Surface immobilization strategies for the development of electrochemical nucleic acid sensors

Following the recent pandemic and with the emergence of cell-free nucleic acids in liquid biopsies as promising biomarkers for a broad range of pathologies, there is an increasing demand for a new generation of nucleic acid tests, with a particular focus on cost-effective, highly sensitive and specific biosensors. Easily miniaturized electrochemical sensors show the greatest promise and most typically rely on the chemical functionalization of conductive materials or electrodes with sequence-specific hybridization probes made of standard oligonucleotides (DNA or RNA) or synthetic analogues (e.g. Peptide Nucleic Acids or PNAs). The robustness of such sensors is mostly influenced by the ability to control the density and orientation of the probe at the surface of the electrode, making the chemistry used for this immobilization a key parameter. This exhaustive review will cover the various strategies to immobilize nucleic acid probes onto different solid electrode materials. Both physical and chemical immobilization techniques will be presented. Their applicability to specific electrode materials and surfaces will also be discussed as well as strategies for passivation of the electrode surface as a way of preventing electrode fouling and reducing nonspecific binding.

Synthesis, optical and dielectric properties of polyacryloyloxy imino fluorophenyl acetamide and polyacryloyloxy imino fluorophenyl acetamide-co-polystyrene sulfonate

Our scope is synthesis a new poly fluorobenzamide oxime ester and study its structural, optical, and dielectric properties. Consequently, ((E)-2-((acryloyloxy)imino)-N-(4-fluorophenyl) acetamide) (AIFPA) was as-synthesized via a condensation reaction of (E)-N-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(hydroxyimino) acetamide with acrylic acid to polymerize it via free radical polymerization (PAIFPA). over and above, the synthesized PAIFPA was inserted in more polymerization action with polystyrene sulfonate through the grafting process (PAIFPA-co-PSS). The chemical structures and morphology of AIFPA, PAIFPA, and PAIFPA-co-PSS were characterized by 1H NMR, FTIR, and XRD. The crystallinity index of PAIFPA, and PAIFPA-co-PSS was studied, affording that PAIFPA-co-PSS has the highest crystallinity. Moreover, The optical bandgap that obtained from absorbance analysis was encountered to be in the range of 2.6 eV to 3.5 eV. Ultimately, the dielectric properties of PAIFPA, and PAIFPA-co-PSS showed that electric conductivity values ranged from 6.12 × 10–8 to 7.11 × 10–7 S.cm−1, and 5.48 × 10–10 to 7.75 × 10–8 S.cm−1, respectively. It has a great deal of interest of PAIFPA-co-PSS which has wide band gap energy as short-wavelength light absorbers to be used in tandem polymer solar cells.

Two-point immobilization of a conformation-specific beta2-adrenoceptor for recognizing the receptor agonists or antagonists inspired by binding-induced DNA assembly

Immobilized protein has advanced in many areas like drug discovery. While this field evolved rapidly over the last three decades, the immobilization platform for the G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) remains unpromising due to its instability under the relatively harsh conditions of current methodologies. Taking beta₂-adrenoceptor (β₂-AR) as an example, we presented here a general strategy for immobilization of GPCRs by combining the His₆-tag trap system, conformation-specific aptamer, and target binding induced DNA hybridization. Morphology characterization by diverse assays confirmed a monolayer of β₂-AR on the microsphere surface. The radio-ligand binding assay and immuno-transmission electron microscopy showed desirable ligand- and antibody-binding activities. A case study of chromatography using the immobilized receptor as a stationary phase exhibited a demonstrable conformation specificity that enables the selective recognition of the receptor agonists or antagonists. Owing to the competitive strand displacement during the immobilization, the method proved to be capable of sensitively and directly determining the receptor density on the surface which enormously challenges most of the reported assays. This method is possible to turn into a general strategy for the immobilization of GPCRs with a defined orientation, conformation, function, and density, thus paving the way for precisely realizing the receptor-ligand binding interaction and screening the receptor agonist or antagonist with high efficiency.

