1
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Tao J, Dhanjee HH, Gribble MW, Kottisch V, Rodriguez J, Brown JS, Schmidt H, Juneja J, Denhez F, Lee PS, Lipovšek D, Krystek S, Zhang Y, Bousquet P, Zhang Y, Pentelute BL, Buchwald SL. Site-Specific Antibody Prodrugs via S-Arylation: a Bioconjugation Approach Toward Masked Tyrosine Analogues. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:20080-20085. [PMID: 39001844 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c04035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
The utility of antibody therapeutics is hampered by potential cross-reactivity with healthy tissue. Over the past decade, significant advances have been made in the design of activatable antibodies, which increase, or create altogether, the therapeutic window of a parent antibody. Of these, antibody prodrugs (pro-antibodies) are masked antibodies that have advanced the most for therapeutic use. They are designed to reveal the active, parent antibody only when encountering proteases upregulated in the microenvironment of the targeted disease tissue, thereby minimizing off-target activity. However, current pro-antibody designs are relegated to fusion proteins that append masking groups restricted to the use of only canonical amino acids, offering excellent control of the site of introduction, but with no authority over where the masking group is installed other than the N-terminus of the antibody. Here, we present a palladium-based bioconjugation approach for the site-specific introduction of a masked tyrosine mimic in the complementary determining region of the FDA approved antibody therapeutic ipilimumab used as a model system. The approach enables the introduction of a protease cleavable group tethered to noncanonical polymers (polyethylene glycol (PEG)) resulting in 47-fold weaker binding to cells expressing CTLA-4, the target antigen of ipilimumab. Upon exposure to tumor-associated proteases, the masking group is cleaved, unveiling a tyrosine-mimic (dubbed hydroxyphenyl cysteine (HPC)) that restores (>90% restoration) binding affinity to its target antigen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Heemal H Dhanjee
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael W Gribble
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Veronika Kottisch
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Jacob Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Joseph S Brown
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Holly Schmidt
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Juhi Juneja
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Fabienne Denhez
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Peter S Lee
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Daša Lipovšek
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Stanley Krystek
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Yihong Zhang
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Patrick Bousquet
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Yong Zhang
- Research and Early Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, P.O. Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, United States
| | - Bradley L Pentelute
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Stephen L Buchwald
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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2
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Koch NG, Budisa N. Evolution of Pyrrolysyl-tRNA Synthetase: From Methanogenesis to Genetic Code Expansion. Chem Rev 2024. [PMID: 38953775 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Over 20 years ago, the pyrrolysine encoding translation system was discovered in specific archaea. Our Review provides an overview of how the once obscure pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) tRNA pair, originally responsible for accurately translating enzymes crucial in methanogenic metabolic pathways, laid the foundation for the burgeoning field of genetic code expansion. Our primary focus is the discussion of how to successfully engineer the PylRS to recognize new substrates and exhibit higher in vivo activity. We have compiled a comprehensive list of ncAAs incorporable with the PylRS system. Additionally, we also summarize recent successful applications of the PylRS system in creating innovative therapeutic solutions, such as new antibody-drug conjugates, advancements in vaccine modalities, and the potential production of new antimicrobials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaj G Koch
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Physical Chemistry, University of Basel, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Biocatalysis Group, Institute of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Chemical Synthetic Biology Chair, Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2, Canada
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3
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Masuda I, Hou YM. A tRNA modification pattern that facilitates interpretation of the genetic code. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1415100. [PMID: 38933027 PMCID: PMC11199890 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1415100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Interpretation of the genetic code from triplets of nucleotides to amino acids is fundamental to life. This interpretation is achieved by cellular tRNAs, each reading a triplet codon through its complementary anticodon (positions 34-36) while delivering the amino acid charged to its 3'-end. This amino acid is then incorporated into the growing polypeptide chain during protein synthesis on the ribosome. The quality and versatility of the interpretation is ensured not only by the codon-anticodon pairing, but also by the post-transcriptional modifications at positions 34 and 37 of each tRNA, corresponding to the wobble nucleotide at the first position of the anticodon and the nucleotide on the 3'-side of the anticodon, respectively. How each codon is read by the matching anticodon, and which modifications are required, cannot be readily predicted from the codon-anticodon pairing alone. Here we provide an easily accessible modification pattern that is integrated into the genetic code table. We focus on the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli as a model, which is one of the few organisms whose entire set of tRNA modifications and modification genes is identified and mapped. This work provides an important reference tool that will facilitate research in protein synthesis, which is at the core of the cellular life.
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4
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Patel RS, Pannala NM, Das C. Reading and Writing the Ubiquitin Code Using Genetic Code Expansion. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400190. [PMID: 38588469 PMCID: PMC11161312 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400190] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Deciphering ubiquitin proteoform signaling and its role in disease has been a long-standing challenge in the field. The effects of ubiquitin modifications, its relation to ubiquitin-related machineries, and its signaling output has been particularly limited by its reconstitution and means of characterization. Advances in genetic code expansion have contributed towards addressing these challenges by precision incorporation of unnatural amino acids through site selective codon suppression. This review discusses recent advances in studying the 'writers', 'readers', and 'erasers' of the ubiquitin code using genetic code expansion. Highlighting strategies towards genetically encoded protein ubiquitination, ubiquitin phosphorylation, acylation, and finally surveying ubiquitin interactions, we strive to bring attention to this unique approach towards addressing a widespread proteoform problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rishi S Patel
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Nipuni M Pannala
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Chittaranjan Das
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Dr., West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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5
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Sigal M, Matsumoto S, Beattie A, Katoh T, Suga H. Engineering tRNAs for the Ribosomal Translation of Non-proteinogenic Monomers. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6444-6500. [PMID: 38688034 PMCID: PMC11122139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome-dependent protein biosynthesis is an essential cellular process mediated by transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Generally, ribosomally synthesized proteins are limited to the 22 proteinogenic amino acids (pAAs: 20 l-α-amino acids present in the standard genetic code, selenocysteine, and pyrrolysine). However, engineering tRNAs for the ribosomal incorporation of non-proteinogenic monomers (npMs) as building blocks has led to the creation of unique polypeptides with broad applications in cellular biology, material science, spectroscopy, and pharmaceuticals. Ribosomal polymerization of these engineered polypeptides presents a variety of challenges for biochemists, as translation efficiency and fidelity is often insufficient when employing npMs. In this Review, we will focus on the methodologies for engineering tRNAs to overcome these issues and explore recent advances both in vitro and in vivo. These efforts include increasing orthogonality, recruiting essential translation factors, and creation of expanded genetic codes. After our review on the biochemical optimizations of tRNAs, we provide examples of their use in genetic code manipulation, with a focus on the in vitro discovery of bioactive macrocyclic peptides containing npMs. Finally, an analysis of the current state of tRNA engineering is presented, along with existing challenges and future perspectives for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Sigal
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Satomi Matsumoto
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Adam Beattie
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takayuki Katoh
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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6
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Feng RR, Wang M, Zhang W, Gai F. Unnatural Amino Acids for Biological Spectroscopy and Microscopy. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6501-6542. [PMID: 38722769 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Due to advances in methods for site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) into proteins, a large number of UAAs with tailored chemical and/or physical properties have been developed and used in a wide array of biological applications. In particular, UAAs with specific spectroscopic characteristics can be used as external reporters to produce additional signals, hence increasing the information content obtainable in protein spectroscopic and/or imaging measurements. In this Review, we summarize the progress in the past two decades in the development of such UAAs and their applications in biological spectroscopy and microscopy, with a focus on UAAs that can be used as site-specific vibrational, fluorescence, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) probes. Wherever applicable, we also discuss future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran-Ran Feng
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Manxi Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Wenkai Zhang
- Department of Physics and Applied Optics Beijing Area Major Laboratory, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Feng Gai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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7
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Fröhlich M, Söllner J, Derler I. Insights into the dynamics of the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel pore-forming complex Orai1. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:747-760. [PMID: 38526208 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230815] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
An important calcium (Ca2+) entry pathway into the cell is the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel, which controls a series of downstream signaling events such as gene transcription, secretion and proliferation. It is composed of a Ca2+ sensor in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the stromal interaction molecule (STIM), and the Ca2+ ion channel Orai in the plasma membrane (PM). Their activation is initiated by receptor-ligand binding at the PM, which triggers a signaling cascade within the cell that ultimately causes store depletion. The decrease in ER-luminal Ca2+ is sensed by STIM1, which undergoes structural rearrangements that lead to coupling with Orai1 and its activation. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of the Orai1 pore opening mechanism. In this context, we also point out the questions that remain unanswered and how these can be addressed by the currently emerging genetic code expansion (GCE) technology. GCE enables the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids with novel properties, such as light-sensitivity, and has the potential to provide novel insights into the structure/function relationship of CRAC channels at a single amino acid level in the living cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Fröhlich
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Julia Söllner
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Isabella Derler
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
