1
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Li M, Tang H, Qing R, Wang Y, Liu J, Wang R, Lyu S, Ma L, Xu P, Zhang S, Tao F. Design of a water-soluble transmembrane receptor kinase with intact molecular function by QTY code. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4293. [PMID: 38858360 PMCID: PMC11164701 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48513-9] [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: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins are critical to biological processes and central to life sciences and modern medicine. However, membrane proteins are notoriously challenging to study, mainly owing to difficulties dictated by their highly hydrophobic nature. Previously, we reported QTY code, which is a simple method for designing water-soluble membrane proteins. Here, we apply QTY code to a transmembrane receptor, histidine kinase CpxA, to render it completely water-soluble. The designed CpxAQTY exhibits expected biophysical properties and highly preserved native molecular function, including the activities of (i) autokinase, (ii) phosphotransferase, (iii) phosphatase, and (iv) signaling receptor, involving a water-solubilized transmembrane domain. We probe the principles underlying the balance of structural stability and activity in the water-solubilized transmembrane domain. Computational approaches suggest that an extensive and dynamic hydrogen-bond network introduced by QTY code and its flexibility may play an important role. Our successful functional preservation further substantiates the robustness and comprehensiveness of QTY code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengke Li
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
- Laboratory of Molecular Architecture, Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Hongzhi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Rui Qing
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yanze Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Jiongqin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Rui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Shan Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Lina Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Ping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
| | - Shuguang Zhang
- Laboratory of Molecular Architecture, Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA.
| | - Fei Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China.
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2
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Ogunbowale A, Georgieva ER. Engineered Chimera Protein Constructs to Facilitate the Production of Heterologous Transmembrane Proteins in E. coli. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2354. [PMID: 38397029 PMCID: PMC10889703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042354] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
To delve into the structure-function relationship of transmembrane proteins (TMPs), robust protocols are needed to produce them in a pure, stable, and functional state. Among all hosts that express heterologous TMPs, E. coli has the lowest cost and fastest turnover. However, many of the TMPs expressed in E. coli are misfolded. Several strategies have been developed to either direct the foreign TMPs to E. coli's membrane or retain them in a cytosolic soluble form to overcome this deficiency. Here, we summarize protein engineering methods to produce chimera constructs of the desired TMPs fused to either a signal peptide or precursor maltose binding protein (pMBP) to direct the entire construct to the periplasm, therefore depositing the fused TMP in the plasma membrane. We further describe strategies to produce TMPs in soluble form by utilizing N-terminally fused MBP without a signal peptide. Depending on its N- or C-terminus location, a fusion to apolipoprotein AI can either direct the TMP to the membrane or shield the hydrophobic regions of the TMP, maintaining the soluble form. Strategies to produce G-protein-coupled receptors, TMPs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, HIV-1 Vpu, and other TMPs are discussed. This knowledge could increase the scope of TMPs' expression in E. coli.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elka R. Georgieva
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA;
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3
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Kang Q, Fang H, Xiang M, Xiao K, Jiang P, You C, Lee SY, Zhang D. A synthetic cell-free 36-enzyme reaction system for vitamin B 12 production. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5177. [PMID: 37620358 PMCID: PMC10449867 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40932-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl), a biologically active form of vitamin B12 (coenzyme B12), is one of the most complex metal-containing natural compounds and an essential vitamin for animals. However, AdoCbl can only be de novo synthesized by prokaryotes, and its industrial manufacturing to date was limited to bacterial fermentation. Here, we report a method for the synthesis of AdoCbl based on a cell-free reaction system performing a cascade of catalytic reactions from 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), an inexpensive compound. More than 30 biocatalytic reactions are integrated and optimized to achieve the complete cell-free synthesis of AdoCbl, after overcoming feedback inhibition, the complicated detection, instability of intermediate products, as well as imbalance and competition of cofactors. In the end, this cell-free system produces 417.41 μg/L and 5.78 mg/L of AdoCbl using 5-ALA and the purified intermediate product hydrogenobyrate as substrates, respectively. The strategies of coordinating synthetic modules of complex cell-free system describe here will be generally useful for developing cell-free platforms to produce complex natural compounds with long and complicated biosynthetic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Kang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 (A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, 100049, Beijing, China
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300308, Tianjin, China
| | - Huan Fang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 (A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, 100049, Beijing, China
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300308, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengjie Xiang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 (A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, 100049, Beijing, China
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China
| | - Kaixing Xiao
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300308, Tianjin, China
| | - Pingtao Jiang
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300308, Tianjin, China
| | - Chun You
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 (A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, 100049, Beijing, China
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China
| | - Sang Yup Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (BK21 four program), Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dawei Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.19 (A) Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, 100049, Beijing, China.
- Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Xi Qi Dao, Tianjin Airport Economic Area, 300308, Tianjin, China.
- Key Laboratory of Engineering Biology for Low-Carbon Manufacturing, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300308, Tianjin, China.
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4
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Manzer ZA, Selivanovitch E, Ostwalt AR, Daniel S. Membrane protein synthesis: no cells required. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:642-654. [PMID: 37087310 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.03.006] [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: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/24/2023]
Abstract
Despite advances in membrane protein (MP) structural biology and a growing interest in their applications, these proteins remain challenging to study. Progress has been hindered by the complex nature of MPs and innovative methods will be required to circumvent technical hurdles. Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a burgeoning technique for synthesizing MPs directly into a membrane environment using reconstituted components of the cellular transcription and translation machinery in vitro. We provide an overview of CFPS and how this technique can be applied to the synthesis and study of MPs. We highlight numerous strategies including synthesis methods and folding environments, each with advantages and limitations, to provide a survey of how CFPS techniques can advance the study of MPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary A Manzer
- R.F. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Ekaterina Selivanovitch
- R.F. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Alexis R Ostwalt
- R.F. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Susan Daniel
- R.F. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
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5
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A modular vaccine platform enabled by decoration of bacterial outer membrane vesicles with biotinylated antigens. Nat Commun 2023; 14:464. [PMID: 36709333 PMCID: PMC9883832 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36101-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineered outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from Gram-negative bacteria are a promising technology for the creation of non-infectious, nanoparticle vaccines against diverse pathogens. However, antigen display on OMVs can be difficult to control and highly variable due to bottlenecks in protein expression and localization to the outer membrane of the host cell, especially for bulky and/or complex antigens. Here, we describe a universal approach for avidin-based vaccine antigen crosslinking (AvidVax) whereby biotinylated antigens are linked to the exterior of OMVs whose surfaces are remodeled with multiple copies of a synthetic antigen-binding protein (SNAP) comprised of an outer membrane scaffold protein fused to a biotin-binding protein. We show that SNAP-OMVs can be readily decorated with a molecularly diverse array of biotinylated subunit antigens, including globular and membrane proteins, glycans and glycoconjugates, haptens, lipids, and short peptides. When the resulting OMV formulations are injected in mice, strong antigen-specific antibody responses are observed that depend on the physical coupling between the antigen and SNAP-OMV delivery vehicle. Overall, these results demonstrate AvidVax as a modular platform that enables rapid and simplified assembly of antigen-studded OMVs for application as vaccines against pathogenic threats.
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6
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Formate hydrogenlyase, formic acid translocation and hydrogen production: dynamic membrane biology during fermentation. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOENERGETICS 2023; 1864:148919. [PMID: 36152681 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbabio.2022.148919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Formate hydrogenlyase-1 (FHL-1) is a complex-I-like enzyme that is commonly found in gram-negative bacteria. The enzyme comprises a peripheral arm and a membrane arm but is not involved in quinone reduction. Instead, FHL-1 couples formate oxidation to the reduction of protons to molecular hydrogen (H2). Escherichia coli produces FHL-1 under fermentative conditions where it serves to detoxify formic acid in the environment. The membrane biology and bioenergetics surrounding E. coli FHL-1 have long held fascination. Here, we review recent work on understanding the molecular basis of formic acid efflux and influx. We also consider the structure and function of E. coli FHL-1, its relationship with formate transport, and pay particular attention to the molecular interface between the peripheral arm and the membrane arm. Finally, we highlight the interesting phenotype of genetic mutation of the ND1 Loop, which is located at that interface.
