1
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Dunkelmann DL, Chin JW. Engineering Pyrrolysine Systems for Genetic Code Expansion and Reprogramming. Chem Rev 2024; 124:11008-11062. [PMID: 39235427 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2024]
Abstract
Over the past 16 years, genetic code expansion and reprogramming in living organisms has been transformed by advances that leverage the unique properties of pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS)/tRNAPyl pairs. Here we summarize the discovery of the pyrrolysine system and describe the unique properties of PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs that provide a foundation for their transformational role in genetic code expansion and reprogramming. We describe the development of genetic code expansion, from E. coli to all domains of life, using PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs, and the development of systems that biosynthesize and incorporate ncAAs using pyl systems. We review applications that have been uniquely enabled by the development of PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs for incorporating new noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs), and strategies for engineering PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs to add noncanonical monomers, beyond α-L-amino acids, to the genetic code of living organisms. We review rapid progress in the discovery and scalable generation of mutually orthogonal PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs that can be directed to incorporate diverse ncAAs in response to diverse codons, and we review strategies for incorporating multiple distinct ncAAs into proteins using mutually orthogonal PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs. Finally, we review recent advances in the encoded cellular synthesis of noncanonical polymers and macrocycles and discuss future developments for PylRS/tRNAPyl pairs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Dunkelmann
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England, United Kingdom
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Jason W Chin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, England, United Kingdom
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2
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Chemla Y, Kaufman F, Amiram M, Alfonta L. Expanding the Genetic Code of Bioelectrocatalysis and Biomaterials. Chem Rev 2024. [PMID: 39377473 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.4c00077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/09/2024]
Abstract
Genetic code expansion is a promising genetic engineering technology that incorporates noncanonical amino acids into proteins alongside the natural set of 20 amino acids. This enables the precise encoding of non-natural chemical groups in proteins. This review focuses on the applications of genetic code expansion in bioelectrocatalysis and biomaterials. In bioelectrocatalysis, this technique enhances the efficiency and selectivity of bioelectrocatalysts for use in sensors, biofuel cells, and enzymatic electrodes. In biomaterials, incorporating non-natural chemical groups into protein-based polymers facilitates the modification, fine-tuning, or the engineering of new biomaterial properties. The review provides an overview of relevant technologies, discusses applications, and highlights achievements, challenges, and prospects in these fields.
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3
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McManus D, Patton AP, Smyllie NJ, Chin JW, Hastings MH. PERfect Day: reversible and dose-dependent control of circadian time-keeping in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus by translational switching of PERIOD2 protein expression. Eur J Neurosci 2024; 60:5537-5552. [PMID: 39300693 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.16537] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/29/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
The biological clock of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) orchestrates circadian (approximately daily) rhythms of behaviour and physiology that underpin health. SCN cell-autonomous time-keeping revolves around a transcriptional/translational feedback loop (TTFL) within which PERIOD (PER1,2) and CRYPTOCHROME (CRY1,2) proteins heterodimerise and suppress trans-activation of their encoding genes (Per1,2; Cry1,2). To explore its contribution to SCN time-keeping, we used adeno-associated virus-mediated translational switching to express PER2 (tsPER2) in organotypic SCN slices carrying bioluminescent TTFL circadian reporters. Translational switching requires provision of the non-canonical amino acid, alkyne lysine (AlkK), for protein expression. Correspondingly, AlkK, but not vehicle, induced constitutive expression of tsPER2 in SCN neurons and reversibly and dose-dependently suppressed pPer1-driven transcription in PER-deficient (Per1,2-null) SCN, illustrating the potency of PER2 in negative regulation within the TTFL. Constitutive expression of tsPER2, however, failed to initiate circadian oscillations in arrhythmic PER-deficient SCN. In rhythmic, PER-competent SCN, AlkK dose-dependently reduced the amplitude of PER2-reported oscillations as inhibition by tsPER2 progressively damped the TTFL. tsPER2 also dose-dependently lengthened the period of the SCN TTFL and neuronal calcium rhythms. Following wash-out of AlkK to remove tsPER2, the SCN regained TTFL amplitude and period. Furthermore, SCN retained their pre-washout phase: the removal of tsPER2 did not phase-shift the TTFL. Given that constitutive tsCRY1 can regulate TTFL amplitude and period, but also reset TTFL phase and initiate rhythms in CRY-deficient SCN, these results reveal overlapping and distinct properties of PER2 and CRY1 within the SCN, and emphasise the utility of translational switching to explore the functions of circadian proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David McManus
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Andrew P Patton
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nicola J Smyllie
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jason W Chin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael H Hastings
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
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4
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Niu W, Guo J. Cellular Site-Specific Incorporation of Noncanonical Amino Acids in Synthetic Biology. Chem Rev 2024; 124:10577-10617. [PMID: 39207844 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00938] [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: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Over the past two decades, genetic code expansion (GCE)-enabled methods for incorporating noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins have significantly advanced the field of synthetic biology while also reaping substantial benefits from it. On one hand, they provide synthetic biologists with a powerful toolkit to enhance and diversify biological designs beyond natural constraints. Conversely, synthetic biology has not only propelled the development of ncAA incorporation through sophisticated tools and innovative strategies but also broadened its potential applications across various fields. This Review delves into the methodological advancements and primary applications of site-specific cellular incorporation of ncAAs in synthetic biology. The topics encompass expanding the genetic code through noncanonical codon addition, creating semiautonomous and autonomous organisms, designing regulatory elements, and manipulating and extending peptide natural product biosynthetic pathways. The Review concludes by examining the ongoing challenges and future prospects of GCE-enabled ncAA incorporation in synthetic biology and highlighting opportunities for further advancements in this rapidly evolving field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Niu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
| | - Jiantao Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588, United States
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5
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Jann C, Giofré S, Bhattacharjee R, Lemke EA. Cracking the Code: Reprogramming the Genetic Script in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes to Harness the Power of Noncanonical Amino Acids. Chem Rev 2024; 124:10281-10362. [PMID: 39120726 PMCID: PMC11441406 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00878] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Over 500 natural and synthetic amino acids have been genetically encoded in the last two decades. Incorporating these noncanonical amino acids into proteins enables many powerful applications, ranging from basic research to biotechnology, materials science, and medicine. However, major challenges remain to unleash the full potential of genetic code expansion across disciplines. Here, we provide an overview of diverse genetic code expansion methodologies and systems and their final applications in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, represented by Escherichia coli and mammalian cells as the main workhorse model systems. We highlight the power of how new technologies can be first established in simple and then transferred to more complex systems. For example, whole-genome engineering provides an excellent platform in bacteria for enabling transcript-specific genetic code expansion without off-targets in the transcriptome. In contrast, the complexity of a eukaryotic cell poses challenges that require entirely new approaches, such as striving toward establishing novel base pairs or generating orthogonally translating organelles within living cells. We connect the milestones in expanding the genetic code of living cells for encoding novel chemical functionalities to the most recent scientific discoveries, from optimizing the physicochemical properties of noncanonical amino acids to the technological advancements for their in vivo incorporation. This journey offers a glimpse into the promising developments in the years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosimo Jann
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- IMB
Postdoc Programme (IPPro), 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Sabrina Giofré
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- IMB
Postdoc Programme (IPPro), 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Rajanya Bhattacharjee
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- IMB
International PhD Programme (IPP), 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Edward A. Lemke
- Biocenter, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Institute
of Molecular Biology (IMB), 55128 Mainz, Germany
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6
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Pandurangan S, Easwaramoorthi S, Ayyadurai N. Engineering proteins with catechol chemistry for biotechnological applications. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2024:1-19. [PMID: 39198031 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2024.2387165] [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: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Developing proteins with increased chemical space by expanding the amino acids alphabet has been an emerging technique to compete for the obstacle encountered by their need in various applications. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) catecholic unnatural amino acid is abundantly present in mussels foot proteins through post-translational modification of tyrosine to give a strong adhesion toward wet rocks. L-DOPA forms: bidentate coordination, H-bonding, metal-ligand complexes, long-ranged electrostatic, and van der Waals interactions via a pair of donor hydroxyl groups. Incorporating catechol in proteins through genetic code expansion paved the way for developing: protein-based bio-sensor, implant coating, bio-conjugation, adhesive bio-materials, biocatalyst, metal interaction and nano-biotechnological applications. The increased chemical spaces boost the protein properties by offering a new chemically active interaction ability to the protein. Here, we review the technique employed to develop a genetically expanded organism with catechol to provide novel properties and functionalities; and we highlight the importance of L-DOPA incorporated proteins in biomedical and industrial fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suryalakshmi Pandurangan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India
