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Esfahani BG, Randolph PS, Peng R, Grant T, Stroupe ME, Stagg SM. SPOT-RASTR - a cryo-EM specimen preparation technique that overcomes problems with preferred orientation and the air/water interface. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.24.577038. [PMID: 38501120 PMCID: PMC10945588 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.24.577038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
In cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), specimen preparation remains a bottleneck despite recent advancements. Classical plunge freezing methods often result in issues like aggregation and preferred orientations at the air/water interface. Many alternative methods have been proposed, but there remains a lack a universal solution, and multiple techniques are often required for challenging samples. Here, we demonstrate the use of lipid nanotubes with nickel NTA headgroups as a platform for cryo-EM sample preparation. His-tagged specimens of interest are added to the tubules, and they can be frozen by conventional plunge freezing. We show that the nanotubes protect samples from the air/water interface and promote a wider range of orientations. The reconstruction of average subtracted tubular regions (RASTR) method allows for the removal of the nanotubule signal from the cryo-EM images resulting in isolated images of specimens of interest. Testing with β-galactosidase validates the method's ability to capture particles at lower concentrations, overcome preferred orientations, and achieve near-atomic resolution reconstructions. Since the nanotubules can be identified and targeted automatically at low magnification, the method enables fully automated data collection. Furthermore, the particles on the tubes can be automatically identified and centered using 2D classification enabling particle picking without requiring prior information. Altogether, our approach that we call specimen preparation on a tube RASTR (SPOT-RASTR) holds promise for overcoming air-water interface and preferred orientation challenges and offers the potential for fully automated cryo-EM data collection and structure determination.
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2
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Löwe M, Hänsch S, Hachani E, Schmitt L, Weidtkamp-Peters S, Kedrov A. Probing macromolecular crowding at the lipid membrane interface with genetically-encoded sensors. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4797. [PMID: 37779215 PMCID: PMC10578116 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4797] [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: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Biochemical processes within the living cell occur in a highly crowded environment, where macromolecules, first of all proteins and nucleic acids, occupy up to 30% of the volume. The phenomenon of macromolecular crowding is not an exclusive feature of the cytoplasm and can be observed in the densely protein-packed, nonhomogeneous cellular membranes and at the membrane interfaces. Crowding affects diffusional and conformational dynamics of proteins within the lipid bilayer, alters kinetic and thermodynamic properties of biochemical reactions, and modulates the membrane organization. Despite its importance, the non-invasive quantification of the membrane crowding is not trivial. Here, we developed a genetically-encoded fluorescence-based sensor for probing the macromolecular crowding at the membrane interfaces. Two sensor variants, both composed of fluorescent proteins and a membrane anchor, but differing by flexible linker domains were characterized in vitro, and the procedures for the membrane reconstitution were established. Steric pressure induced by membrane-tethered synthetic and protein crowders altered the sensors' conformation, causing increase in the intramolecular Förster's resonance energy transfer. Notably, the effect of protein crowders only weakly correlated with their molecular weight, suggesting that other factors, such as shape and charge contribute to the crowding via the quinary interactions. Finally, measurements performed in inner membrane vesicles of Escherichia coli validated the crowding-dependent dynamics of the sensors in the physiologically relevant environment. The sensors offer broad opportunities to study interfacial crowding in a complex environment of native membranes, and thus add to the toolbox of methods for studying membrane dynamics and proteostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryna Löwe
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Sebastian Hänsch
- Center for Advanced imaging, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Eymen Hachani
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lutz Schmitt
- Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | | | - Alexej Kedrov
- Synthetic Membrane Systems, Institute of Biochemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
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3
