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Gonçalves AAM, Ribeiro AJ, Resende CAA, Couto CAP, Gandra IB, Dos Santos Barcelos IC, da Silva JO, Machado JM, Silva KA, Silva LS, Dos Santos M, da Silva Lopes L, de Faria MT, Pereira SP, Xavier SR, Aragão MM, Candida-Puma MA, de Oliveira ICM, Souza AA, Nogueira LM, da Paz MC, Coelho EAF, Giunchetti RC, de Freitas SM, Chávez-Fumagalli MA, Nagem RAP, Galdino AS. Recombinant multiepitope proteins expressed in Escherichia coli cells and their potential for immunodiagnosis. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:145. [PMID: 38778337 PMCID: PMC11110257 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02418-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombinant multiepitope proteins (RMPs) are a promising alternative for application in diagnostic tests and, given their wide application in the most diverse diseases, this review article aims to survey the use of these antigens for diagnosis, as well as discuss the main points surrounding these antigens. RMPs usually consisting of linear, immunodominant, and phylogenetically conserved epitopes, has been applied in the experimental diagnosis of various human and animal diseases, such as leishmaniasis, brucellosis, cysticercosis, Chagas disease, hepatitis, leptospirosis, leprosy, filariasis, schistosomiasis, dengue, and COVID-19. The synthetic genes for these epitopes are joined to code a single RMP, either with spacers or fused, with different biochemical properties. The epitopes' high density within the RMPs contributes to a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The RMPs can also sidestep the need for multiple peptide synthesis or multiple recombinant proteins, reducing costs and enhancing the standardization conditions for immunoassays. Methods such as bioinformatics and circular dichroism have been widely applied in the development of new RMPs, helping to guide their construction and better understand their structure. Several RMPs have been expressed, mainly using the Escherichia coli expression system, highlighting the importance of these cells in the biotechnological field. In fact, technological advances in this area, offering a wide range of different strains to be used, make these cells the most widely used expression platform. RMPs have been experimentally used to diagnose a broad range of illnesses in the laboratory, suggesting they could also be useful for accurate diagnoses commercially. On this point, the RMP method offers a tempting substitute for the production of promising antigens used to assemble commercial diagnostic kits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Alice Maia Gonçalves
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Anna Julia Ribeiro
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Carlos Ananias Aparecido Resende
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Carolina Alves Petit Couto
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Isadora Braga Gandra
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Isabelle Caroline Dos Santos Barcelos
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Jonatas Oliveira da Silva
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Juliana Martins Machado
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Kamila Alves Silva
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Líria Souza Silva
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Michelli Dos Santos
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Lucas da Silva Lopes
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Mariana Teixeira de Faria
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Paula Pereira
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Sandra Rodrigues Xavier
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Matheus Motta Aragão
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Mayron Antonio Candida-Puma
- Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, 04000, Peru
| | | | - Amanda Araujo Souza
- Biophysics Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasília, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Lais Moreira Nogueira
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Mariana Campos da Paz
- Bioactives and Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Antônio Ferraz Coelho
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 30130-100, Brazil
| | - Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
- Laboratory of Biology of Cell Interactions, National Institute of Science and Technology on Tropical Diseases (INCT-DT), Department of Morphology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Sonia Maria de Freitas
- Biophysics Laboratory, Institute of Biological Sciences, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasília, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Miguel Angel Chávez-Fumagalli
- Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Arequipa, 04000, Peru
| | - Ronaldo Alves Pinto Nagem
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino
- Microorganism Biotechnology Laboratory, National Institute of Science and Technology on Industrial Biotechnology (INCT-BI), Federal University of São João Del-Rei, Midwest Campus, Divinópolis, 35501-296, Brazil.
