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Lu C, Huang Y, Cui J, Wu J, Jiang C, Gu X, Cao Y, Yin S. Toward Practical Applications of Engineered Living Materials with Advanced Fabrication Techniques. ACS Synth Biol 2024. [PMID: 39002162 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00259] [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: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
Engineered Living Materials (ELMs) are materials composed of or incorporating living cells as essential functional units. These materials can be created using bottom-up approaches, where engineered cells spontaneously form well-defined aggregates. Alternatively, top-down methods employ advanced materials science techniques to integrate cells with various kinds of materials, creating hybrids where cells and materials are intricately combined. ELMs blend synthetic biology with materials science, allowing for dynamic responses to environmental stimuli such as stress, pH, humidity, temperature, and light. These materials exhibit unique "living" properties, including self-healing, self-replication, and environmental adaptability, making them highly suitable for a wide range of applications in medicine, environmental conservation, and manufacturing. Their inherent biocompatibility and ability to undergo genetic modifications allow for customized functionalities and prolonged sustainability. This review highlights the transformative impact of ELMs over recent decades, particularly in healthcare and environmental protection. We discuss current preparation methods, including the use of endogenous and exogenous scaffolds, living assembly, 3D bioprinting, and electrospinning. Emphasis is placed on ongoing research and technological advancements necessary to enhance the safety, functionality, and practical applicability of ELMs in real-world contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenjing Lu
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Yaying Huang
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Jian Cui
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Junhua Wu
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250021, China
- Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Chunping Jiang
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250021, China
- Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Xiaosong Gu
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250021, China
| | - Yi Cao
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250021, China
- Institute for Brain Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine innovation center, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Chemistry and Biomedicine innovation center, MOE Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Sheng Yin
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructure, Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory, Jinan 250021, China
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2
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Romero‐Casañas A, García‐Lizarribar A, Castro J, Vilanova M, Benito A, Ribó M. Ligation of multiple protein domains using orthogonal inteins with non-native splice junctions. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5070. [PMID: 38864750 PMCID: PMC11168065 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Protein splicing is a self-catalyzed process in which an internal protein domain (the intein) is excised from its flanking sequences, linking them together with a canonical peptide bond. Trans-inteins are separated in two different precursor polypeptide chains that must assemble to catalytically self-excise and ligate the corresponding flanking exteins to join even when expressed separately either in vitro or in vivo. They are very interesting to construct full proteins from separate domains because their common small size favors chemical synthesis approaches. Therefore, trans-inteins have multiple applications such as protein modification and purification, structural characterization of protein domains or production of intein-based biosensors, among others. For many of these applications, when using more than one trans-intein, orthogonality between them is a critical issue to ensure the proper ligation of the exteins. Here, we confirm the orthogonality (lack of cross-reactivity) of four different trans- or split inteins, gp41-1, gp41-8, IMPDH-1 and NrdJ-1 both in vivo and in vitro, and built different constructs that allow for the sequential fusion of up to four protein fragments into one final spliced product. We have characterized the splicing efficiency of these constructs. All harbor non-native extein residues at the splice junction between the trans-intein and the neighboring exteins, except for the essential Ser + 1. Our results show that it is possible to ligate four different protein domains using inteins gp41-1, IMPDH-1 and NrdJ-1 with non-native extein residues to obtain a final four-domain spliced product with a not negligible yield that keeps its native sequence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jessica Castro
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de BiologiaUniversitat de GironaGironaSpain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Josep Trueta (IdIBGi)SaltSpain
| | - Maria Vilanova
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de BiologiaUniversitat de GironaGironaSpain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Josep Trueta (IdIBGi)SaltSpain
| | - Antoni Benito
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de BiologiaUniversitat de GironaGironaSpain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Josep Trueta (IdIBGi)SaltSpain
| | - Marc Ribó
- Laboratori d'Enginyeria de Proteïnes, Departament de BiologiaUniversitat de GironaGironaSpain
- Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Josep Trueta (IdIBGi)SaltSpain
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3
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Xie Q, On Lee S, Vissamsetti N, Guo S, Johnson ME, Fried SD. Secretion-Catalyzed Assembly of Protein Biomaterials on a Bacterial Membrane Surface. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202305178. [PMID: 37469298 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202305178] [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: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023]