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8
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Bizet M, Byrne D, Biaso F, Gerbaud G, Etienne E, Briola G, Guigliarelli B, Urban P, Dorlet P, Kalai T, Truan G, Martinho M. Structural insights into the semiquinone form of human Cytochrome P450 reductase by DEER distance measurements between a native flavin and a spin labelled non-canonical amino acid. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202304307. [PMID: 38277424 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202304307] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
The flavoprotein Cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) is the unique electron pathway from NADPH to Cytochrome P450 (CYPs). The conformational dynamics of human CPR in solution, which involves transitions from a "locked/closed" to an "unlocked/open" state, is crucial for electron transfer. To date, however, the factors guiding these changes remain unknown. By Site-Directed Spin Labelling coupled to Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy, we have incorporated a non-canonical amino acid onto the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) domains of soluble human CPR, and labelled it with a specific nitroxide spin probe. Taking advantage of the endogenous FMN cofactor, we successfully measured for the first time, the distance distribution by DEER between the semiquinone state FMNH• and the nitroxide. The DEER data revealed a salt concentration-dependent distance distribution, evidence of an "open" CPR conformation at high salt concentrations exceeding previous reports. We also conducted molecular dynamics simulations which unveiled a diverse ensemble of conformations for the "open" semiquinone state of the CPR at high salt concentration. This study unravels the conformational landscape of the one electron reduced state of CPR, which had never been studied before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Bizet
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Deborah Byrne
- Protein Expression Facility, Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Frédéric Biaso
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Guillaume Gerbaud
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Emilien Etienne
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Giuseppina Briola
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Bruno Guigliarelli
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Urban
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, 31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Pierre Dorlet
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
| | - Tamas Kalai
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Pécs, PO Box 99 Szigeti st. 12, H-7602 7624, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Gilles Truan
- TBI, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, INRAE, INSA, 31077, Toulouse, France
| | - Marlène Martinho
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, Bioénergétique et Ingénierie des Protéines, IMM, 13402, Marseille, France
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9
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Huang W, Laughlin ST. Cell-selective bioorthogonal labeling. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:409-427. [PMID: 37837964 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
In classic bioorthogonal labeling experiments, the cell's biosynthetic machinery incorporates bioorthogonal tags, creating tagged biomolecules that are subsequently reacted with a corresponding bioorthogonal partner. This two-step approach labels biomolecules throughout the organism indiscriminate of cell type, which can produce background in applications focused on specific cell populations. In this review, we cover advances in bioorthogonal chemistry that enable targeting of bioorthogonal labeling to a desired cell type. Such cell-selective bioorthogonal labeling is achieved in one of three ways. The first approach restricts labeling to specific cells by cell-selective expression of engineered enzymes that enable the bioorthogonal tag's incorporation. The second approach preferentially localizes the bioorthogonal reagents to the desired cell types to restrict their uptake to the desired cells. Finally, the third approach cages the reactivity of the bioorthogonal reagents, allowing activation of the reaction in specific cells by uncaging the reagents selectively in those cell populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Huang
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Scott T Laughlin
- Department of Chemistry and Institute for Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
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10
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Ao Y, Grover JR, Gifford L, Han Y, Zhong G, Katte R, Li W, Bhattacharjee R, Zhang B, Sauve S, Qin W, Ghimire D, Haque MA, Arthos J, Moradi M, Mothes W, Lemke EA, Kwong PD, Melikyan GB, Lu M. Bioorthogonal click labeling of an amber-free HIV-1 provirus for in-virus single molecule imaging. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:487-501.e7. [PMID: 38232732 PMCID: PMC10960674 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.12.017] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Structural dynamics of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) envelope (Env) glycoprotein mediate cell entry and facilitate immune evasion. Single-molecule FRET using peptides for Env labeling revealed structural dynamics of Env, but peptide use risks potential effects on structural integrity/dynamics. While incorporating noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into Env by amber stop-codon suppression, followed by click chemistry, offers a minimally invasive approach, this has proved to be technically challenging for HIV-1. Here, we develope an intact amber-free HIV-1 system that overcomes hurdles of preexisting viral amber codons. We achieved dual-ncAA incorporation into Env on amber-free virions, enabling single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) studies of click-labeled Env that validated the previous peptide-based labeling approaches by confirming the intrinsic propensity of Env to dynamically sample multiple conformational states. Amber-free click-labeled Env also enabled real-time tracking of single virion internalization and trafficking in cells. Our system thus permits in-virus bioorthogonal labeling of proteins, compatible with studies of virus entry, trafficking, and egress from cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyun Ao
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Jonathan R Grover
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Levi Gifford
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Yang Han
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Guohua Zhong
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Revansiddha Katte
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Wenwei Li
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Rajanya Bhattacharjee
- Biocentre, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128 Mainz, Germany; International PhD Program of the Institute of Molecular Biology, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Baoshan Zhang
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stephanie Sauve
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Wenyi Qin
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Dibya Ghimire
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - Md Anzarul Haque
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
| | - James Arthos
- Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Mahmoud Moradi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Walther Mothes
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Edward A Lemke
- Biocentre, Departments of Biology and Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128 Mainz, Germany; Institute of Molecular Biology, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Peter D Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gregory B Melikyan
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Maolin Lu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, School of Medicine, University of Texas at Tyler Health Science Center, Tyler, TX 75708, USA.
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11
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Zhao Z, Laps S, Gichtin JS, Metanis N. Selenium chemistry for spatio-selective peptide and protein functionalization. Nat Rev Chem 2024; 8:211-229. [PMID: 38388838 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-024-00579-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The ability to construct a peptide or protein in a spatio-specific manner is of great interest for therapeutic and biochemical research. However, the various functional groups present in peptide sequences and the need to perform chemistry under mild and aqueous conditions make selective protein functionalization one of the greatest synthetic challenges. The fascinating paradox of selenium (Se) - being found in both toxic compounds and also harnessed by nature for essential biochemical processes - has inspired the recent exploration of selenium chemistry for site-selective functionalization of peptides and proteins. In this Review, we discuss such approaches, including metal-free and metal-catalysed transformations, as well as traceless chemical modifications. We report their advantages, limitations and applications, as well as future research avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenguang Zhao
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Shay Laps
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Jacob S Gichtin
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Norman Metanis
- Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Casali Center for Applied Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
- The Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
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12
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Brown W, Davidson LA, Deiters A. Expanding the Genetic Code of Xenopus laevis Embryos. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:516-525. [PMID: 38277773 PMCID: PMC10877573 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
The incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins through genetic code expansion has been successfully adapted to African claw-toed frog embryos. Six unique unnatural amino acids are incorporated site-specifically into proteins and demonstrate robust and reliable protein expression. Of these amino acids, several are caged analogues that can be used to establish conditional control over enzymatic activity. Using light or small molecule triggers, we exhibit activation and tunability of protein functions in live embryos. This approach was then applied to optical control over the activity of a RASopathy mutant of NRAS, taking advantage of generating explant cultures from Xenopus. Taken together, genetic code expansion is a robust approach in the Xenopus model to incorporate novel chemical functionalities into proteins of interest to study their function and role in a complex biological setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wes Brown
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Lance A. Davidson
- Departments
of Bioengineering, Developmental Biology, and Computational and Systems
Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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13
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Nonaka H, Sakamoto S, Shiraiwa K, Ishikawa M, Tamura T, Okuno K, Kondo T, Kiyonaka S, Susaki EA, Shimizu C, Ueda HR, Kakegawa W, Arai I, Yuzaki M, Hamachi I. Bioorthogonal chemical labeling of endogenous neurotransmitter receptors in living mouse brains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313887121. [PMID: 38294939 PMCID: PMC10861872 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313887121] [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: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitter receptors are essential components of synapses for communication between neurons in the brain. Because the spatiotemporal expression profiles and dynamics of neurotransmitter receptors involved in many functions are delicately governed in the brain, in vivo research tools with high spatiotemporal resolution for receptors in intact brains are highly desirable. Covalent labeling by chemical reaction (chemical labeling) of proteins without genetic manipulation is now a powerful method for analyzing receptors in vitro. However, selective target receptor labeling in the brain has not yet been achieved. This study shows that ligand-directed alkoxyacylimidazole (LDAI) chemistry can be used to selectively tether synthetic probes to target endogenous receptors in living mouse brains. The reactive LDAI reagents with negative charges were found to diffuse well over the whole brain and could selectively label target endogenous receptors, including AMPAR, NMDAR, mGlu1, and GABAAR. This simple and robust labeling protocol was then used for various applications: three-dimensional spatial mapping of endogenous receptors in the brains of healthy and disease-model mice; multi-color receptor imaging; and pulse-chase analysis of the receptor dynamics in postnatal mouse brains. Here, results demonstrated that bioorthogonal receptor modification in living animal brains may provide innovative molecular tools that contribute to the in-depth understanding of complicated brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Nonaka
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Seiji Sakamoto
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Kazuki Shiraiwa
