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Rezhdo A, Hershman RL, Van Deventer JA. Design, Construction, and Validation of a Yeast-Displayed Chemically Expanded Antibody Library. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.29.596443. [PMID: 38853888 PMCID: PMC11160716 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.29.596443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
In vitro display technologies, exemplified by phage and yeast display, have emerged as powerful platforms for antibody discovery and engineering. However, the identification of antibodies that disrupt target functions beyond binding remains a challenge. In particular, there are very few strategies that support identification and engineering of either protein-based irreversible binders or inhibitory enzyme binders. Expanding the range of chemistries in antibody libraries has the potential to lead to efficient discovery of function-disrupting antibodies. In this work, we describe a yeast display-based platform for the discovery of chemically diversified antibodies. We constructed a billion-member antibody library that supports the presentation of a range of chemistries within antibody variable domains via noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) incorporation and subsequent bioorthogonal click chemistry conjugations. Use of a polyspecific orthogonal translation system enables introduction of chemical groups with various properties, including photo-reactive, proximity-reactive, and click chemistry-enabled functional groups for library screening. We established conjugation conditions that facilitate modification of the full library, demonstrating the feasibility of sorting the full billion-member library in "protein-small molecule hybrid" format in future work. Here, we conducted initial library screens after introducing O-(2-bromoethyl)tyrosine (OBeY), a weakly electrophilic ncAA capable of undergoing proximity-induced crosslinking to a target. Enrichments against donkey IgG and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) each led to the identification of several OBeY-substituted clones that bind to the targets of interest. Flow cytometry analysis on the yeast surface confirmed higher retention of binding for OBeY-substituted clones compared to clones substituted with ncAAs lacking electrophilic side chains after denaturation. However, subsequent crosslinking experiments in solution with ncAA-substituted clones yielded inconclusive results, suggesting that weakly reactive OBeY side chain is not sufficient to drive robust crosslinking in the clones isolated here. Nonetheless, this work establishes a multi-modal, chemically expanded antibody library and demonstrates the feasibility of conducting discovery campaigns in chemically expanded format. This versatile platform offers new opportunities for identifying and characterizing antibodies with properties beyond what is accessible with the canonical amino acids, potentially enabling discovery of new classes of reagents, diagnostics, and even therapeutic leads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlinda Rezhdo
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - Rebecca L Hershman
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - James A Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
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2
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Huang M, Rueda-Garcia M, Harthorn A, Hackel BJ, Van Deventer JA. Systematic Evaluation of Protein-Small Molecule Hybrids on the Yeast Surface. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:325-335. [PMID: 38230650 PMCID: PMC11146673 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00524] [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: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Protein-small molecule hybrids are structures that have the potential to combine the inhibitory properties of small molecules and the specificities of binding proteins. However, achieving such synergies is a substantial engineering challenge with fundamental principles yet to be elucidated. Recent work has demonstrated the power of the yeast display-based discovery of hybrids using a combination of fibronectin-binding domains and thiol-mediated conjugations to introduce small-molecule warheads. Here, we systematically study the effects of expanding the chemical diversity of these hybrids on the yeast surface by investigating a combinatorial set of fibronectins, noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) substitutions, and small-molecule pharmacophores. Our results show that previously discovered thiol-fibronectin hybrids are generally tolerant of a range of ncAA substitutions and retain binding functions to carbonic anhydrases following click chemistry-mediated assembly of hybrids with diverse linker structures. Most surprisingly, we identified several cases where replacement of a potent acetazolamide warhead with a substantially weaker benzenesulfonamide warhead still resulted in the assembly of multiple functional hybrids. In addition to these unexpected findings, we expanded the throughput of our system by validating a 96-well plate-based format to produce yeast-displayed hybrid conjugates in parallel. These efficient explorations of hybrid chemical diversity demonstrate that there are abundant opportunities to expand the functions of protein-small molecule hybrids and elucidate principles that dictate their efficient discovery and design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjie Huang
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Marina Rueda-Garcia
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Abbigael Harthorn
