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Zheng Y, Zhang B, Shi WW, Deng X, Wang TY, Han D, Ren Y, Yang Z, Zhou YK, Kuang J, Wang ZW, Tang S, Zheng JS. An Enzyme-Cleavable Solubilizing-Tag Facilitates the Chemical Synthesis of Mirror-Image Proteins. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202318897. [PMID: 38326236 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202318897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Mirror-image proteins (D-proteins) are useful in biomedical research for purposes such as mirror-image screening for D-peptide drug discovery, but the chemical synthesis of many D-proteins is often low yielding due to the poor solubility or aggregation of their constituent peptide segments. Here, we report a Lys-C protease-cleavable solubilizing tag and its use to synthesize difficult-to-obtain D-proteins. Our tag is easily installed onto multiple amino acids such as DLys, DSer, DThr, and/or the N-terminal amino acid of hydrophobic D-peptides, is impervious to various reaction conditions, such as peptide synthesis, ligation, desulfurization, and transition metal-mediated deprotection, and yet can be completely removed by Lys-C protease under denaturing conditions to give the desired D-protein. The efficacy and practicality of the new method were exemplified in the synthesis of two challenging D-proteins: D-enantiomers of programmed cell death protein 1 IgV domain and SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein, in high yield. This work demonstrates that the enzymatic cleavage of solubilizing tags under denaturing conditions is feasible, thus paving the way for the production of more D-proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Zheng
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Baochang Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Wei-Wei Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Xiangyu Deng
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Tong-Yue Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Dongyang Han
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yuxiang Ren
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Ziyi Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yong-Kang Zhou
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Jian Kuang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Zhi-Wen Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, China
| | - Shan Tang
- Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230027, China
| | - Ji-Shen Zheng
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), MOE Key Laboratory for Membraneless Organelles and Cellular Dynamics, and Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Hefei National Research Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences at the Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
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2
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Cardella D, Tsai YH, Luk LYP. Towards the use of an amino acid cleavable linker for solid-phase chemical synthesis of peptides and proteins. Org Biomol Chem 2023; 21:966-969. [PMID: 36628630 PMCID: PMC9890637 DOI: 10.1039/d2ob02198f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis of proteins by solid-phase chemical ligation (SPCL) suffers from the paucity of linkers that can be cleaved under mild conditions. Here, we deployed a spontaneous nickel-assisted cleavage (SNAC) tag, known to undergo spontaneous cleavage in the presence of nickel(II), as a linker for C-to-N SPCL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yu-Hsuan Tsai
- Institute of Molecular Physiology, Shenzhen Bay LaboratoryShenzhen 518132China
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3
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Loth K, Parisot N, Paquet F, Terrasson H, Sivignon C, Rahioui I, Ribeiro Lopes M, Gaget K, Duport G, Delmas AF, Aucagne V, Heddi A, Calevro F, da Silva P. Aphid BCR4 Structure and Activity Uncover a New Defensin Peptide Superfamily. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012480. [PMID: 36293341 PMCID: PMC9604261 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphidoidea) are among the most detrimental insects for agricultural plants, and their management is a great challenge in agronomical research. A new class of proteins, called Bacteriocyte-specific Cysteine-Rich (BCR) peptides, provides an alternative to chemical insecticides for pest control. BCRs were initially identified in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum. They are small disulfide bond-rich proteins expressed exclusively in aphid bacteriocytes, the insect cells that host intracellular symbiotic bacteria. Here, we show that one of the A. pisum BCRs, BCR4, displays prominent insecticidal activity against the pea aphid, impairing insect survival and nymphal growth, providing evidence for its potential use as a new biopesticide. Our comparative genomics and phylogenetic analyses indicate that BCRs are restricted to the aphid lineage. The 3D structure of BCR4 reveals that this peptide belongs to an as-yet-unknown structural class of peptides and defines a new superfamily of defensins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karine Loth
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
- UFR Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Orléans, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Nicolas Parisot
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Françoise Paquet
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Hugo Terrasson
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Isabelle Rahioui
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | | | - Karen Gaget
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Gabrielle Duport
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Agnès F. Delmas
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Vincent Aucagne
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR 4301, 45071 Orléans, France
| | - Abdelaziz Heddi
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Federica Calevro
- Univ Lyon, INRAE, INSA Lyon, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Pedro da Silva
- Univ Lyon, INSA Lyon, INRAE, BF2I, UMR 203, 69621 Villeurbanne, France
- Correspondence:
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4
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Zhang Y, Chen J, He C. On Demand Attachment and Detachment of rac-2-Br-DMNPA Tailoring to Facilitate Chemical Protein Synthesis. Org Lett 2021; 23:6477-6481. [PMID: 34369799 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.1c02295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we developed a bifunctional reagent rac-2-Br-DMNPA 2 for the late-stage protection of peptide cysteine. Through the identification of its t-Bu ester 1 as a more competent form under ligation conditions, facile N-terminal and side-chain caging for the model peptide and protein were accomplished. Building upon this, a one-pot ligation and photolysis strategy was applied in the synthesis of the mini-protein chlorotoxin. More importantly, we extended the utility of 2 as a bifunctional linker for traceless solid-phase chemical ligation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqi Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Junlang Chen
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
| | - Chunmao He
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China
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