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Zheng Y, Wegner T, Di Iorio D, Pierau M, Glorius F, Wegner SV. NTA-Cholesterol Analogue for the Nongenetic Liquid-Ordered Phase-Specific Functionalization of Lipid Membranes with Proteins. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1435-1443. [PMID: 37184283 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The nongenetic modification of cell membranes with proteins is a straightforward way of cellular engineering. In these processes, it is important to specifically address the proteins to liquid-ordered (Lo) or liquid-disordered (Ld) domains as this can largely affect their biological functions. Herein, we report a cholesterol analogue (CHIM) with a nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) headgroup, named CHIM-NTA. CHIM-NTA integrates into lipid membranes similar to the widely used phospholipid-derived DGS-NTA and, when loaded with Ni2+, allows for specific membrane immobilization of any polyhistidine-tagged proteins of choice. Yet, unlike DGS-NTA, it localizes to the Lo phase in phase-separated giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) and allows addressing His-tagged proteins to Lo domains. Furthermore, CHIM-NTA readily integrates into the membranes of live cells and thus enables the nongenetic modification of the cell surface with proteins. Overall, CHIM-NTA provides a facile and flexible way to modify biological membranes, in particular Lo domains, with His-tagged proteins and can serve as a broadly applicable molecular tool for cell surface engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjun Zheng
- University of Münster, Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Tristan Wegner
- University of Münster, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Daniele Di Iorio
- University of Münster, Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Marco Pierau
- University of Münster, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Frank Glorius
- University of Münster, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Seraphine V Wegner
- University of Münster, Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Münster 48149, Germany
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4
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Lu Y, Allegri G, Huskens J. Recruitment of Receptors and Ligands in a Weakly Multivalent System with Omnipresent Signatures of Superselective Binding. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2023; 19:e2206596. [PMID: 36876448 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202206596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Recruitment of receptors at membrane interfaces is essential in biological recognition and uptake processes. The interactions that induce recruitment are typically weak at the level of individual interaction pairs, but are strong and selective at the level of recruited ensembles. Here, a model system is demonstrated, based on the supported lipid bilayer (SLB) that mimics the recruitment process induced by weakly multivalent interactions. The weak (mm range) histidine-nickel-nitrilotriacetate (His2 -NiNTA) pair is employed owing to its ease of implementation in both synthetic and biological systems. The recruitment of receptors (and ligands) induced by the binding of His2 -functionalized vesicles on NiNTA-terminated SLBs is investigated to identify the ligand densities necessary to achieve vesicle binding and receptor recruitment. Threshold values of ligand densities appear to occur in many binding characteristics: density of bound vesicles, size and receptor density of the contact area, and vesicle deformation. Such thresholds contrast the binding of strongly multivalent systems and constitute a clear signature of the superselective binding behavior predicted for weakly multivalent interactions. This model system provides quantitative insight into the binding valency and effects of competing energetic forces, such as deformation, depletion, and entropy cost of recruitment at different length scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Lu
- Molecular Nanofabrication Group and Department for Molecules and Materials, MESA + Institute and Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, AE 7500, The Netherlands
- School of Integrated Circuits and Electronics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Giulia Allegri
- Molecular Nanofabrication Group and Department for Molecules and Materials, MESA + Institute and Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, AE 7500, The Netherlands
| | - Jurriaan Huskens
- Molecular Nanofabrication Group and Department for Molecules and Materials, MESA + Institute and Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, AE 7500, The Netherlands
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5
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Vu TQ, Sant'Anna LE, Kamat NP. Tuning Targeted Liposome Avidity to Cells via Lipid Phase Separation. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:1574-1584. [PMID: 36943688 PMCID: PMC10874583 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01338] [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: 03/23/2023]
Abstract
The addition of both cell-targeting moieties and polyethylene glycol (PEG) to nanoparticle (NP) drug delivery systems is a standard approach to improve the biodistribution, specificity, and uptake of therapeutic cargo. The spatial presentation of these molecules affects avidity of the NP to target cells in part through an interplay between the local ligand concentration and the steric hindrance imposed by PEG molecules. Here, we show that lipid phase separation in nanoparticles can modulate liposome avidity by changing the proximity of PEG and targeting protein molecules on a nanoparticle surface. Using lipid-anchored nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) as a model ligand, we demonstrate that the attachment of lipid anchored Ni-NTA and PEG molecules to distinct lipid domains in nanoparticles can enhance liposome binding to cancer cells by increasing ligand clustering and reducing steric hindrance. We then use this technique to enhance the binding of RGD-modified liposomes, which can bind to integrins overexpressed on many cancer cells. These results demonstrate the potential of lipid phase separation to modulate the spatial presentation of targeting and shielding molecules on lipid nanocarriers, offering a powerful tool to enhance the efficacy of NP drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Q Vu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Lucas E Sant'Anna