Abstract
Protein-based biomaterials have played a key role in tissue engineering, and additional exciting applications as self-healing materials and sustainable polymers are emerging. Over the past few decades, recombinant expression and production of various fibrous proteins from microbes have been demonstrated; however, the resulting proteins typically must then be purified and processed by humans to form usable fibers and materials. Here, we show that the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis can be programmed to secrete silk through its translocon via an orthogonal signal peptide/peptidase pair. Surprisingly, we discover that this translocation mechanism drives the silk proteins to assemble into fibers spontaneously on the cell surface, in a process we call secretion-catalyzed assembly (SCA). Secreted silk fibers form self-healing hydrogels with minimal processing. Alternatively, the fibers retained on the membrane provide a facile route to create engineered living materials from Bacillus cells. This work provides a blueprint to achieve autonomous assembly of protein biomaterials in useful morphologies directly from microbial factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xie
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sea On Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Nitya Vissamsetti
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sikao Guo
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Margaret E Johnson
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Stephen D Fried
- Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
- T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, 21218, Baltimore, MD, USA
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4
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Lee KZ, Jeon J, Jiang B, Subramani SV, Li J, Zhang F. Protein-Based Hydrogels and Their Biomedical Applications. Molecules 2023; 28:4988. [PMID: 37446650 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28134988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Hydrogels made from proteins are attractive materials for diverse medical applications, as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, and amenable to chemical and biological modifications. Recent advances in protein engineering, synthetic biology, and material science have enabled the fine-tuning of protein sequences, hydrogel structures, and hydrogel mechanical properties, allowing for a broad range of biomedical applications using protein hydrogels. This article reviews recent progresses on protein hydrogels with special focus on those made of microbially produced proteins. We discuss different hydrogel formation strategies and their associated hydrogel properties. We also review various biomedical applications, categorized by the origin of protein sequences. Lastly, current challenges and future opportunities in engineering protein-based hydrogels are discussed. We hope this review will inspire new ideas in material innovation, leading to advanced protein hydrogels with desirable properties for a wide range of biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kok Zhi Lee
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
| | - Juya Jeon
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
| | - Bojing Jiang
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
| | - Shri Venkatesh Subramani
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
| | - Jingyao Li
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
| | - Fuzhong Zhang
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
- Division of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MI 63130, USA
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Koehle AP, Brumwell SL, Seto EP, Lynch AM, Urbaniak C. Microbial applications for sustainable space exploration beyond low Earth orbit. NPJ Microgravity 2023; 9:47. [PMID: 37344487 DOI: 10.1038/s41526-023-00285-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
With the construction of the International Space Station, humans have been continuously living and working in space for 22 years. Microbial studies in space and other extreme environments on Earth have shown the ability for bacteria and fungi to adapt and change compared to "normal" conditions. Some of these changes, like biofilm formation, can impact astronaut health and spacecraft integrity in a negative way, while others, such as a propensity for plastic degradation, can promote self-sufficiency and sustainability in space. With the next era of space exploration upon us, which will see crewed missions to the Moon and Mars in the next 10 years, incorporating microbiology research into planning, decision-making, and mission design will be paramount to ensuring success of these long-duration missions. These can include astronaut microbiome studies to protect against infections, immune system dysfunction and bone deterioration, or biological in situ resource utilization (bISRU) studies that incorporate microbes to act as radiation shields, create electricity and establish robust plant habitats for fresh food and recycling of waste. In this review, information will be presented on the beneficial use of microbes in bioregenerative life support systems, their applicability to bISRU, and their capability to be genetically engineered for biotechnological space applications. In addition, we discuss the negative effect microbes and microbial communities may have on long-duration space travel and provide mitigation strategies to reduce their impact. Utilizing the benefits of microbes, while understanding their limitations, will help us explore deeper into space and develop sustainable human habitats on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison P Koehle
- Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Stephanie L Brumwell
- Department of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | | | - Anne M Lynch
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Graduate Program in Developmental Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Camilla Urbaniak
- ZIN Technologies Inc, Middleburg Heights, OH, USA.
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA.