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Willems T, Hectors W, Rombaut J, De Rop AS, Goegebeur S, Delmulle T, De Mol ML, De Maeseneire SL, Soetaert WK. An exploratory in silico comparison of open-source codon harmonization tools. Microb Cell Fact 2023; 22:227. [PMID: 37932726 PMCID: PMC10626681 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-023-02230-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Not changing the native constitution of genes prior to their expression by a heterologous host can affect the amount of proteins synthesized as well as their folding, hampering their activity and even cell viability. Over the past decades, several strategies have been developed to optimize the translation of heterologous genes by accommodating the difference in codon usage between species. While there have been a handful of studies assessing various codon optimization strategies, to the best of our knowledge, no research has been performed towards the evaluation and comparison of codon harmonization algorithms. To highlight their importance and encourage meaningful discussion, we compared different open-source codon harmonization tools pertaining to their in silico performance, and we investigated the influence of different gene-specific factors. RESULTS In total, 27 genes were harmonized with four tools toward two different heterologous hosts. The difference in %MinMax values between the harmonized and the original sequences was calculated (ΔMinMax), and statistical analysis of the obtained results was carried out. It became clear that not all tools perform similarly, and the choice of tool should depend on the intended application. Almost all biological factors under investigation (GC content, RNA secondary structures and choice of heterologous host) had a significant influence on the harmonization results and thus must be taken into account. These findings were substantiated using a validation dataset consisting of 8 strategically chosen genes. CONCLUSIONS Due to the size of the dataset, no complex models could be developed. However, this initial study showcases significant differences between the results of various codon harmonization tools. Although more elaborate investigation is needed, it is clear that biological factors such as GC content, RNA secondary structures and heterologous hosts must be taken into account when selecting the codon harmonization tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Willems
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Wim Hectors
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Jeltien Rombaut
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Anne-Sofie De Rop
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Stijn Goegebeur
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Tom Delmulle
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Maarten L De Mol
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
| | - Sofie L De Maeseneire
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium.
| | - Wim K Soetaert
- Centre for Industrial Biotechnology and Biocatalysis (InBio.be), Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, 9000, Belgium
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Rong Y, Jensen SI, Lindorff-Larsen K, Nielsen AT. Folding of heterologous proteins in bacterial cell factories: Cellular mechanisms and engineering strategies. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 63:108079. [PMID: 36528238 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The expression of correctly folded and functional heterologous proteins is important in many biotechnological production processes, whether it is enzymes, biopharmaceuticals or biosynthetic pathways for production of sustainable chemicals. For industrial applications, bacterial platform organisms, such as E. coli, are still broadly used due to the availability of tools and proven suitability at industrial scale. However, expression of heterologous proteins in these organisms can result in protein aggregation and low amounts of functional protein. This review provides an overview of the cellular mechanisms that can influence protein folding and expression, such as co-translational folding and assembly, chaperone binding, as well as protein quality control, across different model organisms. The knowledge of these mechanisms is then linked to different experimental methods that have been applied in order to improve functional heterologous protein folding, such as codon optimization, fusion tagging, chaperone co-production, as well as strain and protein engineering strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixin Rong
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Sheila Ingemann Jensen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Kresten Lindorff-Larsen
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Alex Toftgaard Nielsen
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark.