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7
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Jaroentomeechai T, Kwon YH, Liu Y, Young O, Bhawal R, Wilson JD, Li M, Chapla DG, Moremen KW, Jewett MC, Mizrachi D, DeLisa MP. A universal glycoenzyme biosynthesis pipeline that enables efficient cell-free remodeling of glycans. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6325. [PMID: 36280670 PMCID: PMC9592599 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34029-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to reconstitute natural glycosylation pathways or prototype entirely new ones from scratch is hampered by the limited availability of functional glycoenzymes, many of which are membrane proteins that fail to express in heterologous hosts. Here, we describe a strategy for topologically converting membrane-bound glycosyltransferases (GTs) into water soluble biocatalysts, which are expressed at high levels in the cytoplasm of living cells with retention of biological activity. We demonstrate the universality of the approach through facile production of 98 difficult-to-express GTs, predominantly of human origin, across several commonly used expression platforms. Using a subset of these water-soluble enzymes, we perform structural remodeling of both free and protein-linked glycans including those found on the monoclonal antibody therapeutic trastuzumab. Overall, our strategy for rationally redesigning GTs provides an effective and versatile biosynthetic route to large quantities of diverse, enzymatically active GTs, which should find use in structure-function studies as well as in biochemical and biomedical applications involving complex glycomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thapakorn Jaroentomeechai
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Yong Hyun Kwon
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Yiwen Liu
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Olivia Young
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Ruchika Bhawal
- Cornell Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Joshua D Wilson
- Glycobia, Inc., 33 Thornwood Drive, Suite 104, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Mingji Li
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Digantkumar G Chapla
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Kelley W Moremen
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd Technological Institute E136, Evanston, IL, 60208-3120, USA
| | - Dario Mizrachi
- Department of Physiology & Developmental Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA
| | - Matthew P DeLisa
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, 120 Olin Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
- Cornell Institute of Biotechnology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
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8
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Hirschi S, Ward TR, Meier WP, Müller DJ, Fotiadis D. Synthetic Biology: Bottom-Up Assembly of Molecular Systems. Chem Rev 2022; 122:16294-16328. [PMID: 36179355 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The bottom-up assembly of biological and chemical components opens exciting opportunities to engineer artificial vesicular systems for applications with previously unmet requirements. The modular combination of scaffolds and functional building blocks enables the engineering of complex systems with biomimetic or new-to-nature functionalities. Inspired by the compartmentalized organization of cells and organelles, lipid or polymer vesicles are widely used as model membrane systems to investigate the translocation of solutes and the transduction of signals by membrane proteins. The bottom-up assembly and functionalization of such artificial compartments enables full control over their composition and can thus provide specifically optimized environments for synthetic biological processes. This review aims to inspire future endeavors by providing a diverse toolbox of molecular modules, engineering methodologies, and different approaches to assemble artificial vesicular systems. Important technical and practical aspects are addressed and selected applications are presented, highlighting particular achievements and limitations of the bottom-up approach. Complementing the cutting-edge technological achievements, fundamental aspects are also discussed to cater to the inherently diverse background of the target audience, which results from the interdisciplinary nature of synthetic biology. The engineering of proteins as functional modules and the use of lipids and block copolymers as scaffold modules for the assembly of functionalized vesicular systems are explored in detail. Particular emphasis is placed on ensuring the controlled assembly of these components into increasingly complex vesicular systems. Finally, all descriptions are presented in the greater context of engineering valuable synthetic biological systems for applications in biocatalysis, biosensing, bioremediation, or targeted drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Hirschi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas R Ward
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang P Meier
- Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, St. Johanns-Ring 19, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel J Müller
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Mattenstrasse 26, 4058 Basel, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dimitrios Fotiadis
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.,Molecular Systems Engineering, National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR), 4002 Basel, Switzerland
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9