| | - Shanmugam Easwaramoorthi
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India
- Department of Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
| | - Niraikulam Ayyadurai
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research - Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, India
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7
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Söllner J, Derler I. Genetic code expansion, an emerging tool in the Ca 2+ ion channel field. J Physiol 2024; 602:3297-3313. [PMID: 38695316 DOI: 10.1113/jp285840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Various methods for characterizing binding forces as well as for monitoring and remote control of ion channels are still emerging. A recent innovation is the direct incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) with corresponding biophysical or biochemical properties, which are integrated using genetic code expansion technology. Minimal changes to natural amino acids, which are achieved by chemical synthesis of corresponding UAAs, are valuable tools to provide insight into the contributions of physicochemical properties of side chains in binding events. To gain unique control over the conformational changes or function of ion channels, a series of light-sensitive, chemically reactive and posttranslationally modified UAAs have been developed and utilized. Here, we present the existing UAA tools, their mode of action, their potential and limitations as well as their previous applications to Ca2+-permeable ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Söllner
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
| | - Isabella Derler
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria
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8
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Guo QR, Cao YJ. Applications of genetic code expansion technology in eukaryotes. Protein Cell 2024; 15:331-363. [PMID: 37847216 PMCID: PMC11074999 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwad051] [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: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Unnatural amino acids (UAAs) have gained significant attention in protein engineering and drug development owing to their ability to introduce new chemical functionalities to proteins. In eukaryotes, genetic code expansion (GCE) enables the incorporation of UAAs and facilitates posttranscriptional modification (PTM), which is not feasible in prokaryotic systems. GCE is also a powerful tool for cell or animal imaging, the monitoring of protein interactions in target cells, drug development, and switch regulation. Therefore, there is keen interest in utilizing GCE in eukaryotic systems. This review provides an overview of the application of GCE in eukaryotic systems and discusses current challenges that need to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao-ru Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomic, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yu J Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomic, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Genomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Chemical Biology, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
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9
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Fröhlich M, Söllner J, Derler I. Insights into the dynamics of the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ channel pore-forming complex Orai1. Biochem Soc Trans 2024; 52:747-760. [PMID: 38526208 DOI: 10.1042/bst20230815] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
An important calcium (Ca2+) entry pathway into the cell is the Ca2+ release-activated Ca2+ (CRAC) channel, which controls a series of downstream signaling events such as gene transcription, secretion and proliferation. It is composed of a Ca2+ sensor in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the stromal interaction molecule (STIM), and the Ca2+ ion channel Orai in the plasma membrane (PM). Their activation is initiated by receptor-ligand binding at the PM, which triggers a signaling cascade within the cell that ultimately causes store depletion. The decrease in ER-luminal Ca2+ is sensed by STIM1, which undergoes structural rearrangements that lead to coupling with Orai1 and its activation. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of the Orai1 pore opening mechanism. In this context, we also point out the questions that remain unanswered and how these can be addressed by the currently emerging genetic code expansion (GCE) technology. GCE enables the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids with novel properties, such as light-sensitivity, and has the potential to provide novel insights into the structure/function relationship of CRAC channels at a single amino acid level in the living cell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Fröhlich
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Julia Söllner
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
| | - Isabella Derler
- Institute of Biophysics, JKU Life Science Center, Johannes Kepler University Linz, A-4020 Linz, Austria
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10
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Nonaka H, Sakamoto S, Shiraiwa K, Ishikawa M, Tamura T, Okuno K, Kondo T, Kiyonaka S, Susaki EA, Shimizu C, Ueda HR, Kakegawa W, Arai I, Yuzaki M, Hamachi I. Bioorthogonal chemical labeling of endogenous neurotransmitter receptors in living mouse brains. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2313887121. [PMID: 38294939 PMCID: PMC10861872 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2313887121] [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: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurotransmitter receptors are essential components of synapses for communication between neurons in the brain. Because the spatiotemporal expression profiles and dynamics of neurotransmitter receptors involved in many functions are delicately governed in the brain, in vivo research tools with high spatiotemporal resolution for receptors in intact brains are highly desirable. Covalent labeling by chemical reaction (chemical labeling) of proteins without genetic manipulation is now a powerful method for analyzing receptors in vitro. However, selective target receptor labeling in the brain has not yet been achieved. This study shows that ligand-directed alkoxyacylimidazole (LDAI) chemistry can be used to selectively tether synthetic probes to target endogenous receptors in living mouse brains. The reactive LDAI reagents with negative charges were found to diffuse well over the whole brain and could selectively label target endogenous receptors, including AMPAR, NMDAR, mGlu1, and GABAAR. This simple and robust labeling protocol was then used for various applications: three-dimensional spatial mapping of endogenous receptors in the brains of healthy and disease-model mice; multi-color receptor imaging; and pulse-chase analysis of the receptor dynamics in postnatal mouse brains. Here, results demonstrated that bioorthogonal receptor modification in living animal brains may provide innovative molecular tools that contribute to the in-depth understanding of complicated brain functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Nonaka
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Seiji Sakamoto
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Kazuki Shiraiwa
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
| | - Mamoru Ishikawa
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Tomonori Tamura
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
| | - Kyohei Okuno
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
| | - Takumi Kondo
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8603, Japan
| | - Shigeki Kiyonaka
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya464-8603, Japan
| | - Etsuo A. Susaki
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biomedicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo113-8421, Japan
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka 565-5241, Japan
| | - Chika Shimizu
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka 565-5241, Japan
| | - Hiroki R. Ueda
- Laboratory for Synthetic Biology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Osaka 565-5241, Japan
- Department of Systems Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0033, Japan
| | - Wataru Kakegawa
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
- Department of Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Itaru Arai
- Department of Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Michisuke Yuzaki
- Department of Neurophysiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo160-8582, Japan
| | - Itaru Hamachi
- Department of Synthetic Chemistry and Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto615-8510, Japan
- Hamachi Innovative Molecular Technology for Neuroscience, Exploratory Research for Advanced Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kyoto615-8530, Japan
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11
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Joest EF, Tampé R. Design principles for engineering light-controlled antibodies. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:1501-1517. [PMID: 37507295 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.06.006] [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: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Engineered antibodies are essential tools for research and advanced pharmacy. In the development of therapeutics, antibodies are excellent candidates as they offer both target recognition and modulation. Thanks to the latest advances in biotechnology, light-activated antibody fragments can be constructed to control spontaneous antigen interaction with high spatiotemporal precision. To implement conditional antigen binding, several optogenetic and optochemical engineering concepts have recently been developed. Here, we highlight the various strategies and discuss the features of opto-conditional antibodies. Each concept offers intrinsic advantages beneficial to different applications. In summary, the novel design approaches constitute a complementary toolset to promote current and upcoming antibody technologies with ultimate precision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eike F Joest
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt a.M., Germany.
| | - Robert Tampé
- Institute of Biochemistry, Biocenter, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt a.M., Germany.
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12
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Ornelas MY, Cournoyer JE, Bram S, Mehta AP. Evolution and synthetic biology. Curr Opin Microbiol 2023; 76:102394. [PMID: 37801925 PMCID: PMC10842511 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2023.102394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Evolutionary observations have often served as an inspiration for biological design. Decoding of the central dogma of life at a molecular level and understanding of the cellular biochemistry have been elegantly used to engineer various synthetic biology applications, including building genetic circuits in vitro and in cells, building synthetic translational systems, and metabolic engineering in cells to biosynthesize and even bioproduce complex high-value molecules. Here, we review three broad areas of synthetic biology that are inspired by evolutionary observations: (i) combinatorial approaches toward cell-based biomolecular evolution, (ii) engineering interdependencies to establish microbial consortia, and (iii) synthetic immunology. In each of the areas, we will highlight the evolutionary premise that was central toward designing these platforms. These are only a subset of the examples where evolution and natural phenomena directly or indirectly serve as a powerful source of inspiration in shaping synthetic biology and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marya Y Ornelas
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States
| | - Jason E Cournoyer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States
| | - Stanley Bram
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States
| | - Angad P Mehta
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, United States; Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, United States; Cancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, United States.