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Benjamin J. Hackel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Department, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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Guo C, Feng Q, Xie X, Li Y, Hu H, Hu J, Fang S, Shang L. Cross-reaction mediated by distinct key amino acid combinations in the complementary-determining region (CDR) of a monoclonal antibody. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29430. [PMID: 38285507 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29430] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
In immunology, cross-reaction between antigens and antibodies are commonly observed. Prior research has shown that various monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) can recognize a broad spectrum of epitopes related to influenza viruses. However, existing theories on cross-reactions fall short in explaining the phenomena observed. This study explored the interaction characteristics of H1-74 mAb with three peptides: two natural peptides, LVLWGIHHP and LPFQNI, derived from the hemagglutinin (HA) antigen of the H1N1 influenza virus, and one synthetic peptide, WPFQNY. Our findings indicate that the complementarity-determining region (CDR) of H1-74 mAb comprised five antigen-binding sites, containing eight key amino acid residues from the light chain variable region and 16 from the heavy chain variable region. These critical residues formed distinct hydrophobic or hydrophilic clusters and functional groups within the binding sites, facilitating interaction with antigen epitopes through hydrogen bonding, salt bridge formation, and π-π stacking. The study revealed that the formation of the antibody molecule led to the creation of binding groups and small units in the CDR, allowing the antibody to attach to a variety of antigen epitopes through diverse combinations of these small units and functional groups. This unique ability of the antibody to bind with antigen epitopes provides a new molecular basis for explaining the phenomenon of antibody cross-reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Guo
- Central Laboratory of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Research Center of Cell Immunological Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qing Feng
- Central Laboratory of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Research Center of Cell Immunological Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Xie
- Central Laboratory of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yan Li
- Central Laboratory of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Research Center of Cell Immunological Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection and Immune Diseases, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hanyu Hu
- Shaanxi Ruiqi Biology Sci-Tech Co., Ltd., Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun Hu
- Central Laboratory of Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- Research Center of Cell Immunological Engineering and Technology of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Senbiao Fang
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Lijun Shang
- School of Human Sciences, London Metropolitan University, London, UK
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4
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Lopez-Morales J, Vanella R, Appelt EA, Whillock S, Paulk AM, Shusta EV, Hackel BJ, Liu CC, Nash MA. Protein Engineering and High-Throughput Screening by Yeast Surface Display: Survey of Current Methods. SMALL SCIENCE 2023; 3:2300095. [PMID: 39071103 PMCID: PMC11271970 DOI: 10.1002/smsc.202300095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Yeast surface display (YSD) is a powerful tool in biotechnology that links genotype to phenotype. In this review, the latest advancements in protein engineering and high-throughput screening based on YSD are covered. The focus is on innovative methods for overcoming challenges in YSD in the context of biotherapeutic drug discovery and diagnostics. Topics ranging from titrating avidity in YSD using transcriptional control to the development of serological diagnostic assays relying on serum biopanning and mitigation of unspecific binding are covered. Screening techniques against nontraditional cellular antigens, such as cell lysates, membrane proteins, and extracellular matrices are summarized and techniques are further delved into for expansion of the chemical repertoire, considering protein-small molecule hybrids and noncanonical amino acid incorporation. Additionally, in vivo gene diversification and continuous evolution in yeast is discussed. Collectively, these techniques enhance the diversity and functionality of engineered proteins isolated via YSD, broadening the scope of applications that can be addressed. The review concludes with future perspectives and potential impact of these advancements on protein engineering. The goal is to provide a focused summary of recent progress in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanan Lopez-Morales
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland; Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland; Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Rosario Vanella
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland; Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel 4058, Switzerland
| | - Elizabeth A Appelt
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Sarah Whillock
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Alexandra M Paulk
- Program in Mathematical, Computational, and Systems Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-2280, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Eric V Shusta
