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Wang Z, Zhang D, Hemu X, Hu S, To J, Zhang X, Lescar J, Tam JP, Liu CF. Engineering protein theranostics using bio-orthogonal asparaginyl peptide ligases. Theranostics 2021; 11:5863-5875. [PMID: 33897886 PMCID: PMC8058723 DOI: 10.7150/thno.53615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Protein theranostics integrate both diagnostic and treatment functions on a single disease-targeting protein. However, the preparation of these multimodal agents remains a major challenge. Ideally, conventional recombinant proteins should be used as starting materials for modification with the desired detection and therapeutic functionalities, but simple chemical strategies that allow the introduction of two different modifications into a protein in a site-specific manner are not currently available. We recently discovered two highly efficient peptide ligases, namely butelase-1 and VyPAL2. Although both ligate at asparaginyl peptide bonds, these two enzymes are bio-orthogonal with distinguishable substrate specificities, which can be exploited to introduce distinct modifications onto a protein. Methods: We quantified substrate specificity differences between butelase-1 and VyPAL2, which provide orthogonality for a tandem ligation method for protein dual modifications. Recombinant proteins or synthetic peptides engineered with the preferred recognition motifs of butelase-1 and VyPAL2 at their respective C- and N-terminal ends could be modified consecutively by the action of the two ligases. Results: Using this method, we modified an EGFR-targeting affibody with a fluorescein tag and a mitochondrion-lytic peptide at its respective N- and C-terminal ends. The dual-labeled protein was found to be a selective bioimaging and cytotoxic agent for EGFR-positive A431 cancer cells. In addition, the method was used to prepare a cyclic form of the affibody conjugated with doxorubicin. Both modified affibodies showed increased cytotoxicity to A431 cells by 10- and 100-fold compared to unconjugated doxorubicin and the free peptide, respectively. Conclusion: Bio-orthogonal tandem ligation using two asparaginyl peptide ligases with differential substrate specificities is a straightforward approach for the preparation of multifunctional protein biologics as potential theranostics.
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Yeast-based bioproduction of disulfide-rich peptides and their cyclization via asparaginyl endopeptidases. Nat Protoc 2021; 16:1740-1760. [PMID: 33597770 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-00483-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cyclic disulfide-rich peptides have attracted significant interest in drug development and biotechnology. Here, we describe a protocol for producing cyclic peptide precursors in Pichia pastoris that undergo in vitro enzymatic maturation into cyclic peptides using recombinant asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs). Peptide precursors are expressed with a C-terminal His tag and secreted into the media, enabling facile purification by immobilized metal affinity chromatography. After AEP-mediated cyclization, cyclic peptides are purified by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography and characterized by mass spectrometry, peptide mass fingerprinting, NMR spectroscopy, and activity assays. We demonstrate the broad applicability of this protocol by generating cyclic peptides from three distinct classes that are either naturally occurring or synthetically backbone cyclized, and range in size from 14 amino acids with one disulfide bond, to 34 amino acids with a cystine knot comprising three disulfide bonds. The protocol requires 14 d to identify and optimize a high-expressing Pichia clone in small-scale cultures (24 well plates or 50 mL tubes), after which large-scale production in a bioreactor and peptide purification can be completed in 10 d. We use the cyclotide Momordica cochinchinensis trypsin inhibitor II as an example. We also include a protocol for recombinant AEP production in Escherichia coli as AEPs are emerging tools for orthogonal peptide and protein ligation. We focus on two AEPs that preferentially cyclize different peptide precursors, namely an engineered AEP with improved catalytic efficiency [C247A]OaAEP1b and the plant-derived MCoAEP2. Rudimentary proficiency and equipment in molecular biology, protein biochemistry and analytical chemistry are needed.
