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Qutub SS, Bhat IA, Maatouk BI, Moosa B, Fakim A, Nawaz K, Diaz-Galicia E, Lin W, Grünberg R, Arold ST, Khashab NM. An Amphiphilic Cell-Penetrating Macrocycle for Efficient Cytosolic Delivery of Proteins, DNA, and CRISPR Cas9. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202403647. [PMID: 38752721 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202403647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
The discovery of safe platforms that can circumvent the endocytic pathway is of great significance for biological therapeutics that are usually degraded during endocytosis. Here we show that a self-assembled and dynamic macrocycle can passively diffuse through the cell membrane and deliver a broad range of biologics, including proteins, CRISPR Cas9, and ssDNA, directly to the cytosol while retaining their bioactivity. Cell-penetrating macrocycle CPM can be easily prepared from the room temperature condensation of diketopyrrolopyrrole lactams with diamines. We attribute the high cellular permeability of CPM to its amphiphilic nature and chameleonic properties. It adopts conformations that partially bury polar groups and expose hydrophobic side chains, thus self-assembling into micellar-like structures. Its superior fluorescence makes CPM trackable inside cells where it follows the endomembrane system. CPM outperformed commercial reagents for biologics delivery and showed high RNA knockdown efficiency of CRISPR Cas9. We envisage that this macrocycle will be an ideal starting point to design and synthesize biomimetic macrocyclic tags that can readily facilitate the interaction and uptake of biomolecules and overcome endosomal digestion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayah S Qutub
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
- Current Address: Department of Chemistry, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, 192122, Jammu and Kashmir, India
| | - Batoul I Maatouk
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basem Moosa
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aliyah Fakim
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kashif Nawaz
- The Coral Symbiomics Lab, Red Sea Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Escarlet Diaz-Galicia
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Weibin Lin
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raik Grünberg
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stefan T Arold
- Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Niveen M Khashab
- Smart Hybrid Materials (SHMs) Laboratory, Chemistry Program, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
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2
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Chen K, Peng C, Chi F, Yu C, Yang Q, Li Z. Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities of Chlorogenic Acid Against Yersinia enterocolitica. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:885092. [PMID: 35602020 PMCID: PMC9117966 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.885092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, developing new and natural compounds with antibacterial activities from plants has become a promising approach to solve antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria. Chlorogenic acid (CA), as a kind of phenolic acid existing in many plants, has been found to process multifunctional activities including antibacterial activity. Herein, the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of CA against Yersinia enterocolitica (Y. enterocolitica) were tested for the first time, and its mechanism of action was investigated. It was demonstrated that CA could exert outstanding antibacterial activity against Y. enterocolitica. Biofilm susceptibility assays further indicated that CA could inhibit biofilm formation and decrease the established biofilm biomass of Y. enterocolitica. It was deduced that through binding to Y. enterocolitica, CA destroyed the cell membrane, increased the membrane permeability, and led to bacterial cell damage. In addition, the transcriptomic analysis revealed that CA could disorder many physiological pathways, mainly including the ones of antagonizing biofilms and increasing cell membrane permeability. Finally, the spiked assay showed that the growth of Y. enterocolitica in milk was significantly inhibited by CA. Taken together, CA, as an effective bactericidal effector with application potential, exerts antagonistic activity against Y. enterocolitica by mainly intervening biofilm formation and membrane permeability-related physiological pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Chen
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Chuantao Peng
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.,Qingdao Special Food Research Institute, Qingdao, China
| | - Fang Chi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Chundi Yu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Qingli Yang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China
| | - Zhaojie Li
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, China.,Qingdao Special Food Research Institute, Qingdao, China
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3
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Lee S, Bayley H. Reconstruction of the Gram-Negative Bacterial Outer-Membrane Bilayer. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2200007. [PMID: 35289495 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202200007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The outer membrane (OM) of gram-negative bacteria is highly asymmetric. The outer leaflet comprises lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and the inner leaflet phospholipids. Here, it is shown that the outer membrane lipid bilayer (OMLB) of Escherichia coli can be reconstructed as a droplet interface bilayer (DIB), which separates two aqueous droplets in oil. The trimeric porin OmpF is inserted into the model OMLB and the translocation of the bacteriocin colicin E9 (colE9) through it is monitored. By contrast with LPS-free bilayers, it is found that colE9 made multiple failed attempts to engage with OmpF in an OMLB before successful translocation occurred. In addition, the observed rate for the second step of colE9 translocation is 3-times smaller than that in LPS-free bilayers, and further, the colE9 dissociates when the membrane potential is reversed. The findings demonstrate the utility of the DIB approach for constructing model OMLBs from physiologically realistic lipids and that the properties of the model OMLBs differ from those of a simple lipid bilayer. The model OMLB offers a credible platform for screening the properties of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejeong Lee
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Hagan Bayley
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3TA, UK
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Sun Y, Lau SY, Lim ZW, Chang SC, Ghadessy F, Partridge A, Miserez A. Phase-separating peptides for direct cytosolic delivery and redox-activated release of macromolecular therapeutics. Nat Chem 2022; 14:274-283. [PMID: 35115657 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-021-00854-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biomacromolecules are highly promising therapeutic modalities to treat various diseases. However, they suffer from poor cellular membrane permeability, limiting their access to intracellular targets. Strategies to overcome this challenge often employ nanoscale carriers that can get trapped in endosomal compartments. Here we report conjugated peptides that form pH- and redox-responsive coacervate microdroplets by liquid-liquid phase separation that readily cross the cell membrane. A wide range of macromolecules can be quickly recruited within the microdroplets, including small peptides, enzymes as large as 430 kDa and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The therapeutic-loaded coacervates bypass classical endocytic pathways to enter the cytosol, where they undergo glutathione-mediated release of payload, the bioactivity of which is retained in the cell, while mRNAs exhibit a high transfection efficiency. These peptide coacervates represent a promising platform for the intracellular delivery of a large palette of macromolecular therapeutics that have potential for treating various pathologies (for example, cancers and metabolic diseases) or as carriers for mRNA-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Sun
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sze Yi Lau
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Neuros/Immunos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Zhi Wei Lim
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Shi Chieh Chang
- Translation Medicine Research Centre, MSD International, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Farid Ghadessy
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Neuros/Immunos, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anthony Partridge
- Translation Medicine Research Centre, MSD International, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ali Miserez
- Biological and Biomimetic Material Laboratory (BBML), Center for Sustainable Materials (SusMat), School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, Singapore. .,School of Biological Sciences, NTU, Singapore, Singapore.
