14226. As an example, bicyclic LNAs contain nucleosides with a 2′-O-4′-C methylene bridge. Other bicyclic and tricyclic LNAs are described therein and are incorporated by reference, including any drawings. This conformational and steric hindrance is believed to inhibit nuclease attack of the LNAs, thereby resulting in an increased thermal stability of duplexes formed between LNAs and complementary DNA or RNA. To date, while LNAs have been developed as blocking agents for translation and transcription in vitro and in vivo, as sequence specific inhibitors such as PCR clamping, as well as in various antisense therapies, the unique capabilities of LNA have not been harnessed for use in the repair of single point mutations. See. e.g., www.proligo.com.
Thus, there still remains a need for additional methods of replacing nucleotides in target nucleic acid sequences for a wide variety of uses relating to the identification and alteration of gene function in an organism. Accordingly, a need also exists for an improved method of introducing a single point mutation into cells with an increased efficiency than is currently attainable.
The present invention relates to methods of replacing nucleotides in target nucleic acid sequences using DNA-LNA heteropolymers. In one embodiment, a first nucleotide is exposed to LNA-DNA heteropolymer and the target nucleotide replaced with a second nucleotide. The invention also features the DNA-LNA heteropolymers themselves as well as methods of making them.
In the present disclosure, �heteropolymers� refer to polymers of non-identical subunits, which are linked by oriented phosphodiester bonds or their derivatives, into polymers.
In the present disclosure, an �oligonucleotide� has its usual term in molecular biology. It refers to a polymer of nucleobases that can hybridize by Watson-Crick base pairing to a complementary sequence.
In the present disclosure, nucleobases comprise a base, which is purine, pyrimidine, or a derivative or analog thereof. Nucleobases include peptide nucleobases, the subunits of peptide nucleic acids, and morpholine nuclebases as well as nucleosides, nucleotoids, and nucleotides. Nucleosides are nucleobases that contain a pentosefuranosyl moiety, e.g., an optionally substituted riboside or 2′deoxyriboside, and have a linkage to other nucleobases that does not contain a phosphorus. Nulceotoids are pentosefuranosyl containing nucleobases having linkages that contain pohosphorus, e.g., phosphorothioates, phosphoramidates and methylphosphonates, but not phosphates. nucleotides are pentosefuranosyl containing nucleobases that are linked by phosphodiesters. Nucelobases are either deoxyribo-type, ribo-type, or LNA type. Ribo-type nucleobases are pentosefuranozyl containing nucleobases wherein the 2′ carbon is a methylene substituted with a hydroxyl, alkyloxy or halogen moiety. Deoxyribo-type nucleobases are nucleobases other than ribo-type and LNA-type nucleobases and include all nucleobases that do not contain a pentosefuranosyl moiety. LNA-type nucleobases are nucleobase analogues of either ribo-type or deoxyribo-type nucleobases that contain either bicyclic or tricyclic alkyl- or alkylene bridges, as described in PCT WO 99/14226.
References herein to a �portion� of a DNA or RNA chain, or of a gene, mean a linear chain that has a nucleotide sequence which is the same as a sequential subset of the sequence of the chain to which the portion refers.
In the present disclosure, the term �complementary� has its usual meaning from molecular biology. Two nucleotide sequences or strands are complementary if they have sequences which would allow base pairing (Watson-Crick or Hoogsteen) according to the usual pairing rules. This does not require that the strands would necessarily base pair at every nucleotide; two sequences can still be complementary with a low level (e.g., about 1�3%) of base mismatch such as that created by deletion, addition, or substitution of one or a few (e.g., up to 5 in a linear chain of 25 bases) nucleotides, or a combination of such changes.
In the present disclosure, �hybridize� has its usual meaning from molecular biology. It refers to the formation of a base-paired interaction between nucleotide polymers. The presence of base pairing implies that a fraction of the nucleotides (e.g., at least 80%) in each of two nucleotide sequences are complementary to the other according to the usual base pairing rules. The exact fraction of the nucleotides which must be complementary in order to obtain stable hybridization will vary with a number of factors, including nucleotide sequence, salt concentration of the solution, temperature, and pH.
In the present disclosure, �duplex� has its usual meaning in molecular biology and refers to strands of nucleic acids wherein each base of a first strand of the duplex corresponds to a base of a second strand of the duplex according to the scheme in which uracil or thymine and adenine correspond and cytosine and guanine correspond. Anti-parallel duplex strands having these correspondences are said to be Watson-Crick paired. Duplex nucleic acids can be of two major types, ribonucleic acids and deoxyribonucleic acids. Each ribonucleotide has an equivalent deoxyribonucleotide, e.g., adenosine and deoxyadenosine, cytidine and deoxycytidine, guanosine and deoxyguanosine, uridine and thymidine.
References herein to the term �correspond,� as in, for example, cDNA which �corresponds� to mRNA, means that at least a portion of one nucleic acid molecule is either complementary or homologous to a second nucleic acid molecule. Thus, a cDNA molecule may correspond to the mRNA molecule where the mRNA molecule was used as a template for reverse transcription to produce the cDNA molecule. Similarly, a genomic sequence of a gene may correspond to a cDNA sequence where portions of the genomic sequence are homologous or complementary to the cDNA sequence.
References herein to the statement that bases are �Watson-Crick paired� or that they form a �duplex nucleic acid� is to be understood to mean that under the proper conditions of temperature and salt they are capable of forming base pairs or a duplex nucleic acid. It is understood that under some conditions of low salt and/or elevated temperature, the Watson-Crick base pairs may cease to be thermodynamically stable such that the duplex nucleic acid denatures.
In one aspect, the invention provides a method of replacing a first nucleotide in a target nucleic acid sequence. The method involves the step of exposing the target nucleic acid sequence to a DNA-LNA heteropolymer and thereby replacing the first nucleotide with a second nucleotide.
In preferred embodiments, the first and/or second nucleotides are independently selected from the group consisting of adenine, thymine, uracil, cytosine, guanine, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, uridine, and thymidine. The target nucleic acid sequence preferably is in or from an organism, for example a monocot or dicot plant such as maize or tobacco or an animal such as a mammal. The target nucleic acid sequence may be a DNA template that consist of deoxyribonucleotides or an RNA template that consists of ribonucleotides. Examples of target nucleic acid sequences are a gene encoding AHAS, an episomal target nucleic acid sequence, a chromosomal target nucleic acid sequence, an endogenous gene, a transgene, a recessive gene, and a dominant gene.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a DNA-LNA heteropolymer. The DNA-LNA heteropolymer includes a strand of DNA linked to a strand of LNA. The invention also provides a method of making a DNA-LNA heteropolymer. The method involves the step of linking a DNA to a LNA.
Because LNAs may be derivatives of any nucleobase, the limitations placed on triplex affinity capture, namely the necessity of homopurine or homopyrimidine rich residues in the target sequence, are absent from the present invention. Advantageously, DNA-LNA heteropolymers may selectively isolate and bind with a wide diversity of nucleotidic sequences, unhampered by base limitations. For example, the present invention is capable of site-specific nucleotidic recognition from nucleotide sequences composed of heteropurinic or heteropyrimidinic bases that are currently not detectable using a triplex affinity capture method.
LNAs form more stable duplexes than their DNA or RNA counterparts. As such, the present invention imparts distinct advantages over the current art. The ability of LNAs to form stable duplexes with their target nucleotide sequence under conditions, such as low ionic strength or in buffers containing strong chaotropic agents, i.e., conditions in which RNA-DNA or DNA�DNA duplexes are unattainable, manifests itself in LNAs' increased hybridization affinities for target nucleic acid sequences. Thus, the disadvantages of unphysiological pH and ionic strength conditions suffered by triplex affinity capture methods are eliminated in the present invention. The enhanced stability of LNAs is particularly beneficial when isolating a single base pair and identifying single point mutations. Generally, DNA�DNA duplexes require high ionic strength conditions in order to form stable duplexes. By contrast, LNA-DNA duplexes form stable duplexes at much lower ionic strength (salt) conditions. Higher ionic strength conditions induce intrastrand folding of target DNA or RNA sequences. The ability to form stable duplexes at decreased salt concentrations decreases intrastrand folding and thereby increases the probability of exposing the targeted mutation or base pair(s). Because of the extreme sequence specificity needed to identify or isolate a single base pair, accessibility of the target strand is essential.