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Noushahi HA, Khan AH, Noushahi UF, Hussain M, Javed T, Zafar M, Batool M, Ahmed U, Liu K, Harrison MT, Saud S, Fahad S, Shu S. Biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids and strategies to improve their Biosynthetic Efficiency. PLANT GROWTH REGULATION 2022; 97:439-454. [PMID: 35382096 PMCID: PMC8969394 DOI: 10.1007/s10725-022-00818-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
"Triterpenoids" can be considered natural products derived from the cyclization of squalene, yielding 3-deoxytriterpenes (hydrocarbons) or 3-hydroxytriterpenes. Triterpenoids are metabolites of these two classes of triterpenes, produced by the functionalization of their carbon skeleton. They can be categorized into different groups based on their structural formula/design. Triterpenoids are an important group of compounds that are widely used in the fields of pharmacology, food, and industrial biotechnology. However, inadequate synthetic methods and insufficient knowledge of the biosynthesis of triterpenoids, such as their structure, enzymatic activity, and the methods used to produce pure and active triterpenoids, are key problems that limit the production of these active metabolites. Here, we summarize the derivatives, pharmaceutical properties, and biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoids and review the enzymes involved in their biosynthetic pathway. Furthermore, we concluded the screening methods, identified the genes involved in the pathways, and highlighted the appropriate strategies used to enhance their biosynthetic production to facilitate the commercial process of triterpenoids through the synthetic biology method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Armghan Noushahi
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
- Plant Breeding and Phenomic Centre, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Talca, 3460000 Talca, Chile
| | - Aamir Hamid Khan
- National Key Lab of Crop Genetics Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Usama Farhan Noushahi
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 54000 Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mubashar Hussain
- Institute of Applied Mycology, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Talha Javed
- College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, 350002 Fuzhou, China
| | - Maimoona Zafar
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Maria Batool
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Umair Ahmed
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, 7250 Burnie, Tasmania Australia
| | - Matthew Tom Harrison
- Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, 7250 Burnie, Tasmania Australia
| | - Shah Saud
- College of Life Science, Linyi University, 276000 Linyi, Shandong China
| | - Shah Fahad
- Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresource, College of Tropical Crops, Hainan University, 570228 Haikou, China
- Department of Agronomy, The University of Haripur, 22620 Haripur, Pakistan
| | - Shaohua Shu
- College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
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Wright G, Rodriguez A, Li J, Milenkovic T, Emrich SJ, Clark PL. CHARMING: Harmonizing synonymous codon usage to replicate a desired codon usage pattern. Protein Sci 2022; 31:221-231. [PMID: 34738275 PMCID: PMC8740841 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing appreciation that synonymous codon usage, although historically regarded as phenotypically silent, can instead alter a wide range of mechanisms related to functional protein production, a term we use here to describe the net effect of transcription (mRNA synthesis), mRNA half-life, translation (protein synthesis) and the probability of a protein folding correctly to its active, functional structure. In particular, recent discoveries have highlighted the important role that sub-optimal codons can play in modifying co-translational protein folding. These results have drawn increased attention to the patterns of synonymous codon usage within coding sequences, particularly in light of the discovery that these patterns can be conserved across evolution for homologous proteins. Because synonymous codon usage differs between organisms, for heterologous gene expression it can be desirable to make synonymous codon substitutions to match the codon usage pattern from the original organism in the heterologous expression host. Here we present CHARMING (for Codon HARMonizING), a robust and versatile algorithm to design mRNA sequences for heterologous gene expression and other related codon harmonization tasks. CHARMING can be run as a downloadable Python script or via a web portal at http://www.codons.org.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Wright
- Department of Computer Science & EngineeringUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA,Present address:
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceMilwaukee School of EngineeringMilwaukeeWIUSA
| | - Anabel Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry & BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Jun Li
- Department of Applied and Computational Mathematics & StatisticsUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Tijana Milenkovic
- Department of Computer Science & EngineeringUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
| | - Scott J. Emrich
- Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer ScienceUniversity of TennesseeKnoxvilleTennesseeUSA
| | - Patricia L. Clark
- Department of Chemistry & BiochemistryUniversity of Notre DameNotre DameIndianaUSA
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6
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Fox DM, Branson KM, Walker RC. mRNA codon optimization with quantum computers. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0259101. [PMID: 34714834 PMCID: PMC8555812 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0259101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Reverse translation of polypeptide sequences to expressible mRNA constructs is a NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem. Each amino acid in the protein sequence can be represented by as many as six codons, and the process of selecting the combination that maximizes probability of expression is termed codon optimization. This work investigates the potential impact of leveraging quantum computing technology for codon optimization. A Quantum Annealer (QA) is compared to a standard genetic algorithm (GA) programmed with the same objective function. The QA is found to be competitive in identifying optimal solutions. The utility of gate-based systems is also evaluated using a simulator resulting in the finding that while current generations of devices lack the hardware requirements, in terms of both qubit count and connectivity, to solve realistic problems, future generation devices may be highly efficient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dillion M. Fox