Light-Triggered Click Chemistry

The merging of click chemistry with discrete photochemical processes has led to the creation of a new class of click reactions, collectively known as photoclick chemistry. These light-triggered click reactions allow the synthesis of diverse organic structures in a rapid and precise manner under mild conditions. Because light offers unparalleled spatiotemporal control over the generation of the reactive intermediates, photoclick chemistry has become an indispensable tool for a wide range of spatially addressable applications including surface functionalization, polymer conjugation and cross-linking, and biomolecular labeling in the native cellular environment. Over the past decade, a growing number of photoclick reactions have been developed, especially those based on the 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions and Diels-Alder reactions owing to their excellent reaction kinetics, selectivity, and biocompatibility. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of photoclick reactions and their applications in chemical biology and materials science. A particular emphasis is placed on the historical contexts and mechanistic insights into each of the selected reactions. The in-depth discussion presented here should stimulate further development of the field, including the design of new photoactivation modalities, the continuous expansion of λ-orthogonal tandem photoclick chemistry, and the innovative use of these unique tools in bioconjugation and nanomaterial synthesis.

Chemical modifications of proteins and their applications in metalloenzyme studies

Protein chemical modifications are important tools for elucidating chemical and biological functions of proteins. Several strategies have been developed to implement these modifications, including enzymatic tailoring reactions, unnatural amino acid incorporation using the expanded genetic codes, and recognition-driven transformations. These technologies have been applied in metalloenzyme studies, specifically in dissecting their mechanisms, improving their enzymatic activities, and creating artificial enzymes with non-natural activities. Herein, we summarize some of the recent efforts in these areas with an emphasis on a few metalloenzyme case studies.

Clicked Bifunctional Dendrimeric and Cyclopeptidic Addressable Redox Scaffolds for the Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes with Redox Molecules and Enzymes

Carbon nanotube electrodes were modified with ferrocene and laccase using two different click reactions strategies and taking advantage of bifunctional dendrimers and cyclopeptides. Using diazonium functionalization and the efficiency of oxime ligation, the combination of both multiwalled carbon nanotube surfaces and modified dendrimers or cyclopeptides allows the access to a high surface coverage of ferrocene in the order of 50 nmol cm^-2, a 50-fold increase compared to a classic click reaction without oxime ligation of these highly branched macromolecules. Furthermore, this original immobilization strategy allows the immobilization of mono- and bi-functionalized active multicopper enzymes, laccases, via copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. Electrochemical studies underline the high efficiency of the oxime-ligated dendrimers or cyclopeptides for the immobilization of redox entities on surfaces while being detrimental to electron tunneling with enzyme active sites despite controlled orientation.

A Bottom-Up Approach Grafts Collagen Fibrils Perpendicularly to Titanium Surfaces

Currently, titanium dental implant apposition to bone is achieved via osseointegration leading to ankylosis. A biomimetic Sharpey's fiber-type interface could be constructed around collagen fibrils robustly attached and projecting perpendicularly from the titanium surface. We present a proof-of-concept for a method to create upright-standing collagen nanofibrils covalently bonded to a titanium surface. The method involves activation of the titanium surface using a plasma discharge treatment followed by functionalization with an oxyamine-terminated silane coupling molecule. Using Rapoport's salt, the N-termini of individual type I collagen monomers are converted to ketones. When presented to the functionalized titanium surface, these ketones form oxime linkages with the silanes thus immobilizing the collagen. In a two-step process, these covalently bonded monomers act as sites for the formation of fibrils. Many fibril-surface junctions were observed by scanning electron microscopy on three different surfaces. These findings set the stage for working toward a high surface density of such features which might act as a platform from which to build a synthetic ligament.