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Neha P Kamat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, McCormick School of Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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6
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Baldauf L, van Buren L, Fanalista F, Koenderink GH. Actomyosin-Driven Division of a Synthetic Cell. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:3120-3133. [PMID: 36164967 PMCID: PMC9594324 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
One of the major challenges of bottom-up synthetic biology is rebuilding a minimal cell division machinery. From a reconstitution perspective, the animal cell division apparatus is mechanically the simplest and therefore attractive to rebuild. An actin-based ring produces contractile force to constrict the membrane. By contrast, microbes and plant cells have a cell wall, so division requires concerted membrane constriction and cell wall synthesis. Furthermore, reconstitution of the actin division machinery helps in understanding the physical and molecular mechanisms of cytokinesis in animal cells and thus our own cells. In this review, we describe the state-of-the-art research on reconstitution of minimal actin-mediated cytokinetic machineries. Based on the conceptual requirements that we obtained from the physics of the shape changes involved in cell division, we propose two major routes for building a minimal actin apparatus capable of division. Importantly, we acknowledge both the passive and active roles that the confining lipid membrane can play in synthetic cytokinesis. We conclude this review by identifying the most pressing challenges for future reconstitution work, thereby laying out a roadmap for building a synthetic cell equipped with a minimal actin division machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Federico Fanalista
- Department of Bionanoscience,
Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft
University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Gijsje Hendrika Koenderink
- Department of Bionanoscience,
Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft
University of Technology, 2629 HZ Delft, The Netherlands
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7
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Pramanik S, Steinkühler J, Dimova R, Spatz J, Lipowsky R. Binding of His-tagged fluorophores to lipid bilayers of giant vesicles. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:6372-6383. [PMID: 35975692 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00915c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
His-tagged molecules can be attached to lipid bilayers via certain anchor lipids, a method that has been widely used for the biofunctionalization of membranes and vesicles. To observe the membrane-bound molecules, it is useful to consider His-tagged molecules that are fluorescent as well. Here, we study two such molecules, green fluorescence protein (GFP) and green-fluorescent fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), both of which are tagged with a chain of six histidines (6H) that bind to the anchor lipids within the bilayers. The His-tag 6H is much smaller than the GFP molecule but somewhat larger than the FITC dye. The lipid bilayers form giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), the behavior of which can be directly observed in the optical microscope. We apply and compare three well-established preparation methods for GUVs: electroformation on platinum wire, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) hydrogel swelling, and electroformation on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass. Microfluidics is used to expose the GUVs to a constant fluorophore concentration in the exterior solution. The brightness of membrane-bound 6H-GFP exceeds the brightness of membrane-bound 6H-FITC, in contrast to the quantum yields of the two fluorophores in solution. In fact, 6H-FITC is observed to be strongly quenched by the anchor lipids which bind the fluorophores via Ni2+ ions. For both 6H-GFP and 6H-FITC, the membrane fluorescence is measured as a function of the fluorophores' molar concentration. The theoretical analysis of these data leads to the equilibrium dissociation constants Kd = 37.5 nM for 6H-GFP and Kd = 18.5 nM for 6H-FITC. We also observe a strong pH-dependence of the membrane fluorescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Pramanik
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Jan Steinkühler
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Rumiana Dimova
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Joachim Spatz
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Reinhard Lipowsky
- Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, 14424 Potsdam, Germany.