As another advantage related to the accessibility of target sequences, LNA sequences are particularly useful where the target sequence is difficult or impossible to access by unmodified oligonucleotide sequences due to the rapid formation of stable intramolecular structures such as those occurring in rRNA, tRNA, snRNA, and scRNA. LNAs present a distinct advantage over unmodified oligonucleotides in that the steric bulkiness and rigidity of the bicyclic component of LNAs hinder such intramolecular folding, thereby increasing the accessibility and exposure to single point mutations of 1�2 base pair sequences.
Because of the enhanced stability and thus, affinity, of LNA complexes, single mismatches in LNA duplexes cause considerable drops in thermal stability and result in LNA duplexes' heightened ability to discriminate single base pair differences compared to conventional RNA-DNA or DNA�DNA duplexes. Heightened discrimination between single base pair differences is of paramount importance when isolating a single point mutation and the sequence specificity of 1 or 2 base pairs.
As a further advantage, LNA sequences capture target sequences via strand displacement in which the LNA sequence selectively binds to its complementary target sequence in double stranded DNA or RNA such that the second strand of the double strand is displaced. See, e.g., PCT WO 99/14226. Unlike colony or plaque hybridization, which frequently require prior denaturation steps, the present invention is able to detect and isolate intact double stranded DNA. The strand displacement mechanism of the present invention also obviates the labor intensive, multi-step washing procedures required of colony and plaque hybridization techniques.
The method described in the present invention may be used, without limitation, to improve a crop, in a reverse genetics method, and/or to confer a new property or trait on an organism, such as herbicide resistance to an imidazoline. The method preferably produces site-specific mutagenesis, a gene knockout or an allele replacement. The method may be performed in vitro or in vivo and preferably it stablely transmits a modified trait through mitosis and meiosis to progeny. The method may also involve the steps of synthesizing and purifying the DNA-LNA heteropolymer and/or growing cells to maturity.
In another aspect, the present invention features a method of replacing a first nucleotide in a target nucleic acid sequence in one or more of a plurality of cells. The method involves the step of exposing said plurality of cells to one or more DNA-LNA heteropolymers and thereby replacing said first nucleotide with a second nucleotide in at least one or more of the plurality of cells.
While certain aspects of the invention have been summarized herein, other useful applications, embodiments, and aspects of the invention are disclosed in the detailed description and in the drawings.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated from the following detailed description, along with the accompanying figure in which like reference numerals identify like elements throughout and wherein:
The present invention provides for compounds, termed DNA-LNA heteropolymers, that can be used to make specific changes in the genome of a eukaryotic cell. The DNA-LNA heteropolymers of the present invention may be in the form of any duplex of nucleic acids such as duplex nucleic acids, chimeric nucleic acids, heteroduplex nucleic acids, hairpin duplex nucleic acids, and/or homo-duplex nucleic acids. For definitions, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,565,350, and 5,792,972 incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, including any drawings.
The DNA-LNA heteropolymers of the present invention include a DNA strand and a LNA strand and optionally may include a linker. The sequence of the DNA strand and the LNA strand consists of at least two regions that are homologous to the target gene and one or more regions (�mutator regions�) that differ from the target gene and introduce the genetic change into the target gene. The mutator region is directly adjacent to homologous regions in both the 3′ and 5′ directions. In a preferred embodiment, each mutator region is adjacent in both the 3′ and the 5′ directions to homologous regions of at least three bases. In another preferred embodiment, each mutator region is flanked in both the 3′ and 5′ directions by LNA nucleobase segments of at least three bases, which segments need not be adjacent to the mutator region. The flanking LNA nucleobase segments need not be directly adjacent to the mutator region, i.e., a portion of the homologous region comprising DNA type nucleobases can intervene. The total length of all homologous regions is preferably at least 14 bases. If the heteropolymer contains two homologous regions separated by a mutator region, the homologous regions can more preferably be each between 8 and 12 bases long and most preferably be 10 bases long.
At least two homologous regions of the LNA strand are comprised of at least three contiguous LNA-type nucleobases which are Watson-Crick paired to deoxyribo-type nucleobases of the second strand. In a preferred embodiment, there are between 9 and 25 LNA-type nucleobases and more preferably 20 LNA-type nucleobases in the first strand, which are Watson-Crick paired to deoxyribo-type nucleobases of the second strand. According to the invention, a region of homo-duplex nucleic acids can be disposed between the hybrid-duplex/homologous regions of DNA-LNA heteropolymer. The interposed homo-duplex can contain the heterologous region. When the heterologous region is less than about 50 base pairs and preferably less than about 20 base pairs, an interposed homo-duplex that contains the heterologous region is preferred.
In one embodiment, there are no LNA-type nucleobases in the second strand. DNA-LNA heteropolymer is further characterized by containing at least three nuclease resistant LNA-type nucleobases. In a preferred embodiment, all LNA-type nucleobases are nuclease resistant.
The mutator region can be as large as 2 kilobases (kb) and can encode an exon. preferably the mutator region consists of 20 or fewer bases, more preferably 6 or fewer bases and most preferably 3 or fewer bases. The mutator region can be of a length different than the length of the sequence that separates the regions of the target gene homologous with the homologous regions of the heteropolymer so that an insertion or deletion of the target sequence or base results. In another embodiment, the mutator region of the first strand consists of deoxyribo-type nucleobases and is flanked by deoxyribo-type nucleobases. Alternatively, the mutator region can be comprised of LNA-type type nucleobases of the first strand and deoxyribo-type nucleobases of the second strand. When DNA-LNA heteropolymer is used to introduce a deletion, there is no base identifiable as within the mutator region. Rather, the mutation is effected by the juxtaposition of the two homologous regions that are separated in the target gene. In one embodiment, the mutator region is a deletion of from 6 to 1 bases or more preferably from 3 to 1 bases. Multiple separated mutations can be introduced by a single DNA-LNA heteropolymer, in which case there are multiple mutator regions in the same heteropolymer. Alternatively, multiple DNA-LNA heteropolymers can be used simultaneously to introduce multiple genetic changes in a single gene, or alternatively, to introduce genetic changes in multiple genes of the same cell.
I. Structure of Exemplary DNA-LNA Heteropolymers
DNA-LNA heteropolymers must contain at least one region of between at least 1 base and more usually 3 or 4 bases that are not Watson-Crick paired. These regions serve as linkers between the two strands of Watson-Crick paired bases. In contrast to other chimeric nucleotides that have been synthesized having regions of unpaired nucleotides, these heteropolymers have no enzymatic activity, i.e., they do not catalyze chemical reactions or themselves undergo chemical reaction in the absence of a biological energy source such as ATP. The bases of the linkers in the preferred embodiment are deoxyribonucleotides.
DNA-LNA heteropolymer having two linkers can be constructed so that the 3′ and 5′ ends of the polymer are Watson-Crick paired to adjacent nucleotides of the complementary strand. They are readily ligated, wherein DNA-LNA heteropolymer forms a single continuous circular nucleic acid polymer. Substantially all the remaining bases of the DNA-LNA heteropolymer are Watson-Crick paired.
a. Single Chain DNA-LNA Heteropolymers
In one embodiment, DNA-LNA heteropolymer is a single 5′3′-linked oligonucleotide chain comprising between about 40 and about 100 nucleobases. A single chain DNA-LNA heteropolymer can contain unpaired nucleotides, which form one or two hairpin turns, which turn or turns divide(s) the DNA-LNA heteropolymer into the first and second strands, so that at least 15 bases of the first strand can be Watson-Crick paired to bases of the second strand.