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Qing R, Hao S, Smorodina E, Jin D, Zalevsky A, Zhang S. Protein Design: From the Aspect of Water Solubility and Stability. Chem Rev 2022; 122:14085-14179. [PMID: 35921495 PMCID: PMC9523718 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Water solubility and structural stability are key merits for proteins defined by the primary sequence and 3D-conformation. Their manipulation represents important aspects of the protein design field that relies on the accurate placement of amino acids and molecular interactions, guided by underlying physiochemical principles. Emulated designer proteins with well-defined properties both fuel the knowledge-base for more precise computational design models and are used in various biomedical and nanotechnological applications. The continuous developments in protein science, increasing computing power, new algorithms, and characterization techniques provide sophisticated toolkits for solubility design beyond guess work. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the protein design field with respect to water solubility and structural stability. After introducing fundamental design rules, we discuss the transmembrane protein solubilization and de novo transmembrane protein design. Traditional strategies to enhance protein solubility and structural stability are introduced. The designs of stable protein complexes and high-order assemblies are covered. Computational methodologies behind these endeavors, including structure prediction programs, machine learning algorithms, and specialty software dedicated to the evaluation of protein solubility and aggregation, are discussed. The findings and opportunities for Cryo-EM are presented. This review provides an overview of significant progress and prospects in accurate protein design for solubility and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Qing
- State
Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and
Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Media
Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- The
David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Shilei Hao
- Media
Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
- Key
Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Eva Smorodina
- Department
of Immunology, University of Oslo and Oslo
University Hospital, Oslo 0424, Norway
| | - David Jin
- Avalon GloboCare
Corp., Freehold, New Jersey 07728, United States
| | - Arthur Zalevsky
- Laboratory
of Bioinformatics Approaches in Combinatorial Chemistry and Biology, Shemyakin−Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic
Chemistry RAS, Moscow 117997, Russia
| | - Shuguang Zhang
- Media
Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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10
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Laurence MJ, Carpenter TS, Laurence TA, Coleman MA, Shelby M, Liu C. Biophysical Characterization of Membrane Proteins Embedded in Nanodiscs Using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12040392. [PMID: 35448362 PMCID: PMC9028781 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12040392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Proteins embedded in biological membranes perform essential functions in all organisms, serving as receptors, transporters, channels, cell adhesion molecules, and other supporting cellular roles. These membrane proteins comprise ~30% of all human proteins and are the targets of ~60% of FDA-approved drugs, yet their extensive characterization using established biochemical and biophysical methods has continued to be elusive due to challenges associated with the purification of these insoluble proteins. In response, the development of nanodisc techniques, such as nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs) and styrene maleic acid polymers (SMALPs), allowed membrane proteins to be expressed and isolated in solution as part of lipid bilayer rafts with defined, consistent nanometer sizes and compositions, thus enabling solution-based measurements. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) is a relatively simple yet powerful optical microscopy-based technique that yields quantitative biophysical information, such as diffusion kinetics and concentrations, about individual or interacting species in solution. Here, we first summarize current nanodisc techniques and FCS fundamentals. We then provide a focused review of studies that employed FCS in combination with nanodisc technology to investigate a handful of membrane proteins, including bacteriorhodopsin, bacterial division protein ZipA, bacterial membrane insertases SecYEG and YidC, Yersinia pestis type III secretion protein YopB, yeast cell wall stress sensor Wsc1, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), ABC transporters, and several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Laurence
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.J.L.); (T.S.C.); (M.A.C.)
| | - Timothy S. Carpenter
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.J.L.); (T.S.C.); (M.A.C.)
| | - Ted A. Laurence
- Materials Science Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA;
| | - Matthew A. Coleman
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.J.L.); (T.S.C.); (M.A.C.)
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, CA 95616, USA
| | - Megan Shelby
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.J.L.); (T.S.C.); (M.A.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (C.L.)
| | - Chao Liu
- Biosciences and Biotechnology Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550, USA; (M.J.L.); (T.S.C.); (M.A.C.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.); (C.L.)
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11
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Liu Y, Xie N, Yu B. De Novo Biosynthesis of D- p-Hydroxyphenylglycine by a Designed Cofactor Self-Sufficient Route and Co-culture Strategy. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1361-1372. [PMID: 35244401 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