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13
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Wang X, Zhou R, Sun X, Li J, Wang J, Yue W, Wang L, Liu H, Shi Y, Zhang D. Preferential Regulation of Γ-Secretase-Mediated Cleavage of APP by Ganglioside GM1 Reveals a Potential Therapeutic Target for Alzheimer's Disease. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2303411. [PMID: 37759382 PMCID: PMC10646247 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202303411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
A hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the senile plaque, which contains β-amyloid peptides (Aβ). Ganglioside GM1 is the most common brain ganglioside. However, the mechanism of GM1 in modulating Aβ processing is rarely known. Aβ levels are detected by using Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) is used to determine the structure of γ-secretase supplemented with GM1. The levels of the cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP)/Cadherin/Notch1 are detected using Western blot analysis. Y maze, object translocation, and Barnes maze are performed to evaluate cognitive functions. GM1 leads to conformational change of γ-secretase structure and specifically accelerates γ-secretase cleavage of APP without affecting other substrates including Notch1, potentially through its interaction with the N-terminal fragment of presenilin 1 (PS1). Reduction of GM1 levels decreases amyloid plaque deposition and improves cognitive dysfunction. This study reveals the mechanism of GM1 in Aβ generation and provides the evidence that decreasing GM1 levels represents a potential strategy in AD treatment. These results provide insights into the detailed mechanism of the effect of GM1 on PS1, representing a step toward the characterization of its novel role in the modulation of γ-secretase activity and the pathogenesis of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotong Wang
- Peking University Sixth HospitalPeking University Institute of Mental HealthNHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University)National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)Beijing100191China
- Changping LaboratoryBeijing102206China
| | - Rui Zhou
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological StructureTsinghua‐Peking Joint Center for Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China
| | - Xiaqin Sun
- Peking University Sixth HospitalPeking University Institute of Mental HealthNHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University)National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)Beijing100191China
| | - Jun Li
- Peking University Sixth HospitalPeking University Institute of Mental HealthNHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University)National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)Beijing100191China
| | - Jinxin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain ResearchBeijing Normal UniversityBeijing100875China
| | - Weihua Yue
- Peking University Sixth HospitalPeking University Institute of Mental HealthNHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University)National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)Beijing100191China
- PKU‐IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain ResearchPeking UniversityBeijing100871China
| | - Lifang Wang
- Peking University Sixth HospitalPeking University Institute of Mental HealthNHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University)National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)Beijing100191China
| | - Hesheng Liu
- Changping LaboratoryBeijing102206China
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation CenterPeking UniversityBeijing100871China
| | - Yigong Shi
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological StructureTsinghua‐Peking Joint Center for Life SciencesSchool of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijing100084China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Science and BiomedicineHangzhouZhejiang310024China
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang ProvinceSchool of Life SciencesWestlake UniversityHangzhouZhejiang310024China
- Institute of BiologyWestlake Institute for Advanced Study18 Shilongshan Road, Xihu DistrictHangzhouZhejiang310024China
| | - Dai Zhang
- Peking University Sixth HospitalPeking University Institute of Mental HealthNHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University)National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital)Beijing100191China
- Changping LaboratoryBeijing102206China
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14
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Stajković N, Liu Y, Arsić A, Meng N, Lyu H, Zhang N, Grimm D, Lerche H, Nikić-Spiegel I. Direct fluorescent labeling of NF186 and NaV1.6 in living primary neurons using bioorthogonal click chemistry. J Cell Sci 2023; 136:jcs260600. [PMID: 37288813 PMCID: PMC10323244 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The axon initial segment (AIS) is a highly specialized neuronal compartment that regulates the generation of action potentials and maintenance of neuronal polarity. Live imaging of the AIS is challenging due to the limited number of suitable labeling methods. To overcome this limitation, we established a novel approach for live labeling of the AIS using unnatural amino acids (UAAs) and click chemistry. The small size of UAAs and the possibility of introducing them virtually anywhere into target proteins make this method particularly suitable for labeling of complex and spatially restricted proteins. Using this approach, we labeled two large AIS components, the 186 kDa isoform of neurofascin (NF186; encoded by Nfasc) and the 260 kDa voltage-gated Na+ channel (NaV1.6, encoded by Scn8a) in primary neurons and performed conventional and super-resolution microscopy. We also studied the localization of epilepsy-causing NaV1.6 variants with a loss-of-function effect. Finally, to improve the efficiency of UAA incorporation, we developed adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors for click labeling in neurons, an achievement that could be transferred to more complex systems such as organotypic slice cultures, organoids, and animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nevena Stajković
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Aleksandra Arsić
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ning Meng
- Virus-Host Interaction Group, Department of Infectious Diseases/Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Cluster of Excellence CellNetworks, BioQuant, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hang Lyu
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dirk Grimm
- Virus-Host Interaction Group, Department of Infectious Diseases/Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Heidelberg, Cluster of Excellence CellNetworks, BioQuant, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research and German Center for Cardiovascular Research, partner site Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Holger Lerche
- Department of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ivana Nikić-Spiegel
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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15
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Niu W, Guo J. Co-translational Installation of Posttranslational Modifications by Non-canonical Amino Acid Mutagenesis. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300039. [PMID: 36853967 PMCID: PMC10202221 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300039] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Protein posttranslational modifications (PTMs) play critical roles in regulating cellular activities. Here we provide a survey of genetic code expansion (GCE) methods that were applied in the co-translational installation and studies of PTMs through noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) mutagenesis. We begin by reviewing types of PTM that have been installed by GCE with a focus on modifications of tyrosine, serine, threonine, lysine, and arginine residues. We also discuss examples of applying these methods in biological studies. Finally, we end the piece with a short discussion on the challenges and the opportunities of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Niu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, N-68588, USA
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE-68588, USA
| | - Jiantao Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE-68588, USA
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE-68588, USA
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16
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Jewel D, Kelemen RE, Huang RL, Zhu Z, Sundaresh B, Cao X, Malley K, Huang Z, Pasha M, Anthony J, van Opijnen T, Chatterjee A. Virus-assisted directed evolution of enhanced suppressor tRNAs in mammalian cells. Nat Methods 2023; 20:95-103. [PMID: 36550276 PMCID: PMC9855281 DOI: 10.1038/s41592-022-01706-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids (Uaas) in living cells relies on engineered aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetase-tRNA pairs borrowed from a distant domain of life. Such heterologous suppressor tRNAs often have poor intrinsic activity, presumably due to suboptimal interaction with a non-native translation system. This limitation can be addressed in Escherichia coli using directed evolution. However, no suitable selection system is currently available to do the same in mammalian cells. Here we report virus-assisted directed evolution of tRNAs (VADER) in mammalian cells, which uses a double-sieve selection scheme to facilitate single-step enrichment of active yet orthogonal tRNA mutants from naive libraries. Using VADER we developed improved mutants of Methanosarcina mazei pyrrolysyl-tRNA, as well as a bacterial tyrosyl-tRNA. We also show that the higher activity of the most efficient mutant pyrrolysyl-tRNA is specific for mammalian cells, alluding to an improved interaction with the unique mammalian translation apparatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delilah Jewel
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | - Rachel L Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Zeyu Zhu
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | - Xiaofu Cao
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Kaitlin Malley
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Zeyi Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Muhammad Pasha
- Department of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Jon Anthony
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Tim van Opijnen
- Biology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
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17
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Zheng Z, Xia Q. Noncanonical Amino Acid Incorporation in Mice. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2676:265-284. [PMID: 37277639 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3251-2_19] [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: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Genetic code expansion enables in cellulo biosynthesis of curative proteins with enhanced specificity, improved stability, and even novel functions, due to the incorporation of artificial, designed, noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs). In addition, this orthogonal system also holds great potential for in vivo suppressing nonsense mutations during protein translation, providing an alternative strategy for alleviating inherited diseases caused by premature termination codons (PTCs). Here we describe the approach to explore the therapeutic efficacy and long-term safety of this strategy in transgenic mdx mice with stably expanded genetic codes. Theoretically, this method is applicable to about 11% of monogenic diseases involving nonsense mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhetao Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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18
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Abstract
Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is an emerging microbial chassis for biobased chemical production from renewable feedstocks and environmental bioremediation. However, tools for studying, engineering, and modulating protein complexes and biosynthetic enzymes in this organism are largely underdeveloped. Genetic code expansion for the incorporation of unnatural amino acids (unAAs) into proteins can advance such efforts and, furthermore, enable additional controls of biological processes of the strain. In this work, we established the orthogonality of two widely used archaeal tRNA synthetase and tRNA pairs in KT2440. Following the optimization of decoding systems, four unAAs were incorporated into proteins in response to a UAG stop codon at 34.6-78% efficiency. In addition, we demonstrated the utility of genetic code expansion through the incorporation of a photocross-linking amino acid, p-benzoyl-l-phenylalanine (pBpa), into glutathione S-transferase (GstA) and a chemosensory response regulator (CheY) for protein-protein interaction studies in KT2440. This work reported the successful genetic code expansion in KT2440 for the first time. Given the diverse structure and functions of unAAs that have been added to protein syntheses using the archaeal systems, our research lays down a solid foundation for future work to study and enhance the biological functions of KT2440.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan He
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
| | - Tianyu Gao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
| | - Yan Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
| | - Jiantao Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
| | - Wei Niu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
- The Nebraska Center for Integrated Biomolecular Communication (NCIBC), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588, United States
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19
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Therapeutic in vivo synthetic chemistry using an artificial metalloenzyme with glycosylated human serum albumin. Adv Carbohydr Chem Biochem 2022; 82:11-34. [PMID: 36470648 DOI: 10.1016/bs.accb.2022.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The concept of "therapeutic in vivo synthetic chemistry" refers to chemical synthesis in living systems using new-to-nature reactions for the treatment or diagnosis of diseases. This review summarizes our development of therapeutic in vivo synthetic chemistry using glycan-modified human serum albumin (glycoHSA) and utilizing the selective glycan-targeting and metal protective effects of metal catalysts. The four artificial metalloenzymes with glycoHSA provided good cancer treatment results based on on-site drug synthesis and selective cell-tagging strategies. Thus, we propose that therapeutic in vivo synthetic chemistry using glycoHSA as a new modality of therapy or diagnosis is applicable to a wide range of diseases.