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Benjamin J Hackel
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Chang C Liu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Michael A Nash
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Basel 4058, Switzerland; Swiss Nanoscience Institute, University of Basel, Basel 4056, Switzerland; Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel 4058, Switzerland
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Hanaee-Ahvaz H, Cserjan-Puschmann M, Mayer F, Tauer C, Albrecht B, Furtmüller PG, Wiltschi B, Hahn R, Striedner G. Antibody fragments functionalized with non-canonical amino acids preserving structure and functionality - A door opener for new biological and therapeutic applications. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22463. [PMID: 38046162 PMCID: PMC10686840 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22463] [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: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Functionalization of proteins by incorporating reactive non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) has been widely applied for numerous biological and therapeutic applications. The requirement not to lose the intrinsic properties of these proteins is often underestimated and not considered. Main purpose of this study was to answer the question whether functionalization via residue-specific incorporation of the ncAA N6-[(2-Azidoethoxy) carbonyl]-l-lysine (Azk) influences the properties of the anti-tumor-necrosis-factor-α-Fab (FTN2). Therefore, FTN2Azk variants with different Azk incorporation sites were designed and amber codon suppression was used for production. The functionalized FTN2Azk variants were efficiently produced in fed-batch like μ-bioreactor cultivations in the periplasm of E. coli displaying correct structure and antigen binding affinities comparable to those of wild-type FTN2. Our FTN2Azk variants with reactive handles for diverse conjugates enable tracking of recombinant protein in the production cell, pharmacological studies and translation into new pharmaceutical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana Hanaee-Ahvaz
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Monika Cserjan-Puschmann
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Florian Mayer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Christopher Tauer
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernd Albrecht
- Biopharma Austria, Process Science, Boehringer Ingelheim Regional Center Vienna GmbH & Co KG, Dr.-Boehringer-Gasse 5-11, A-1121, Vienna, Austria
| | - Paul G. Furtmüller
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Wiltschi
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rainer Hahn
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerald Striedner
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Production of Next-Level Biopharmaceuticals in E. coli, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Science and Engineering, Muthgasse 18, 1190, Vienna, Austria
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6
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David TI, Pestov NB, Korneenko TV, Barlev NA. Non-Immunoglobulin Synthetic Binding Proteins for Oncology. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2023; 88:1232-1247. [PMID: 37770391 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297923090043] [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: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Extensive application of technologies like phage display in screening peptide and protein combinatorial libraries has not only facilitated creation of new recombinant antibodies but has also significantly enriched repertoire of the protein binders that have polypeptide scaffolds without homology to immunoglobulins. These innovative synthetic binding protein (SBP) platforms have grown in number and now encompass monobodies/adnectins, DARPins, lipocalins/anticalins, and a variety of miniproteins such as affibodies and knottins, among others. They serve as versatile modules for developing complex affinity tools that hold promise in both diagnostic and therapeutic settings. An optimal scaffold typically has low molecular weight, minimal immunogenicity, and demonstrates resistance against various challenging conditions, including proteolysis - making it potentially suitable for peroral administration. Retaining functionality under reducing intracellular milieu is also advantageous. However, paramount to its functionality is the scaffold's ability to tolerate mutations across numerous positions, allowing for the formation of a sufficiently large target binding region. This is achieved through the library construction, screening, and subsequent expression in an appropriate system. Scaffolds that exhibit high thermodynamic stability are especially coveted by the developers of new SBPs. These are steadily making their way into clinical settings, notably as antagonists of oncoproteins in signaling pathways. This review surveys the diverse landscape of SBPs, placing particular emphasis on the inhibitors targeting the oncoprotein KRAS, and highlights groundbreaking opportunities for SBPs in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Temitope I David
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, 119121, Russia
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Phystech School of Biological and Medical Physics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region, 141701, Russia
| | - Nikolay B Pestov
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, 119121, Russia.
- Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 108819, Russia
- Group of Cross-Linking Enzymes, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Tatyana V Korneenko
- Group of Cross-Linking Enzymes, Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Nikolai A Barlev
- Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, 119121, Russia
- Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 108819, Russia
- Institute of Cytology Russian Academy of Sciences, St.-Petersburg, 194064, Russia
- School of Medicine, Nazarbayev University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
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7
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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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Seki K, Galindo JL, Karim AS, Jewett MC. A Cell-Free Gene Expression Platform for Discovering and Characterizing Stop Codon Suppressing tRNAs. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1324-1334. [PMID: 37257197 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00051] [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: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) can be incorporated into peptides and proteins to create new properties and functions. Site-specific ncAA incorporation is typically enabled by orthogonal translation systems comprising a stop codon suppressing tRNA (typically UAG), an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, and an ncAA of interest. Unfortunately, methods to discover and characterize suppressor tRNAs are limited because of laborious and time-consuming workflows in living cells. In this work, we develop anEscherichia coli crude extract-based cell-free gene expression system to rapidly express and characterize functional suppressor tRNAs. Our approach co-expresses orthogonal tRNAs using endogenous machinery alongside a stop-codon containing superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) reporter, which can be used as a simple read-out for suppression. As a model, we evaluate the UAG and UAA suppressing activity of several orthogonal tRNAs. Then, we demonstrate that co-transcription of two mutually orthogonal tRNAs can direct the incorporation of two unique ncAAs within a single modified sfGFP. Finally, we show that the cell-free workflow can be used to discover putative UAG-suppressor tRNAs found in metagenomic data, which are nonspecifically recognized by endogenous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. We anticipate that our cell-free system will accelerate the development of orthogonal translation systems for synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Seki
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Joey L Galindo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Ashty S Karim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
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9
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Bridge T, Wegmann U, Crack JC, Orman K, Shaikh SA, Farndon W, Martins C, Saalbach G, Sachdeva A. Site-specific encoding of photoactivity and photoreactivity into antibody fragments. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:740-749. [PMID: 36797401 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01251-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Design of biomolecules that perform two or more distinct functions in response to light remains challenging. Here, we have introduced concurrent photoactivity and photoreactivity into an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeting antibody fragment, 7D12. This was achieved by site-specific incorporation of photocaged tyrosine (pcY) for photoactivity and p-benzoyl-ʟ-phenylalanine (Bpa) for photoreactivity into 7D12. We identified a position for installing Bpa in 7D12 that has minimal effect on 7D12-EGFR binding affinity in the absence of light. Upon exposure to 365-nm light, this Bpa-containing 7D12 mutant forms a covalent bond with EGFR in an antigen-specific manner. We then developed a method for site-specific incorporation of pcY and Bpa at two distinct sites in 7D12. Finally, we demonstrated that in the absence of light, this pcY- and Bpa-containing mutant of 7D12 does not bind to EGFR, but irradiation with 365-nm light activates (1) specific binding and (2) covalent bond formation with EGFR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Bridge
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Udo Wegmann
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Jason C Crack
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Kate Orman
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Saher A Shaikh
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Carlo Martins
- Proteomics Facility, The John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK
| | | | - Amit Sachdeva
- School of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.