d-p-Hydroxyphenylglycine (D-HPG) is an important intermediate for the synthesis of β-lactam antibiotics with an annual market demand of thousands of tons. Currently, the main production processes are via chemical approaches. Although enzymatic conversion has been investigated for D-HPG production, synthesis of the substrate DL-hydroxyphenylhydantoin is still chemically based, which suffers from high pollution and harsh reaction conditions. In this study, one cofactor self-sufficient route for D-HPG production from l-phenylalanine was newly designed and the artificial pathway was functionalized by selecting suitable enzymes and adjusting their expressions in strain Pseudomonas putida KT2440. Notably, a new R-mandelate dehydrogenase from Lactococcus lactis with relatively high activity under pH neutral conditions was successfully mined to demonstrate the biosynthetic pathway in vivo. The performance of the engineered P. putida strain was further increased by enhancing cellular NAD availability and blocking l-phenylalanine consumption. Coupled with the l-phenylalanine producer, Escherichia coli strain ATCC 31884, a stable and interactive co-culture process was also developed by engineering a "cross-link auxotrophic" system to produce D-HPG directly from glucose. Thus, this study is the first approach for the de novo biosynthesis of D-HPG by engineering a non-natural pathway and lays the foundation for further improving the efficiency of D-HPG production via a green and sustainable route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Nengzhong Xie
- National Engineering Research Center for Non-Food Biorefinery, State Key Laboratory of Non-Food Biomass and Enzyme Technology, Guangxi Biomass Engineering Technology Research Center, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-refinery, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Bo Yu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Microbial Physiological and Metabolic Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Mycology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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12
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Stephens EA, Ludwicki MB, Meksiriporn B, Li M, Ye T, Monticello C, Forsythe KJ, Kummer L, Zhou P, Plückthun A, DeLisa MP. Engineering Single Pan-Specific Ubiquibodies for Targeted Degradation of All Forms of Endogenous ERK Protein Kinase. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:2396-2408. [PMID: 34399052 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquibodies (uAbs) are a customizable proteome editing technology that utilizes E3 ubiquitin ligases genetically fused to synthetic binding proteins to steer otherwise stable proteins of interest (POIs) to the 26S proteasome for degradation. The ability of engineered uAbs to accelerate the turnover of exogenous or endogenous POIs in a post-translational manner offers a simple yet robust tool for dissecting diverse functional properties of cellular proteins as well as for expanding the druggable proteome to include tumorigenic protein families that have yet-to-be successfully drugged by conventional inhibitors. Here, we describe the engineering of uAbs composed of human carboxyl-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP), a highly modular human E3 ubiquitin ligase, tethered to differently designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) that bind to nonphosphorylated (inactive) and/or doubly phosphorylated (active) forms of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). Two of the resulting uAbs were found to be global ERK degraders, pan-specifically capturing all endogenous ERK1/2 protein forms and redirecting them to the proteasome for degradation in different cell lines, including MCF7 breast cancer cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate how the substrate specificity of an E3 ubiquitin ligase can be reprogrammed to generate designer uAbs against difficult-to-drug targets, enabling a modular platform for remodeling the mammalian proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin A Stephens
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Morgan B Ludwicki
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Bunyarit Meksiriporn
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Mingji Li
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Tianzheng Ye
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Connor Monticello
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Katherine J Forsythe
- College of Arts and Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Lutz Kummer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Pengbo Zhou
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The Joan and Stanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Andreas Plückthun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Matthew P DeLisa
- Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Robert F. Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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13
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Bialas F, Becker CFW. Biomimetic Silica Encapsulation of Lipid Nanodiscs and β-Sheet-Stabilized Diacylglycerol Kinase. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:1742-1752. [PMID: 34288667 PMCID: PMC8382255 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) comprise highly important classes of proteins such as transporters, sensors, and channels, but their investigation and biotechnological application are complicated by the difficulty to stabilize them in solution. We set out to develop a biomimetic procedure to encapsulate functional integral membrane proteins in silica to facilitate their handling under otherwise detrimental conditions and thereby extend their applicability. To this end, we designed and expressed new fusion constructs of the membrane scaffold protein MSP with silica-precipitating peptides based on the R5 sequence from the diatom Cylindrotheca fusiformis. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) revealed that membrane lipid nanodiscs surrounded by our MSP variants fused to an R5 peptide, so-called nanodiscs, were formed. Exposing them to silicic acid led to silica-encapsulated nanodiscs, a new material for stabilizing membrane structures and a first step toward incorporating membrane proteins in such structures. In an alternative approach, four fusion constructs based on the amphiphilic β-sheet peptide BP-1 and the R5 peptide were generated and successfully employed toward silica encapsulation of functional diacylglycerol kinase (DGK). Silica-encapsulated DGK was significantly more stable against protease exposure and incubation with simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and intestinal fluid (SIF).