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20
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Shi N, Tong L, Lin H, Zheng Z, Zhang H, Dong L, Yang Y, Shen Y, Xia Q. Optimizing eRF1 to Enable the Genetic Encoding of Three Distinct Noncanonical Amino Acids in Mammalian Cells. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2200092. [PMID: 35818694 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202200092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Site-specific incorporation of distinct noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) into proteins via genetic code expansion in mammalian cells represents a new avenue for protein engineering. Reassigning three TAGs with the same ncAA in mammalian cells has previously been achieved using translational machinery. However, simultaneous recoding of three nonsense codons with distinct ncAAs in mammalian cells remains a challenge due to low incorporation efficiencies. Here, three optimized aaRS/tRNA pairs (i.e., the E. coli-derived tyrosyl (EcTyr)/tRNAUUA , E. coli-derived leucyl (EcLeu)/tRNACUA , and Methanosarcina mazei pyrrolysyl (MmPyl)/tRNAUCA pairs) are screened for ncAA incorporation. Furthermore, introduced combinations of eukaryotic release factor 1 (eRF1) mutants (E55R, E55D, N129D, and Y125F) significantly improve the encoding efficiency of the three premature stop codons' sites from 0.78% to 11.6%. Thus, site-specific incorporation of three distinct ncAAs into a single protein is achieved in this study. This work markedly expands the potential for multiple site-specific protein modifications within mammalian cells, thereby facilitating new in vivo applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Le Tong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Haishuang Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhetao Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Liangzhen Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yuelin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Yuxuan Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Qing Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs Department of Chemical Biology School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
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21
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Wu K, Moore JA, Miller MD, Chen Y, Lee C, Xu W, Peng Z, Duan Q, Phillips GN, Uribe RA, Xiao H. Expanding the eukaryotic genetic code with a biosynthesized 21st amino acid. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4443. [PMID: 36173166 PMCID: PMC9601876 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4443] [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: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Genetic code expansion technology allows for the use of noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs) to create semisynthetic organisms for both biochemical and biomedical applications. However, exogenous feeding of chemically synthesized ncAAs at high concentrations is required to compensate for the inefficient cellular uptake and incorporation of these components into proteins, especially in the case of eukaryotic cells and multicellular organisms. To generate organisms capable of autonomously biosynthesizing an ncAA and incorporating it into proteins, we have engineered a metabolic pathway for the synthesis of O-methyltyrosine (OMeY). Specifically, we endowed organisms with a marformycins biosynthetic pathway-derived methyltransferase that efficiently converts tyrosine to OMeY in the presence of the co-factor S-adenosylmethionine. The resulting cells can produce and site-specifically incorporate OMeY into proteins at much higher levels than cells exogenously fed OMeY. To understand the structural basis for the substrate selectivity of the transferase, we solved the X-ray crystal structures of the ligand-free and tyrosine-bound enzymes. Most importantly, we have extended this OMeY biosynthetic system to both mammalian cells and the zebrafish model to enhance the utility of genetic code expansion. The creation of autonomous eukaryotes using a 21st amino acid will make genetic code expansion technology more applicable to multicellular organisms, providing valuable vertebrate models for biological and biomedical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuan‐Lin Wu
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Joshua A. Moore
- Department of BiosciencesRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology ProgramRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | | | - Yuda Chen
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Catherine Lee
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Weijun Xu
- Department of BiosciencesRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Zane Peng
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Qinghui Duan
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - George N. Phillips
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
- Department of BiosciencesRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Rosa A. Uribe
- Department of BiosciencesRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
- Biochemistry and Cell Biology ProgramRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Han Xiao
- Department of ChemistryRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
- Department of BiosciencesRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
- Department of BioengineeringRice UniversityHoustonTexasUSA
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22
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McManus D, Polidarova L, Smyllie NJ, Patton AP, Chesham JE, Maywood ES, Chin JW, Hastings MH. Cryptochrome 1 as a state variable of the circadian clockwork of the suprachiasmatic nucleus: Evidence from translational switching. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2203563119. [PMID: 35976881 PMCID: PMC9407638 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2203563119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus is the principal clock driving circadian rhythms of physiology and behavior that adapt mammals to environmental cycles. Disruption of SCN-dependent rhythms compromises health, and so understanding SCN time keeping will inform management of diseases associated with modern lifestyles. SCN time keeping is a self-sustaining transcriptional/translational delayed feedback loop (TTFL), whereby negative regulators inhibit their own transcription. Formally, the SCN clock is viewed as a limit-cycle oscillator, the simplest being a trajectory of successive phases that progresses through two-dimensional space defined by two state variables mapped along their respective axes. The TTFL motif is readily compatible with limit-cycle models, and in Neurospora and Drosophila the negative regulators Frequency (FRQ) and Period (Per) have been identified as state variables of their respective TTFLs. The identity of state variables of the SCN oscillator is, however, less clear. Experimental identification of state variables requires reversible and temporally specific control over their abundance. Translational switching (ts) provides this, the expression of a protein of interest relying on the provision of a noncanonical amino acid. We show that the negative regulator Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) fulfills criteria defining a state variable: ts-CRY1 dose-dependently and reversibly suppresses the baseline, amplitude, and period of SCN rhythms, and its acute withdrawal releases the TTFL to oscillate from a defined phase. Its effect also depends on its temporal pattern of expression, although constitutive ts-CRY1 sustained (albeit less stable) oscillations. We conclude that CRY1 has properties of a state variable, but may operate among several state variables within a multidimensional limit cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- David McManus
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Lenka Polidarova
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Nicola J. Smyllie
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew P. Patton
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Johanna E. Chesham
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth S. Maywood
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Jason W. Chin
- bPNAC Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Michael H. Hastings
- aNeurobiology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
- 1To whom correspondence may be addressed.
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23
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Halogenation of tyrosine perturbs large-scale protein self-organization. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4843. [PMID: 35977922 PMCID: PMC9385671 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32535-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein halogenation is a common non-enzymatic post-translational modification contributing to aging, oxidative stress-related diseases and cancer. Here, we report a genetically encodable halogenation of tyrosine residues in a reconstituted prokaryotic filamentous cell-division protein (FtsZ) as a platform to elucidate the implications of halogenation that can be extrapolated to living systems of much higher complexity. We show how single halogenations can fine-tune protein structures and dynamics of FtsZ with subtle perturbations collectively amplified by the process of FtsZ self-organization. Based on experiments and theories, we have gained valuable insights into the mechanism of halogen influence. The bending of FtsZ structures occurs by affecting surface charges and internal domain distances and is reflected in the decline of GTPase activities by reducing GTP binding energy during polymerization. Our results point to a better understanding of the physiological and pathological effects of protein halogenation and may contribute to the development of potential diagnostic tools.