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10
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Lei M, Trivedi VD, Nair NU, Lee K, Van Deventer JA. Flow cytometric evaluation of yeast-bacterial cell-cell interactions. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:399-408. [PMID: 36259110 PMCID: PMC10072783 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28253] [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: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic cell-cell interaction systems can be useful for understanding multicellular communities or for screening binding molecules. We adapt a previously characterized set of synthetic cognate nanobody-antigen pairs to a yeast-bacteria coincubation format and use flow cytometry to evaluate cell-cell interactions mediated by binding between surface-displayed molecules. We further use fluorescence-activated cell sorting to enrich a specific yeast-displayed nanobody within a mixed yeast-display population. Finally, we demonstrate that this system supports the characterization of a therapeutically relevant nanobody-antigen interaction: a previously discovered nanobody that binds to the intimin protein expressed on the surface of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. Overall, our findings indicate that the yeast-bacteria format supports efficient evaluation of ligand-target interactions. With further development, this format may facilitate systematic characterization and high-throughput discovery of bacterial surface-binding molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Lei
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Vikas D. Trivedi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Nikhil U. Nair
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - Kyongbum Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155
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11
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Rezhdo A, Lessard CT, Islam M, Van Deventer JA. Strategies for enriching and characterizing proteins with inhibitory properties on the yeast surface. Protein Eng Des Sel 2023; 36:gzac017. [PMID: 36648434 PMCID: PMC10365883 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzac017] [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: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Display technologies are powerful tools for discovering binding proteins against a broad range of biological targets. However, it remains challenging to adapt display technologies for the discovery of proteins that inhibit the enzymatic activities of targets. Here, we investigate approaches for discovering and characterizing inhibitory antibodies in yeast display format using a well-defined series of constructs and the target matrix metalloproteinase-9. Three previously reported antibodies were used to create model libraries consisting of inhibitory, non-inhibitory, and non-binding constructs. Conditions that preferentially enrich for inhibitory clones were identified for both magnetic bead-based enrichments and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was obtained through yeast titration assays. The IC50 of the inhibitory antibody obtained in yeast display format falls within the confidence interval of the IC50 value determined in soluble form. Overall, this study identifies strategies for the discovery and characterization of inhibitory clones directly in yeast display format.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlinda Rezhdo
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Catherine T Lessard
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Mariha Islam
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - James A Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
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12
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Alcala-Torano R, Islam M, Cika J, Ho Lam K, Jin R, Ichtchenko K, Shoemaker CB, Van Deventer JA. Yeast Display Enables Identification of Covalent Single-Domain Antibodies against Botulinum Neurotoxin Light Chain A. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:3435-3449. [PMID: 36459441 PMCID: PMC10065152 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
While covalent drug discovery is reemerging as an important route to small-molecule therapeutic leads, strategies for the discovery and engineering of protein-based irreversible binding agents remain limited. Here, we describe the use of yeast display in combination with noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) to identify irreversible variants of single-domain antibodies (sdAbs), also called VHHs and nanobodies, targeting botulinum neurotoxin light chain A (LC/A). Starting from a series of previously described, structurally characterized sdAbs, we evaluated the properties of antibodies substituted with reactive ncAAs capable of forming covalent bonds with nearby groups after UV irradiation (when using 4-azido-l-phenylalanine) or spontaneously (when using O-(2-bromoethyl)-l-tyrosine). Systematic evaluations in yeast display format of more than 40 ncAA-substituted variants revealed numerous clones that retain binding function while gaining either UV-mediated or spontaneous crosslinking capabilities. Solution-based analyses indicate that ncAA-substituted clones exhibit site-dependent target specificity and crosslinking capabilities uniquely conferred by ncAAs. Interestingly, not all ncAA substitution sites resulted in crosslinking events, and our data showed no apparent correlation between detected crosslinking levels and distances between sdAbs and LC/A residues. Our findings highlight the power of yeast display in combination with genetic code expansion in the discovery of binding agents that covalently engage their targets. This platform streamlines the discovery and characterization of antibodies with therapeutically relevant properties that cannot be accessed in the conventional genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Alcala-Torano