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich Bialas
- Institute of Biological Chemistry,
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian F. W. Becker
- Institute of Biological Chemistry,
Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, Währinger Straße 38, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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14
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Abstract
With the discovery of Western blotting as first described by Towbin et al. in 1979, the transfer and visualization of electrophoretically separated proteins on membranes has become the de facto method for the qualitative and quantitative detection of proteins of interest. In this method, proteins are resolved by electrophoresis on a polyacrylamide gel, followed by a transfer of the separated proteins onto a nitrocellulose or polyvinyl difluoride (PVDF) membrane. Once immobilized on these membranes, the protein of interest can be detected and visualized by exploiting antigen-antibody interactions. However, not all proteins are amenable to easy detection by Western blotting. Integral membrane proteins are a class of proteins that are attached to a biological membrane through a series of transmembrane segments that span the width of the membrane. Due to the inherent hydrophobicity of these proteins and their tendency to aggregate, the characterization and detection of these proteins can be challenging. In this methods chapter, we present a protocol for the easy detection and quantification of these proteins in the industrially important oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica. The first protocol describes a Western blotting procedure to quantify soluble cytosolic proteins of interest in Yarrowia lipolytica from its total cell lysate. The second protocol describes modifications to the first that are done to enhance detection and quantification of membrane-bound proteins in Yarrowia lipolytica from its total cell lysate, without the need for isolating the membrane-bound proteins, for use in Western blotting. The immunoblotting strategies described here should serve as an efficient and simple guide to quantify both cytosolic and the intractable membrane-bound proteins in Yarrowia lipolytica.
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15
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Membrane Protein Production and Purification from Escherichia coli and Sf9 Insect Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2021. [PMID: 33582985 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0724-4_1] [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: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
A major obstacle to studying membrane proteins by biophysical techniques is the difficulty in producing sufficient amounts of materials for functional and structural studies. To overexpress the target membrane protein heterologously, especially an eukaryotic protein, a key step is to find the optimal host expression system and perform subsequent expression optimization. In this chapter, we describe protocols for screening membrane protein production using bacterial and insect cells, solubilization screening, large-scale production, and commonly used affinity chromatography purification methods. We discuss general optimization conditions, such as promoters and tags, and describe current techniques that can be used in any laboratory without specialized expensive equipment. Especially for insect cells, GFP fusions are particularly useful for localization and in-gel fluorescence detection of the proteins on SDS-PAGE. We give detailed protocols that can be used to screen the best expression and purification conditions for membrane protein study.
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16
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Pedro AQ, Queiroz JA, Passarinha LA. Smoothing membrane protein structure determination by initial upstream stage improvements. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 103:5483-5500. [PMID: 31127356 PMCID: PMC7079970 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-09873-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins (MP) constitute 20–30% of all proteins encoded by the genome of various organisms and perform a wide range of essential biological functions. However, despite they represent the largest class of protein drug targets, a relatively small number high-resolution 3D structures have been obtained yet. Membrane protein biogenesis is more complex than that of the soluble proteins and its recombinant biosynthesis has been a major drawback, thus delaying their further structural characterization. Indeed, the major limitation in structure determination of MP is the low yield achieved in recombinant expression, usually coupled to low functionality, pinpointing the optimization target in recombinant MP research. Recently, the growing attention that have been dedicated to the upstream stage of MP bioprocesses allowed great advances, permitting the evolution of the number of MP solved structures. In this review, we analyse and discuss effective solutions and technical advances at the level of the upstream stage using prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms foreseeing an increase in expression yields of correctly folded MP and that may facilitate the determination of their three-dimensional structure. A section on techniques used to protein quality control and further structure determination of MP is also included. Lastly, a critical assessment of major factors contributing for a good decision-making process related to the upstream stage of MP is presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augusto Quaresma Pedro
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6201-001, Covilhã, Portugal
- CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials, Department of Chemistry, Universidade de Aveiro, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - João António Queiroz
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6201-001, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Luís António Passarinha
- CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, 6201-001, Covilhã, Portugal.
- UCIBIO@REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516, Caparica, Portugal.
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17
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Biomimetic Membranes with Transmembrane Proteins: State-of-the-Art in Transmembrane Protein Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061437. [PMID: 30901910 PMCID: PMC6472214 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In biological cells, membrane proteins are the most crucial component for the maintenance of cell physiology and processes, including ion transportation, cell signaling, cell adhesion, and recognition of signal molecules. Therefore, researchers have proposed a number of membrane platforms to mimic the biological cell environment for transmembrane protein incorporation. The performance and selectivity of these transmembrane proteins based biomimetic platforms are far superior to those of traditional material platforms, but their lack of stability and scalability rule out their commercial presence. This review highlights the development of transmembrane protein-based biomimetic platforms for four major applications, which are biosensors, molecular interaction studies, energy harvesting, and water purification. We summarize the fundamental principles and recent progress in transmembrane protein biomimetic platforms for each application, discuss their limitations, and present future outlooks for industrial implementation.