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
| | - Mamoru Ishikawa
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Tomonori Tamura
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Kyohei Okuno
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
| | - Takumi Kondo
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8603, Japan
| | - Shigeki Kiyonaka
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8603, Japan
| | - Etsuo A. Susaki
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biomedicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo113-8421, Japan
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka 565-5241, Japan
| | - Chika Shimizu
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka 565-5241, Japan
| | - Hiroki R. Ueda
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka 565-5241, Japan
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0033, Japan
| | - Wataru Kakegawa
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
- Department of Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Itaru Arai
- Department of Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Michisuke Yuzaki
- Department of Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Itaru Hamachi
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
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14
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Wang Y, Ji Y, Sun L, Huang Z, Ye S, Xuan W. A Sirtuin-Dependent T7 RNA Polymerase Variant. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:54-60. [PMID: 38117980 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00607] [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] [Indexed: 12/22/2023]
Abstract
Transcriptional regulation is of great significance for cells to maintain homeostasis and, meanwhile, represents an innovative but less explored means to control biological processes in synthetic biology and bioengineering. Herein we devised a T7 RNA polymerase (T7RNAP) variant through replacing an essential lysine located in the catalytic core (K631) with Nε-acetyl-l-lysine (AcK) via genetic code expansion. This T7RNAP variant requires the deacetylase activity of NAD-dependent sirtuins to recover its enzymatic activities and thereby sustains sirtuin-dependent transcription of the gene of interest in live cells including bacteria and mammalian cells as well as in in vitro systems. This T7RNAP variant could link gene transcription to sirtuin expression and NAD availability, thus holding promise to support some relevant research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongan Wang
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Yanli Ji
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Lin Sun
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Zhifen Huang
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Sheng Ye
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Weimin Xuan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- State Key Laboratory and Institute of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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15
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Renz C, Asimaki E, Meister C, Albanèse V, Petriukov K, Krapoth NC, Wegmann S, Wollscheid HP, Wong RP, Fulzele A, Chen JX, Léon S, Ulrich HD. Ubiquiton-An inducible, linkage-specific polyubiquitylation tool. Mol Cell 2024; 84:386-400.e11. [PMID: 38103558 PMCID: PMC10804999 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.11.016] [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: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The posttranslational modifier ubiquitin regulates most cellular processes. Its ability to form polymeric chains of distinct linkages is key to its diverse functionality. Yet, we still lack the experimental tools to induce linkage-specific polyubiquitylation of a protein of interest in cells. Here, we introduce a set of engineered ubiquitin protein ligases and matching ubiquitin acceptor tags for the rapid, inducible linear (M1-), K48-, or K63-linked polyubiquitylation of proteins in yeast and mammalian cells. By applying the so-called "Ubiquiton" system to proteasomal targeting and the endocytic pathway, we validate this tool for soluble cytoplasmic and nuclear as well as chromatin-associated and integral membrane proteins and demonstrate how it can be used to control the localization and stability of its targets. We expect that the Ubiquiton system will serve as a versatile, broadly applicable research tool to explore the signaling functions of polyubiquitin chains in many biological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Renz
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Evrydiki Asimaki
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Cindy Meister
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Kirill Petriukov
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Nils C Krapoth
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sabrina Wegmann
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Ronald P Wong
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Amitkumar Fulzele
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Jia-Xuan Chen
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sébastien Léon
- Université de Paris, CNRS, Institut Jacques Monod, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Helle D Ulrich
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
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16
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Lee CH, Park S, Kim S, Hyun JY, Lee HS, Shin I. Engineering of cell-surface receptors for analysis of receptor internalization and detection of receptor-specific glycosylation. Chem Sci 2024; 15:555-565. [PMID: 38179521 PMCID: PMC10762726 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc05054h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a cell-surface glycoprotein that is involved mainly in cell proliferation. Overexpression of this receptor is intimately related to the development of a broad spectrum of tumors. In addition, glycans linked to the EGFR are known to affect its EGF-induced activation. Because of the pathophysiological significance of the EGFR, we prepared a fluorescently labeled EGFR (EGFR128-AZDye 488) on the cell surface by employing the genetic code expansion technique and bioorthogonal chemistry. EGFR128-AZDye 488 was initially utilized to investigate time-dependent endocytosis of the EGFR in live cells. The results showed that an EGFR inhibitor and antibody suppress endocytosis of the EGFR promoted by the EGF, and that lectins recognizing glycans of the EGFR do not enhance EGFR internalization into cells. Observations made in studies of the effects of appended glycans on the entry of the EGFR into cells indicate that a de-sialylated or de-fucosylated EGFR is internalized into cells more efficiently than a wild-type EGFR. Furthermore, by using the FRET-based imaging method of cells which contain an EGFR linked to AZDye 488 (a FRET donor) and cellular glycans labeled with rhodamine (a FRET acceptor), sialic acid residues attached to the EGFR were specifically detected on the live cell surface. Taken together, the results suggest that a fluorescently labeled EGFR will be a valuable tool in studies aimed at gaining an understanding of cellular functions of the EGFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Hee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University Seoul 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Sookil Park
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University Seoul 03722 Republic of Korea
| | - Sanggil Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University Seoul 04107 Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Young Hyun
- Data Convergence Drug Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology Daejeon 34114 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun Soo Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Sogang University Seoul 04107 Republic of Korea
| | - Injae Shin
- Department of Chemistry, Yonsei University Seoul 03722 Republic of Korea
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17
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Šlachtová V, Chovanec M, Rahm M, Vrabel M. Bioorthogonal Chemistry in Cellular Organelles. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2023; 382:2. [PMID: 38103067 PMCID: PMC10725395 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-023-00446-5] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
While bioorthogonal reactions are routinely employed in living cells and organisms, their application within individual organelles remains limited. In this review, we highlight diverse examples of bioorthogonal reactions used to investigate the roles of biomolecules and biological processes as well as advanced imaging techniques within cellular organelles. These innovations hold great promise for therapeutic interventions in personalized medicine and precision therapies. We also address existing challenges related to the selectivity and trafficking of subcellular dynamics. Organelle-targeted bioorthogonal reactions have the potential to significantly advance our understanding of cellular organization and function, provide new pathways for basic research and clinical applications, and shape the direction of cell biology and medical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Šlachtová
- Department of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Chovanec
- Department of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Rahm
- Department of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic
- University of Chemistry and Technology, Technická 5, 166 28, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Vrabel
- Department of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo náměstí 2, 166 10, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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18
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Liu K, Jiang L, Ma S, Song Z, Wang L, Zhang Q, Xu R, Yang L, Wu J, Yu H. An evolved pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase with polysubstrate specificity expands the toolbox for engineering enzymes with incorporation of noncanonical amino acids. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2023; 10:92. [PMID: 38647798 PMCID: PMC10991234 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-023-00712-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) is a core component for genetic code expansion (GCE), a powerful technique that enables the incorporation of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into a protein. The aaRS with polyspecificity can be exploited in incorporating additional ncAAs into a protein without the evolution of new, orthogonal aaRS/tRNA pair, which hence provides a useful tool for probing the enzyme mechanism or expanding protein function. A variant (N346A/C348A) of pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase from Methanosarcina mazei (MmPylRS) exhibited a wide substrate scope of accepting over 40 phenylalanine derivatives. However, for most of the substrates, the incorporation efficiency was low. Here, a MbPylRS (N311A/C313A) variant was constructed that showed higher ncAA incorporation efficiency than its homologous MmPylRS (N346A/C348A). Next, N-terminal of MbPylRS (N311A/C313A) was engineered by a greedy combination of single variants identified previously, resulting in an IPE (N311A/C313A/V31I/T56P/A100E) variant with significantly improved activity against various ncAAs. Activity of IPE was then tested toward 43 novel ncAAs, and 16 of them were identified to be accepted by the variant. The variant hence could incorporate nearly 60 ncAAs in total into proteins. With the utility of this variant, eight various ncAAs were then incorporated into a lanthanide-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase PedH. Incorporation of phenyllactic acid improved the catalytic efficiency of PedH toward methanol by 1.8-fold, indicating the role of modifying protein main chain in enzyme engineering. Incorporation of O-tert-Butyl-L-tyrosine modified the enantioselectivity of PedH by influencing the interactions between substrate and protein. Enzymatic characterization and molecular dynamics simulations revealed the mechanism of ncAAs affecting PedH catalysis. This study provides a PylRS variant with high activity and substrate promiscuity, which increases the utility of GCE in enzyme mechanism illustration and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Liu
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Centre, Hangzhou, 311200, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shuang Ma
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhongdi Song
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Interdisciplinary Research Academy, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, 310015, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Lun Wang
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Centre, Hangzhou, 311200, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qunfeng Zhang
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
| | - Renhao Xu
- Hangzhou 14th Middle School, Hangzhou, 310006, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lirong Yang
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Centre, Hangzhou, 311200, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jianping Wu
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Centre, Hangzhou, 311200, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haoran Yu
- Institute of Bioengineering, College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, Zhejiang, China.
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Centre, Hangzhou, 311200, Zhejiang, China.