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24
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Brewer KD, Shi SM, Wyss-Coray T. Unraveling protein dynamics to understand the brain - the next molecular frontier. Mol Neurodegener 2022; 17:45. [PMID: 35717317 PMCID: PMC9206758 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-022-00546-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The technological revolution to measure global gene expression at the single-cell level is currently transforming our knowledge of the brain and neurological diseases, leading from a basic understanding of genetic regulators and risk factors to one of more complex gene interactions and biological pathways. Looking ahead, our next challenge will be the reliable measurement and understanding of proteins. We describe in this review how to apply new, powerful methods of protein labeling, tracking, and detection. Recent developments of these methods now enable researchers to uncover protein mechanisms in vivo that may previously have only been hypothesized. These methods are also useful for discovering new biology because how proteins regulate systemic interactions is not well understood in most cases, such as how they travel through the bloodstream to distal targets or cross the blood–brain barrier. Genetic sequencing of DNA and RNA have enabled many great discoveries in the past 20 years, and now, the protein methods described here are creating a more complete picture of how cells to whole organisms function. It is likely that these developments will generate another transformation in biomedical research and our understanding of the brain and will ultimately allow for patient-specific medicine on a protein level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle D Brewer
- ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Sophia M Shi
- ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.,Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Tony Wyss-Coray
- ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA. .,Phil and Penny Knight Initiative for Brain Resilience, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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25
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Kneuttinger AC. A guide to designing photocontrol in proteins: methods, strategies and applications. Biol Chem 2022; 403:573-613. [PMID: 35355495 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2021-0417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Light is essential for various biochemical processes in all domains of life. In its presence certain proteins inside a cell are excited, which either stimulates or inhibits subsequent cellular processes. The artificial photocontrol of specifically proteins is of growing interest for the investigation of scientific questions on the organismal, cellular and molecular level as well as for the development of medicinal drugs or biocatalytic tools. For the targeted design of photocontrol in proteins, three major methods have been developed over the last decades, which employ either chemical engineering of small-molecule photosensitive effectors (photopharmacology), incorporation of photoactive non-canonical amino acids by genetic code expansion (photoxenoprotein engineering), or fusion with photoreactive biological modules (hybrid protein optogenetics). This review compares the different methods as well as their strategies and current applications for the light-regulation of proteins and provides background information useful for the implementation of each technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Kneuttinger
- Institute of Biophysics and Physical Biochemistry and Regensburg Center for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany
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26
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Miura Y, Senoo A, Doura T, Kiyonaka S. Chemogenetics of cell surface receptors: beyond genetic and pharmacological approaches. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:269-287. [PMID: 35359495 PMCID: PMC8905536 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00195g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell surface receptors transmit extracellular information into cells. Spatiotemporal regulation of receptor signaling is crucial for cellular functions, and dysregulation of signaling causes various diseases. Thus, it is highly desired to control receptor functions with high spatial and/or temporal resolution. Conventionally, genetic engineering or chemical ligands have been used to control receptor functions in cells. As the alternative, chemogenetics has been proposed, in which target proteins are genetically engineered to interact with a designed chemical partner with high selectivity. The engineered receptor dissects the function of one receptor member among a highly homologous receptor family in a cell-specific manner. Notably, some chemogenetic strategies have been used to reveal the receptor signaling of target cells in living animals. In this review, we summarize the developing chemogenetic methods of transmembrane receptors for cell-specific regulation of receptor signaling. We also discuss the prospects of chemogenetics for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuta Miura
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8603 Japan
| | - Akinobu Senoo
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8603 Japan
| | - Tomohiro Doura
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8603 Japan
| | - Shigeki Kiyonaka
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University Nagoya 464-8603 Japan
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27
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Therapeutic peptides: current applications and future directions. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:48. [PMID: 35165272 PMCID: PMC8844085 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00904-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 514] [Impact Index Per Article: 257.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Peptide drug development has made great progress in the last decade thanks to new production, modification, and analytic technologies. Peptides have been produced and modified using both chemical and biological methods, together with novel design and delivery strategies, which have helped to overcome the inherent drawbacks of peptides and have allowed the continued advancement of this field. A wide variety of natural and modified peptides have been obtained and studied, covering multiple therapeutic areas. This review summarizes the efforts and achievements in peptide drug discovery, production, and modification, and their current applications. We also discuss the value and challenges associated with future developments in therapeutic peptides.
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28
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Arsić A, Hagemann C, Stajković N, Schubert T, Nikić-Spiegel I. Minimal genetically encoded tags for fluorescent protein labeling in living neurons. Nat Commun 2022; 13:314. [PMID: 35031604 PMCID: PMC8760255 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27956-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern light microscopy, including super-resolution techniques, has brought about a demand for small labeling tags that bring the fluorophore closer to the target. This challenge can be addressed by labeling unnatural amino acids (UAAs) with bioorthogonal click chemistry. The minimal size of the UAA and the possibility to couple the fluorophores directly to the protein of interest with single-residue precision in living cells make click labeling unique. Here, we establish click labeling in living primary neurons and use it for fixed-cell, live-cell, dual-color pulse-chase, and super-resolution microscopy of neurofilament light chain (NFL). We also show that click labeling can be combined with CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering for tagging endogenous NFL. Due to its versatile nature and compatibility with advanced multicolor microscopy techniques, we anticipate that click labeling will contribute to novel discoveries in the neurobiology field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Arsić
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 27, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Cathleen Hagemann
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 27, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Nevena Stajković
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience, International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 27, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Timm Schubert
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, University of Tübingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 7, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ivana Nikić-Spiegel
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 25, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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29
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Genetic-code-expanded cell-based therapy for treating diabetes in mice. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:47-55. [PMID: 34782743 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00899-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Inducer-triggered therapeutic protein expression from designer cells is a promising strategy for disease treatment. However, as most inducer systems harness transcriptional machineries, protein expression timeframes are unsuitable for many therapeutic applications. Here, we engineered a genetic code expansion-based therapeutic system, termed noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs)-triggered therapeutic switch (NATS), to achieve fast therapeutic protein expression in response to cognate ncAAs at the translational level. The NATS system showed response within 2 hours of triggering, whereas no signal was detected in a transcription-machinery-based system. Moreover, NATS system is compatible with transcriptional switches for multi-regulatory-layer control. Diabetic mice with microencapsulated cell implants harboring the NATS system could alleviate hyperglycemia within 90 min on oral delivery of ncAA. We also prepared ncAA-containing 'cookies' and achieved long-term glycemic control in diabetic mice implanted with NATS cells. Our proof-of-concept study demonstrates the use of NATS system for the design of next-generation cell-based therapies to achieve fast orally induced protein expression.
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30
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Kuhlemann A, Beliu G, Janzen D, Petrini EM, Taban D, Helmerich DA, Doose S, Bruno M, Barberis A, Villmann C, Sauer M, Werner C. Genetic Code Expansion and Click-Chemistry Labeling to Visualize GABA-A Receptors by Super-Resolution Microscopy. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:727406. [PMID: 34899260 PMCID: PMC8664562 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.727406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence labeling of difficult to access protein sites, e.g., in confined compartments, requires small fluorescent labels that can be covalently tethered at well-defined positions with high efficiency. Here, we report site-specific labeling of the extracellular domain of γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA-A) receptor subunits by genetic code expansion (GCE) with unnatural amino acids (ncAA) combined with bioorthogonal click-chemistry labeling with tetrazine dyes in HEK-293-T cells and primary cultured neurons. After optimization of GABA-A receptor expression and labeling efficiency, most effective variants were selected for super-resolution microscopy and functionality testing by whole-cell patch clamp. Our results show that GCE with ncAA and bioorthogonal click labeling with small tetrazine dyes represents a versatile method for highly efficient site-specific fluorescence labeling of proteins in a crowded environment, e.g., extracellular protein domains in confined compartments such as the synaptic cleft.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kuhlemann
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gerti Beliu
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Wuerzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dieter Janzen
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Enrica Maria Petrini
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Danush Taban
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Dominic A Helmerich
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Sören Doose
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Martina Bruno
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Andrea Barberis
- Neuroscience and Brain Technologies Department, Istituto Italiano Di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Carmen Villmann
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Christian Werner
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Würzburg, Germany
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31
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Garst EH, Das T, Hang HC. Chemical approaches for investigating site-specific protein S-fatty acylation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 65:109-117. [PMID: 34333222 PMCID: PMC8671186 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Protein S-fatty acylation or S-palmitoylation is a reversible and regulated lipid post-translational modification (PTM) in eukaryotes. Loss-of-function mutagenesis studies have suggested important roles for protein S-fatty acylation in many fundamental biological pathways in development, neurobiology, and immunity that are also associated with human diseases. However, the hydrophobicity and reversibility of this PTM have made site-specific gain-of-function studies more challenging to investigate. In this review, we summarize recent chemical biology approaches and methods that have enabled site-specific gain-of-function studies of protein S-fatty acylation and the investigation of the mechanisms and significance of this PTM in eukaryotic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma H Garst
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States; Tri-Institutional Ph.D. Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Tandrila Das
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States; Tri-Institutional Ph.D. Program in Chemical Biology, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Howard C Hang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, United States; Departments of Immunology and Microbiology and Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States.