Aldehyde-Mediated Protein-to-Surface Tethering via Controlled Diazonium Electrode Functionalization Using Protected Hydroxylamines

We report a diazonium electro-grafting method for the covalent modification of conducting surfaces with aldehyde-reactive hydroxylamine functionalities that facilitate the wiring of redox-active (bio)molecules to electrode surfaces. Hydroxylamine near-monolayer formation is achieved via a phthalimide-protection and hydrazine-deprotection strategy that overcomes the multilayer formation that typically complicates diazonium surface modification. This surface modification strategy is characterized using electrochemistry (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring. Thus-modified glassy carbon, boron-doped diamond, and gold surfaces are all shown to ligate to small molecule aldehydes, yielding surface coverages of 150-170, 40, and 100 pmol cm^-2, respectively. Bioconjugation is demonstrated via the coupling of a dilute (50 μM) solution of periodate-oxidized horseradish peroxidase enzyme to a functionalized gold surface under biocompatible conditions (H₂O solvent, pH 4.5, 25 °C).

Modular activatable bioorthogonal reagents

The bioorthogonal reaction toolbox contains approximately two-dozen unique chemistries that permit selective tagging and probing of biomolecules. Over the past two decades, significant effort has been devoted to optimizing and discovering bioorthogonal reagents that are faster, fluorogenic, and orthogonal to the already existing bioorthogonal repertoire. Conversely, efforts to explore bioorthogonal reagents whose reactivity can be controlled in space and/or time are limited. The "activatable" bioorthogonal reagents that do exist are often unimodal, meaning that their reagent's activation method cannot be easily modified to enable activation with red-shifted wavelengths, enzymes, or metabolic-byproducts and ions like H₂O₂ or Fe³⁺. Here, we summarize the available activatable bioorthogonal reagents with a focus on our recent addition: modular caged cyclopropenes. We designed caged cyclopropenes to be unreactive to their bioorthogonal partner until they are activated through the removal of the cage by light, an enzyme, or another reaction partner. To accomplish this, their structure includes a nitrogen atom at the cyclopropene C3 position that is decorated with the desired caging group through a carbamate linkage. This 3-N cyclopropene system can allow control of cyclopropene reactivity using a multitude of already available photo- and enzyme-caging groups. Additionally, this cyclopropene scaffold can enable metabolic-byproduct or ion activation of bioorthogonal reactions.

Bioorthogonal strategies for site-directed decoration of biomaterials with therapeutic proteins

Emerging strategies targeting site-specific protein modifications allow for unprecedented selectivity, fast kinetics and mild reaction conditions with high yield. These advances open exciting novel possibilities for the effective bioorthogonal decoration of biomaterials with therapeutic proteins. Site-specificity is particularly important to the therapeutics' end and translated by targeting specific functional groups or introducing new functional groups into the therapeutic at predefined positions. Biomimetic strategies are designed for modification of therapeutics emulating enzymatic strategies found in Nature. These strategies are suitable for a diverse range of applications - not only for protein-polymer conjugation, particle decoration and surface immobilization, but also for the decoration of complex biomaterials and the synthesis of bioresponsive drug delivery systems. This article reviews latest chemical and enzymatic strategies for the biorthogonal decoration of biomaterials with therapeutic proteins and inter-positioned linker structures. Finally, the numerous reports at the interface of biomaterials, linkers, and therapeutic protein decoration are integrated into practical advice for design considerations intended to support the selection of productive ligation strategies.

Controlling Protein Surface Orientation by Strategic Placement of Oligo-Histidine Tags

We report oriented immobilization of proteins using the standard hexahistidine (His6)-Ni2+:NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid) methodology, which we systematically tuned to give control of surface coverage. Fluorescence microscopy and surface plasmon resonance measurements of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of red fluorescent proteins (TagRFP) showed that binding strength increased by 1 order of magnitude for each additional His6-tag on the TagRFP proteins. All TagRFP variants with His6-tags located on only one side of the barrel-shaped protein yielded a 1.5 times higher surface coverage compared to variants with His6-tags on opposite sides of the so-called β-barrel. Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements supported by polarized infrared spectroscopy verified that the orientation (and thus coverage and functionality) of proteins on surfaces can be controlled by strategic placement of a His6-tag on the protein. Molecular dynamics simulations show how the differently tagged proteins reside at the surface in "end-on" and "side-on" orientations with each His6-tag contributing to binding. Also, not every dihistidine subunit in a given His6-tag forms a full coordination bond with the Ni2+:NTA SAMs, which varied with the position of the His6-tag on the protein. At equal valency but different tag positions on the protein, differences in binding were caused by probing for Ni2+:NTA moieties and by additional electrostatic interactions between different fractions of the β-barrel structure and charged NTA moieties. Potential of mean force calculations indicate there is no specific single-protein interaction mode that provides a clear preferential surface orientation, suggesting that the experimentally measured preference for the end-on orientation is a supra-protein, not a single-protein, effect.