In one embodiment, the lengths and characteristics of the segments are as follows. Segment (a) ranges between 16 and 40 nucleotides and preferably between 20 and 30 nucleotides. The sequence of the region of segment (a) can be either that of the coding strand or the non-coding strand of the gene that contains the intended mutation (the �mutated target gene�). The location of the sequence of segment (a) must include the portion of the target gene that is to be changed. Unless the target gene is not normally transcribed in target cell, preferably the sequence of segment (a) is the sequence of the coding strand of the target gene. When the target gene is not transcribed in the target cell, neither the coding strand sequence or the non-coding strand sequence is preferred. The sequence of segment (a) determines the sequences and combined lengths of segments (c)�(e), which must be complementary to segment (a).
The oligonucleobases of the portion of segment (a) that are base paired with segments (c) and (e) can be any 2′-deoxyribo-type nucleobases. The nucleobases of segments (c) and (e), which are termed LNA-type nucleobase segments, can be any LNA type nucleobase that is known or will be developed. In a preferred embodiment, the nucleotides of segment (d), which is termed the intervening segment are 2′-deoxyribo-type nucleobases. Alternatively, segment (d) can be made of LNA-type nucleobases; in which case the boundaries between segments (c), (d) and (e) are not defined. Segments (b) and (f) through (h) can be of any type of nucleobase.
In a preferred embodiment, the sequence of segments (c) and (e) are completely homologous to the target sequence. However, a one base mutator region in the (c) or (e) segment can result in the mutation of the target gene at the homologous position. For example, the nucleotide to be modified may be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine uraal, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, uridine, or thymidine.
Segments (b) and (g) are about 4 nucleotides in length and form single stranded hairpin turns that allow segments (a) and (c)�(e) and segments (f) and (h) to form Watson-Crick base pairs, i.e., to form duplex nucleic acids. In alternative embodiments the function of segments (b) and (c), which is to covalently link the first and second strands, can be served by non-oligonucleobase moieties. Segments (c) and (e), also termed the first and second LNA-type segments, consist, in one embodiment, of LNA nucleotides containing a 2′O-4′-C methylene bridge. In a preferred embodiment, segments (c) and (e) are independently, between 6 and 13 nucleotides.
Segment (d), also termed the intervening segment, in one embodiment, is between 4 and 20 nucleotides in length. If the target gene contains two or more point mutations that are separated by fewer than 15 nucleotides, each can be repaired by the same DNA-LNA heteropolymer.
Segments (f) and (h) form a duplex that brings the 3′ and 5′ ends of the DNA-LNA heteropolymer, which is nicked between segments (a) and (h) into juxtaposition. The structure formed by segments (f), (g) and (h) is termed a hairpin cap. A hairpin cap contains a terminal end and a nonterminal end. The terminal end forms a terminus of the chain, which can be either a 5′ or a 3′ terminus. The function of a hairpin cap is to control the position of the 3′ or 5′ terminus. The non-terminal end of the hairpin cap can be ligated to an end of a strand, whereby the end of the complementary strand, which is the second terminus of the chain is juxtaposed to the terminal end of the hairpin cap, as shown in
In a preferred embodiment, the DNA-LNA heteropolymer is a single chain DNA-LNA heteropolymer containing one hairpin cap, oriented in parallel with the chain, having juxtaposed 3′ and 5′ ends. There are eight specific embodiments of this type, which are defined by the location of the ligation between the hairpin cap and the chain and by whether the sequence of the first strand is the sequence of the coding strand or the non-coding strand of the target gene. Eight representative species are given in Table I.
DNA-LNA heteropolymers having a homo-duplex region interposed between two hybrid-duplex regions can be constructed using semisynthetic techniques. Two synthetic chimeric polynucleic acids having a hairpin conformation are to be constructed. The free 5′ and 3′ ends of the two chimeric nucleic acids are constructed with an overlap staggered ends complementary to the overlap of two different restriction enzyme digest products. A homo-duplex region is provided having the complementary restriction enzyme digested ends. The addition of a restriction enzyme sites to the ends of a cloned DNA fragment can be accomplished by techniques well understood by those skilled in the art, e.g., without limitation, PCR amplification with extended primers of the blund end ligation of linkers containing the restriction site. The two chimeric nucleotides and the homo-duplex region can be ligated by conventional enzymatic techniques. The product, having chimeric oligonucleotides ligated at both ends can be separated from the incompletely reacted substrates by electrophoresis in 6% polyacrylamide gel in Tris Borate EDTA buffer under non-denaturing conditions. The linear capped molecules are constrained and are electrophoresced more slowly under these conditions.
b. Dual Chain DNA-LNA Heteropolymers
The DNA-LNA heteropolymers of the present invention may be produced generally as described in Zhu et al., Nature Biotechnology, 18:555�558 (2000) and Zhu et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 96:8768�8773 (1999), both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, including any drawings. LNA starting materials may be obtained commercially from Proligo or may be produced generally as described in International Patent Application Publication No. WO 99/14226.
Alternatively, the DNA-LNA heteropolymers can also comprise two chains, each chain having a 3′ and a 5′ terminus, wherein a first comprises the first strand and a second chain comprises a second strand. The first strand comprises LNA molecules complementary to the first sequence of the target nucleic acid sequence except for a single nucleotide on the first strand at a position corresponding to the position of the nucleotide to be modified on the target sequence. The second strand comprises a sequence of deoxyribonucleic acids completely complementary to the first strand. In one embodiment, the first strand is about 10�100 nucleic acids long. In another embodiment, the second strand is about 10�100 nucleic acids long.
In one embodiment, DNA and LNA residues are completely complementary to the target sequence except for a single non-complementary nucleotide corresponding to the position of the nucleotide to be modified.
The nucleotide to be modified may be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guamine, uracil, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, uridine or thymidine.
Similarly, the single non-complementary nucleotide may be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, uracil, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, uridine, or thymidine.
The first and second chains can be cross-linked by a covalent linker or the first and second chains can be held in association only by Watson-Crick bases pairing. The lengths of the regions and segments of the first and second strands of a two chain DNA-LNA heteropolymer are constructed according to the foregoing guides regarding single chain DNA-LNA heteropolymer. In one embodiment, the first and second chains can further comprise complementary segments of between 3 and 10 bases that flank the first and second strands that increase the stability of the association between the first and second chains.
An alternative embodiment of two chain DNA-LNA heteropolymers comprises a double hairpin structure, namely, two oligonucleobase chains and two hairpin caps; the first strand is a part of the first chain and the second strand is a part of the second chain. The hairpin caps can both be ligated to the ends of one strand. In one specific configuration, termed a �cradle� configuration, a hairpin cap is ligated to each end of the second strand. In an �anti-cradle� configuration, the hairpin caps are ligated to the ends of the first strand. An alternative type of configuration, termed �head-to-tail,� consists of a hairpin cap ligated to each of the strands. Because the strands of the DNA-LNA heteropolymer hybridize only in an antiparallel fashion, there are only two specific configurations of the head-to-tail type: the hairpin caps can both be ligated to either the 3′ ends or the 5′ ends of the strands.
Those skilled in the art are aware of a wide variety of DNAs, LNAs and linkers that may be used in the present invention. For example, in a preferred embodiment, suitable LNAs are described in International Patent Application Publication No. WO 99/14226.
II. Synthesis of DNA-LNA Heteropolymers and Selection of Nucleobases
DNA-LNA heteropolymers of the present invention can be synthesized and purified by any method. For example, they may be synthesized by modification of the techniques used in the solid phase synthesis of DNA. Reviewed, Caruthers, M. H., Science, 230:281�285 (1985); Itakura, K., et al., Ann. Rev. Biochem., 53:523�56 (1984). Modifications to permit synthesis of chimeric nucleic acids are disclosed in Scarainge, S. A., e al., Nucleic Acids Research, 18:5433�41 (1990); Usman, N., et al, Nucleic Acids Research, 20:6695�99 (1992); and Swiderski, P. M., et al, Anal. Biochem., 216:83�88 (1994), which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, including any drawings. Recent advances concerning the synthesis of chimeric nucleic acids are reviewed in Usman, N. & Cedergren, R., Trends Bioch. Sci., 17:334�9 (1992).