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6
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Li J, Jiang B, Chang X, Yu H, Han Y, Zhang F. Bi-terminal fusion of intrinsically-disordered mussel foot protein fragments boosts mechanical strength for protein fibers. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2127. [PMID: 37059716 PMCID: PMC10104820 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37563-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Microbially-synthesized protein-based materials are attractive replacements for petroleum-derived synthetic polymers. However, the high molecular weight, high repetitiveness, and highly-biased amino acid composition of high-performance protein-based materials have restricted their production and widespread use. Here we present a general strategy for enhancing both strength and toughness of low-molecular-weight protein-based materials by fusing intrinsically-disordered mussel foot protein fragments to their termini, thereby promoting end-to-end protein-protein interactions. We demonstrate that fibers of a ~60 kDa bi-terminally fused amyloid-silk protein exhibit ultimate tensile strength up to 481 ± 31 MPa and toughness of 179 ± 39 MJ*m-3, while achieving a high titer of 8.0 ± 0.70 g/L by bioreactor production. We show that bi-terminal fusion of Mfp5 fragments significantly enhances the alignment of β-nanocrystals, and intermolecular interactions are promoted by cation-π and π-π interactions between terminal fragments. Our approach highlights the advantage of self-interacting intrinsically-disordered proteins in enhancing material mechanical properties and can be applied to a wide range of protein-based materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyao Li
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Bojing Jiang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Xinyuan Chang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Han Yu
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Yichao Han
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Fuzhong Zhang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
- Division of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
- Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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7
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Jeon J, Subramani SV, Lee KZ, Jiang B, Zhang F. Microbial Synthesis of High-Molecular-Weight, Highly Repetitive Protein Polymers. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:6416. [PMID: 37047388 PMCID: PMC10094428 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
High molecular weight (MW), highly repetitive protein polymers are attractive candidates to replace petroleum-derived materials as these protein-based materials (PBMs) are renewable, biodegradable, and have outstanding mechanical properties. However, their high MW and highly repetitive sequence features make them difficult to synthesize in fast-growing microbial cells in sufficient amounts for real applications. To overcome this challenge, various methods were developed to synthesize repetitive PBMs. Here, we review recent strategies in the construction of repetitive genes, expression of repetitive proteins from circular mRNAs, and synthesis of repetitive proteins by ligation and protein polymerization. We discuss the advantages and limitations of each method and highlight future directions that will lead to scalable production of highly repetitive PBMs for a wide range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juya Jeon
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA; (J.J.); (S.V.S.); (K.Z.L.); (B.J.)
| | - Shri Venkatesh Subramani
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA; (J.J.); (S.V.S.); (K.Z.L.); (B.J.)
| | - Kok Zhi Lee
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA; (J.J.); (S.V.S.); (K.Z.L.); (B.J.)
| | - Bojing Jiang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA; (J.J.); (S.V.S.); (K.Z.L.); (B.J.)
| | - Fuzhong Zhang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA; (J.J.); (S.V.S.); (K.Z.L.); (B.J.)
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
- Division of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA
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8
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Jang S, Cha JE, Moon SJ, Albers JG, Seo MH, Choi YW, Kim JH. Experimental and Computational Approaches to Sulfonated Poly(arylene ether sulfone) Synthesis Using Different Halogen Atoms at the Reactive Site. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:1286. [PMID: 36557194 PMCID: PMC9785268 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12121286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Engineering thermoplastics, such as poly(arylene ether sulfone), are more often synthesized using F-containing monomers rather than Cl-containing monomers because the F atom is considered more electronegative than Cl, leading to a better condensation polymerization reaction. In this study, the reaction's spontaneity improved when Cl atoms were used compared to the case using F atoms. Specifically, sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) was synthesized by reacting 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl with two types of biphenyl sulfone monomers containing Cl and F atoms. No significant difference was observed in the structural, elemental, and chemical properties of the two copolymers based on nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. However, the solution viscosity and mechanical strength of the copolymer synthesized with the Cl-terminal monomers were slightly higher than those of the copolymer synthesized with the F-terminal monomers due to higher reaction spontaneity. The first-principle study was employed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of these reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seol Jang
- Fuel Cell Research and Demonstration Center, Future Energy Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon 56332, Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonseiro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Eun Cha
- Fuel Cell Research and Demonstration Center, Future Energy Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon 56332, Republic of Korea
| | - Seung Jae Moon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonseiro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Justin Georg Albers
- Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials IFAM, Winterbergstrasse 28, 01277 Dresden, Germany
| | - Min Ho Seo
- Department of Nanotechnology Engineering, Pukyong National University, 45 Yongso-ro, Nam-gu, Busan 48547, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Woo Choi
- Fuel Cell Research and Demonstration Center, Future Energy Research Division, Korea Institute of Energy Research, Daejeon 56332, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Hak Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, 50 Yonseiro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