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States of America
| | - Mariha Islam
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States of America
| | - Jaclyn Cika
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, United States of America
| | - Kwok Ho Lam
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States of America
| | - Rongsheng Jin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, United States of America
| | - Konstantin Ichtchenko
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, United States of America
| | - Charles B. Shoemaker
- Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts 01536, United States of America
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States of America
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States of America
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13
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Zackin MT, Stieglitz JT, Van Deventer JA. Genome-Wide Screen for Enhanced Noncanonical Amino Acid Incorporation in Yeast. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:3669-3680. [PMID: 36346914 PMCID: PMC10065164 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00267] [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: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Numerous applications of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) in basic biology and therapeutic development require efficient protein biosynthesis using an expanded genetic code. However, achieving such incorporation at repurposed stop codons in cells is generally inefficient and limited by complex cellular processes that preserve the fidelity of protein synthesis. A more comprehensive understanding of the processes that contribute to ncAA incorporation would aid in the development of genomic engineering strategies for augmenting genetic code manipulation. In this work, we used a series of fluorescent reporters to screen a pooled Saccharomyces cerevisiae molecular barcoded yeast knockout (YKO) collection. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting enabled isolation of strains encoding single-gene deletions exhibiting improved ncAA incorporation efficiency in response to the amber (TAG) stop codon; 55 unique candidate deletions were identified. The deleted genes encoded for proteins that participate in diverse cellular processes, including many genes that have no known connection with protein translation. We then verified that two knockouts, yil014c-aΔ and alo1Δ, exhibited improved ncAA incorporation efficiency starting from independently acquired strains possessing the knockouts. Using additional orthogonal translation systems and ncAAs, we determined that yil014c-aΔ and alo1Δ enhance ncAA incorporation efficiency without loss of fidelity over a wide range of conditions. Our findings highlight opportunities for further modulating gene expression with genetic, genomic, and synthetic biology approaches to improve ncAA incorporation efficiency. In addition, these discoveries have the potential to enhance our fundamental understanding of protein translation. Ultimately, cells that efficiently biosynthesize ncAA-containing proteins will streamline the realization of applications utilizing expanded genetic codes ranging from basic biology to drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew T. Zackin
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - Jessica T. Stieglitz
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
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14
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Stieglitz JT, Van Deventer JA. High-Throughput Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetase Engineering for Genetic Code Expansion in Yeast. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:2284-2299. [PMID: 35793554 PMCID: PMC10065163 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Protein expression with genetically encoded noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) benefits a broad range of applications, from the discovery of biological therapeutics to fundamental biological studies. A major factor limiting the use of ncAAs is the lack of orthogonal translation systems (OTSs) that support efficient genetic code expansion at repurposed stop codons. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) have been extensively evolved in Escherichia coli but are not always orthogonal in eukaryotes. In this work, we use a yeast display-based ncAA incorporation reporter platform with fluorescence-activated cell sorting to screen libraries of aaRSs in high throughput for (1) the incorporation of ncAAs not previously encoded in yeast; (2) the improvement of the performance of an existing aaRS; (3) highly selective OTSs capable of discriminating between closely related ncAA analogues; and (4) OTSs exhibiting enhanced polyspecificity to support translation with structurally diverse sets of ncAAs. The number of previously undiscovered aaRS variants we report in this work more than doubles the total number of translationally active aaRSs available for genetic code manipulation in yeast. The success of myriad screening strategies has important implications related to the fundamental properties and evolvability of aaRSs. Furthermore, access to OTSs with diverse activities and specific or polyspecific properties is invaluable for a range of applications within chemical biology, synthetic biology, and protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T Stieglitz
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - James A Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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15