LNA nucleobase sequences may be obtained commercially from Proligo, LLC (Boulder, Colo.). Alternatively, LNA oligonucleobase sequences may be synthesized according to the methods described in PCT WO 99/14226, or by any other methods know to those skilled in the art of synthesizing modified oligonucleotide sequences.
For DNA-LNA having chains up to about 100 bases in length, the preferred technique is solid-phase synthesis. Alternatively, subsegments of DNA-LNA chains greater than about 50 bases in length can be synthesized by solid phase synthesis and ligated by liquid phases techniques, well known to those skilled in the art. Wosnick, M. A., Gene, 60:115�117 (1987). As those skilled in the art appreciate, complementary subsegments can be synthesized by solid-phase techniques so that when annealed, the ends of the subsegments are staggered. By causing adjacent subsegments to have complementary staggered ends, adjacent segments can be ligated by well known enzymatic processes. By this technique a chain of a DNA-LNA heterpolymers considerably larger than 100 bases can be synthesized.
The nucleobases of a chain of a DNA-LNA heterpolymers can be any nucleobase now known or to be developed that hybridizes by Watson-Crick base pairing to DNA. Suitable nucleobases include nucleotides and nucleotoids. The structure and synthesis of oligonucleobases having exemplary nucleotoids can be found as follows: Phosphorothioates, Eckstein, F., Ann. Rev. Biochem., 54:367 (1985); Phosphoramidates, Froehler, B. C., et al., Nucleic Acid Research, 16:4831 (1988); Methylphosphonates, Miller, P. S., et al., Biochimie, 67:769 (1985). A method of producing oligonucleotoids having chiral-specific phosphorus-containing linkages is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,295. Chirally-specific oligonucleotides having the appropriately selected isomer hybridize to DNA with improved stability.
Pentosefuranosyl containing nucleobases that are linked by non-phosphorus nucleobases that can be used as deoxyribo-type nucleobases, which are termed nucleosides. Nucleosides that form duplexes with DNA that are at least as stable as DNA/DNA duplexes are linked by the various linkage chemistries known in the art. Typical chemistries and methods for their use in oligonucleobases are described as follows: methylhydroxylamine linkages, Vasseur et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 114:4006 (1992), U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,386,023 and 5,489,677; alkylene dioxy linkages, U.S. Pat. No. 5,223,618; and 3′-Thioformacetal, Jones et al., J. Org. Chem., 58:2983 (1993).
Other representative nucleosides that can be used in DNA-LNA include: Carbamates, Stirchak et el., J. Org. Chem., 52:4202 (1987); Sulfonate & Sulfonamide, Glemarec et al., Tetrahedron, 49:2287 (1993); Reynolds et al., J. Org. Chem., 57:2983 (1992); Sulfone, Huang, Z., J. Org. Chem., 56:3869 (1991); Sulfamate, Huie, E. M., et al., J. Org. Chem., 57:4569 (1992); and Diisopropylsilyl & silyl, Cormier and Ogilvie, Nucleic Acids Res., 16:4583 (1988); Ogilvie & Cormier, Tetrahedron Lett., 26:4159 (1985).
Nucleobases that lack a pentosefuranosyl moiety can be used as deoxyribo-type nucleobases. Suitable examples include replacement of the pentosefuranosyl phosphate moiety by a Morpholino carbamate, Wang & Weller, Tetrahedron Lett., 32:7385 (1991) and peptide nucleic acids in which the pentosefuranosyl phosphate moiety is replaced by an aminoethylglycine. Peptide nucleic acids (PNA) are described in Egholm et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., 114:1895 (1992) and Huang, B. S. et al., J. Org. Chem., 56:5006 (1991) and WO 92/20703 to Buchardt et al.; methods of making PBA/oligonucleotide chimeric polymers is described in WO 95/14706.
Those skilled in the art understand that PNA can hybridize to DNA in either orientation, i.e., either end of a PNA can be the 3′ or 5′ end. Peffer, N. J., et al., 1993, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 90:10648�52. When a peptide nucleobase is present in an oligonucleobase strand having pentosefuranosyl-containing nucleobases, the 3′ and 5′ ends of the strand are determined by the orientation of the pentosefuranosyl moieties or, if none are present in the chain having the peptide nucleobase, then the 3′ and 5′ ends of the strand are determined by the orientation of pentosefuranosyl nucleobases of the complementary strand. Note, that the first strand of a DNA-LNA heterpolymers must contain at least three pentosefuranosyl nucleobases.
III. The Use of the DNA-LNA Heteropolymers of the Invention
The present invention also provides for a method of introducing changes into a known nucleotide sequence using DNA-LNA heteropolymers. For example, the DNA-LNA heteropolymers of the present invention can be used to introduce a mutation in a specific location in the genome of a target cell. The target cell may be from any plant or animal organism. For example, the plant may be without limitation a monocot or a dicot, maize or tobacco. The organism may be an animal, such as a mammal. The specific location of the target location is defined by its nucleic sequence hereinafter referred to as the target sequence. For example, the target nucleic acid sequence may be a DNA or RNA template, a gene encoding AHAS, an episomal or chromosomal target nucleic acid sequence, an endogenous gene, a transgene, a recessive gene or a dominant gene.
The change can result in the replacement of one or more nucleotides or can be an insertion or deletion or one or more nucleotides. In preferred embodiments the replacement, insertion or deletion can be of 20 or fewer contiguous bases. In a more preferred embodiment, the replacement, insertion or deletion can be of 6 or fewer bases and most preferably of 3 or fewer bases. The insertion can be as long as about two kilobases. The insertions or deletions can be made in the coding and the regulatory parts of the gene.
According to the invention, DNA-LNA heteropolymers are constructed wherein the homology regions are identical to the target sequence, except for the presence of some regions of hybrid-duplex. The change to be introduced is encoded by the heterologous region. When the change in the target sequence is the addition of less than about 20 bases, the invention may be practiced using one or two regions of hybrid duplex. When the change in the target sequence is the addition of more than about 50 bases it is preferred that the heterologous region be contained within a homo-duplex region.
The method of the present invention provides for replacing a first nucleotide in a target sequence by exposing the target sequence to a DNA-LNA heteropolymer and thereby replacing said first nucleotide with a second nucleotide. The first nucleotide may be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, uracil, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, uridine or thymidine. The second nucleotide may be adenine, thymine, cytosine, guanine, uracil, deoxyadenosine, deoxycytidine, deoxyguanosine, uridine, or thymidine.
The practice of the invention requires that the DNA-LNA heteropolymer be introduced into the nucleus of the target cell. Any method which causes such introduction can be used. For example, lipifection, particle bombardment, electroporation, DEAE-dextran, calcium phosphate precipitation, liposome mediated fusion (LIPOFECTIN), direction injection or any other method of transfection may be used.
In one embodiment, the transfection is performed with liposomal transfer compound, e.g., DOTAP (n-[1-2,3,dioleoyloxypropyl]-N,N,N,-trimethylammonium methylsulfate, Boehringer-Mannhaeim) or an equivalent, such as LIPOFECTIN. The amount of DNA-LNA heteropolymer is not critical to the practice of the invention; good results can be acieved with 10 nM/105 cells. A ratio of about 500 ng of DNA-LNA heteropolymer in 3 μg of DOTAP per 105 cells can be used. In one embodiment, transfection techniques can be used with the modification that the transfected cells are cultured in serum free media, media supplemented with human serum albumin, or human serum.
In another embodiment, DNA-LNA heteropolymer may be used to construct transgenic animals. The DNA-LNA heteropolymer introduced into the pronucleus of an ovum by direct injection, according to the method described in Brinster, R. L., et al, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 86:7087 (1989); see also U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,191, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, including any drawings. Alternatively, the DNA-LNA heteropolymers can be introduced into an embryonic stem cell, chimeric animals can be produced by aggregation of the embryonic stem cell within normal blastocyst cells, and transgenic animals can be recovered as offspring of the chimeric animals, according to the method of Capecchi, Science, 244:1288 (1989), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, including any drawings.