Targeting the N terminus for site-selective protein modification

The formation of well-defined protein bioconjugates is critical for many studies and technologies in chemical biology. Tried-and-true methods for accomplishing this typically involve the targeting of cysteine residues, but the rapid growth of contemporary bioconjugate applications has required an expanded repertoire of modification techniques. One very powerful set of strategies involves the modification of proteins at their N termini, as these positions are typically solvent exposed and provide chemically distinct sites for many protein targets. Several chemical techniques can be used to modify N-terminal amino acids directly or convert them into unique functional groups for further ligations. A growing number of N-terminus-specific enzymatic ligation strategies have provided additional possibilities. This Perspective provides an overview of N-terminal modification techniques and the chemical rationale governing each. Examples of specific N-terminal protein conjugates are provided, along with their uses in a number of diverse biological applications.

Extremely rapid and versatile synthesis of high molecular weight step growth polymers via oxime click chemistry

Extremely rapid step growth polymerization was achieved using an oxime click chemistry approach.

The emergence of oxime click chemistry and its utility in polymer science

The synthesis of new, highly functional and dynamic polymeric materials has risen dramatically since the introduction of click chemistry in 2001.

Developments and recent advancements in the field of endogenous amino acid selective bond forming reactions for bioconjugation

Bioconjugation methodologies have proven to play a central enabling role in the recent development of biotherapeutics and chemical biology approaches. Recent endeavours in these fields shed light on unprecedented chemical challenges to attain bioselectivity, biocompatibility, and biostability required by modern applications. In this review the current developments in various techniques of selective bond forming reactions of proteins and peptides were highlighted. The utility of each endogenous amino acid-selective conjugation methodology in the fields of biology and protein science has been surveyed with emphasis on the most relevant among reported transformations; selectivity and practical use have been discussed.

Oximes as reversible links in polymer chemistry: dynamic macromolecular stars

We demonstrate the formation of oxime-functional macromolecular stars that are able to dissociate and reconstruct themselves upon application of a stimulus.

Chemoselective immobilization of proteins by microcontact printing and bio-orthogonal click reactions

Herein, a combination of microcontact printing of functionalized alkanethiols and site-specific modification of proteins is utilized to chemoselectively immobilize proteins onto gold surfaces, either by oxime- or copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide click chemistry. Two molecules capable of click reactions were synthesized, an aminooxy-functionalized alkanethiol and an azide-functionalized alkanethiol, and self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formation on gold was confirmed by IR spectroscopy. The alkanethiols were then individually patterned onto gold surfaces by microcontact printing. Site-specifically modified proteins-horse heart myoglobin (HHMb) containing an N-terminal α-oxoamide and a red fluorescent protein (mCherry-CVIA) with a C-terminal alkyne-were immobilized by incubation onto respective stamped functionalized alkanethiol patterns. Pattern formation was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy.

Simultaneous dual protein labeling using a triorthogonal reagent

Construction of heterofunctional proteins is a rapidly emerging area of biotherapeutics. Combining a protein with other moieties, such as a targeting element, a toxic protein or small molecule, and a fluorophore or polyethylene glycol (PEG) group, can improve the specificity, functionality, potency, and pharmacokinetic profile of a protein. Protein farnesyl transferase (PFTase) is able to site-specifically and quantitatively prenylate proteins containing a C-terminal CaaX-box amino acid sequence with various modified isoprenoids. Here, we describe the design, synthesis, and application of a triorthogonal reagent, 1, that can be used to site-specifically incorporate an alkyne and aldehyde group simultaneously into a protein. To illustrate the capabilities of this approach, a protein was enzymatically modified with compound 1 followed by oxime ligation and click reaction to simultaneously incorporate an azido-tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA) fluorophore and an aminooxy-PEG moiety. This was performed with both a model protein [green fluorescent protein (GFP)] as well as a therapeutically useful protein [ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF)]. Next, a protein was enzymatically modified with compound 1 followed by coupling to an azido-bis-methotrexate dimerizer and aminooxy-TAMRA. Incubation of that construct with a dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR)-DHFR-anti-CD3 fusion protein resulted in the self-assembly of nanoring structures that were endocytosed into T-leukemia cells and visualized therein. These results highlight how complex multifunctional protein assemblies can be prepared using this facile triorthogonal approach.