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18
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Britton ZT, London TB, Carrell J, Dosanjh B, Wilkinson T, Bowen MA, Wu H, Dall’Acqua WF, Marelli M, Mazor Y. Tag-on-Demand: exploiting amber codon suppression technology for the enrichment of high-expressing membrane protein cell lines. Protein Eng Des Sel 2019; 31:389-398. [DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzy032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zachary T Britton
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Timothy B London
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Cambridge, UK
- Current affiliation: TC BioPharm Limited, Glasgow, UK
| | - Jeffrey Carrell
- Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmune, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Bhupinder Dosanjh
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Cambridge, UK
| | - Trevor Wilkinson
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Cambridge, UK
| | - Michael A Bowen
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Herren Wu
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | | | - Marcello Marelli
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Yariv Mazor
- Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
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19
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Membrane protein engineering to the rescue. Biochem Soc Trans 2018; 46:1541-1549. [PMID: 30381335 DOI: 10.1042/bst20180140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The inherent hydrophobicity of membrane proteins is a major barrier to membrane protein research and understanding. Their low stability and solubility in aqueous environments coupled with poor expression levels make them a challenging area of research. For many years, the only way of working with membrane proteins was to optimise the environment to suit the protein, through the use of different detergents, solubilising additives, and other adaptations. However, with innovative protein engineering methodologies, the membrane proteins themselves are now being adapted to suit the environment. This mini-review looks at the types of adaptations which are applied to membrane proteins from a variety of different fields, including water solubilising fusion tags, thermostabilising mutation screening, scaffold proteins, stabilising protein chimeras, and isolating water-soluble domains.
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20
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Methods of reconstitution to investigate membrane protein function. Methods 2018; 147:126-141. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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21
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Hardy D, Desuzinges Mandon E, Rothnie AJ, Jawhari A. The yin and yang of solubilization and stabilization for wild-type and full-length membrane protein. Methods 2018; 147:118-125. [PMID: 29477816 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2018.02.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins (MP) are stable in their native lipid environment. To enable structural and functional investigations, MP need to be extracted from the membrane. This is a critical step that represents the main obstacle for MP biochemistry and structural biology. General guidelines and rules for membrane protein solubilization remain difficult to establish. This review aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the general concepts of MP solubilization and stabilization as well as recent advances in detergents innovation. Understanding how solubilization and stabilization are intimately linked is key to facilitate MP isolation toward fundamental structural and functional research as well as drug discovery applications. How to manage the tour de force of destabilizing the lipid bilayer and stabilizing MP at the same time is the holy grail of successful isolation and investigation of such a delicate and fascinating class of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Hardy
- CALIXAR, 60 Avenue Rockefeller, 69008 Lyon, France; Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
| | | | - Alice J Rothnie
- Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
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22
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Schoborg JA, Hershewe JM, Stark JC, Kightlinger W, Kath JE, Jaroentomeechai T, Natarajan A, DeLisa MP, Jewett MC. A cell-free platform for rapid synthesis and testing of active oligosaccharyltransferases. Biotechnol Bioeng 2017; 115:739-750. [PMID: 29178580 DOI: 10.1002/bit.26502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Protein glycosylation, or the attachment of sugar moieties (glycans) to proteins, is important for protein stability, activity, and immunogenicity. However, understanding the roles and regulations of site-specific glycosylation events remains a significant challenge due to several technological limitations. These limitations include a lack of available tools for biochemical characterization of enzymes involved in glycosylation. A particular challenge is the synthesis of oligosaccharyltransferases (OSTs), which catalyze the attachment of glycans to specific amino acid residues in target proteins. The difficulty arises from the fact that canonical OSTs are large (>70 kDa) and possess multiple transmembrane helices, making them difficult to overexpress in living cells. Here, we address this challenge by establishing a bacterial cell-free protein synthesis platform that enables rapid production of a variety of OSTs in their active conformations. Specifically, by using lipid nanodiscs as cellular membrane mimics, we obtained yields of up to 420 μg/ml for the single-subunit OST enzyme, "Protein glycosylation B" (PglB) from Campylobacter jejuni, as well as for three additional PglB homologs from Campylobacter coli, Campylobacter lari, and Desulfovibrio gigas. Importantly, all of these enzymes catalyzed N-glycosylation reactions in vitro with no purification or processing needed. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability of cell-free synthesized OSTs to glycosylate multiple target proteins with varying N-glycosylation acceptor sequons. We anticipate that this broadly applicable production method will advance glycoengineering efforts by enabling preparative expression of membrane-embedded OSTs from all kingdoms of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A Schoborg