Using electroporation, as many as 1 cell per 10,000 treated cells can be specifically mutated at the target sequence (hereinafter �transformed�). The practice of the invention, thus, includes the use of a method to select the transformed cells from among the larger number of unmutated cells. In one embodiment, the transformation of cells confers a growth advantage. Non-limiting examples of such growth advantages include drug-resistance, alterations in growth regulation, and alteration in the capacity to utilize metabolites. In an alternative embodiment, the method of selection can be negative selection whereby the transformed cells are rendered incapable of growth under the selecting conditions in the non-transformed cells are removed by exposure to conditions that selectively destroy proliferating cells. When the method of introducing DNA-LNA heteropolymers into the cell is direct injection, as for example, when constructing transgenic animals by pronuclear injection, the rate of transformation can be greater than 1 per 10,000 cells. The need for selection is thereby considerably reduced. Alternatively the transformed cells may have an altered cell-surface antigenic phenotype that can be detected by immunofluorescence and selection can be performed by a Fluoresecence Activated Cell Sorter.
The present method may also be used to repair mutations in genetic diseases such as Gaucher Disease, thalassemia, Sickle Cell disease, or any other disease identified by site-specific mutagenesis. The present invention may also be used to improve a crop, confer herbicide resistance (e.g., resistance to imidazoline), or confer new phenotypes, properties, or traits to plants as well as animals. Other applications include the introduction of stop codons or frame shift mutations to make gene �knock-outs�, i.e., transgenic animals or plants that lack a functional copy of a specific gene, as well as transgenic animals or plants having specific mutations. In a still further method of use encompassed by the present invention, specific mutations can be made for the purpose of studying the structure function relationships of genes-of-interest, or to produce allele replacements. Advantageously, when a desirable mutation has been identified in one species, it can be introduce in the homologous genes of other species by use of the present invention. This method may be performed in vitro or in vivo. For example, this method stably transmits a modified trait through mitosis and meiosis to progeny.
For medical purposes, the invention can be used to repair mutations or introduce mutations into any cell-type that can be removed from a subject's body, cultured and reimplanted into the subject. Techniques for the removal, culture and reimplantation of hepatocytes, in particular of hepatic reserve (stem) cells, have been described in patent publication WO 94/08598. Examples of genetic diseases that can be cured by repair of mutations in hepatocytes include: familial hypercholesteremia, caused by mutation in the LDL receptor; emphysema caused by a mutation in the α1-antitrypsin gene; and hemophilia and Christmas Disease, which are caused by mutations in coagulation factors VIII and IX, respectively.
In yet a further use of the method, DNA-LNA heteropolymer may be used to mutagenize a population of cells wherein a mutant having a selectable phenotype can be obtained. According to this aspect of the invention, a mixture of DNA-LNA heteropolymers having a mutator region of one or several nucleotides is synthesized such that three non-wild type nucleotides are present at each position of the mutator region. The treatment of a population of cells with such a mixture of DNA-LNA heteropolymers will induce a variety of mutations in the target gene. After an appropriate selection step, a mutant having the desired phenotype can be recovered.
In this method of the present invention, the DNA-LNA heteropolymer may be DNA-LNA duplex nucleic acid, LNA chimeric nucleic acid, LNA heteroduplex nucleic acid, DNA-LNA hairpin duplex nucleic acid, or DNA-LNA homo-duplex nucleic acid.
a. The Use of DNA-LNA to Mutate the
A DNA-LNA heteropolymer may be employed to repair the mutation found in Sickle Cell Disease
Lymphoblastoid cells may be prepared as follows. Heparin-treated blood may be obtained from discarded clinical material of a patient with sickle cell disease and from a source with neither history nor symptoms of the disease. Mononuclear cells may be prepared from blood (�8 ml) by density gradient centrifugation in Ficoll and infected with Epstein-Barr virus which has been propagated in the marmoset cell line B95-8 (Coriell Institute for Medical Research #GM07404D). Infections may be performed with addition of 0.1 mg leucoagglutinin PHA-L in 10 ml RPMI medium supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum in a T25 flask. Cultures are fed twice a week starting on day 5 and are considered established once 60�70% of the cells remains viable at day 21. The
The DNA-LNA heteropolymer is introduced into the above-described lymphoblastoid cells homozygous for the
Correction of the single base mutation may be assessed by taking advantage of well known restriction fragment length polymorphisms resulting from the
To measure the efficiency of correction rapidly and sensitively, a PCR-based RFLP analysis may be adapted. For the analysis of the
The above primers are designed to yield a 345 bp fragment spanning the site of the
The specificity of the action of DNA-LNA heteropolymers may be assessed by sequencing the related
One skilled in the art would readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The molecular complexes and the methods, procedures, treatments, molecules, specific compounds described herein are presently representative of preferred embodiments and are exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention.
It will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art that varying substitutions and modifications may be made to the invention disclosed herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
All patents and publications mentioned in the specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
The invention illustratively described herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations which is not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, in each instance herein any of the terms �comprising�, �consisting essentially of� and �consisting of� may be replaced with either of the other two terms. The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention that in the use of such terms and expressions indicates the exclusion of equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof. It is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention.
One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the preferred embodiments which are presented in this description for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims that follow. It is noted that equivalents for the particular embodiments discussed in this description are also within the scope of the present invention and that preferred embodiments or features of one aspect of the invention can be incorporated into any of the other aspects of the present invention.
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FOX 47 - Top Stories
MADISON, Wis. - Gov. Scott Walker said he's still trying to work out a deal before a Feb. 19 deadline that would allow the Menominee Tribe to open a new casino in Kenosha.
Walker was asked Monday about WISN-TV report that said the state and Menominee Tribe are close to reaching agreement on a new gambling compact.
Walker said "That's just one more step in terms of what may or may not happen."
He said the "biggest stumbling block" is trying to reach a deal that would not result in the state having to refund $100 million in potential lost revenue to the Potawatomi Tribe if the Kenosha Casino moves forward.
The proposed $800 million Hard Rock hotel and casino would be located at the former site of the Dairyland Greyhound Track.
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Teologia del nuevo testamento: A Canonical and Synthetic ApproachAuthor:
Thielman, Frank
Pub Date: 2006
Publisher: Vida Publishers
Summary: Frank Thielman (PhD, Duke University) is Presbyterian professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. He is the author of Philippians in the NIV Application Commentary series.
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Carrie Campbell has just listed 20 Sea Venture Alley in Alys Beach. MLS #717322 $5,490,000 This gorgeous Alys Beach hom … [Read More...]
Linda Campbell has just listed 286 Pine Needle Way in WaterColor MLS #716732 $1,895,000 This 5 bedroom - 5 1/2 bathroom home is locat … [Read More...]
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This featured listing in WaterColor has remarkable views of Western Lake and the Gulf of Mexico. Experience this stunning plantation style WaterColor … [Read More...]
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Thoughts on Today's 30A Real Estate Market May 8, 2013 Core Logic, which is a home price index reporting agency has published some interesting statistics about the current real estate market … [Read More...]
Hampton Inn is seeing major opposition while attempting to become the first chain hotel on 30A. Everyone that lives in South … [Read More...]
A new chef has joined the crew at Bud & Alley's Pizza Bar and has raised the already high bar on pizza along 30A. When people … [Read More...]
Is one of your New Year's Resolutions to get more healthy or to be more active? Maybe signing up for the Seaside School Half … [Read More...]
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WaterSound Origins will be the starting point of a new, 5 mile nature trail. South Walton County is home to some of the most … [Read More...]
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Join the City of Lafayette Recreation Department as we host our Annual Easter Egg Hunt for children 8 years and under. This is a free event, please arrive early and get your spot before the start time. The Easter Bunny will make his annual visit for all the boys and girls.
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P!nk:10 Years Book Andrew MacPherson Book
10 Years is a decade-spanning retrospective chronicling P!nk's meteoric rise to fame, presented in a beautifully crafted hard-bound book. Peek behind-the-scenes at P!nk's career highlights with both full-color and stunning black and white shots taken by photographer Andrew Macpherson. Includes a sleek slipcase to protect the book's edge stained, satin finished pages. Signed and numbered by both P!nk and Andrew Macpherson.