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Zartner L, Maffeis V, Schoenenberger CA, Dinu IA, Palivan CG. Membrane protein channels equipped with a cleavable linker for inducing catalysis inside nanocompartments. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:9012-9022. [PMID: 34623367 PMCID: PMC8580015 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb01463c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Precisely timed initiation of reactions and stability of the catalysts are fundamental in catalysis. We introduce here an efficient closing-opening method for nanocompartments that contain sensitive catalysts and so achieve a controlled and extended catalytic activity. We developed a chemistry-oriented approach for modifying a pore-forming membrane protein which allows for a stimuli-responsive pore opening within the membrane of polymeric nanocompartments. We synthesized a diol-containing linker that selectively binds to the pores, blocking them completely. In the presence of an external stimulus (periodate), the linker is cleaved allowing the diffusion of substrate through the pores to the nanocompartment interior where it sets off the in situ enzymatic reaction. Besides the precise initiation of catalytic activity by opening of the pores, oxidation by periodate guarantees the cleavage of the linker under mild conditions. Accordingly, this kind of responsive nanocompartment lends itself to harboring a large variety of sensitive catalysts such as proteins and enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Zartner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR1096, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Viviana Maffeis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR1096, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
- NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cora-Ann Schoenenberger
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR1096, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
- NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ionel Adrian Dinu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR1096, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
- NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cornelia G Palivan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, BPR1096, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.
- NCCR-Molecular Systems Engineering, BPR1095, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058 Basel, Switzerland
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Francis MLR, Webby MN, Housden NG, Kaminska R, Elliston E, Chinthammit B, Lukoyanova N, Kleanthous C. Porin threading drives receptor disengagement and establishes active colicin transport through Escherichia coli OmpF. EMBO J 2021; 40:e108610. [PMID: 34515361 PMCID: PMC8561637 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2021108610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria deploy weapons to kill their neighbours during competition for resources and to aid survival within microbiomes. Colicins were the first such antibacterial system identified, yet how these bacteriocins cross the outer membrane (OM) of Escherichia coli is unknown. Here, by solving the structures of translocation intermediates via cryo‐EM and by imaging toxin import, we uncover the mechanism by which the Tol‐dependent nuclease colicin E9 (ColE9) crosses the bacterial OM. We show that threading of ColE9’s disordered N‐terminal domain through two pores of the trimeric porin OmpF causes the colicin to disengage from its primary receptor, BtuB, and reorganises the translocon either side of the membrane. Subsequent import of ColE9 through the lumen of a single OmpF subunit is driven by the proton‐motive force, which is delivered by the TolQ‐TolR‐TolA‐TolB assembly. Our study answers longstanding questions, such as why OmpF is a better translocator than OmpC, and reconciles the mechanisms by which both Tol‐ and Ton‐dependent bacteriocins cross the bacterial outer membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melissa N Webby
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Renata Kaminska
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Emma Elliston
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Abstract
Bacteria often secrete diffusible protein toxins (bacteriocins) to kill bystander cells during interbacterial competition. Here, we use biochemical, biophysical and structural analyses to show how a bacteriocin exploits TolC, a major outer-membrane antibiotic efflux channel in Gram-negative bacteria, to transport itself across the outer membrane of target cells. Klebicin C (KlebC), a rRNase toxin produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae, binds TolC of a related species (K. quasipneumoniae) with high affinity through an N-terminal, elongated helical hairpin domain common amongst bacteriocins. The KlebC helical hairpin opens like a switchblade to bind TolC. A cryo-EM structure of this partially translocated state, at 3.1 Å resolution, reveals that KlebC associates along the length of the TolC channel. Thereafter, the unstructured N-terminus of KlebC protrudes beyond the TolC iris, presenting a TonB-box sequence to the periplasm. Association with proton-motive force-linked TonB in the inner membrane drives toxin import through the channel. Finally, we demonstrate that KlebC binding to TolC blocks drug efflux from bacteria. Our results indicate that TolC, in addition to its known role in antibiotic export, can function as a protein import channel for bacteriocins. Bacteria can secrete diffusible protein toxins that kill competing bacteria. Here, the authors use biochemical, biophysical and structural analyses to show how one of these toxins exploits TolC (a major antibiotic efflux channel) to transport itself across the outer membrane of target cells.
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