Noncovalent Synthesis of Protein Dendrimers

Designer Peptide and Protein Dendrimers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Dendrimers have attracted immense interest in science and technology due to their unique chemical structure that offers a myriad of opportunities for researchers. Dendritic design allows us to present peptides in a branched three-dimensional fashion that eventually leads to a globular shape, thus mimicking globular proteins. Peptide dendrimers, unlike other classes of dendrimers, have immense applications in biomedical research due to their biological origin. The diversity of potential building blocks and innumerable possibilities for design, along with the fact that the area is relatively underexplored, make peptide dendrimers sought-after candidates for various applications. This review summarizes the stepwise evolution of peptidic dendrimers along with their multifaceted applications in various fields. Further, the introduction of biomacromolecules such as proteins to a dendritic scaffold, resulting in complex macromolecules with discrete molecular weights, is an altogether new addition to the area of organic chemistry. The synthesis of highly complex and fully folded biomacromolecules on a dendritic scaffold requires expertise in synthetic organic chemistry and biology. Presently, there are only a handful of examples of protein dendrimers; we believe that these limited examples will fuel further research in this area.

The construction of functional protein nanotubes by small molecule-induced self-assembly of cricoid proteins

Induced by small molecular ethylenediamine and “zero-length” covalent crosslinking, covalently crosslinked SeSP1 protein nanotubes with great GPx activity was fabricated.

Survey of the 2009 commercial optical biosensor literature

We took a different approach to reviewing the commercial biosensor literature this year by inviting 22 biosensor users to serve as a review committee. They set the criteria for what to expect in a publication and ultimately decided to use a pass/fail system for selecting which papers to include in this year's reference list. Of the 1514 publications in 2009 that reported using commercially available optical biosensor technology, only 20% passed their cutoff. The most common criticism the reviewers had with the literature was that "the biosensor experiments could have been done better." They selected 10 papers to highlight good experimental technique, data presentation, and unique applications of the technology. This communal review process was educational for everyone involved and one we will not soon forget.

Chemoselective protein and peptide immobilization on biosensor surfaces

Site-specific immobilization of proteins and peptides on a sensor surface represents a significant challenge for bioanalytical applications such as surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The most common protocols for covalent protein immobilization usually result in heterogeneous presentation of the ligand at the surface, which can in some instances yield conflicting results with analogous data obtained in solution. Here, we discuss two complementary and generic bioconjugation methods that allow chemoselective immobilization of peptides and proteins via either their C-terminus (native chemical ligation) or their N-terminus (oxime ligation). While the protocols described in this chapter were designed for use in a Biacore instrument, the methods should also be applicable to other SPR instruments and, with slight adjustments, to many other types of bioanalytical applications that rely on protein-functionalized surfaces.

Ribonuclease S redux

The S-peptide and S-protein components of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease form a noncovalent complex with restored ribonucleolytic activity. Although this archetypal protein-fragment complementation system has been the object of historic work in protein chemistry, intrinsic limitations compromise its utility. Modern methods are shown to overcome those limitations and enable new applications.