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19
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Sabat N, Stämpfli A, Flamme M, Hanlon S, Bisagni S, Sladojevich F, Püntener K, Hollenstein M. Artificial nucleotide codons for enzymatic DNA synthesis. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:14547-14550. [PMID: 37987464 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc04933g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we report the high-yielding solid-phase synthesis of unmodified and chemically modified trinucleotide triphosphates (dN3TPs). These synthetic codons can be used for enzymatic DNA synthesis provided their scaffold is stabilized with phosphorothioate units. Enzymatic synthesis with three rather than one letter nucleotides will be useful to produce xenonucleic acids (XNAs) and for in vitro selection of modified functional nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazarii Sabat
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
| | - Andreas Stämpfli
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marie Flamme
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
| | - Steven Hanlon
- Pharmaceutical Division, Synthetic Molecules Technical Development, Process Chemistry & Catalysis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Serena Bisagni
- Pharmaceutical Division, Synthetic Molecules Technical Development, Process Chemistry & Catalysis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Filippo Sladojevich
- Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kurt Püntener
- Pharmaceutical Division, Synthetic Molecules Technical Development, Process Chemistry & Catalysis, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3523, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
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20
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Almeida-Pinto J, Lagarto MR, Lavrador P, Mano JF, Gaspar VM. Cell Surface Engineering Tools for Programming Living Assemblies. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304040. [PMID: 37823678 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Breakthroughs in precision cell surface engineering tools are supporting the rapid development of programmable living assemblies with valuable features for tackling complex biological problems. Herein, the authors overview the most recent technological advances in chemically- and biologically-driven toolboxes for engineering mammalian cell surfaces and triggering their assembly into living architectures. A particular focus is given to surface engineering technologies for enabling biomimetic cell-cell social interactions and multicellular cell-sorting events. Further advancements in cell surface modification technologies may expand the currently available bioengineering toolset and unlock a new generation of personalized cell therapeutics with clinically relevant biofunctionalities. The combination of state-of-the-art cell surface modifications with advanced biofabrication technologies is envisioned to contribute toward generating living materials with increasing tissue/organ-mimetic bioactivities and therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Almeida-Pinto
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Matilde R Lagarto
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Pedro Lavrador
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - João F Mano
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
| | - Vítor M Gaspar
- Department of Chemistry, CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials University of Aveiro Campus Universitário de Santiago, Aveiro, 3810-193, Portugal
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21
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Liu N, Feng J, Chen X, Luo Y, Lv T, Wu Q, Zhu D. Reshaping the Substrate Binding Pocket of β-Amino Acid Dehydrogenase for the Synthesis of Aromatic β-Amino Acids. Org Lett 2023; 25:8469-8473. [PMID: 37972311 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.3c03366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
By reshaping the substrate-binding pocket of β-amino acid dehydrogenase (β-AADH), some variants were obtained with up to 2560-fold enhanced activity toward the model substrates (S)-β-homophenylalanine and (R)-β-phenylalanine. A few aromatic β-amino acids were prepared with >99% ee and high isolated yields via either kinetic resolution of racemates or reductive amination of the corresponding β-keto acids. This work expands the catalytic capability of β-AADHs and highlights their practical application in the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant β-amino acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na Liu
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Jinhui Feng
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Xi Chen
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Yuyang Luo
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
- School of Biotechnology, Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Tong Lv
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Qiaqing Wu
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Dunming Zhu
- National Engineering Research Center of Industrial Enzymes, Tianjin Engineering Research Center of Biocatalytic Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, National Center of Technology Innovation for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
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22
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Abdelkader EH, Qianzhu H, Huber T, Otting G. Genetic Encoding of 7-Aza-l-tryptophan: Isoelectronic Substitution of a Single CH-Group in a Protein for a Nitrogen Atom for Site-Selective Isotope Labeling. ACS Sens 2023; 8:4402-4406. [PMID: 37890165 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.3c01904] [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] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Genetic encoding of a noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) in an in vivo expression system requires an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase that specifically recognizes the ncAA, while the ncAA must not be recognized by the canonical protein expression machinery. We succeeded in genetically encoding 7-aza-tryptophan (7AW), which is isoelectronic with tryptophan. The system is fully orthogonal to protein expression in Escherichia coli, enabling high-yielding site-selective isotope labeling in vivo. 7AW is readily synthesized from serine and 7-aza-indole using a tryptophan synthetase β-subunit (TrpB) mutant, affording easy access to isotope-labeled 7AW. Using labeled 7AW produced from 15N/13C-labeled serine, we produced 7AW mutants of the 25 kDa Zika virus NS2B-NS3 protease. 15N-HSQC spectra display single cross-peaks at chemical shifts near those observed for the wild-type protein labeled with 15N/13C-tryptophan, confirming the structural integrity of the protein and yielding straightforward NMR resonance assignments for site-specific probing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elwy H Abdelkader
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Haocheng Qianzhu
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Thomas Huber
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Gottfried Otting
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide & Protein Science, Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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23
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Meineke B, Heimgärtner J, Caridha R, Block MF, Kimler KJ, Pires MF, Landreh M, Elsässer SJ. Dual stop codon suppression in mammalian cells with genomically integrated genetic code expansion machinery. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100626. [PMID: 37935196 PMCID: PMC10694491 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Stop codon suppression using dedicated tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS) pairs allows for genetically encoded, site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) as chemical handles for protein labeling and modification. Here, we demonstrate that piggyBac-mediated genomic integration of archaeal pyrrolysine tRNA (tRNAPyl)/pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS) or bacterial tRNA/aaRS pairs, using a modular plasmid design with multi-copy tRNA arrays, allows for homogeneous and efficient genetically encoded ncAA incorporation in diverse mammalian cell lines. We assess opportunities and limitations of using ncAAs for fluorescent labeling applications in stable cell lines. We explore suppression of ochre and opal stop codons and finally incorporate two distinct ncAAs with mutually orthogonal click chemistries for site-specific, dual-fluorophore labeling of a cell surface receptor on live mammalian cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Birthe Meineke
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm Node, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Johannes Heimgärtner
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm Node, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rozina Caridha
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm Node, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias F Block
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kyle J Kimler
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria F Pires
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Michael Landreh
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon J Elsässer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden; Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine, Stockholm Node, Karolinska Institutet, 17165 Stockholm, Sweden.
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24
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Liu L, Gray JL, Tate EW, Yang A. Bacterial enzymes: powerful tools for protein labeling, cell signaling, and therapeutic discovery. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:1385-1399. [PMID: 37328400 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria have evolved a diverse set of enzymes that enable them to subvert host defense mechanisms as well as to form part of the prokaryotic immune system. Due to their unique and varied biochemical activities, these bacterial enzymes have emerged as key tools for understanding and investigating biological systems. In this review, we summarize and discuss some of the most prominent bacterial enzymes used for the site-specific modification of proteins, in vivo protein labeling, proximity labeling, interactome mapping, signaling pathway manipulation, and therapeutic discovery. Finally, we provide a perspective on the complementary advantages and limitations of using bacterial enzymes compared with chemical probes for exploring biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Janine L Gray
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Edward W Tate
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK.
| | - Aimin Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Chongqing University, Chongqing 401331, China.