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8
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Iriarte-Alonso MA, Bittner AM, Chiantia S. Influenza A virus hemagglutinin prevents extensive membrane damage upon dehydration. BBA ADVANCES 2022; 2:100048. [PMID: 37082591 PMCID: PMC10074934 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadva.2022.100048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While the molecular mechanisms of virus infectivity are rather well known, the detailed consequences of environmental factors on virus biophysical properties are poorly understood. Seasonal influenza outbreaks are usually connected to the low winter temperature, but also to the low relative air humidity. Indeed, transmission rates increase in cold regions during winter. While low temperature must slow degradation processes, the role of low humidity is not clear. We studied the effect of relative humidity on a model of Influenza A H1N1 virus envelope, a supported lipid bilayer containing the surface glycoprotein hemagglutinin (HA), which is present in the viral envelope in very high density. For complete cycles of hydration, dehydration and rehydration, we evaluate the membrane properties in terms of structure and dynamics, which we assess by combining confocal fluorescence microscopy, raster image correlation spectroscopy, line-scan fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Our findings indicate that the presence of HA prevents macroscopic membrane damage after dehydration. Without HA, fast membrane disruption is followed by irreversible loss of lipid and protein mobility. Although our model is principally limited by the membrane composition, the macroscopic effects of HA under dehydration stress reveal new insights on the stability of the virus at low relative humidity.
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9
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Sapp K, Sodt AJ. Observed steric crowding at modest coverage requires a particular membrane-binding scheme or a complementary mechanism. Biophys J 2022; 121:430-438. [PMID: 34971618 PMCID: PMC8822614 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.12.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 08/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane shape transitions, including fusion and fission, play an important role in many biological processes. It is therefore essential to understand mechanisms of "curvature generation," the mathematical quantification of membrane shape. Among the different mechanisms is the effect of steric pressure between proteins crowded on a surface. At a higher curvature, there is more space for the crowders and less steric pressure. Currently, the physical model of curvature induction by crowding views the proteins as being bound to the surface as a whole rather than to the underlying lipids. Here, we split the previously understood model into two pieces: first, the reduction in steric pressure due to reduced collisions between proteins, and second, the increased area available to the protein that is independent of other crowders. The cases are distinguished by how the crowder is attached to the membrane. When a protein is attached to a specific lipid, as is the case in a typical crowding experiment, one should not model its lateral entropy; this has already been accounted for by the underlying lipid. The Carnahan-Starling pressure includes this lateral entropy. The revised theory predicts that a purely entropic crowding mechanism is inconsistent with observations of reshaping at the lower range of surface coverage, suggesting that an additional mechanism is at play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Sapp
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alexander J. Sodt
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland,Corresponding author
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10
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Flores SS, Clop PD, Barra JL, Argaraña CE, Perillo MA, Nolan V, Sánchez JM. His-tag β-galactosidase supramolecular performance. Biophys Chem 2021; 281:106739. [PMID: 34923392 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 12/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
β-Galactosidase is an important biotechnological enzyme used in the dairy industry, pharmacology and in molecular biology. In our laboratory we have overexpressed a recombinant β-galactosidase in Escherichia coli (E. coli). This enzyme differs from its native version (β-GalWT) in that 6 histidine residues have been added to the carboxyl terminus in the primary sequence (β-GalHis), which allows its purification by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC). In this work we compared the functionality and structure of both proteins and evaluated their catalytic behavior on the kinetics of lactose hydrolysis. We observed a significant reduction in the enzymatic activity of β-GalHis with respect to β-GalWT. Although, both enzymes showed a similar catalytic profile as a function of temperature, β-GalHis presented a higher resistance to the thermal inactivation compared to β-GalWT. At room temperature, β-GalHis showed a fluorescence spectrum compatible with a partially unstructured protein, however, it exhibited a lower tendency to the thermal-induced unfolding with respect to β-GalWT. The distinctively supramolecular arranges of the proteins would explain the effect of the presence of His-tag on the enzymatic activity and thermal stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra S Flores
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, ICTA and Departamento de Química, Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Pedro D Clop
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, ICTA and Departamento de Química, Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - José L Barra
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Química Biológica "Ranwel Caputto", Av. Haya de la Torre s/N° Ciudad Universitaria CP, X5000HUA Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológicas de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Carlos E Argaraña
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Química Biológica "Ranwel Caputto", Av. Haya de la Torre s/N° Ciudad Universitaria CP, X5000HUA Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológicas de Córdoba (CIQUIBIC), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María A Perillo
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, ICTA and Departamento de Química, Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Verónica Nolan
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, ICTA and Departamento de Química, Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Córdoba, Argentina.