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32
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Bessa-Neto D, Beliu G, Kuhlemann A, Pecoraro V, Doose S, Retailleau N, Chevrier N, Perrais D, Sauer M, Choquet D. Bioorthogonal labeling of transmembrane proteins with non-canonical amino acids unveils masked epitopes in live neurons. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6715. [PMID: 34795271 PMCID: PMC8602626 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27025-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Progress in biological imaging is intrinsically linked to advances in labeling methods. The explosion in the development of high-resolution and super-resolution imaging calls for new approaches to label targets with small probes. These should allow to faithfully report the localization of the target within the imaging resolution - typically nowadays a few nanometers - and allow access to any epitope of the target, in the native cellular and tissue environment. We report here the development of a complete labeling and imaging pipeline using genetic code expansion and non-canonical amino acids in neurons that allows to fluorescently label masked epitopes in target transmembrane proteins in live neurons, both in dissociated culture and organotypic brain slices. This allows us to image the differential localization of two AMPA receptor (AMPAR) auxiliary subunits of the transmembrane AMPAR regulatory protein family in complex with their partner with a variety of methods including widefield, confocal, and dSTORM super-resolution microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diogo Bessa-Neto
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Gerti Beliu
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
- Rudolf Virchow Center for Integrative and Translational Bioimaging, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Kuhlemann
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Valeria Pecoraro
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Sören Doose
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Natacha Retailleau
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Nicolas Chevrier
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - David Perrais
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France
| | - Markus Sauer
- Department of Biotechnology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Daniel Choquet
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, IINS, UMR 5297, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, INSERM, Bordeaux Imaging Center, BIC, UMS 3420, US 4, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
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33
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Ahmadi P, Muguruma K, Chang TC, Tamura S, Tsubokura K, Egawa Y, Suzuki T, Dohmae N, Nakao Y, Tanaka K. In vivo metal-catalyzed SeCT therapy by a proapoptotic peptide. Chem Sci 2021; 12:12266-12273. [PMID: 34603656 PMCID: PMC8480321 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01784e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective cell tagging (SeCT) therapy is a strategy for labeling a targeted cell with certain chemical moieties via a catalytic chemical transformation in order to elicit a therapeutic effect. Herein, we report a cancer therapy based on targeted cell surface tagging with proapoptotic peptides (Ac-GGKLFG-X; X = reactive group) that induce apoptosis when attached to the cell surface. Using either Au-catalyzed amidation or Ru-catalyzed alkylation, these proapoptotic peptides showed excellent therapeutic effects both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, co-treatment with proapoptotic peptide and the carrier-Ru complex significantly and synergistically inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival rate of tumor-bearing mice after only a single injection. This is the first report of Ru catalyst application in vivo, and this approach could be used in SeCT for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peni Ahmadi
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Kyohei Muguruma
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 2-12-1 Ookayama Meguro Tokyo 152-8552 Japan
| | - Tsung-Che Chang
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Satoru Tamura
- Department of Medicinal and Organic Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Iwate Medical University Yahaba Iwate 028-3694 Japan
| | - Kazuki Tsubokura
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Yasuko Egawa
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Takehiro Suzuki
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Naoshi Dohmae
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
| | - Yoichi Nakao
- School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Waseda University 3-4-1 Okubo Shinjuku Tokyo 169-8555 Japan
| | - Katsunori Tanaka
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research 2-1 Hirosawa Wako Saitama 351-0198 Japan
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology 2-12-1 Ookayama Meguro Tokyo 152-8552 Japan
- Biofunctional Chemistry Laboratory, A. Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan Federal University 18 Kremlyovskaya Street Kazan 420008 Russia
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34
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Jones CM, Robkis DM, Blizzard RJ, Munari M, Venkatesh Y, Mihaila TS, Eddins AJ, Mehl RA, Zagotta WN, Gordon SE, Petersson EJ. Genetic encoding of a highly photostable, long lifetime fluorescent amino acid for imaging in mammalian cells. Chem Sci 2021; 12:11955-11964. [PMID: 34976337 PMCID: PMC8634729 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc01914g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Acridonylalanine (Acd) is a fluorescent amino acid that is highly photostable, with a high quantum yield and long fluorescence lifetime in water. These properties make it superior to existing genetically encodable fluorescent amino acids for monitoring protein interactions and conformational changes through fluorescence polarization or lifetime experiments, including fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM). Here, we report the genetic incorporation of Acd using engineered pyrrolysine tRNA synthetase (RS) mutants that allow for efficient Acd incorporation in both E. coli and mammalian cells. We compare protein yields and amino acid specificity for these Acd RSs to identify an optimal construct. We also demonstrate the use of Acd in FLIM, where its long lifetime provides strong contrast compared to endogenous fluorophores and engineered fluorescent proteins, which have lifetimes less than 5 ns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe M Jones
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania 231 South 34th Street Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania 3700 Hamilton Walk Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - D Miklos Robkis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania 231 South 34th Street Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania 3700 Hamilton Walk Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Robert J Blizzard
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University 2011 Ag Life Sciences Building Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Mika Munari
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington 1705 NE Pacific St., Box 357290 Seattle WA 98195 USA
| | - Yarra Venkatesh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania 231 South 34th Street Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Tiberiu S Mihaila
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania 231 South 34th Street Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
| | - Alex J Eddins
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University 2011 Ag Life Sciences Building Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - Ryan A Mehl
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University 2011 Ag Life Sciences Building Corvallis Oregon 97331 USA
| | - William N Zagotta
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington 1705 NE Pacific St., Box 357290 Seattle WA 98195 USA
| | - Sharona E Gordon
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington 1705 NE Pacific St., Box 357290 Seattle WA 98195 USA
| | - E James Petersson
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania 3700 Hamilton Walk Philadelphia PA 19104 USA
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35
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González S, Ad O, Shah B, Zhang Z, Zhang X, Chatterjee A, Schepartz A. Genetic Code Expansion in the Engineered Organism Vmax X2: High Yield and Exceptional Fidelity. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2021; 7:1500-1507. [PMID: 34584951 PMCID: PMC8461772 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c00499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
We report that the recently introduced commercial strain of Vibrio natriegens (Vmax X2) supports robust unnatural amino acid mutagenesis, generating exceptional yields of soluble protein containing up to 5 noncanonical α-amino acids (ncAA). The isolated yields of ncAA-containing superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) expressed in Vmax X2 are up to 25-fold higher than those achieved using commercial expression strains (Top10 and BL21) and more than 10-fold higher than those achieved using two different genomically recodedEscherichia colistrains that lack endogenous UAG stop codons and release factor 1 and have been optimized for improved fitness and preferred growth temperature (C321.ΔA.opt and C321.ΔA.exp). In addition to higher yields of soluble protein, Vmax X2 cells also generate proteins with significantly lower levels of misincorporated natural α-amino acids at the UAG-programmed position, especially in cases where the ncAA is a moderate substrate for the chosen orthogonal aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (aaRS). This increase in fidelity implies that the use of Vmax X2 cells as the expression host can obviate the need for time-consuming directed evolution experiments to improve the selectivity of an aaRS toward highly desired but suboptimal ncAA substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Omer Ad
- Department
of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, United States
| | - Bhavana Shah
- Process
Development, Attribute Sciences, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
| | - Zhongqi Zhang
- Process
Development, Attribute Sciences, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
| | - Xizi Zhang
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
| | - Abhishek Chatterjee
- Department
of Chemistry, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts 02467, United States
| | - Alanna Schepartz
- Department
of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- Department
of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University
of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- California
Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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36
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Lee S, Kim J, Koh M. Recent Advances in Fluorescence Imaging by Genetically Encoded Non-canonical Amino Acids. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167248. [PMID: 34547330 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Technical innovations in protein labeling with a fluorophore at the specific residue have played a significant role in studying protein dynamics. The genetic code expansion (GCE) strategy enabled the precise installation of fluorophores at the tailored site of proteins in live cells with minimal perturbation of native functions. Considerable advances have been achieved over the past decades in fluorescent imaging using GCE strategies along with bioorthogonal chemistries. In this review, we discuss advances in the GCE-based strategies to site-specifically introduce fluorophore at a defined position of the protein and their bio-imaging applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanghee Lee
- Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul 02792, Republic of Korea; Department of HY-KIST Bio-convergence, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jonghoon Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Integrative Institute of Basic Science, Soongsil University, Seoul 06978, Republic of Korea
| | - Minseob Koh
- Department of Chemistry, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea.