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25
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Sushkin ME, Koehler C, Lemke EA. Remodeling the cellular stress response for enhanced genetic code expansion in mammalian cells. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6931. [PMID: 37903771 PMCID: PMC10616097 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42689-2] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic code expansion (GCE) reprograms the translational machinery to site-specifically incorporate noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into a selected protein. The efficiency of GCE in mammalian cells might be compromised by cellular stress responses, among which, the protein kinase R(PKR)-dependent eIF2α phosphorylation pathway can reduce translation rates. Here we test several strategies to engineer the eIF2α pathway and boost the rate of translation and show that such interventions increase GCE efficiency in mammalian cells. In particular, addition of the N-terminal PKR fragment (1-174) provides a substantial enhancement in cytoplasmic GCE and also in GCE realized by OTOs (orthogonally translating designer organelles), which built on the principle of 2D phase separation to enable mRNA-selective ncAA incorporation. Our study demonstrates an approach for improving the efficiency of GCE and provides a means by which the power of designer organelles can be further optimized to tune protein translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail E Sushkin
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- International PhD Programme of the Institute of Molecular Biology, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Christine Koehler
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- VERAXA Biotech GmbH, Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Ring 5, 69124, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Edward A Lemke
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Hanns-Dieter-Hüsch-Weg 17, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
- Institute of Molecular Biology gGmbH, Ackermannweg 4, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
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26
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Zhou W, Ryan A, Janosko CP, Shoger KE, Haugh JM, Gottschalk RA, Deiters A. Isoform-specific optical activation of kinase function reveals p38-ERK signaling crosstalk. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:765-773. [PMID: 37799579 PMCID: PMC10549237 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00157h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolution has diversified the mammalian proteome by the generation of protein isoforms that originate from identical genes, e.g., through alternative gene splicing or post-translational modifications, or very similar genes found in gene families. Protein isoforms can have either overlapping or unique functions and traditional chemical, biochemical, and genetic techniques are often limited in their ability to differentiate between isoforms due to their high similarity. This is particularly true in the context of highly dynamic cell signaling cascades, which often require acute spatiotemporal perturbation to assess mechanistic details. To that end, we describe a method for the selective perturbation of the individual protein isoforms of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38. The genetic installation of a photocaging group at a conserved active site lysine enables the precise light-controlled initiation of kinase signaling, followed by investigation of downstream events. Through optical control, we have identified a novel point of crosstalk between two major signaling cascades: the p38/MAPK pathway and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/MAPK pathway. Specifically, using the photoactivated p38 isoforms, we have found the p38γ and p38δ variants to be positive regulators of the ERK signaling cascade, while confirming the p38α and p38β variants as negative regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenyuan Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Amy Ryan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Chasity P Janosko
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
| | - Karsen E Shoger
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Jason M Haugh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, North Carolina State University Raleigh NC 27606 USA
| | - Rachel A Gottschalk
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15260 USA
- Center for Systems Immunology, University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15261 USA
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27
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Teramoto H, Kojima K, Iga M, Yoshioka T. Unique Material Properties of Bombyx mori Silk Fiber Incorporated with 3-Azidotyrosine. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:4208-4217. [PMID: 37594902 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/20/2023]
Abstract
Silk fiber produced by the silkworm Bombyx mori is a nature-derived proteinous fiber with excellent mechanical strength and broad biocompatibility. To alter its material properties and make it more suitable for textile, biomedical, and electronics applications, chemical modifications and genetic engineering methods have been extensively studied. Here, we report that the translational incorporation of a synthetic amino acid, 3-azidotyrosine (3-AzTyr), into B. mori silk fiber can improve its material properties. Such an incorporation considerably increased the fiber's mechanical strength and remarkably changed its solubility, whereas its crystalline hierarchical structure was not perturbed, as shown by X-ray analyses. These changes were probably caused by the intra- and/or intermolecular crosslinkings involving the azido group of 3-AzTyr during the degumming process to remove a coating protein. These findings indicate that the incorporation of synthetic amino acids could be an efficient method to improve the properties of silk-based materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetoshi Teramoto
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Katsura Kojima
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Masatoshi Iga
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
| | - Taiyo Yoshioka
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), 1-2 Owashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8634, Japan
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28
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Tijaro-Bulla S, Nyandwi SP, Cui H. Physiological and engineered tRNA aminoacylation. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 14:e1789. [PMID: 37042417 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/13/2023]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases form the protein family that controls the interpretation of the genetic code, with tRNA aminoacylation being the key chemical step during which an amino acid is assigned to a corresponding sequence of nucleic acids. In consequence, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases have been studied in their physiological context, in disease states, and as tools for synthetic biology to enable the expansion of the genetic code. Here, we review the fundamentals of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase biology and classification, with a focus on mammalian cytoplasmic enzymes. We compile evidence that the localization of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases can be critical in health and disease. In addition, we discuss evidence from synthetic biology which made use of the importance of subcellular localization for efficient manipulation of the protein synthesis machinery. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing Translation > Translation Regulation RNA Processing > tRNA Processing RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haissi Cui
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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29
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Zhang S, De Leon Rodriguez LM, Li FF, Brimble MA. Recent developments in the cleavage, functionalization, and conjugation of proteins and peptides at tyrosine residues. Chem Sci 2023; 14:7782-7817. [PMID: 37502317 PMCID: PMC10370606 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc02543h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide and protein selective modification at tyrosine residues has become an exploding field of research as tyrosine constitutes a robust alternative to lysine and cysteine-targeted traditional peptide/protein modification protocols. This review offers a comprehensive summary of the latest advances in tyrosine-selective cleavage, functionalization, and conjugation of peptides and proteins from the past three years. This updated overview complements the extensive body of work on site-selective modification of peptides and proteins, which holds significant relevance across various disciplines, including chemical, biological, medical, and material sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengping Zhang
- Center for Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory New Zealand
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland 23 Symonds St Auckland 1010 New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland 3A Symonds St Auckland 1010 New Zealand
| | | | - Freda F Li
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland 23 Symonds St Auckland 1010 New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland 1142 New Zealand
| | - Margaret A Brimble
- School of Chemical Sciences, The University of Auckland 23 Symonds St Auckland 1010 New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland 3A Symonds St Auckland 1010 New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, The University of Auckland 1142 New Zealand
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30
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Janosko C, Shade O, Courtney TM, Horst TJ, Liu M, Khare SD, Deiters A. Genetic Encoding of Arylazopyrazole Phenylalanine for Optical Control of Translation. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:26590-26596. [PMID: 37521667 PMCID: PMC10373180 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c03512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
An arylazopyrazole was explored for its use as an enhanced photoswitchable amino acid in genetic code expansion. This new unnatural amino acid was successfully incorporated into proteins in both bacterial and mammalian cells. While photocontrol of translation required pulsed irradiations, complete selectivity for the trans-configuration by the pyrrolysyl tRNA synthetase was observed, demonstrating expression of a gene of interest selectively controlled via light exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chasity
P. Janosko
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Olivia Shade
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Taylor M. Courtney
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Trevor J. Horst
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Melinda Liu
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers
University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Sagar D. Khare
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers
University, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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31
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Lahiri P, Martin MS, Lino BR, Scheck RA, Van Deventer JA. Dual Noncanonical Amino Acid Incorporation Enabling Chemoselective Protein Modification at Two Distinct Sites in Yeast. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2098-2114. [PMID: 37377426 PMCID: PMC11146674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00711] [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] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Incorporation of more than one noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) within a single protein endows the resulting construct with multiple useful features such as augmented molecular recognition or covalent cross-linking capabilities. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate the incorporation of two chemically distinct ncAAs into proteins biosynthesized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To complement ncAA incorporation in response to the amber (TAG) stop codon in yeast, we evaluated opal (TGA) stop codon suppression using three distinct orthogonal translation systems. We observed selective TGA readthrough without detectable cross-reactivity from host translation components. Readthrough efficiency at TGA was modulated by factors including the local nucleotide environment, gene deletions related to the translation process, and the identity of the suppressor tRNA. These observations facilitated systematic investigation of dual ncAA incorporation in both intracellular and yeast-displayed protein constructs, where we observed efficiencies up to 6% of wild-type protein controls. The successful display of doubly substituted proteins enabled the exploration of two critical applications on the yeast surface─(A) antigen binding functionality and (B) chemoselective modification with two distinct chemical probes through sequential application of two bioorthogonal click chemistry reactions. Lastly, by utilizing a soluble form of a doubly substituted construct, we validated the dual incorporation system using mass spectrometry and demonstrated the feasibility of conducting selective labeling of the two ncAAs sequentially using a "single-pot" approach. Overall, our work facilitates the addition of a 22nd amino acid to the genetic code of yeast and expands the scope of applications of ncAAs for basic biological research and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Lahiri
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Meghan S. Martin
- Chemistry Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - Briana R. Lino
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Scheck
- Chemistry Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
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32
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MacKenzie TMG, Cisneros R, Maynard RD, Snyder MP. Reverse-ChIP Techniques for Identifying Locus-Specific Proteomes: A Key Tool in Unlocking the Cancer Regulome. Cells 2023; 12:1860. [PMID: 37508524 PMCID: PMC10377898 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
A phenotypic hallmark of cancer is aberrant transcriptional regulation. Transcriptional regulation is controlled by a complicated array of molecular factors, including the presence of transcription factors, the deposition of histone post-translational modifications, and long-range DNA interactions. Determining the molecular identity and function of these various factors is necessary to understand specific aspects of cancer biology and reveal potential therapeutic targets. Regulation of the genome by specific factors is typically studied using chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing (ChIP-Seq) that identifies genome-wide binding interactions through the use of factor-specific antibodies. A long-standing goal in many laboratories has been the development of a 'reverse-ChIP' approach to identify unknown binding partners at loci of interest. A variety of strategies have been employed to enable the selective biochemical purification of sequence-defined chromatin regions, including single-copy loci, and the subsequent analytical detection of associated proteins. This review covers mass spectrometry techniques that enable quantitative proteomics before providing a survey of approaches toward the development of strategies for the purification of sequence-specific chromatin as a 'reverse-ChIP' technique. A fully realized reverse-ChIP technique holds great potential for identifying cancer-specific targets and the development of personalized therapeutic regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rocío Cisneros
- Sarafan ChEM-H/IMA Postbaccalaureate Fellow in Target Discovery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rajan D Maynard