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Obstructed View podcast: Taking down Kentucky
On this episode of the Obstructed View podcast (click here), we discuss how the Wisconsin Badgers fit into the NCAA tournament and theories on how to take down Kentucky.
Koenig leads the comeback, UW on to championship
La Crosse native scores career high 19,
14 of those in second half
It was a game for a half, then Bronson Koenig and the University of Wisconsin men's basketball team said enough is enough.
The Badgers blew out Purdue in the Big Ten tournament semifinal Saturday at the United Center, 71-51.
Purdue led 35-30 at halftime.


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The Pitfalls of Negative Thinking
Marisa Cruz, Staff Writer
March 27, 2015
Megan Blum Arrives to Bolster Counseling Services
Lilian Ho, Staff Writer
March 20, 2015
Alumnus Mike Pena Takes Helm as Head Coach
Tom Delgadillo, Staff Writer
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CHS introduces Beach Volleyball
Sara Phillips, Staff Writer
March 16, 2015
The Best Solution to Homeless is Free Housing
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March 12, 2015
New Classes Being Offered: Engineering, Medical Sciences and More…
Luan Tran, Editor-In-Chief
March 5, 2015
Juicing: The Hot New Trend?
Gabi Tinsley, Student Life Editor
March 5, 2015
Chris Kyle: Villian or Hero?
Noah Bloomberg, Staff Writer
March 5, 2015
The Challenges of Being a New Student Can be Daunting
ShaTyra Allen, Staff Writer
March 5, 2015
Police Body Cameras: Will They Help Defuse Interactions?
Alex Beaubien, Opinion Editor
March 3, 2015


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What salvia is this one?
This is another double post from name that plant forum, it is a salvia that was overwintered from fall cutting. The leaves are fuzzy with a nice tall blue stalk of flowers. The leaves are staying very compact at the bottom. It is also suffering from something (yellowing leaves and slow growth). Thanks for any help.
Here is a link that might be useful:
I looks like S.'Blue Chiquita' to me. Actually 'Blue Chiquita' and 'Indigo Spires' share one parent, Salvia longispicata, so their flowers look a little bit similar. Check a pic of it in Plant Delights Nursery's website.
DJR from Athens, Greece
Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Chiquita
Dariot, thanks for the link, the term "deep quilting" fits the leaves perfectly along with fuzzy texture, but they do not have the shiny silver underside. Maybe that develops over time . . . or if it is not struggling for life.
If it is Chiquita, and it survives the summer, I will need to bring it in for the winter--as it is out of my zone.
So if it is Chiquita, why is it blooming now? I guess it's possible as short daylight period salvias reach the end of their season. It's a puzzle.
By the way DJR, are new world salvias popular in Greek gardens, and who polinates them - sphinx moths?
This can happen happen sometimes, especially if you have an extended period of clouding and more often in small plants. Here in Greece, where we don't usually see many cloudy days from May till October I don't usually get this. But if you've been for example in San Francisco you can see most short daylight period salvias flowering year round! Maybe it is a combination of daylight and temperatures as well.
New world salvias are not very popular here, even though they do extremely well in our climate (I've been adding to my collection for the last 5 years and I never found one that couldn't grow well!). Only S.microphylla var.lemmonii is quite common in gardens.
Pollination happens by bees but only to those they can make it. They never set a lot of seeds.
On the other hand old world salvias and particularly our natives like fruticosa, sclarea, nemorosa etc. are quite popular.


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a complete stop. but i'm also havig to keep my feet on the gas and break pedal when i'm at a complete stop if not m car shuts off
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2000 Dodge Caravan Question: why am i having to use both my gas pedal and break pedal when coming to
shell7, 2.4L 4 Cylinder, Deland, FL, June 26, 2012, 16:00
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Answer #1helpfull4u June 27, 2012, 15:42Journeyman
Without being there, take it to a local auto repair shop asap. Hopefully before you crash into a friend. Goodluck
Answer #2ziptie12 June 27, 2012, 16:13Master
will it stall in park or neutral? Or does it idle on its' own? More detail = more possibilities. If it does stay running in neutral...I would suggest that as you come to a stop rather than double-pedal. Do you have ALLSTATE?.................
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WISCONSIN SPORTS ROUNDUP: Brewers have a healthy group of pitchers as spring training opens
The Milwaukee Brewers have a healthy group of pitchers as they begin their spring training in Arizona. Left-hander Tom Gorzelanny was the only one not throwing yesterday, as pitchers-and-catchers held their first formal workout. Gorzelanny is coming off a shoulder operation. Position players are reporting this week, and their first official practice is on Saturday. Brewers' manager Ron Roenicke says second baseman Rickie Weeks will be at 100-percent when he arrives.


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I don't really have much to say about Martha Stewart rapping about the many uses of baking soda in the video below, except that it made my day. Also, it's genius because Martha Stewart rapping about anything is going to get my click, plus the title really piqued my curiosity. Before this video, I only knew two ways to read
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new addition
This is a phlox that survived the winter and heat of the south. Unfortunately, I can not remember its name.
Maybe one of the "Flame series" phlox paniculata? These are dwarfs at 20" tall & come in a wide assortment of named colors with high mildew resistance & prolonged bloom beginning earlier than taller (3-5') phlox. Not usually a fan of minnied classics, find myself appreciating these for their retention of that sweet phlox fragrance, their versatility where their taller brethren would be too large & their kindred ability to lure the fliers - hummingbirds & hummingbird moths, butterflies, bees.
Tried a couple of the Early Start pink ones last year - Pink & Light Pink. Like them, but wanted something with a bit more height & heft. Added Flame Blue this year, a bicolor with blueish buds that open to white flowers marbled with the color of the buds. The individual florets are as large as tall phlox, though the flowerheads are shorter to match the proportion of stems, which are densely clothed with leaves. Lots of presence & flower power early to late. Would like to find Flame Coral and White next...
Yours looks a bit like Flame Lilac in the link below. Clicking "previous plant" & "next plant" will show a number of these Flames & other dwarfs. In the shorties, there's also the Early Start series, the Junior series, the Pixie series & more.
Here is a link that might be useful: Short phlox paniculata
This post was edited by vasue on Fri, Jun 20, 14 at 16:35


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Category:Thomas Stephens (ship, 1869)
From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository
English: The Thomas Stephens was an iron fullrigged ship built in 1869 by William H. Potter & Co., Liverpool for the Black Ball Line. Thomas Stephens & Sons, London. The dimension of the Thomas Stephens were: length × beam × depth: 263 × 38.2 × 23.1 ft (80.2 × 11.6 × 7 m) and 1528 GRT, 1469 NRT and 1371 tons under deck. Originally rigged with double topsails, single topgallant sails and three skysails, which was later changed to double top-gallant sails and a main skysail. 1916 January posted missing on voyage from North America to Lisbon[1].
Media in category "Thomas Stephens (ship, 1869)"
The following 2 files are in this category, out of 2 total.
- StateLibQld 1 169547 T...


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"An exceptional engaging place to work. "
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I have been working at DTE Energy full-time (more than 5 years)
Its engaging, safe, alot of opportunity to grow, excellent management, and people, great pay, and benifits, challenging an all around great work environment.
Swing shift. Long hours, work in all weather conditions, from extreme heat to below zero temperature. Can be dirty work around coal and coke.
Keep up the good work. Stay focused and engaged.
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I have been working at DTE Energy full-time (more than 10 years)Pros
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Public Utilities can have a limited potential for job growth and promotion.Advice to ManagementAdvice
Keep on working hard to take care of the customersRecommendsPositive OutlookApproves of CEO
I have been working at DTE EnergyPros
it's a stable company. Very few layoffs. Recent staff reductions only through attrition. Benefits are pretty good. Pay is comparable to other jobs in the area.Cons
It's a big, boring company. Lots of attempts to improve business processes without avail. Huge rework of company databases a few years ago left us with a system that's only so-so, at best.Advice to ManagementAdvice
Think outside the box. I know you're beholden to shareholders, but a little innovation, and a little risk, will look good.RecommendsApproves of CEO


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Considering much bigger house but busy street. Hmmmm...