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Stieglitz JT, Lahiri P, Stout MI, Van Deventer JA. Exploration of Methanomethylophilus alvus Pyrrolysyl-tRNA Synthetase Activity in Yeast. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1824-1834. [PMID: 35417129 PMCID: PMC10112046 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Archaeal pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetases (PylRSs) have been used to genetically encode over 200 distinct noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) in proteins in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells. This vastly expands the range of chemical functionality accessible within proteins produced in these organisms. Despite these clear successes, explorations of PylRS function in yeast remain limited. In this work, we demonstrate that the Methanomethylophilus alvus PylRS (MaPylRS) and its cognate tRNACUAMaPyl support the incorporation of ncAAs into proteins produced in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using stop codon suppression methodologies. Additionally, we prepared three MaPylRS mutants originally engineered in E. coli and determined that all three were active with one or more ncAAs, although with low efficiencies of ncAA incorporation in comparison to the parent MaPylRS. Alongside MaPylRS variants, we evaluated the activity of previously reported Methanosarcina mazei, Methanosarcina barkeri, and chimeric M. mazei and M. barkeri PylRSs. Using S. cerevisiae RJY100 and pairing these PylRSs with the M. mazei tRNACUA, we did not observe any detectable stop codon suppression activity under the same conditions that produced moderately efficient ncAA incorporation with MaPylRS. The addition of MaPylRS/tRNACUAMaPyl to the orthogonal translation machinery toolkit in S. cerevisiae potentially opens the door to hundreds of ncAAs that have not previously been genetically encodable using other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs. Extending the scope of ncAA incorporation in yeast could powerfully advance chemical and biological research for applications ranging from basic biological discovery to enzyme engineering and therapeutic protein lead discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T. Stieglitz
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Priyanka Lahiri
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Matthew I. Stout
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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16
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Engineering Proteins Containing Noncanonical Amino Acids on the Yeast Surface. METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON, N.J.) 2022; 2491:491-559. [PMID: 35482204 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2285-8_23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Yeast display has been used to advance many critical research areas, including the discovery of unique protein binders and biological therapeutics. In parallel, noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) have been used to tailor antibody-drug conjugates and enable discovery of therapeutic leads. Together, these two technologies have allowed for generation of synthetic antibody libraries, where the introduction of ncAAs in yeast-displayed proteins allows for library screening for therapeutically relevant targets. The combination of yeast display with genetically encoded ncAAs increases the available chemistry in proteins and advances applications that require high-throughput strategies. In this chapter, we discuss methods for displaying proteins containing ncAAs on the yeast surface, generating and screening libraries of proteins containing ncAAs, preparing bioconjugates on the yeast surface in large scale, generating and screening libraries of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) for encoding ncAAs by using reporter constructs, and characterizing ncAA-containing proteins secreted from yeast. The experimental designs laid out in this chapter are generalizable for discovery of protein binders to a variety of targets and aaRS evolution to continue expanding the genetic code beyond what is currently available in yeast.
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17
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Engineered protein-small molecule conjugates empower selective enzyme inhibition. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:328-338.e4. [PMID: 34363759 PMCID: PMC8807807 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Potent, specific ligands drive precision medicine and fundamental biology. Proteins, peptides, and small molecules constitute effective ligand classes. Yet greater molecular diversity would aid the pursuit of ligands to elicit precise biological activity against challenging targets. We demonstrate a platform to discover protein-small molecule (PriSM) hybrids to combine unique pharmacophore activities and shapes with constrained, efficiently engineerable proteins. In this platform, a fibronectin protein library is displayed on yeast with a single cysteine coupled to acetazolamide via a maleimide-poly(ethylene glycol) linker. Magnetic and flow cytometric sorts enrich specific binders to carbonic anhydrase isoforms. Isolated PriSMs exhibit potent, specific inhibition of carbonic anhydrase isoforms with efficacy superior to that of acetazolamide or protein alone, including an 80-fold specificity increase and 9-fold potency gain. PriSMs are engineered with multiple linker lengths, protein conjugation sites, and sequences against two different isoforms, which reveal platform flexibility and impacts of molecular designs. PriSMs advance the molecular diversity of efficiently engineerable ligands.