- Genetics Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Genetics Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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33
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Jana S, Evans EGB, Jang HS, Zhang S, Zhang H, Rajca A, Gordon SE, Zagotta WN, Stoll S, Mehl RA. Ultrafast Bioorthogonal Spin-Labeling and Distance Measurements in Mammalian Cells Using Small, Genetically Encoded Tetrazine Amino Acids. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:14608-14620. [PMID: 37364003 PMCID: PMC10440187 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c00967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Site-directed spin-labeling (SDSL)─in combination with double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy─has emerged as a powerful technique for determining both the structural states and the conformational equilibria of biomacromolecules. DEER combined with in situ SDSL in live cells is challenging since current bioorthogonal labeling approaches are too slow to allow for complete labeling with low concentrations of spin label prior to loss of signal from cellular reduction. Here, we overcome this limitation by genetically encoding a novel family of small, tetrazine-bearing noncanonical amino acids (Tet-v4.0) at multiple sites in proteins expressed in Escherichia coli and in human HEK293T cells. We achieved specific and quantitative spin-labeling of Tet-v4.0-containing proteins by developing a series of strained trans-cyclooctene (sTCO)-functionalized nitroxides─including a gem-diethyl-substituted nitroxide with enhanced stability in cells─with rate constants that can exceed 106 M-1 s-1. The remarkable speed of the Tet-v4.0/sTCO reaction allowed efficient spin-labeling of proteins in live cells within minutes, requiring only sub-micromolar concentrations of sTCO-nitroxide. DEER recorded from intact cells revealed distance distributions in good agreement with those measured from proteins purified and labeled in vitro. Furthermore, DEER was able to resolve the maltose-dependent conformational change of Tet-v4.0-incorporated and spin-labeled MBP in vitro and support assignment of the conformational state of an MBP mutant within HEK293T cells. We anticipate the exceptional reaction rates of this system, combined with the relatively short and rigid side chains of the resulting spin labels, will enable structure/function studies of proteins directly in cells, without any requirements for protein purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhashis Jana
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - Eric G B Evans
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Hyo Sang Jang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - Shuyang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0304, United States
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0304, United States
| | - Andrzej Rajca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0304, United States
| | - Sharona E Gordon
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - William N Zagotta
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Stefan Stoll
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Ryan A Mehl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
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34
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Chen Y, Cao X, Loh KH, Slavoff SA. Chemical labeling and proteomics for characterization of unannotated small and alternative open reading frame-encoded polypeptides. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:1071-1082. [PMID: 37171061 PMCID: PMC10317152 DOI: 10.1042/bst20221074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Thousands of unannotated small and alternative open reading frames (smORFs and alt-ORFs, respectively) have recently been revealed in mammalian genomes. While hundreds of mammalian smORF- and alt-ORF-encoded proteins (SEPs and alt-proteins, respectively) affect cell proliferation, the overwhelming majority of smORFs and alt-ORFs remain uncharacterized at the molecular level. Complicating the task of identifying the biological roles of smORFs and alt-ORFs, the SEPs and alt-proteins that they encode exhibit limited sequence homology to protein domains of known function. Experimental techniques for the functionalization of these gene classes are therefore required. Approaches combining chemical labeling and quantitative proteomics have greatly advanced our ability to identify and characterize functional SEPs and alt-proteins in high throughput. In this review, we briefly describe the principles of proteomic discovery of SEPs and alt-proteins, then summarize how these technologies interface with chemical labeling for identification of SEPs and alt-proteins with specific properties, as well as in defining the interactome of SEPs and alt-proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanran Chen
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery, Yale University, West Haven, CT, U.S.A
| | - Xiongwen Cao
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery, Yale University, West Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ken H. Loh
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery, Yale University, West Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, U.S.A
| | - Sarah A. Slavoff
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Institute for Biomolecular Design and Discovery, Yale University, West Haven, CT, U.S.A
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, U.S.A
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35
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Xue W, Li T, Gu Y, Li S, Xia N. Molecular engineering tools for the development of vaccines against infectious diseases: current status and future directions. Expert Rev Vaccines 2023. [PMID: 37339445 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2023.2227699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The escalating global changes have fostered conditions for the expansion and transmission of diverse biological factors, leading to the rise of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases. Complex viral infections, such as COVID-19, influenza, HIV, and Ebola, continue to surface, necessitating the development of effective vaccine technologies. AREAS COVERED This review article highlights recent advancements in molecular biology, virology, and genomics that have propelled the design and development of innovative molecular tools. These tools have promoted new vaccine research platforms and directly improved vaccine efficacy. The review summarizes the cutting-edge molecular engineering tools used in creating novel vaccines and explores the rapidly expanding molecular tools landscape and potential directions for future vaccine development. EXPERT OPINION The strategic application of advanced molecular engineering tools can address conventional vaccine limitations, enhance the overall efficacy of vaccine products, promote diversification in vaccine platforms, and form the foundation for future vaccine development. Prioritizing safety considerations of these novel molecular tools during vaccine development is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Xue
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Tingting Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Ying Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Shaowei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
| | - Ningshao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, School of Life Sciences, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- National Institute of Diagnostics and Vaccine Development in Infectious Diseases, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Xiang an Biomedicine Laboratory, Xiamen, China
- The Research Unit of Frontier Technology of Structural Vaccinology of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Xiamen, China
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36
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Pang Y, Huang M, Fan Y, Yeh HW, Xiong Y, Ng HL, Ai HW. Development, Characterization, and Structural Analysis of a Genetically Encoded Red Fluorescent Peroxynitrite Biosensor. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1388-1397. [PMID: 37185019 PMCID: PMC10330634 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Boronic acid-containing fluorescent molecules have been widely used to sense hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite, which are important reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in biological systems. However, it has been challenging to gain specificity. Our previous studies developed genetically encoded, green fluorescent peroxynitrite biosensors by genetically incorporating a boronic acid-containing noncanonical amino acid (ncAA), p-boronophenylalanine (pBoF), into the chromophore of circularly permuted green fluorescent proteins (cpGFPs). In this work, we introduced pBoF to amino acid residues spatially close to the chromophore of an enhanced circularly permuted red fluorescent protein (ecpApple). Our effort has resulted in two responsive ecpApple mutants: one bestows reactivity toward both peroxynitrite and hydrogen peroxide, while the other, namely, pnRFP, is a selective red fluorescent peroxynitrite biosensor. We characterized pnRFP in vitro and in live mammalian cells. We further studied the structure and sensing mechanism of pnRFP using X-ray crystallography, 11B-NMR, and computational methods. The boron atom in pnRFP adopts an sp2-hybridization geometry in a hydrophobic pocket, and the reaction of pnRFP with peroxynitrite generates a product with a twisted chromophore, corroborating the observed "turn-off" fluorescence response. Thus, this study extends the color palette of genetically encoded peroxynitrite biosensors, provides insight into the response mechanism of the new biosensor, and demonstrates the versatility of using protein scaffolds to modulate chemoreactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Pang
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Mian Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Yichong Fan
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Hsien-Wei Yeh
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
| | - Ying Xiong
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - Ho Leung Ng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA
| | - Hui-wang Ai
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- The UVA Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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37
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Gutiérrez-González A, Marcos-Atanes D, Cool LG, López F, Mascareñas JL. Ruthenium-catalyzed intermolecular alkene-alkyne couplings in biologically relevant media. Chem Sci 2023; 14:6408-6413. [PMID: 37325130 PMCID: PMC10266458 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc01254a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cationic cyclopentadienyl Ru(ii) catalysts can efficiently promote mild intermolecular alkyne-alkene couplings in aqueous media, even in the presence of different biomolecular components, and in complex media like DMEM. The method can also be used for the derivatization of amino acids and peptides, therefore proposing a new way to label biomolecules with external tags. This C-C bond-forming reaction, based on simple alkene and alkyne reactants, can now be added to the toolbox of bioorthogonal reactions promoted by transition metal catalysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Gutiérrez-González
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela 15782 Santiago de Compostela Spain
| | - Daniel Marcos-Atanes
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela 15782 Santiago de Compostela Spain
| | - Leonard G Cool
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela 15782 Santiago de Compostela Spain
| | - Fernando López
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela 15782 Santiago de Compostela Spain
- Misión Biológica de Galicia (MBG), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) 36080 Pontevedra Spain
| | - José L Mascareñas
- Centro Singular de Investigación en Química Biolóxica e Materiais Moleculares (CiQUS), Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela 15782 Santiago de Compostela Spain
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38
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Ponzar N, Pozzi N. Probing the conformational dynamics of thiol-isomerases using non-canonical amino acids and single-molecule FRET. Methods 2023; 214:8-17. [PMID: 37068599 PMCID: PMC10203983 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2023.04.004] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Disulfide bonds drive protein correct folding, prevent protein aggregation, and stabilize three-dimensional structures of proteins and their assemblies. Dysregulation of this activity leads to several disorders, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and thrombosis. A family of 20+ enzymes, called thiol-isomerases (TIs), oversee this process in the endoplasmic reticulum of human cells to ensure efficacy and accuracy. While the biophysical and biochemical properties of cysteine residues are well-defined, our structural knowledge of how TIs select, interact and process their substrates remains poorly understood. How TIs structurally and functionally respond to changes in redox environment and other post-translational modifications remain unclear, too. We recently developed a workflow for site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids into protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), the prototypical member of TIs. Combined with click chemistry, this strategy enabled us to perform single-molecule biophysical studies of PDI under various solution conditions. This paper details protocols and discusses challenges in performing these experiments. We expect this approach, combined with other emerging technologies in single-molecule biophysics and structural biology, to facilitate the exploration of the mechanisms by which TIs carry out their fascinating but poorly understood roles in humans, especially in the context of thrombosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Ponzar
- Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA
| | - Nicola Pozzi
- Edward A. Doisy Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA.
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39
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Chen X, Josephson B, Davis BG. Carbon-Centered Radicals in Protein Manipulation. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:614-638. [PMID: 37122447 PMCID: PMC10141601 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Methods to directly post-translationally modify proteins are perhaps the most straightforward and operationally simple ways to create and study protein post-translational modifications (PTMs). However, precisely altering or constructing the C-C scaffolds pervasive throughout biology is difficult with common two-electron chemical approaches. Recently, there has been a surge of new methods that have utilized single electron/radical chemistry applied to site-specifically "edit" proteins that have started to create this potential-one that in principle could be near free-ranging. This review provides an overview of current methods that install such "edits", including those that generate function and/or PTMs, through radical C-C bond formation (as well as C-X bond formation via C• where illustrative). These exploit selectivity for either native residues, or preinstalled noncanonical protein side-chains with superior radical generating or accepting abilities. Particular focus will be on the radical generation approach (on-protein or off-protein, use of light and photocatalysts), judging the compatibility of conditions with proteins and cells, and novel chemical biology applications afforded by these methods. While there are still many technical hurdles, radical C-C bond formation on proteins is a promising and rapidly growing area in chemical biology with long-term potential for biological editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanxiao Chen
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K.