Hi all -
Sorry for going into such great detail below!
I'm not sure about this. We live in a desirable historic neighborhood on a quiet street. We're a family of 5 w/ 3 boys in a foursquare house (which if the basement were finished - which it's not - would make it almost 4,000 sq. ft) w/ 4.5 bedrooms; one's a sun porch small room w/ no closet which we use as a guest room. We finished the attic (one long carpeted room and we added a doorless closet) though it's used mostly as a play room. My oldest boy has his own room and his 3.5 year-old brothers share a room. This is TMI but my husband usually sleeps in the attic (there's a "guest" bed and dresser on one end) cause of his extremely loud snoring/sleep apnea!
The problem w/ where we are now:
While our house looks big and tall, only the living room is big. The rest of the rooms aren't (just one bedroom is decent sized, and the attic is okay-sized though more long than anything) and we can't afford to finish the basement, which would at least allow the kids to run around and jump without driving us nuts. We have 1.5 baths and a small, dark, North-facing kitchen which we also can't afford to expand. The upstairs hallway is something like 5.5 x 8 feet big with all the rooms off that. The hardwood floors are really loud/rattly also - which I've never understood cause it's a well-built house in all other ways. The house faces East which is fine but I MUCH prefer a house that faces West. The house I grew up in did and it's like a religious experience for me, facing the setting sun out the main windows. The only windows that face West are too small in our house. The bigger issue may be that we're suffocating having our neighbors so near by cause there's not a lot of space between the houses and to make matters worse I feel very self-conscious about having 3 loud boys (there are precious, quiet little girls everywhere) - even if that's silly and I'm probably projecting my own fears. This is beside the fact that the neighbors are extremely unfriendly - not all, but the ones next to me, unfortunately, w/ whom we more or less share a driveway; most of our neighbors are so wonderful but the ones next to us can ruin my entire day, very easily (and they keep dinging my car, but that's another story). What can I say - I'm uncomfortable in the one place in the world I shouldn't have to be. I wonder if a busy street would make me feel less self-conscious about all the noise we make?
I love my neighborhood and all our friends here and really want to stay in the hood. But to move into a house that's the same size as the one we have now, on another quiet street, wouldn't allow for any upgrades and we couldn't afford the realtor's fees either way. Also, imagine the disappointment of others if a family w/ 3 loud boys moved in! :-o
The house I can't stop thinking about is 5,030 sq. ft. (that includes the unfinished basement) 2 blocks away from our house, on a busy street that's something like 30 mph. I never would have imagined considering a house on a busy street but...
it's an incredible 1910 amazing beautiful house w/ 7 + original bedrooms and 3 bathrooms that needs $150-200k worth of work but costs less than the value of our home, so w/ our equity + fixing up the new house, the mortgage would end up being about the same. It has a lot of original details still - if not most: original copper craftsman lighting; oak floors throughout; original marble counter in the pantry, yes pantry (I've always wanted a pantry...and it's attached to a nook); dumbwaiter; a button on the dining room floor to call "the servents" - haha; leaded and stained glass built-ins, etc. 3 of the bedrooms are all in the attic and the attic is like most people's 2nd floors - very nice and finished with long open hallway and it's all original (no framed-in walls but has always been 3 bedrooms) w/ nice big windows and tall standing room. My friend laughed that she got lost on the 2nd floor for few seconds. It has 3 bedrooms in each corner and a sun porch in the 4th, plus another big bedroom in between two of the corners (attached to sun porch - so that sun porch could be converted to a nice bathroom and already has some of the plumbing since it was converted into a kitchen and has the 2nd-floor bathroom on the other side of its wall. There is a double garage w/ old fashioned doors and while the driveway isn't double, there is more space between the houses somehow. I think everything East of that side of that street - the side this house is on - has slightly bigger lots than where we live a couple blocks West. The basement is unfinished but enormous and dry and with outrageously tall ceilings - oh and it has a shower in it (!). The kitchen faces East (hello morning - I'm used to facing North) and the living room has a den off of it, at the back of the house. Not really a sun room as it's not full of windows but still a great space for an office and faces mostly South (and East). Living room faces West and South which to me is ideal since I love sunsets and really miss that. Dining room faces West too which is perfect at dinner time. I have a theory that all perfect houses have a kitchen that faces East and a dining room that faces West. :)
Cons: busy street w/ a bus line. Hello. Show stopper? Bus stop is 3 houses down and across the two-way street, on the corner. I think it's a 30 mph zone. There are a lot of cars at rush hour, it seems. Children's safety isn't a concern just cause they're old enough plus we'd fence it in. But what does living on a busy street w/ a bus line do to one's lungs, much less one's ears? It's fairly quiet at night - especially when most people are sleeping as is the case on any busy street I imagine. Am I allowed to imagine that in a few years automobiles will stop being gas-run (buses at least?) and will be quieter/less toxic? Or does the increase in population make it a wash (says the lady w/ 3 kids)?
When I was a real estate broker, I took a 30ish couple to see what turned out to be a pretty battered rental home backing onto a massive embankment topped by a main rail line. As we left, I was tempted to apologize. But the husband turned to his wife and said, "What do you think, Babe?" She nodded. They bought it. Turns out she had been raised in a home backing on a rail line and it made her feel all warm and nostalgic.
Only you and your family can decide how busy is busy.
The house you described sounds like it would have all the space you need for you and your family. How far away from the street is this property? My mother has a Victorian that is about 100 feet from a pretty busy road with a 45mph speed limit. Her property is on a corner, so the side facing the busy street is tree lined. In the summer if I was there I would sleep in the room facing the main road. With the windows open, you could hear the trucks go down the road. However, this property has windows original to the 1907 build. I would surmise with more efficient windows, and maybe a fan in them in the summer, you would drown out any of the noise. If people drive on this road at the posted speed limit, I don't think it would be all that bad, depending upon how many rooms were facing the road.
Thank you both for your replies!
Tonight I went there at rush hour and sat on the porch and took a listen. Wow - it's loud. The speed limit is 25 mph and the average driver goes about 30 (no big deal) but it's just too many cars, trucks, and buses! The bus starts to slow down just beyond the house and between the sqeeeeak and the pSHHHH of its breaks, I could go nuts. There's also the bus on the house's side which has a bus stop about a house's worth further (other side of intersection) beyond the one across the street and it goes past the house trying to gain speed after having stopped so there's a real grrrrrr sound of the engine sort of revving up to speed.
The other thing I noticed is all the lights hitting the house! Even though they're just going past both directions, it's like a laser light show on the porch and probably inside, too! Made me laugh. Also there are more pickup trucks and delivery trucks of course too - not just cars and buses. Ugh.
So for now I'm turned off. It's sad...it makes me think of that old children's book called The Little House. When this house was built it was so grand, and the "busy" street (horses and buggies of course) - which is still wider than all the other streets to this day - was the street two up from this house. Then eventually I assume someone w/ power decided to convince others w/ power that their street should cease being the busy street and that this one up a couple of blocks should. I don't remember reading what the reason was. It would be fun to find out and maybe see old pics.
Anyway, thanks for reading the rant. I don't see how I could justify that lack of serenity. Not that I'm feeling very serene, next to toxic neighbors. :(
How often would you be sitting on the front porch? I wouldn't necessarily rule it out due to the noise during rush hour. Generally speaking, you aren't going to be home sleeping during the time of the most heavy traffic. If you plan on doing some updating anyway, why not look into double pane windows for the front of the house? I would use the traffic noise as a bargaining chip to negotiate a better price, but I do understand your desire for a quite place.
Just wanted to say, don't underestimate your family's charm - the sound of three noisy boys playing would not bother me at all. I think people are more bothered by their neighbors' dogs barking/wandering, late-night noisiness, and lack of regular maintenance. Lots more posts about those issues, than about noisy kids.