Site-Specific Protein Bioconjugation via a Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate-Mediated N-Terminal Transamination Reaction

The covalent attachment of chemical groups to proteins is a critically important tool for the study of protein function and the creation of protein-based materials. Methods of site-specific protein modification are necessary for the generation of well defined bioconjugates possessing a new functional group in a single position in the amino acid sequence. This article describes a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-mediated transamination reaction that is specific for the N-terminus of a protein. The reaction oxidizes the N-terminal amine to a ketone or an aldehyde, which can form a stable oxime linkage with an alkoxyamine reagent of choice. Screening studies have identified the most reactive N-terminal residues, facilitating the use of site-directed mutagenesis to achieve high levels of conversion. Additionally, this reaction has been shown to be effective for a number of targets that are not easily accessed through heterologous expression, such as monoclonal antibodies. Curr. Protoc. Chem. Biol. 2:125-134 © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Recyclable thermoresponsive polymer-cellulase bioconjugates for biomass depolymerization

Here we report the construction and characterization of a recoverable, thermoresponsive polymer-endoglucanase bioconjugate that matches the activity of unmodified enzymes on insoluble cellulose substrates. Two copolymers exhibiting a thermoresponsive lower critical solution temperature (LCST) were created through the copolymerization of an aminooxy-bearing methacrylamide with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) or N-isopropylmethacrylamide (NIPMa). The aminooxy group provided a handle through which the LCST was adjusted through small-molecule quenching. This allowed materials with LCSTs ranging from 20.9 to 60.5 °C to be readily obtained after polymerization. The thermostable endoglucanase EGPh from the hypothermophilic Pyrococcus horikoshii was transaminated with pyridoxal-5'-phosphate to produce a ketone-bearing protein, which was then site-selectively modified through oxime linkage with benzylalkoxyamine or 5 kDa-poly(ethylene glycol)-alkoxyamine. These modified proteins showed activity comparable to the controls when assayed on an insoluble cellulosic substrate. Two polymer bioconjugates were then constructed using transaminated EGPh and the aminooxy-bearing copolymers. After 12 h, both bioconjugates produced an equivalent amount of free reducing sugars as the unmodified control using insoluble cellulose as a substrate. The recycling ability of the NIPAm copolymer-EGPh conjugate was determined through three rounds of activity, maintaining over 60% activity after two cycles of reuse and affording significantly more soluble carbohydrates than unmodified enzyme alone. When assayed on acid-pretreated Miscanthus, this bioconjugate increased the amount of reducing sugars by 2.8-fold over three rounds of activity. The synthetic strategy of this bioconjugate allows the LCST of the material to be changed readily from a common stock of copolymer and the method of attachment is applicable to a variety of proteins, enabling the same approach to be amenable to thermophile-derived cellulases or to the separation of multiple species using polymers with different recovery temperatures.

Supramolecularly oriented immobilization of proteins using cucurbit[8]uril

A supramolecular strategy is used for oriented positioning of proteins on surfaces. A viologen-based guest molecule is attached to the surface, while a naphthol guest moiety is chemoselectively ligated to a yellow fluorescent protein. Cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) is used to link the proteins onto surfaces through specific charge-transfer interactions between naphthol and viologen inside the CB cavity. The assembly process is characterized using fluorescence and atomic force microscopy, surface plasmon resonance, IR-reflective absorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Two different immobilization routes are followed to form patterns of the protein ternary complexes on the surfaces. Each immobilization route consists of three steps: (i) attaching the viologen to the glass using microcontact chemistry, (ii) blocking, and (iii) either incubation or microcontact printing of CB[8] and naphthol guests. In both cases uniform and stable fluorescent patterns are fabricated with a high signal-to-noise ratio. Control experiments confirm that CB[8] serves as a selective linking unit to form stable and homogeneous ternary surface-bound complexes as envisioned. The attachment of the yellow fluorescent protein complexes is shown to be reversible and reusable for assembly as studied using fluorescence microscopy.