- The
Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxfordshire, OX11 OFA, U.K.
| | - Brian Josephson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K.
| | - Benjamin G. Davis
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TA, U.K.
- The
Rosalind Franklin Institute, Oxfordshire, OX11 OFA, U.K.
- Department
of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QT, U.K.
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40
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Bednar RM, Karplus PA, Mehl RA. Site-specific dual encoding and labeling of proteins via genetic code expansion. Cell Chem Biol 2023; 30:343-361. [PMID: 36977415 PMCID: PMC10764108 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
The ability to selectively modify proteins at two or more defined locations opens new avenues for manipulating, engineering, and studying living systems. As a chemical biology tool for the site-specific encoding of non-canonical amino acids into proteins in vivo, genetic code expansion (GCE) represents a powerful tool to achieve such modifications with minimal disruption to structure and function through a two-step "dual encoding and labeling" (DEAL) process. In this review, we summarize the state of the field of DEAL using GCE. In doing so, we describe the basic principles of GCE-based DEAL, catalog compatible encoding systems and reactions, explore demonstrated and potential applications, highlight emerging paradigms in DEAL methodologies, and propose novel solutions to current limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riley M Bednar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, 2011 Agricultural and Life Sciences Building, Corvallis, OR 97331-7305, USA; GCE4All Research Center, Oregon State University, 2011 Agricultural and Life Sciences, Corvallis, OR 97331-7305, USA
| | - P Andrew Karplus
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, 2011 Agricultural and Life Sciences Building, Corvallis, OR 97331-7305, USA; GCE4All Research Center, Oregon State University, 2011 Agricultural and Life Sciences, Corvallis, OR 97331-7305, USA
| | - Ryan A Mehl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, 2011 Agricultural and Life Sciences Building, Corvallis, OR 97331-7305, USA; GCE4All Research Center, Oregon State University, 2011 Agricultural and Life Sciences, Corvallis, OR 97331-7305, USA.
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41
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Obeng EM, Steer DL, Fulcher AJ, Wagstaff KM. Sortase A transpeptidation produces seamless, unbranched biotinylated nanobodies for multivalent and multifunctional applications. NANOSCALE ADVANCES 2023; 5:2251-2260. [PMID: 37056610 PMCID: PMC10089078 DOI: 10.1039/d3na00014a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Exploitation of the biotin-streptavidin interaction for advanced protein engineering is used in many bio-nanotechnology applications. As such, researchers have used diverse techniques involving chemical and enzyme reactions to conjugate biotin to biomolecules of interest for subsequent docking onto streptavidin-associated molecules. Unfortunately, the biotin-streptavidin interaction is susceptible to steric hindrance and conformational malformation, leading to random orientations that ultimately impair the function of the displayed biomolecule. To minimize steric conflicts, we employ sortase A transpeptidation to produce quantitative, seamless, and unbranched nanobody-biotin conjugates for efficient display on streptavidin-associated nanoparticles. We further characterize the protein-nanoparticle complex and demonstrate its usefulness in optical microscopy and multivalent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) antigen interaction. The approach reported here provides a template for making novel multivalent and multifunctional protein complexes for avidity-inspired technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene M Obeng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton VIC 3800 Australia
| | - David L Steer
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Monash University Clayton VIC 3800 Australia
| | - Alex J Fulcher
- Monash Micro Imaging, Monash University Clayton VIC 3800 Australia
| | - Kylie M Wagstaff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University Clayton VIC 3800 Australia
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42
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Thimaradka V, Utsunomiya H, Tamura T, Hamachi I. Endogenous Cell-Surface Receptor Modification by Metal Chelation-Assisted Pyridinium Oxime Catalyst. Org Lett 2023; 25:2118-2122. [PMID: 36947590 DOI: 10.1021/acs.orglett.3c00541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Organocatalyst-mediated acyl transfer reactions hold promise for selective protein labeling in biological milieu. However, they often suffer from off-target reactions and high background signals because of the requirement of high concentrations of substrates. Here, we report a new catalytic protein acylation strategy promoted by the His-tag/NiNTA interaction. The recognition-assisted activation mechanism allows efficient protein labeling even with >10-fold lower substrate concentrations than conventional reactions, thereby enabling highly selective and efficient cell-surface receptor modification in live cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikram Thimaradka
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Hayata Utsunomiya
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Tomonori Tamura
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Itaru Hamachi
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
- ERATO (Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, JST), Sanbancho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 102-0075, Japan
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43
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Streit M, Hemberger M, Häfner S, Knote F, Langenhan T, Beliu G. Optimized genetic code expansion technology for time-dependent induction of adhesion GPCR-ligand engagement. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4614. [PMID: 36870000 PMCID: PMC10031756 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of an engineered aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pair enables site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids (uAAs) with functionalized side chains into proteins of interest. Genetic Code Expansion (GCE) via amber codon suppression confers functionalities to proteins but can also be used to temporally control the incorporation of genetically encoded elements into proteins. Here, we report an optimized GCE system (GCEXpress) for efficient and fast uAA incorporation. We demonstrate that GCEXpress can be used to efficiently alter the subcellular localization of proteins within living cells. We show that click labeling can resolve co-labeling problems of intercellular adhesive protein complexes. We apply this strategy to study the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor (aGPCR) ADGRE5/CD97 and its ligand CD55/DAF that play central roles in immune functions and oncological processes. Furthermore, we use GCEXpress to analyze the time course of ADGRE5-CD55 ligation and replenishment of mature receptor-ligand complexes. Supported by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments our results show that ADGRE5 and CD55 form stable intercellular contacts that may support transmission of mechanical forces onto ADGRE5 in a ligand-dependent manner. We conclude that GCE in combination with biophysical measurements can be a useful approach to analyze the adhesive, mechanical and signaling properties of aGPCRs and their ligand interactions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Streit
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Research Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Mareike Hemberger
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Division of General Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephanie Häfner
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Division of General Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Felix Knote
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Research Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Langenhan
- Rudolf Schönheimer Institute of Biochemistry, Division of General Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Johannisallee 30, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gerti Beliu
- Rudolf Virchow Center, Research Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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44
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Ao Y, Grover JR, Han Y, Zhong G, Qin W, Ghimire D, Haque A, Bhattacharjee R, Zhang B, Arthos J, Lemke EA, Kwong PD, Lu M. An intact amber-free HIV-1 system for in-virus protein bioorthogonal click labeling that delineates envelope conformational dynamics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.28.530526. [PMID: 36909529 PMCID: PMC10002649 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.28.530526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
The HIV-1 envelope (Env) glycoprotein is conformationally dynamic and mediates membrane fusion required for cell entry. Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) of Env using peptide tags has provided mechanistic insights into the dynamics of Env conformations. Nevertheless, using peptide tags risks potential effects on structural integrity. Here, we aim to establish minimally invasive smFRET systems of Env on the virus by combining genetic code expansion and bioorthogonal click chemistry. Amber stop-codon suppression allows site-specifically incorporating noncanonical/unnatural amino acids (ncAAs) at introduced amber sites into proteins. However, ncAA incorporation into Env (or other HIV-1 proteins) in the virus context has been challenging due to low copies of Env on virions and incomplete amber suppression in mammalian cells. Here, we developed an intact amber-free virus system that overcomes impediments from preexisting ambers in HIV-1. Using this system, we successfully incorporated dual ncAAs at amber-introduced sites into Env on intact virions. Dual-ncAA incorporated Env retained similar neutralization sensitivities to neutralizing antibodies as wildtype. smFRET of click-labeled Env on intact amber-free virions recapitulated conformational profiles of Env. The amber-free HIV-1 infectious system also permits in-virus protein bioorthogonal labeling, compatible with various advanced microscopic studies of virus entry, trafficking, and egress in living cells. Amber-free HIV-1 infectious systems actualized minimal invasive Env tagging for smFRET, versatile for in-virus bioorthogonal click labeling in advanced microscopic studies of virus-host interactions.