- Data and Computational Science, Medicinal Sciences and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Kim M. Branson
- Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Medicinal Sciences and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Ross C. Walker
- Data and Computational Science, Medicinal Sciences and Technology, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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7
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Zrimec J, Buric F, Kokina M, Garcia V, Zelezniak A. Learning the Regulatory Code of Gene Expression. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:673363. [PMID: 34179082 PMCID: PMC8223075 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.673363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Data-driven machine learning is the method of choice for predicting molecular phenotypes from nucleotide sequence, modeling gene expression events including protein-DNA binding, chromatin states as well as mRNA and protein levels. Deep neural networks automatically learn informative sequence representations and interpreting them enables us to improve our understanding of the regulatory code governing gene expression. Here, we review the latest developments that apply shallow or deep learning to quantify molecular phenotypes and decode the cis-regulatory grammar from prokaryotic and eukaryotic sequencing data. Our approach is to build from the ground up, first focusing on the initiating protein-DNA interactions, then specific coding and non-coding regions, and finally on advances that combine multiple parts of the gene and mRNA regulatory structures, achieving unprecedented performance. We thus provide a quantitative view of gene expression regulation from nucleotide sequence, concluding with an information-centric overview of the central dogma of molecular biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Zrimec
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Filip Buric
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Mariia Kokina
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Victor Garcia
- School of Life Sciences and Facility Management, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Wädenswil, Switzerland
| | - Aleksej Zelezniak
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
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8
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Bourgade B, Minton NP, Islam MA. Genetic and metabolic engineering challenges of C1-gas fermenting acetogenic chassis organisms. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2021; 45:fuab008. [PMID: 33595667 PMCID: PMC8351756 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuab008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Unabated mining and utilisation of petroleum and petroleum resources and their conversion to essential fuels and chemicals have drastic environmental consequences, contributing to global warming and climate change. In addition, fossil fuels are finite resources, with a fast-approaching shortage. Accordingly, research efforts are increasingly focusing on developing sustainable alternatives for chemicals and fuels production. In this context, bioprocesses, relying on microorganisms, have gained particular interest. For example, acetogens use the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway to grow on single carbon C1-gases (CO2 and CO) as their sole carbon source and produce valuable products such as acetate or ethanol. These autotrophs can, therefore, be exploited for large-scale fermentation processes to produce industrially relevant chemicals from abundant greenhouse gases. In addition, genetic tools have recently been developed to improve these chassis organisms through synthetic biology approaches. This review will focus on the challenges of genetically and metabolically modifying acetogens. It will first discuss the physical and biochemical obstacles complicating successful DNA transfer in these organisms. Current genetic tools developed for several acetogens, crucial for strain engineering to consolidate and expand their catalogue of products, will then be described. Recent tool applications for metabolic engineering purposes to allow redirection of metabolic fluxes or production of non-native compounds will lastly be covered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Bourgade
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
| | - Nigel P Minton
- BBSRC/EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (SBRC), School of Life Sciences, University Park, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - M Ahsanul Islam
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK
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9
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Van Aalst E, Yekefallah M, Mehta AK, Eason I, Wylie B. Codon Harmonization of a Kir3.1-KirBac1.3 Chimera for Structural Study Optimization. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10030430. [PMID: 32164257 PMCID: PMC7175280 DOI: 10.3390/biom10030430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The expression of functional, folded, and isotopically enriched membrane proteins is an enduring bottleneck for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies. Indeed, historically, protein yield optimization has been insufficient to allow NMR analysis of many complex Eukaryotic membrane proteins. However, recent work has found that manipulation of plasmid codons improves the odds of successful NMR-friendly protein production. In the last decade, numerous studies showed that matching codon usage patterns in recombinant gene sequences to those in the native sequence is positively correlated with increased protein yield. This phenomenon, dubbed codon harmonization, may be a powerful tool in optimizing recombinant expression of difficult-to-produce membrane proteins for structural studies. Here, we apply this technique to an inward rectifier K+ Channel (Kir) 3.1-KirBac1.3 chimera. Kir3.1 falls within the G protein-coupled inward rectifier K+ (GIRK) channel family, thus NMR studies may inform on the nuances of GIRK gating action in the presence and absence of its G Protein, lipid, and small molecule ligands. In our hands, harmonized plasmids increase protein yield nearly two-fold compared to the traditional ‘fully codon optimized’ construct. We then employ a fluorescence-based functional assay and solid-state NMR correlation spectroscopy to show the final protein product is folded and functional.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan Van Aalst
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79423, USA; (E.V.A.); (M.Y.); (I.E.)