Reversible and oriented immobilization of ferrocene-modified proteins

Adopting supramolecular chemistry for immobilization of proteins is an attractive strategy that entails reversibility and responsiveness to stimuli. The reversible and oriented immobilization and micropatterning of ferrocene-tagged yellow fluorescent proteins (Fc-YFPs) onto β-cyclodextrin (βCD) molecular printboards was characterized using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy in combination with electrochemistry. The proteins were assembled on the surface through the specific supramolecular host-guest interaction between βCD and ferrocene. Application of a dynamic covalent disulfide lock between two YFP proteins resulted in a switch from monovalent to divalent ferrocene interactions with the βCD surface, yielding a more stable protein immobilization. The SPR titration data for the protein immobilization were fitted to a 1:1 Langmuir-type model, yielding K(LM) = 2.5 × 10(5) M(-1) and K(i,s) = 1.2 × 10(3) M(-1), which compares favorably to the intrinsic binding constant presented in the literature for the monovalent interaction of ferrocene with βCD self-assembled monolayers. In addition, the SPR binding experiments were qualitatively simulated, confirming the binding of Fc-YFP in both divalent and monovalent fashion to the βCD monolayers. The Fc-YFPs could be patterned on βCD surfaces in uniform monolayers, as revealed using fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy measurements. Both fluorescence microscopy imaging and SPR measurements were carried out with the in situ capability to perform cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. These studies emphasize the repetitive desorption and adsorption of the ferrocene-tagged proteins from the βCD surface upon electrochemical oxidation and reduction, respectively.

Conformational dynamics accompanying the proteolytic degradation of trimeric collagen I by collagenases

Collagenases are the principal enzymes responsible for the degradation of collagens during embryonic development, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. However, the mechanism by which these enzymes disrupt the highly chemically and structurally stable collagen triple helix remains incompletely understood. We used a single-molecule magnetic tweezers assay to characterize the cleavage of heterotrimeric collagen I by both the human collagenase matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and collagenase from Clostridium histolyticum. We observe that the application of 16 pN of force causes an 8-fold increase in collagen proteolysis rates by MMP-1 but does not affect cleavage rates by Clostridium collagenase. Quantitative analysis of these data allows us to infer the structural changes in collagen associated with proteolytic cleavage by both enzymes. Our data support a model in which MMP-1 cuts a transient, stretched conformation of its recognition site. In contrast, our findings suggest that Clostridium collagenase is able to cleave the fully wound collagen triple helix, accounting for its lack of force sensitivity and low sequence specificity. We observe that the cleavage of heterotrimeric collagen is less force sensitive than the proteolysis of a homotrimeric collagen model peptide, consistent with studies suggesting that the MMP-1 recognition site in heterotrimeric collagen I is partially unwound at equilibrium.

Oxime linkage: a robust tool for the design of pH-sensitive polymeric drug carriers