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Wang H, Wang L, Zhong B, Dai Z. Protein Splicing of Inteins: A Powerful Tool in Synthetic Biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:810180. [PMID: 35265596 PMCID: PMC8899391 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.810180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are protein segments that are capable of enabling the ligation of flanking extein into a new protein, a process known as protein splicing. Since its discovery, inteins have become powerful biotechnological tools for applications such as protein engineering. In the last 10 years, the development in synthetic biology has further endowed inteins with enhanced functions and diverse utilizations. Here we review these efforts and discuss the future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Wang
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Baihua Zhong
- Materials Interfaces Center, Institute of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhuojun Dai
- Materials Synthetic Biology Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
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Kim E, Jeon J, Zhu Y, Hoppe ED, Jun YS, Genin GM, Zhang F. A Biosynthetic Hybrid Spidroin-Amyloid-Mussel Foot Protein for Underwater Adhesion on Diverse Surfaces. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:48457-48468. [PMID: 34633172 PMCID: PMC10041942 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c14182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Strong underwater adhesives are attractive materials for biomedical healing and underwater repair, but their success in applications has been limited, owing to challenges with underwater setting and with balancing surface adhesion and cohesion. Here, we applied synthetic biology approaches to overcome these challenges through design and synthesis of a novel hybrid protein consisting of the zipper-forming domains of an amyloid protein, flexible spider silk sequences, and a dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA)-containing mussel foot protein (Mfp). This partially structured, hybrid protein can self-assemble into a semi-crystalline hydrogel that exhibits high strength and toughness as well as strong underwater adhesion to a variety of surfaces, including difficult-to-adhere plastics, tendon, and skin. The hydrogel allows selective debonding by oxidation or iron-chelating treatments. Both the material design and the biosynthetic approach explored in this study will inspire future work for a wide range of hybrid protein-based materials with tunable properties and broad applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene Kim
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Juya Jeon
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Yaguang Zhu
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Ethan D. Hoppe
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Young-Shin Jun
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Guy M. Genin
- NSF Science and Technology Center for Engineering MechanoBiology, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
- Division of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
| | - Fuzhong Zhang
- Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
- Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
- Division of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, One Brookings Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri 63130
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11
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Amyloids as Building Blocks for Macroscopic Functional Materials: Designs, Applications and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms221910698. [PMID: 34639037 PMCID: PMC8508955 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Amyloids are self-assembled protein aggregates that take cross-β fibrillar morphology. Although some amyloid proteins are best known for their association with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, many other amyloids are found across diverse organisms, from bacteria to humans, and they play vital functional roles. The rigidity, chemical stability, high aspect ratio, and sequence programmability of amyloid fibrils have made them attractive candidates for functional materials with applications in environmental sciences, material engineering, and translational medicines. This review focuses on recent advances in fabricating various types of macroscopic functional amyloid materials. We discuss different design strategies for the fabrication of amyloid hydrogels, high-strength materials, composite materials, responsive materials, extracellular matrix mimics, conductive materials, and catalytic materials.
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12
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Chang MP, Huang W, Mai DJ. Monomer‐scale design of functional protein polymers using consensus repeat sequences. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20210506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marina P. Chang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Stanford University Stanford California USA
| | - Winnie Huang
- Department of Chemical Engineering Stanford University Stanford California USA
| | - Danielle J. Mai
- Department of Chemical Engineering Stanford University Stanford California USA
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13
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Li J, Zhu Y, Yu H, Dai B, Jun YS, Zhang F. Microbially Synthesized Polymeric Amyloid Fiber Promotes β-Nanocrystal Formation and Displays Gigapascal Tensile Strength. ACS NANO 2021; 15:11843-11853. [PMID: 34251182 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c02944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ability of amyloid proteins to form stable β-sheet nanofibrils has made them potential candidates for material innovation in nanotechnology. However, such a nanoscale feature has rarely translated into attractive macroscopic properties for mechanically demanding applications. Here, we present a strategy by fusing amyloid peptides with flexible linkers from spidroin; the resulting polymeric amyloid proteins can be biosynthesized using engineered microbes and wet-spun into macroscopic fibers. Using this strategy, fibers from three different amyloid groups were fabricated. Structural analyses unveil the presence of β-nanocrystals that resemble the cross-β structure of amyloid nanofibrils. These polymeric amyloid fibers have displayed strong and molecular-weight-dependent mechanical properties. Fibers made of a protein polymer containing 128 repeats of the FGAILSS sequence displayed an average ultimate tensile strength of 0.98 ± 0.08 GPa and an average toughness of 161 ± 26 MJ/m3, surpassing most recombinant protein fibers and even some natural spider silk fibers. The design strategy and the biosynthetic approach can be expanded to create numerous functional materials, and the macroscopic amyloid fibers will enable a wide range of mechanically demanding applications.