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37
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van Husen LS, Katsori AM, Meineke B, Tjernberg LO, Schedin-Weiss S, Elsässer SJ. Engineered Human Induced Pluripotent Cells Enable Genetic Code Expansion in Brain Organoids. Chembiochem 2021; 22:3208-3213. [PMID: 34431592 PMCID: PMC9290828 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology has revolutionized studies on human biology. A wide range of cell types and tissue models can be derived from hiPSCs to study complex human diseases. Here, we use PiggyBac-mediated transgenesis to engineer hiPSCs with an expanded genetic code. We demonstrate that genomic integration of expression cassettes for a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (PylRS), pyrrolysyl-tRNA (PylT) and the target protein of interest enables site-specific incorporation of a non-canonical amino acid (ncAA) in response to an amber stop codon. Neural stem cells, neurons and brain organoids derived from the engineered hiPSCs continue to express the amber suppression machinery and produce ncAA-bearing reporter. The incorporated ncAA can serve as a minimal bioorthogonal handle for further modifications by labeling with fluorescent dyes. Site-directed ncAA mutagenesis will open a wide range of applications to probe and manipulate proteins in brain organoids and other hiPSC-derived cell types and complex tissue models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lea S van Husen
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17165, Stockholm, Sweden.,Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 17164, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anna-Maria Katsori
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Birthe Meineke
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17165, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars O Tjernberg
- Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 17164, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Schedin-Weiss
- Center for Alzheimer Research, Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, 17164, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Simon J Elsässer
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, 17165, Stockholm, Sweden
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38
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Porter JJ, Heil CS, Lueck JD. Therapeutic promise of engineered nonsense suppressor tRNAs. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2021; 12:e1641. [PMID: 33567469 PMCID: PMC8244042 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Nonsense mutations change an amino acid codon to a premature termination codon (PTC) generally through a single-nucleotide substitution. The generation of a PTC results in a defective truncated protein and often in severe forms of disease. Because of the exceedingly high prevalence of nonsense-associated diseases and a unifying mechanism, there has been a concerted effort to identify PTC therapeutics. Most clinical trials for PTC therapeutics have been conducted with small molecules that promote PTC read through and incorporation of a near-cognate amino acid. However, there is a need for PTC suppression agents that recode PTCs with the correct amino acid while being applicable to PTC mutations in many different genomic landscapes. With these characteristics, a single therapeutic will be able to treat several disease-causing PTCs. In this review, we will focus on the use of nonsense suppression technologies, in particular, suppressor tRNAs (sup-tRNAs), as possible therapeutics for correcting PTCs. Sup-tRNAs have many attractive qualities as possible therapeutic agents although there are knowledge gaps on their function in mammalian cells and technical hurdles that need to be overcome before their promise is realized. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > tRNA Processing Translation > Translation Regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J. Porter
- Department of Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterNew YorkUSA
| | - Christina S. Heil
- Department of Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterNew YorkUSA
| | - John D. Lueck
- Department of Pharmacology and PhysiologyUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterNew YorkUSA
- Department of NeurologyUniversity of Rochester Medical CenterRochesterNew YorkUSA
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39
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Abstract
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Since the establishment
of site-specific mutagenesis of single
amino acids to interrogate protein function in the 1970s, biochemists
have sought to tailor protein structure in the native cell environment.
Fine-tuning the chemical properties of proteins is an indispensable
way to address fundamental mechanistic questions. Unnatural amino
acids (UAAs) offer the possibility to expand beyond the 20 naturally
occurring amino acids in most species and install new and useful chemical
functions. Here, we review the literature about advances in UAA incorporation
technology from chemoenzymatic aminoacylation of modified tRNAs to in vitro translation systems to genetic encoding of UAAs
in the native cell environment and whole organisms. We discuss innovative
applications of the UAA technology to challenges in bioengineering
and medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mia A Shandell
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, U.K
| | - Zhongping Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Virginia W Cornish
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States.,Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, United States
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40
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Abstract
Over the past decade, harnessing the cellular protein synthesis machinery to incorporate non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) into tailor-made peptides has significantly advanced many aspects of molecular science. More recently, groundbreaking progress in our ability to engineer this machinery for improved ncAA incorporation has led to significant enhancements of this powerful tool for biology and chemistry. By revealing the molecular basis for the poor or improved incorporation of ncAAs, mechanistic studies of ncAA incorporation by the protein synthesis machinery have tremendous potential for informing and directing such engineering efforts. In this chapter, we describe a set of complementary biochemical and single-molecule fluorescence assays that we have adapted for mechanistic studies of ncAA incorporation. Collectively, these assays provide data that can guide engineering of the protein synthesis machinery to expand the range of ncAAs that can be incorporated into peptides and increase the efficiency with which they can be incorporated, thereby enabling the full potential of ncAA mutagenesis technology to be realized.
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41
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Ozer E, Yaniv K, Chetrit E, Boyarski A, Meijler MM, Berkovich R, Kushmaro A, Alfonta L. An inside look at a biofilm: Pseudomonas aeruginosa flagella biotracking. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabg8581. [PMID: 34117070 PMCID: PMC8195488 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg8581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a flagellated bacterium, is one of the top model organisms for biofilm studies. To elucidate the location of bacterial flagella throughout the biofilm life cycle, we developed a new flagella biotracking tool. Bacterial flagella were site-specifically labeled via genetic code expansion. This enabled us to track bacterial flagella during biofilm maturation. Live flagella imaging revealed the presence and synthesis of flagella throughout the biofilm life cycle. To study the possible role of flagella in a biofilm, we produced a flagella knockout strain and compared its biofilm to that of the wild-type strain. Results showed a one order of magnitude stronger biofilm structure in the wild type in comparison with the flagella knockout strain. This suggests a possible structural role for flagella in a biofilm, conceivably as a scaffold. Our findings suggest a new model for biofilm maturation dynamic which underscores the importance of direct evidence from within the biofilm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden Ozer
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Karin Yaniv
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Einat Chetrit
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Anastasya Boyarski
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Michael M Meijler
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
- National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Ronen Berkovich
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Ariel Kushmaro
- Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
| | - Lital Alfonta
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel.
- Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
- Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, PO Box 653, Beer-Sheva 8410501, Israel
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42
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Vong K, Tahara T, Urano S, Nasibullin I, Tsubokura K, Nakao Y, Kurbangalieva A, Onoe H, Watanabe Y, Tanaka K. Disrupting tumor onset and growth via selective cell tagging (SeCT) therapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/17/eabg4038. [PMID: 33893089 PMCID: PMC8064634 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abg4038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the early framework of selective cell tagging (SeCT) therapy, which is the concept of preferentially labeling specific cells in vivo with chemical moieties that can elicit a therapeutic response. Using glycosylated artificial metalloenzyme (GArM)-based protein labeling, this study reports two separate functional strategies. In one approach, early tumor onset can be suppressed by tagging cancer cells in living mice with an integrin-blocking cyclic-Arg-Gly-Asp (cRGD) moiety, thereby disrupting cell adhesion onto the extracellular matrix. In another approach, tumor growth in mice can be reduced by tagging with a cytotoxic doxorubicin moiety. Subsequent cell death occurs following internalization and drug release. Overall, experiments have shown that mouse populations receiving the mixture of SeCT labeling reagents exhibited a significant delay/reduction in tumor onset and growth compared with controls. Highlighting its adaptability, this work represents a foundational step for further development of SeCT therapy and its potential therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenward Vong
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- GlycoTargeting Research Laboratory, RIKEN Baton Zone Program, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Tahara
- RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Sayaka Urano
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Igor Nasibullin
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Biofunctional Chemistry Laboratory, A. Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya Street, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Kazuki Tsubokura
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Yoichi Nakao
- School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Almira Kurbangalieva
- Biofunctional Chemistry Laboratory, A. Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya Street, Kazan 420008, Russia
| | - Hirotaka Onoe
- RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yasuyoshi Watanabe
- RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
- RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0047, Japan
| | - Katsunori Tanaka
- Biofunctional Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
- GlycoTargeting Research Laboratory, RIKEN Baton Zone Program, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Biofunctional Chemistry Laboratory, A. Butlerov Institute of Chemistry, Kazan Federal University, 18 Kremlyovskaya Street, Kazan 420008, Russia
- Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan
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43
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Manandhar M, Chun E, Romesberg FE. Genetic Code Expansion: Inception, Development, Commercialization. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:4859-4878. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c11938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Miglena Manandhar
- Synthorx, a Sanofi Company, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Eugene Chun
- Synthorx, a Sanofi Company, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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44
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Ozer E, Alfonta L. Genetic Code Expansion of Vibrio natriegens. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2021; 9:594429. [PMID: 33718334 PMCID: PMC7953155 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2021.594429] [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: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli has been considered as the most used model bacteria in the majority of studies for several decades. However, a new, faster chassis for synthetic biology is emerging in the form of the fast-growing gram-negative bacterium Vibrio natriegens. Different methodologies, well established in E. coli, are currently being adapted for V. natriegens in the hope to enable a much faster platform for general molecular biology studies. Amongst the vast technologies available for E. coli, genetic code expansion, the incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins, serves as a robust tool for protein engineering and biorthogonal modifications. Here we designed and adapted the genetic code expansion methodology for V. natriegens and demonstrate an unnatural amino acid incorporation into a protein for the first time in this organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eden Ozer
- Department of Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Lital Alfonta
- Department of Life Sciences, Department of Chemistry and Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
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45
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Illes B, Fuchs A, Gegenfurtner F, Ploetz E, Zahler S, Vollmar AM, Engelke H. Spatio-selective activation of nuclear translocation of YAP with light directs invasion of cancer cell spheroids. iScience 2021; 24:102185. [PMID: 33718837 PMCID: PMC7921841 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Revised: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix strongly influence tumor progression and invasion. Yes-associated protein (YAP) has been shown to be a key regulator of this process translating mechanical cues from the extracellular matrix into intracellular signals. Despite its apparent role in tumor progression and metastasis, it is not clear yet, whether YAP activation can actively trigger the onset of invasion. To address this question, we designed a photo-activatable YAP (optoYAP), which allows for spatiotemporal control of its activation. The activation mechanism of optoYAP is based on optically triggered nuclear translocation of the protein. Activation of optoYAP induces downstream signaling for several hours and leads to increased proliferation in two- and three-dimensional cultures. Applied to cancer spheroids, optoYAP activation induces invasion. Site-selective activation of optoYAP in cancer spheroids strikingly directs invasion into the activated direction. Thus, nuclear translocation of YAP may be enough to trigger the onset of invasion. Photoactivation of nuclear translocation of yes-associated protein (YAP) Photoactivation of YAP induces downstream signaling Site-selective activation of YAP triggers directed invasion of cancer spheroids
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernhard Illes
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 11, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Adrian Fuchs
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 11, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Florian Gegenfurtner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ploetz
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 11, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Zahler
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Angelika M Vollmar
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 5, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Hanna Engelke
- Department of Chemistry and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Butenandtstraße 11, 81377 Munich, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Graz, Humboldtstr. 46, 8010 Graz, Austria
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46
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Nguyen K, Kubota M, Arco JD, Feng C, Singha M, Beasley S, Sakr J, Gandhi SP, Blurton-Jones M, Fernández Lucas J, Spitale RC. A Bump-Hole Strategy for Increased Stringency of Cell-Specific Metabolic Labeling of RNA. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:3099-3105. [PMID: 33222436 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Profiling RNA expression in a cell-specific manner continues to be a grand challenge in biochemical research. Bioorthogonal nucleosides can be utilized to track RNA expression; however, these methods currently have limitations due to background and incorporation of analogs into undesired cells. Herein, we design and demonstrate that uracil phosphoribosyltransferase can be engineered to match 5-vinyluracil for cell-specific metabolic labeling of RNA with exceptional specificity and stringency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim Nguyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Miles Kubota
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Jon del Arco
- Universidad Europea de Madrid, E-28670 Villaviciosa de Odon, Madrid Spain
| | - Chao Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Monika Singha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Samantha Beasley
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Jasmine Sakr
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Sunil P. Gandhi
- Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Matthew Blurton-Jones
- Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Jesus Fernández Lucas
- Universidad Europea de Madrid, E-28670 Villaviciosa de Odon, Madrid Spain
- Grupo de Investigación en Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, GICNEX, Universidad de la Costa, CUC, Barranquilla, Colombia
| | - Robert C. Spitale
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine. Irvine, California 92697, United States
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
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47
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Abstract
The encoded biosynthesis of proteins provides the ultimate paradigm for high-fidelity synthesis of long polymers of defined sequence and composition, but it is limited to polymerizing the canonical amino acids. Recent advances have built on genetic code expansion - which commonly permits the cellular incorporation of one type of non-canonical amino acid into a protein - to enable the encoded incorporation of several distinct non-canonical amino acids. Developments include strategies to read quadruplet codons, use non-natural DNA base pairs, synthesize completely recoded genomes and create orthogonal translational components with reprogrammed specificities. These advances may enable the genetically encoded synthesis of non-canonical biopolymers and provide a platform for transforming the discovery and evolution of new materials and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason W Chin
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, UK.
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48
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Zhang S, Ai HW. A general strategy to red-shift green fluorescent protein-based biosensors. Nat Chem Biol 2020; 16:1434-1439. [PMID: 32929278 PMCID: PMC7669575 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-020-0641-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Compared with green fluorescent protein-based biosensors, red fluorescent protein (RFP)-based biosensors are inherently advantageous because of reduced phototoxicity, decreased autofluorescence and enhanced tissue penetration. However, existing RFP-based biosensors often suffer from small dynamic ranges, mislocalization and undesired photoconversion. In addition, the choice of available RFP-based biosensors is limited, and development of each biosensor requires substantial effort. Herein, we describe a general and convenient method, which introduces a genetically encoded noncanonical amino acid, 3-aminotyrosine, to the chromophores of green fluorescent protein-like proteins and biosensors for spontaneous and efficient green-to-red conversion. We demonstrated that this method could be used to quickly expand the repertoire of RFP-based biosensors. With little optimization, the 3-aminotyrosine-modified biosensors preserved the molecular brightness, dynamic range and responsiveness of their green fluorescent predecessors. We further applied spectrally resolved biosensors for multiplexed imaging of metabolic dynamics in pancreatic β-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen Zhang
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Department of Chemistry, and the UVA Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Hui-Wang Ai
- Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Department of Chemistry, and the UVA Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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49
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Abstract
Genetic code expansion is one of the most powerful technologies in protein engineering. In addition to the 20 canonical amino acids, the expanded genetic code is supplemented by unnatural amino acids, which have artificial side chains that can be introduced into target proteins in vitro and in vivo. A wide range of chemical groups have been incorporated co-translationally into proteins in single cells and multicellular organisms by using genetic code expansion. Incorporated unnatural amino acids have been used for novel structure-function relationship studies, bioorthogonal labelling of proteins in cellulo for microscopy and in vivo for tissue-specific proteomics, the introduction of post-translational modifications and optical control of protein function, to name a few examples. In this Minireview, the development of genetic code expansion technology is briefly introduced, then its applications in neurobiology are discussed, with a focus on studies using mammalian cells and mice as model organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Nikić‐Spiegel
- Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative NeuroscienceUniversity of TübingenOtfried-Müller-Strasse 2572076TübingenGermany
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50
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Chung CZ, Amikura K, Söll D. Using Genetic Code Expansion for Protein Biochemical Studies. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:598577. [PMID: 33195171 PMCID: PMC7604363 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.598577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein identification has gone beyond simply using protein/peptide tags and labeling canonical amino acids. Genetic code expansion has allowed residue- or site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids into proteins. By taking advantage of the unique properties of non-canonical amino acids, we can identify spatiotemporal-specific protein states within living cells. Insertion of more than one non-canonical amino acid allows for selective labeling that can aid in the identification of weak or transient protein-protein interactions. This review will discuss recent studies applying genetic code expansion for protein labeling and identifying protein-protein interactions and offer considerations for future work in expanding genetic code expansion methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Z. Chung
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Kazuaki Amikura
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Dieter Söll
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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