| | - Maryam Yekefallah
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79423, USA; (E.V.A.); (M.Y.); (I.E.)
| | - Anil K. Mehta
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory and McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Box 10015, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA;
| | - Isaac Eason
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79423, USA; (E.V.A.); (M.Y.); (I.E.)
| | - Benjamin Wylie
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79423, USA; (E.V.A.); (M.Y.); (I.E.)
- Correspondence:
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Sunita, Sajid A, Singh Y, Shukla P. Computational tools for modern vaccine development. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2020; 16:723-735. [PMID: 31545127 PMCID: PMC7227725 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1670035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines play an essential role in controlling the rates of fatality and morbidity. Vaccines not only arrest the beginning of different diseases but also assign a gateway for its elimination and reduce toxicity. This review gives an overview of the possible uses of computational tools for vaccine design. Moreover, we have described the initiatives of utilizing the diverse computational resources by exploring the immunological databases for developing epitope-based vaccines, peptide-based drugs, and other resources of immunotherapeutics. Finally, the applications of multi-graft and multivalent scaffolding, codon optimization and antibodyomics tools in identifying and designing in silico vaccine candidates are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunita
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
- Bacterial Pathogenesis Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yogendra Singh
- Bacterial Pathogenesis Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
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Ren H, Shi C, Zhao H. Computational Tools for Discovering and Engineering Natural Product Biosynthetic Pathways. iScience 2020; 23:100795. [PMID: 31926431 PMCID: PMC6957853 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2019.100795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 11/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural products (NPs), also known as secondary metabolites, are produced in bacteria, fungi, and plants. NPs represent a rich source of antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer agents. Recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies and bioinformatics unveiled nature's great potential for synthesizing numerous NPs that may confer unprecedented structural and biological features. However, discovering novel bioactive NPs by genome mining remains a challenge. Moreover, even with interesting bioactivity, the low productivity of many NPs significantly limits their practical applications. Here we discuss the progress in developing bioinformatics tools for efficient discovery of bioactive NPs. In addition, we highlight computational methods for optimizing the productivity of NPs of pharmaceutical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengqian Ren
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chengyou Shi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Huimin Zhao
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Departments of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Bioengineering, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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Sun L, Xu L, Huang Y, Lin H, Ahmed I, Li Z. Identification and comparison of allergenicity of native and recombinant fish major allergen parvalbumins from Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Food Funct 2019; 10:6615-6623. [DOI: 10.1039/c9fo01402k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Compared with native parvalbumin, recombinant β-parvalbumin based on the optimized DNA sequence can be used in fish allergen confirmation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirui Sun
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Ocean University of China
- Qingdao
- P.R. China
| | - Lili Xu
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Ocean University of China
- Qingdao
- P.R. China
| | - Yuhao Huang
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Ocean University of China
- Qingdao
- P.R. China
| | - Hong Lin
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Ocean University of China
- Qingdao
- P.R. China
| | - Ishfaq Ahmed
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Ocean University of China
- Qingdao
- P.R. China
| | - Zhenxing Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering
- Ocean University of China
- Qingdao
- P.R. China
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