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45
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Brown W, Galpin JD, Rosenblum C, Tsang M, Ahern CA, Deiters A. Chemically Acylated tRNAs are Functional in Zebrafish Embryos. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2414-2420. [PMID: 36669466 PMCID: PMC10155198 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Genetic code expansion has pushed protein chemistry past the canonical 22 amino acids. The key enzymes that make this possible are engineered aminoacyl tRNA synthetases. However, as the number of genetically encoded amino acids has increased over the years, obvious limits in the type and size of novel side chains that can be accommodated by the synthetase enzyme become apparent. Here, we show that chemically acylating tRNAs allow for robust, site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins in zebrafish embryos, an important model organism for human health and development. We apply this approach to incorporate a unique photocaged histidine analogue for which synthetase engineering efforts have failed. Additionally, we demonstrate optical control over different enzymes in live embryos by installing photocaged histidine into their active sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wes Brown
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Jason D Galpin
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Carolyn Rosenblum
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Michael Tsang
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Christopher A Ahern
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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46
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Brown W, Wesalo J, Tsang M, Deiters A. Engineering Small Molecule Switches of Protein Function in Zebrafish Embryos. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:2395-2403. [PMID: 36662675 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Precise temporally regulated protein function directs the highly complex processes that make up embryo development. The zebrafish embryo is an excellent model organism to study development, and conditional control over enzymatic activity is desirable to target chemical intervention to specific developmental events and to investigate biological mechanisms. Surprisingly few, generally applicable small molecule switches of protein function exist in zebrafish. Genetic code expansion allows for site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins that contain caging groups that are removed through addition of small molecule triggers such as phosphines or tetrazines. This broadly applicable control of protein function was applied to activate several enzymes, including a GTPase and a protease, with temporal precision in zebrafish embryos. Simple addition of the small molecule to the media produces robust and tunable protein activation, which was used to gain insight into the development of a congenital heart defect from a RASopathy mutant of NRAS and to control DNA and protein cleavage events catalyzed by a viral recombinase and a viral protease, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wes Brown
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Joshua Wesalo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Michael Tsang
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
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47
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Jana S, Evans EGB, Jang HS, Zhang S, Zhang H, Rajca A, Gordon SE, Zagotta WN, Stoll S, Mehl RA. Ultra-Fast Bioorthogonal Spin-Labeling and Distance Measurements in Mammalian Cells Using Small, Genetically Encoded Tetrazine Amino Acids. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.26.525763. [PMID: 36747808 PMCID: PMC9901033 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.26.525763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Studying protein structures and dynamics directly in the cellular environments in which they function is essential to fully understand the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular processes. Site-directed spin-labeling (SDSL)-in combination with double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy-has emerged as a powerful technique for determining both the structural states and the conformational equilibria of biomacromolecules. In-cell DEER spectroscopy on proteins in mammalian cells has thus far not been possible due to the notable challenges of spin-labeling in live cells. In-cell SDSL requires exquisite biorthogonality, high labeling reaction rates and low background signal from unreacted residual spin label. While the bioorthogonal reaction must be highly specific and proceed under physiological conditions, many spin labels display time-dependent instability in the reducing cellular environment. Additionally, high concentrations of spin label can be toxic. Thus, an exceptionally fast bioorthogonal reaction is required that can allow for complete labeling with low concentrations of spin-label prior to loss of signal. Here we utilized genetic code expansion to site-specifically encode a novel family of small, tetrazine-bearing non-canonical amino acids (Tet-v4.0) at multiple sites in green fluorescent protein (GFP) and maltose binding protein (MBP) expressed both in E. coli and in human HEK293T cells. We achieved specific and quantitative spin-labeling of Tet-v4.0-containing proteins by developing a series of strained trans -cyclooctene (sTCO)-functionalized nitroxides-including a gem -diethyl-substituted nitroxide with enhanced stability in cells-with rate constants that can exceed 10 6 M -1 s -1 . The remarkable speed of the Tet-v4.0/sTCO reaction allowed efficient spin-labeling of proteins in live HEK293T cells within minutes, requiring only sub-micromolar concentrations of sTCO-nitroxide added directly to the culture medium. DEER recorded from intact cells revealed distance distributions in good agreement with those measured from proteins purified and labeled in vitro . Furthermore, DEER was able to resolve the maltose-dependent conformational change of Tet-v4.0-incorporated and spin-labeled MBP in vitro and successfully discerned the conformational state of MBP within HEK293T cells. We anticipate the exceptional reaction rates of this system, combined with the relatively short and rigid side chains of the resulting spin labels, will enable structure/function studies of proteins directly in cells, without any requirements for protein purification. TOC
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhashis Jana
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
- Equal contributors
| | - Eric G B Evans
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
- Equal contributors
| | - Hyo Sang Jang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
| | - Shuyang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0304, United States
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0304, United States
| | - Andrzej Rajca
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588-0304, United States
| | - Sharona E Gordon
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - William N Zagotta
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Stefan Stoll
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, United States
| | - Ryan A Mehl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, United States
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48
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Morosky P, Comyns C, Nunes LGA, Chung CZ, Hoffmann PR, Söll D, Vargas-Rodriguez O, Krahn N. Dual incorporation of non-canonical amino acids enables production of post-translationally modified selenoproteins. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1096261. [PMID: 36762212 PMCID: PMC9902344 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1096261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) can occur on almost all amino acids in eukaryotes as a key mechanism for regulating protein function. The ability to study the role of these modifications in various biological processes requires techniques to modify proteins site-specifically. One strategy for this is genetic code expansion (GCE) in bacteria. The low frequency of post-translational modifications in bacteria makes it a preferred host to study whether the presence of a post-translational modification influences a protein's function. Genetic code expansion employs orthogonal translation systems engineered to incorporate a modified amino acid at a designated protein position. Selenoproteins, proteins containing selenocysteine, are also known to be post-translationally modified. Selenoproteins have essential roles in oxidative stress, immune response, cell maintenance, and skeletal muscle regeneration. Their complicated biosynthesis mechanism has been a hurdle in our understanding of selenoprotein functions. As technologies for selenocysteine insertion have recently improved, we wanted to create a genetic system that would allow the study of post-translational modifications in selenoproteins. By combining genetic code expansion techniques and selenocysteine insertion technologies, we were able to recode stop codons for insertion of N ε-acetyl-l-lysine and selenocysteine, respectively, into multiple proteins. The specificity of these amino acids for their assigned position and the simplicity of reverting the modified amino acid via mutagenesis of the codon sequence demonstrates the capacity of this method to study selenoproteins and the role of their post-translational modifications. Moreover, the evidence that Sec insertion technology can be combined with genetic code expansion tools further expands the chemical biology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pearl Morosky
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Cody Comyns
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Lance G. A. Nunes
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Christina Z. Chung
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Peter R. Hoffmann
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Dieter Söll
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Oscar Vargas-Rodriguez
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Natalie Krahn
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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49
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Pastore AJ, Montoya A, Kamat M, Basso KB, Italia JS, Chatterjee A, Drosou M, Pantazis DA, Angerhofer A. Selective incorporation of 5-hydroxytryptophan blocks long range electron transfer in oxalate decarboxylase. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4537. [PMID: 36482787 PMCID: PMC9801070 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4537] [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: 09/23/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oxalate decarboxylase from Bacillus subtilis is a binuclear Mn-dependent acid stress response enzyme that converts the mono-anion of oxalic acid into formate and carbon dioxide in a redox neutral unimolecular disproportionation reaction. A π-stacked tryptophan dimer, W96 and W274, at the interface between two monomer subunits facilitates long-range electron transfer between the two Mn ions and plays an important role in the catalytic mechanism. Substitution of W96 with the unnatural amino acid 5-hydroxytryptophan leads to a persistent EPR signal which can be traced back to the neutral radical of 5-hydroxytryptophan with its hydroxyl proton removed. 5-Hydroxytryptophan acts as a hole sink preventing the formation of Mn(III) at the N-terminal active site and strongly suppresses enzymatic activity. The lower boundary of the standard reduction potential for the active site Mn(II)/Mn(III) couple can therefore be estimated as 740 mV against the normal hydrogen electrode at pH 4, the pH of maximum catalytic efficiency. Our results support the catalytic importance of long-range electron transfer in oxalate decarboxylase while at the same time highlighting the utility of unnatural amino acid incorporation and specifically the use of 5-hydroxytryptophan as an energetic sink for hole hopping to probe electron transfer in redox proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alvaro Montoya
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Manasi Kamat
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Kari B. Basso
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - James S. Italia
- Department of ChemistryBoston CollegeChestnut HillMassachusettsUSA
| | | | - Maria Drosou
- Max‐Planck‐Institut für KohlenforschungMülheim an der RuhrGermany
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50
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How phosphorylation impacts intrinsically disordered proteins and their function. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:901-913. [PMID: 36350035 PMCID: PMC9760426 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20220060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Phosphorylation is the most common post-translational modification (PTM) in eukaryotes, occurring particularly frequently in intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs). These proteins are highly flexible and dynamic by nature. Thus, it is intriguing that the addition of a single phosphoryl group to a disordered chain can impact its function so dramatically. Furthermore, as many IDPs carry multiple phosphorylation sites, the number of possible states increases, enabling larger complexities and novel mechanisms. Although a chemically simple and well-understood process, the impact of phosphorylation on the conformational ensemble and molecular function of IDPs, not to mention biological output, is highly complex and diverse. Since the discovery of the first phosphorylation site in proteins 75 years ago, we have come to a much better understanding of how this PTM works, but with the diversity of IDPs and their capacity for carrying multiple phosphoryl groups, the complexity grows. In this Essay, we highlight some of the basic effects of IDP phosphorylation, allowing it to serve as starting point when embarking on studies into this topic. We further describe how recent complex cases of multisite phosphorylation of IDPs have been instrumental in widening our view on the effect of protein phosphorylation. Finally, we put forward perspectives on the phosphorylation of IDPs, both in relation to disease and in context of other PTMs; areas where deep insight remains to be uncovered.
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