DNA Origami as Seeds for Promoting Protein Crystallization

Heterogeneous Nucleation in Protein Crystallization

Protein crystallization was first discovered in the nineteenth century and has been studied for nearly 200 years. Protein crystallization technology has recently been widely used in many fields, such as drug purification and protein structure analysis. The key to successful crystallization of proteins is the nucleation in the protein solution, which can be influenced by many factors, such as the precipitating agent, temperature, solution concentration, pH, etc., among which the role of the precipitating agent is extremely important. In this regard, we summarize the nucleation theory of protein crystallization, including classical nucleation theory, two-step nucleation theory, and heterogeneous nucleation theory. We focus on a variety of efficient heterogeneous nucleating agents and crystallization methods as well. The application of protein crystals in crystallography and biopharmaceutical fields is further discussed. Finally, the bottleneck of protein crystallization and the prospect of future technology development are reviewed.

The dual function of impurity in protein crystallization

Protein crystallization could be promoted with a low concentration of impurities and inhibited with a high concentration of impurities, and this inhibition can be weakened by an audible sound.

The heterogeneous nucleation of pimelic acid under the effect of a template: experimental research and molecular simulation

The nucleation experiments of pimelic acid were investigated in the absence and presence of a template.

DNA origami-based protein networks: from basic construction to emerging applications

Natural living systems are driven by delicate protein networks whose functions are precisely controlled by many parameters, such as number, distance, orientation, and position. Focusing on regulation rather than just imitation, the construction of artificial protein networks is important in many research areas, including biomedicine, synthetic biology and chemical biology. DNA origami, sophisticated nanostructures with rational design, can offer predictable, programmable, and addressable scaffolds for protein assembly with nanometer precision. Recently, many interdisciplinary efforts have achieved the precise construction of DNA origami-based protein networks, and their emerging application in many areas. To inspire more fantastic research and applications, herein we highlight the applicability and potentiality of DNA origami-based protein networks. After a brief introduction to the development and features of DNA origami, some important factors for the precise construction of DNA origami-based protein networks are discussed, including protein-DNA conjugation methods, networks with different patterns and the controllable parameters in the networks. The discussion then focuses on the emerging application of DNA origami-based protein networks in several areas, including enzymatic reaction regulation, sensing, bionics, biophysics, and biomedicine. Finally, current challenges and opportunities in this research field are discussed.

Protein crystallisation facilitated by silica particles to compensate for the adverse impact from protein impurities

Nanonucleants for protein crystallisation in the presence of impurities.

Enhancing the crystallisation of insulin using amino acids as soft-templates to control nucleation

Amino acid as soft templates in promoting nucleation of insulin.

Magnetic particles used in a new approach for designed protein crystallization

Designed protein crystallization using magnetic particles as additives in the crystallization of model case studies.

DNA-Based Nanofabrication: Pathway to Applications in Surface Engineering

This Concept provides an overview of recent developments of DNA-based nanofabrication and discusses its potential applications in the area of surface engineering. The first part of the paper discusses the strength and limitations of existing DNA-based nanofabrication methods. The second part highlights several examples of surface engineering applications involving nano- and microscale surface textures. It finishes with a discussion of the opportunities and remaining challenges of applying DNA-based nanofabrication in surface engineering applications.

Enhancement of Lysozyme Crystallization Using DNA as a Polymeric Additive

This study reports the first experimental evidence of using DNA as a polymeric additive to enhance protein crystallization. Using three kinds of DNA with different molecular weights—calf DNA, salmon DNA, and herring DNA—this study showed an improvement in the success rate of lysozyme crystallization, as compared to control experiments, especially at low lysozyme concentration. The improvement of crystallization is particularly significant in the presence of calf DNA with the highest molecular weight. Calf DNA also speeds up the induction time of lysozyme crystallization and increases the number of crystals per drop. We hypothesized the effect of DNA on protein crystallization may be due to the combination of excluded volume effect, change of water’s surface tension, and the water competition effect. This work confirms predications of the potential use of DNA as a polymeric additive to enhance protein crystallization, potentially applied to systems with limited protein available or difficult to crystallize.

Template-induced nucleation for controlling crystal polymorphism: from molecular mechanisms to applications in pharmaceutical processing

The major factors governing template-induced nucleation of molecular crystals are assessed, highlighting applications in pharmaceutical manufacturing and formulation processes where the templating effect is used to promote crystal nucleation and for controlling crystal polymorphism.