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Graphene oxide/mussel foot protein composites for high-strength and ultra-tough thin films. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19082. [PMID: 33154462 PMCID: PMC7644685 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-76004-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Graphene oxide (GO)-based composite materials have become widely popular in many applications due to the attractive properties of GO, such as high strength and high electrical conductivity at the nanoscale. Most current GO composites use organic polymer as the matrix material and thus, their synthesis suffers from the use of organic solvents or surfactants, which raise environmental and energy-consumption concerns. Inspired by mussel foot proteins (Mfp) secreted by the saltwater mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis and by recent advances in microbial protein production, we developed an aqueous-based green synthesis strategy for preparing GO/Mfp film composites. These GO/Mfp films display high tensile strength (134–158 MPa), stretchability (~ 26% elongation), and high toughness (20–24 MJ/m3), beyond the capabilities of many existing GO composites. Renewable production of Mfp proteins and the facile fabrication process described provides a new avenue for composite material synthesis, while the unique combination of mechanical properties of GO/Mfp films will be attractive for a range of applications.
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Han Y, Zhang F. Control strategies to manage trade-offs during microbial production. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2020; 66:158-164. [PMID: 32810759 PMCID: PMC8021483 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
When engineering microbes to overproduce a target molecule, engineers face multiple layers of trade-offs to allocate limited cellular resources between the target pathway and native cellular systems. These trade-offs arise from limited free ribosomes during translation, competition for metabolic precursors, as well as the negative relationship between production and growth rate. To achieve high production performance, microbes need to spontaneously make decisions in the dynamic and heterogeneous fermentation environment. In this review, we discuss recent advances in microbial control strategies that are used to manage these trade-offs and to improve microbial production. This review focuses on design principles and compares different implementations, with the hope to provide guidelines to future microbial engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichao Han
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Fuzhong Zhang
- Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Division of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA; Institute of Materials Science & Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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Cai H, Chen G, Yu H, Tang Y, Xiong S, Qi X. One-step heating strategy for efficient solubilization of recombinant spider silk protein from inclusion bodies. BMC Biotechnol 2020; 20:37. [PMID: 32650749 PMCID: PMC7350728 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-020-00630-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Spider silk is a proteinaceous fiber with remarkable mechanical properties spun from spider silk proteins (spidroins). Engineering spidroins have been successfully produced in a variety of heterologous hosts and the most widely used expression system is Escherichia coli (E. coli). So far, recombinantly expressed spidroins often form insoluble inclusion bodies (IBs), which will often be dissolved under extremely harsh conditions in a traditional manner, e.g. either 8 mol/L urea or 6 mol/L guanidine hydrochloride, highly risking to poor recovery of bioactive proteins as well as unexpected precipitations during dialysis process. Results Here, we present a mild solubilization strategy—one-step heating method to solubilize spidroins from IBs, with combining spidroins’ high thermal stability with low concentration of urea. A 430-aa recombinant protein (designated as NM) derived from the minor ampullate spidroin of Araneus ventricosus was expressed in E. coli, and the recombinant proteins were mainly present in insoluble fraction as IBs. The isolated IBs were solubilized parallelly by both traditional urea-denatured method and one-step heating method, respectively. The solubilization efficiency of NM IBs in Tris-HCl pH 8.0 containing 4 mol/L urea by one-step heating method was already comparable to that of 7 mol/L urea with using traditional urea-denatured method. The effects of buffer, pH and temperature conditions on NM IBs solubilization of one-step heating method were evaluated, respectively, based on which the recommended conditions are: heating temperature 70–90 °C for 20 min, pH 7.0–10, urea concentration 2–4 mol/L in normal biological buffers. The recombinant NM generated via the one-step heating method held the potential functions with self-assembling into sphere nanoparticles with smooth morphology. Conclusions The one-step heating method introduced here efficiently solubilizes IBs under relatively mild conditions compared to the traditional ones, which might be important for the downstream applications; however, this protocol should be pursued carefully in terms of urea-induced modification sensitive applications. Further, this method can be applied under broad buffer, pH and temperature conditions, conferring the potential to apply to other thermal stable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Cai
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Gefei Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Karolinska Institutet, 14157, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Hairui Yu
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Ying Tang
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Sidong Xiong
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Xingmei Qi
- The Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institutes of Biology and Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
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