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Jasmine M Hershewe
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Evanston, Illinois.,Master of Biotechnology Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Jessica C Stark
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Weston Kightlinger
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Evanston, Illinois
| | - James E Kath
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Evanston, Illinois
| | - Thapakorn Jaroentomeechai
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Matthew P DeLisa
- Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.,Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Evanston, Illinois.,Master of Biotechnology Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois.,Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
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23
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Redirecting membrane machinery. Nat Chem Biol 2017; 13:927-928. [DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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24
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Mizrachi D, Robinson MP, Ren G, Ke N, Berkmen M, DeLisa MP. A water-soluble DsbB variant that catalyzes disulfide-bond formation in vivo. Nat Chem Biol 2017; 13:1022-1028. [PMID: 28628094 PMCID: PMC5562517 DOI: 10.1038/nchembio.2409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Escherichia coli DsbB is a transmembrane enzyme that catalyzes the reoxidation of the periplasmic oxidase DsbA by ubiquinone. Here, we sought to convert membrane-bound DsbB into a water-soluble biocatalyst by leveraging a previously described method for in vivo solubilization of integral membrane proteins (IMPs). When solubilized DsbB variants were coexpressed with an export-defective copy of DsbA in the cytoplasm of wild-type E. coli cells, artificial oxidation pathways were created that efficiently catalyzed de novo disulfide-bond formation in a range of substrate proteins, in a manner dependent on both DsbA and quinone. Hence, DsbB solubilization was achieved with preservation of both catalytic activity and substrate specificity. Moreover, given the generality of the solubilization technique, the results presented here should pave the way to unlocking the biocatalytic potential of other membrane-bound enzymes whose utility has been limited by poor stability of IMPs outside of their native lipid-bilayer context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Mizrachi
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - Michael-Paul Robinson
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - Guoping Ren
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Rd, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
| | - Na Ke
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Rd, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
| | - Mehmet Berkmen
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Rd, Ipswich, MA, 01938, USA
| | - Matthew P. DeLisa
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
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25
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Abstract
Membrane proteins play crucial roles in cellular processes and are often important pharmacological drug targets. The hydrophobic properties of these proteins make full structural and functional characterization challenging because of the need to use detergents or other solubilizing agents when extracting them from their native lipid membranes. To aid membrane protein research, new methodologies are required to allow these proteins to be expressed and purified cheaply, easily, in high yield and to provide water soluble proteins for subsequent study. This mini review focuses on the relatively new area of water soluble membrane proteins and in particular two innovative approaches: the redesign of membrane proteins to yield water soluble variants and how adding solubilizing fusion proteins can help to overcome these challenges. This review also looks at naturally occurring membrane proteins, which are able to exist as stable, functional, water soluble assemblies with no alteration to their native sequence.
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26
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Dörr JM, Scheidelaar S, Koorengevel MC, Dominguez JJ, Schäfer M, van Walree CA, Killian JA. The styrene-maleic acid copolymer: a versatile tool in membrane research. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2016; 45:3-21. [PMID: 26639665 PMCID: PMC4698303 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-015-1093-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 275] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/12/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
A new and promising tool in membrane research is the detergent-free solubilization of membrane proteins by styrene-maleic acid copolymers (SMAs). These amphipathic molecules are able to solubilize lipid bilayers in the form of nanodiscs that are bounded by the polymer. Thus, membrane proteins can be directly extracted from cells in a water-soluble form while conserving a patch of native membrane around them. In this review article, we briefly discuss current methods of membrane protein solubilization and stabilization. We then zoom in on SMAs, describe their physico-chemical properties, and discuss their membrane-solubilizing effect. This is followed by an overview of studies in which SMA has been used to isolate and investigate membrane proteins. Finally, potential future applications of the methodology are discussed for structural and functional studies on membrane proteins in a near-native environment and for characterizing protein-lipid and protein-protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas M Dörr
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Stefan Scheidelaar
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Martijn C Koorengevel
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Juan J Dominguez
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marre Schäfer
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Cornelis A van Walree
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, 5001, Australia
| | - J Antoinette Killian
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Center for Biomolecular Research and Institute of Biomembranes, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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