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18
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Raeeszadeh-Sarmazdeh M, Boder ET. Yeast Surface Display: New Opportunities for a Time-Tested Protein Engineering System. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2491:3-25. [PMID: 35482182 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2285-8_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Yeast surface display has proven to be a powerful tool for the discovery of antibodies and other novel binding proteins and for engineering the affinity and selectivity of existing proteins for their targets. In the decades since the first demonstrations of the approach, the range of yeast display applications has greatly expanded to include many different protein targets and has grown to encompass methods for rapid protein characterization. Here, we briefly summarize the development of yeast display methodologies and highlight several selected examples of recent applications to timely and challenging protein engineering and characterization problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eric T Boder
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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19
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Hershman RL, Li Y, Ma F, Xu Q, Van Deventer J. Intracellular Delivery of Antibodies for Selective Cell Signaling Interference. ChemMedChem 2021; 17:e202100678. [PMID: 34890114 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100678] [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: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Many intracellular signaling events remain poorly characterized due to a general lack of tools to interfere with "undruggable" targets. Antibodies have the potential to elucidate intracellular mechanisms via targeted disruption of cell signaling cascades because of their ability to bind to a target with high specificity and affinity. However, due to their size and chemical composition, antibodies cannot innately cross the cell membrane, and thus access to the cytosol with these macromolecules has been limited. Here, we describe strategies for accessing the intracellular space with recombinant antibodies mediated by cationic lipid nanoparticles to selectively disrupt intracellular signaling events. Together, our results demonstrate the use of recombinantly produced antibodies, delivered at concentrations of 10 nM, to selectively interfere with signaling driven by a single posttranslational modification. Efficient intracellular delivery of engineered antibodies opens up possibilities for modulation of previously "undruggable" targets, including for potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yamin Li
- Tufts University, Biomedical Engineering, UNITED STATES
| | - Feihe Ma
- Tufts University, Biomedical Engineering, UNITED STATES
| | - Qioabing Xu
- Tufts University, Biomedical Engineering, UNITED STATES
| | - James Van Deventer
- Tufts University, Chemical and Biological Engineering, 4 Colby St. Room 148, 02155, Medford, UNITED STATES
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20
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Stieglitz JT, Potts KA, Van Deventer JA. Broadening the Toolkit for Quantitatively Evaluating Noncanonical Amino Acid Incorporation in Yeast. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:3094-3104. [PMID: 34730946 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Genetic code expansion is a powerful approach for advancing critical fields such as biological therapeutic discovery. However, the machinery for genetically encoding noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) is only available in limited plasmid formats, constraining potential applications. In extreme cases, the introduction of two separate plasmids, one containing an orthogonal translation system (OTS) to facilitate ncAA incorporation and a second for expressing a ncAA-containing protein of interest, is not possible due to a lack of the available selection markers. One strategy to circumvent this challenge is to express the OTS and protein of interest from a single vector. For what we believe is the first time in yeast, we describe here several sets of single plasmid systems (SPSs) for performing genetic code manipulation and compare the ncAA incorporation capabilities of these plasmids against the capabilities of previously described dual plasmid systems (DPSs). For both dual fluorescent protein reporters and yeast display reporters tested with multiple OTSs and ncAAs, measured ncAA incorporation efficiencies with SPSs were determined to be equal to efficiencies determined with DPSs. Click chemistry on yeast cells displaying ncAA-containing proteins was also shown to be feasible in both formats, although differences in reactivity between formats suggest the need for caution when using such approaches. Additionally, we investigated whether these reporters would support the separation of yeast strains known to exhibit distinct ncAA incorporation efficiencies. Model sorts conducted with mixtures of two strains transformed with the same SPS or DPS both led to the enrichment of a strain known to support a higher efficiency ncAA incorporation, suggesting that these reporters will be suitable for conducting screens for strains exhibiting enhanced ncAA incorporation efficiencies. Overall, our results confirm that SPSs are well behaved in yeast and provide a convenient alternative to DPSs. SPSs are expected to be invaluable for conducting high-throughput investigations of the effects of genetic or genomic changes on ncAA incorporation efficiency and, more fundamentally, the eukaryotic translation apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T. Stieglitz
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - Kelly A. Potts
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, United States
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