Oxime bonds dispersed in the backbones of the synthetic polymers, while young in the current spectrum of the biomedical application, are rapidly extending into their own niche. In the present work, oxime linkages were confirmed to be a robust tool for the design of pH-sensitive polymeric drug delivery systems. The triblock copolymer (PEG-OPCL-PEG) consisting of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic oxime-tethered polycaprolactone (OPCL) was successfully prepared by aminooxy terminals of OPCL ligating with aldehyde-terminated PEG (PEG-CHO). Owing to its amphiphilic architecture, PEG-OPCL-PEG self-assembled into the micelles in aqueous media, validated by the measurement of critical micelle concentration (CMC). The MTT assay showed that PEG-OPCL-PEG exhibited low cytotoxicity against NIH/3T3 normal cells. Doxorubicin (DOX) as a model drug was encapsulated into the PEG-OPCL-PEG micelles. Drug release study revealed that the DOX release from micelles was significantly accelerated at mildly acid pH of 5.0 compared to physiological pH of 7.4, suggesting the pH-responsive feature of the drug delivery systems with oxime linkages. Flow cytometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) measurements indicated that these DOX-loaded micelles were easily internalized by living cells. MTT assay against HeLa cancer cells showed DOX-loaded PEG-OPCL-PEG micelles had a high anticancer efficacy. All of these results demonstrate that these polymeric micelles self-assembled from oxime-tethered block copolymers are promising carriers for the pH-triggered intracellular delivery of hydrophobic anticancer drugs.

Evolving the use of peptides as components of biomaterials

This manuscript is part of a debate on the statement that "the use of short synthetic adhesion peptides, like RGD, is the best approach in the design of biomaterials that guide cell behavior for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering". We take the position that although there are some acknowledged disadvantages of using short peptide ligands within biomaterials, it is not necessary to discard the notion of using peptides within biomaterials entirely, but rather to reinvent and evolve their use. Peptides possess advantageous chemical definition, access to non-native chemistries, amenability to de novo design, and applicability within parallel approaches. Biomaterials development programs that require such aspects may benefit from a peptide-based strategy.

Protein nanopatterns by oxime bond formation

Patterning proteins on the nanoscale is important for applications in biology and medicine. As feature sizes are reduced, it is critical that immobilization strategies provide site-specific attachment of the biomolecules. In this study, oxime chemistry was exploited to conjugate proteins onto nanometer-sized features. Poly(Boc-aminooxy tetra(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) was synthesized by free radical polymerization. The polymer was patterned onto silicon wafers using an electron beam writer. Trifluoroacetic acid removal of the Boc groups provided the desired aminooxy functionality. In this manner, patterns of concentric squares and contiguous bowtie shapes were fabricated with 150-170-nm wide features. Ubiquitin modified at the N-terminus with an α-ketoamide group and N(ε)-levulinyl lysine-modified bovine serum albumin were subsequently conjugated to the polymer nanopatterns. Protein immobilization was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. Control studies on protected surfaces and using proteins presaturated with O-methoxyamine indicated that attachment occurred via oxime bond formation.

Identification of highly reactive sequences for PLP-mediated bioconjugation using a combinatorial peptide library

Chemical reactions that facilitate the attachment of synthetic groups to proteins are useful tools for the field of chemical biology and enable the incorporation of proteins into new materials. We have previously reported a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-mediated reaction that site-specifically oxidizes the N-terminal amine of a protein to afford a ketone. This unique functional group can then be used to attach a reagent of choice through oxime formation. Since its initial report, we have found that the N-terminal sequence of the protein can significantly influence the overall success of this strategy. To obtain short sequences that lead to optimal conversion levels, an efficient method for the evaluation of all possible N-terminal amino acid combinations was needed. This was achieved by developing a generalizable combinatorial peptide library screening platform suitable for the identification of sequences that display high levels of reactivity toward a desired bioconjugation reaction. In the context of N-terminal transamination, a highly reactive alanine-lysine motif emerged, which was confirmed to promote the modification of peptide substrates with PLP. This sequence was also tested on two protein substrates, leading to substantial increases in reactivity relative to their wild-type termini. This readily encodable tripeptide thus appears to provide a significant improvement in the reliability with which the PLP-mediated bioconjugation reaction can be used. This study also provides an important first example of how synthetic peptide libraries can accelerate the discovery and optimization of protein bioconjugation strategies.

Synthesis of a photo-caged aminooxy alkane thiol

A photo-caged aminooxy alkane thiol synthesized in 7 steps and 15% overall yield was used to form a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). Photo-deprotection on the surface was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy and contact angle goniometry. Conjugation of a small molecule ketone, ethyl levulinate, further confirmed the presence of aminooxy groups on the surface.