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Rehm FBH, Tyler TJ, Yap K, Durek T, Craik DJ. Improved Asparaginyl‐Ligase‐Catalyzed Transpeptidation via Selective Nucleophile Quenching. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202013584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian B. H. Rehm
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Tristan J. Tyler
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Kuok Yap
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Thomas Durek
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
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Rehm FBH, Tyler TJ, Yap K, Durek T, Craik DJ. Improved Asparaginyl‐Ligase‐Catalyzed Transpeptidation via Selective Nucleophile Quenching. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 60:4004-4008. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.202013584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabian B. H. Rehm
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Tristan J. Tyler
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Kuok Yap
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - Thomas Durek
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
| | - David J. Craik
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science Institute for Molecular Bioscience The University of Queensland Brisbane QLD 4072 Australia
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Jackson MA, Nguyen LT, Gilding EK, Durek T, Craik DJ. Make it or break it: Plant AEPs on stage in biotechnology. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 45:107651. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Cheloha RW, Harmand TJ, Wijne C, Schwartz TU, Ploegh HL. Exploring cellular biochemistry with nanobodies. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:15307-15327. [PMID: 32868455 PMCID: PMC7650250 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev120.012960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Reagents that bind tightly and specifically to biomolecules of interest remain essential in the exploration of biology and in their ultimate application to medicine. Besides ligands for receptors of known specificity, agents commonly used for this purpose are monoclonal antibodies derived from mice, rabbits, and other animals. However, such antibodies can be expensive to produce, challenging to engineer, and are not necessarily stable in the context of the cellular cytoplasm, a reducing environment. Heavy chain-only antibodies, discovered in camelids, have been truncated to yield single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs or nanobodies) that overcome many of these shortcomings. Whereas they are known as crystallization chaperones for membrane proteins or as simple alternatives to conventional antibodies, nanobodies have been applied in settings where the use of standard antibodies or their derivatives would be impractical or impossible. We review recent examples in which the unique properties of nanobodies have been combined with complementary methods, such as chemical functionalization, to provide tools with unique and useful properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ross W Cheloha
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thibault J Harmand
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Charlotte Wijne
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Thomas U Schwartz
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hidde L Ploegh
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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57
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Muyldermans S. A guide to: generation and design of nanobodies. FEBS J 2020; 288:2084-2102. [PMID: 32780549 PMCID: PMC8048825 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A nanobody (Nb) is a registered trademark of Ablynx, referring to the single antigen-binding domain of heavy chain-only antibodies (HCAbs) that are circulating in Camelidae. Nbs are produced recombinantly in micro-organisms and employed as research tools or for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. They were - and still are - also named single-domain antibodies (sdAbs) or variable domain of the heavy chain of HCAbs (VHH). A variety of methods are currently in use for the fast and efficient generation of target-specific Nbs. Such Nbs are produced at low cost and associate with high affinity to their cognate antigen. They are robust, strictly monomeric and easy to tailor into more complex entities to meet the requirements of their application. Here, we review the various sources and different strategies that have been developed to identify rapidly, target-specific Nbs. We further discuss a variety of engineering technologies that have been explored to broaden the application range of Nbs and summarise those applications where designed Nbs might offer a marked advantage over other affinity reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serge Muyldermans
- Cellular and Molecular Immunology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium.,Liaoning Key Laboratory of Molecular Recognition and Imaging, School of Bioengineering, Dalian University of Technology, China
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Frazier CL, Weeks AM. Engineered peptide ligases for cell signaling and bioconjugation. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:1153-1165. [PMID: 32539119 PMCID: PMC8350744 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Enzymes that catalyze peptide ligation are powerful tools for site-specific protein bioconjugation and the study of cellular signaling. Peptide ligases can be divided into two classes: proteases that have been engineered to favor peptide ligation, and protease-related enzymes with naturally evolved peptide ligation activity. Here, we provide a review of key natural peptide ligases and proteases engineered to favor peptide ligation activity. We cover the protein engineering approaches used to generate and improve these tools, along with recent biological applications, advantages, and limitations associated with each enzyme. Finally, we address future challenges and opportunities for further development of peptide ligases as tools for biological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara L. Frazier
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Amy M. Weeks
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Tang TMS, Cardella D, Lander AJ, Li X, Escudero JS, Tsai YH, Luk LYP. Use of an asparaginyl endopeptidase for chemo-enzymatic peptide and protein labeling. Chem Sci 2020; 11:5881-5888. [PMID: 32874509 PMCID: PMC7441500 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc02023k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) are ideal for peptide and protein labeling. However, because of the reaction reversibility, a large excess of labels or backbone modified substrates are needed. In turn, simple and cheap reagents can be used to label N-terminal cysteine, but its availability inherently limits the potential applications. Aiming to address these issues, we have created a chemo-enzymatic labeling system that exploits the substrate promiscuity of AEP with the facile chemical reaction between N-terminal cysteine and 2-formyl phenylboronic acid (FPBA). In this approach, AEP is used to ligate polypeptides with a Asn-Cys-Leu recognition sequence with counterparts possessing an N-terminal Gly-Leu. Instead of being a labeling reagent, the commercially available FPBA serves as a scavenger converting the byproduct Cys-Leu into an inert thiazolidine derivative. This consequently drives the AEP labeling reaction forward to product formation with a lower ratio of label to protein substrate. By carefully screening the reaction conditions for optimal compatibility and minimal hydrolysis, conversion to the ligated product in the model reaction resulted in excellent yields. The versatility of this AEP-ligation/FPBA-coupling system was further demonstrated by site-specifically labeling the N- or C-termini of various proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- T M Simon Tang
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
| | - Davide Cardella
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
| | - Alexander J Lander
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
| | - Xuefei Li
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
| | - Jorge S Escudero
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
| | - Yu-Hsuan Tsai
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
| | - Louis Y P Luk
- School of Chemistry , Cardiff University , Main Building, Park Place , Cardiff , CF10 3AT , UK .
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