| | - Julieta M Sánchez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, ICTA and Departamento de Química, Cátedra de Química Biológica, Av. Vélez Sarsfield 1611, 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; CONICET, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas (IIByT), Córdoba, Argentina.
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11
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López-Laguna H, Voltà-Durán E, Parladé E, Villaverde A, Vázquez E, Unzueta U. Insights on the emerging biotechnology of histidine-rich peptides. Biotechnol Adv 2021; 54:107817. [PMID: 34418503 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2021.107817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
In the late 70's, the discovery of the restriction enzymes made possible the biological production of functional proteins by recombinant DNA technologies, a fact that largely empowered both biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Short peptides or small protein domains, with specific molecular affinities, were developed as purification tags in downstream processes to separate the target protein from the culture media or cell debris, upon breaking the producing cells. Among these tags, and by exploiting the interactivity of the imidazole ring of histidine residues, the hexahistidine peptide (H6) became a gold standard. Although initially used almost exclusively in protein production, H6 and related His-rich peptides are progressively proving a broad applicability in novel utilities including enzymatic processes, advanced drug delivery systems and diagnosis, through a so far unsuspected adaptation of their binding capabilities. In this context, the coordination of histidine residues and metals confers intriguing functionalities to His-rich sequences useable in the forward-thinking design of protein-based nano- and micro-materials and devices, through strategies that are comprehensively presented here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hèctor López-Laguna
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Eric Voltà-Durán
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Eloi Parladé
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain
| | - Antonio Villaverde
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain.
| | - Esther Vázquez
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain.
| | - Ugutz Unzueta
- Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain; Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), Sant Antoni Mª Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.
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12
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Buddingh' BC, Llopis-Lorente A, Abdelmohsen LKEA, van Hest JCM. Dynamic spatial and structural organization in artificial cells regulates signal processing by protein scaffolding. Chem Sci 2020; 11:12829-12834. [PMID: 34094478 PMCID: PMC8163283 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc03933k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural and spatial organization are fundamental properties of biological systems that allow cells to regulate a wide range of biochemical processes. This organization is often transient and governed by external cues that initiate dynamic self-assembly processes. The construction of synthetic cell-like materials with similar properties requires the hierarchical and reversible organization of selected functional components on molecular scaffolds to dynamically regulate signaling pathways. The realization of such transient molecular programs in synthetic cells, however, remains underexplored due to the associated complexity of such hierarchical platforms. In this contribution, we effectuate dynamic spatial organization of effector protein subunits in a synthetic biomimetic compartment, a giant unilamellar vesicle (GUV), by associating in a reversible manner two fragments of a split luciferase to the membrane. This induces their structural dimerization, which consequently leads to the activation of enzymatic signaling. Importantly, such organization and activation are dynamic processes, and can be autonomously regulated - thus opening up avenues toward continuous spatiotemporal control over supramolecular organization and signaling in an artificial cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bastiaan C Buddingh'
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology PO Box 513 5600 MB Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Antoni Llopis-Lorente
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology PO Box 513 5600 MB Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Loai K E A Abdelmohsen
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology PO Box 513 5600 MB Eindhoven The Netherlands
| | - Jan C M van Hest
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology PO Box 513 5600 MB Eindhoven The Netherlands
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