The noise of the bus and noise of the cars will become non-issues within 2 weeks of moving in.
My childhood home was on a street that had a bus/bus stop on the corner, just 4 houses down from our home. My father used the bus to get to work each day. My parents picked this home due to the proximity to the bus stop. When I was a teenage, I used the bus to get around as well. It was wonderful.
The bus brakes and bus were not ever a problem. My bedroom was at the front of the home and my window faced the street where the bus was. You hear the bus and know it is the bus, but really, it was not loud at all and you really get used to the sound and learn to ignore it.
I took a psychology class at a college that bordered an Amtrak train track. The first day of class, the train went by and the horn was loud and the fast train was very loud and it rattled. That day or professor told us that humans get used to sounds very quickly and we would very soon not even notice the sound while in class and that we would just continue on with our studies and it would be a non-issue.
Sure enough, after a few classes, the loud Amtrak was a non-issue.
Life is short, so if you don't like your house and hate your neighbors, then move.
As for noise, some people are more sensitive than others, but most people rapidly learn to ignore background noises. It isn't that you won't hear them, but human brains automatically are drawn to things that are different and ignore the things that are the same.
The red flag for me is $200k in improvements. You don't have the money to finish your basement, but you are willing to dive into a potential money pit? What happens if repair costs go to $220k or $250k or $300k? Most homeowners go significantly over budget in major remodels.
I've lived on a few busy streets, and it's soooo ANNOYING! - the only thing worse is to have your house directly facing a stop sign - headlights in your eyes all night is not fun...
Plus, they are very difficult to sell, so if you plan on living there forever, and you think you can handle it, go for it... I, personally, will never do it again. :-P
We sold our house last year and it was on a very busy street which our realtor told us would be the biggest stumbling block (and obviously something we couldn't do anything about unlike all the other things you do have control over when you are staging to sell...)
It took some time to find someone who didn't mind the busy street. It was the single biggest obstacle to finding the right buyer.
I read your description of the perfect house and was enthralled. You think like me. ;-) Those are all things I take into consideration as well when I look at houses because they are things that all people really do notice and their bodies react to, even if on an unconscious level. It is often what makes a house enjoyable or not and strikes me as being sort of a psychic fung shui. Light and when and how it strikes is important. I was also impressed you took the time to go visit the prospective house at different times to see what the experience would actually be like. However, if you have three active little fellows, I don't understand your sensitivity to noise levels. LOL.
I am a person who hates closed windows, so I do not own AC. I want to breathe fresh air and bring the outside in as much as possible. So soundproofing windows would not be an option to me to decrease background noise.
However, that being said, even places you'd think weren't noisy can be. I live in the country and our property abuts a state route and continues on that side to a township road. When I moved here, the road was so quiet that human generated noise of any kind was rare, especially at night. Also there sky was inky jet black. The use of the state route has skyrocketed, and it is also a route for coal trucks. The light pollution from a new industrial park makes this look like the land of the Midnight Sun. I often thought I could not live in a suburban situation or a town's residential areas, but if I coudn't live in the country, could live right smack downtown. Since the mall was built, the downtown area is practically deserted. At night, it's as quiet as a tomb. If someone wanted peace and quiet that would be the place to go.
As for pollution being greater in the prospective house. No, if it's two blocks away from your present house, traffic or not, the air over a city will have pretty much the same quality that close, whether you smell of diesel fumes or not.
Good luck on your home search. Now's a good time to be in the market for a home. And believe me, I understand some of your criteria. Those things to me are way more important than granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Things like environment, and light and house orientation and well planned-out living areas are things you are stuck with from the get-go.
"It took some time to find someone who didn't mind the busy street. It was the single biggest obstacle to finding the right buyer."
You know what Realtors always say, right?
After we say "location location location", we say "resale resale resale".
Even if you could live at the end of an airport runway without a qualm, think about who would buy your home next time.
I grew up on the flight path of Kennedy Airport. We would wave to the people on the plane, it was that low. The house would shake and all conversation stopped until the plane landed. Two blocks away was Aqueduct Raceway. As a kid, we would climb the fence and play in the underground tunnels. When the races were on you could hear the horses and the crowds screaming.
I thought it was normal, so did my family. When guests would visit, they were amazed we could live with the noise. It was a grand, old house and when my mother put it up for sale it sold in 3 days. The convenience to the City, airport and public transportation made it a hot property.
I'm confused. On your driveway thread, you were concerned about the cost of a survey to determine exactly where the lot lines are and the expense of a fence, and now you are casually talking about buying a house that will need hundreds of thousands of dollars of work?
You didn't talk about the noise your children make on the driveway thread.... could they be really annoying your neighbors and they are "getting even" by dinging your car?
As for your question here- yes, you get used to those street sounds. And like Jane said above, the location of the house could very well cancel out the sound. I would be more concerned with lights shining into the house at night. (The house next to our last house had that problem.... our realtor pointed it out so we came at night to see if our house would be affected the same way and it wasn't. But people's tolerances vary, so you have to do what is best for YOU.)
This may really de-romanticize the dream of the big place, but I now think about things from one more viewpoint - that of getting older, and therefore more tired and less able to clean and maintain a larger place, let alone anything like 5,000 sq'. I'm sure it's very tempting, but once the novelty has worn off I wonder how fast the reality would set in.
"The noise of the bus and noise of the cars will become non-issues within 2 weeks of moving in."
Unless defects in the paving occur (and they will) on the street that result in vibration being created and transferred to the house.
Cat iron soil stacks are a common way that the heavy vibration from large vehicles (buses and trucks) can be transferred into and damage an older house.
A bust street is an 'incurable defect.'
Just as you are having second thoughts, so will any subsequent purchaser, and traffic rarely decreases.
Most road noise is actually from the air trying to get out from between the tires and the road as the wheels turn so a busy road will always be noisy despite the technology used so long as rubber tires are involved. Besides, buses are just as likely to switch to biodiesel as they are to compressed natural gas or hybrids.
My concerns with a busy road would be where guests would park. If the front yard is large enough to accommodate a circular driveway with parking spaces than that may not be an issue but you do need to ask yourself if your visitors will have to park a street over and walk to your home. A busy road may be an advantage if you want to hang out a shingle and work out of your home so it's difficult to say one way or the other. However, if it was me, I would go with the quieter street and smaller home, location is everything and if your kids are already old enough that busy streets aren't a safety issue then it won't be very many years till they will be moving out. Basements can be renovated very inexpensively with little more than a circular saw, a staple gun , hammer and nails.
Our rental house is on a busy street and I love it. I know it's a personal preference thing but I often remark to my DH that I would love to grow old here because there would always be something going on and things to watch in front of our house. I imagine myself sitting on the porch "watching the cars go by." He of course said no. We are building on a one way circular street in a historical neighborhood. But we do have the hospital helicopter sounds and the train tracks down the street!
ncamy -- I can relate. As an adult, I'd love a house on a quiet street with a private yard. As a kid we lived on a somewhat busy street (still 25MPH) and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Quiet and private translates to BORING to a kid and especially a teenager!
Rail lines are a lot different than busy streets. Rail lines are somewhat charming and trains are boy magnets. Busy streets bring noise and air pollution. That said, can you plant trees to screen the noise and the smog? I have three boys and noise doesn't bother me much, but I considered buying a house within walking distance of their school once; the street noise was just too much for me, it was a major artery to the highway and constant traffic.
Another big red flag is the renovation cost. I saw a warning that renovation costs in a house more than 50 years old could easily be 3x what you project initially.
Good luck!
our house faces a culdesac, but the side is on a "busier than i'd like" street
i'm very sensitive to noise and it did take about a year to become accustomed to "hearing the traffic" if i listened to it
since the house was 30 years old and had the old aluminum windows, we replaced them with low e windows and also replaced the siding with hardiplank
now i have to struggle to hear traffic
it's great!
we have a .7 acre lot, most of the neighbors have bigger lots
the lot behind us (facing the busier street) sold last summer for 160 thousand-so i guess it didn't hurt the value much