1
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Baharian A, Ishida H, Sillner C, Vogel HJ. Split intein-mediated backbone cyclization enhances the stability and activity of staphylokinase, a potent fibrin-selective plasminogen activator. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 275:133448. [PMID: 38945328 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Staphylokinase (Sak), a small 15 kDa globular protein that is secreted by certain strains of Staphylococcus aureus, shows a potent fibrin-selective thrombolytic activity. Earlier work has shown that Sak could potentially become a low-cost alternative to currently used thrombolytic agents, such as tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). In attempts to improve its potential for clinical applications, numerous modifications of Sak have already been investigated. Here, we have characterized a novel Sak modification, cyclized Sak (cyc-Sak), which was prepared through split-intein mediated protein backbone cyclization. We have characterized the structure, stability and the activity of cyc-Sak using biophysical techniques, limited proteolysis studies and plasminogen (PG)-activation assays. Our results show that cyc-Sak possesses an identical structure, enhanced stability, resistance to proteolysis by exoproteases and improved PG-activation properties compared to its linear counterpart. It can be over-expressed with high yield in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli and is easily purified in a two-step process. The intein-mediated cyclization occurs spontaneously in vivo during protein expression and does not necessitate further modification steps after purification of the protein. Furthermore, covalent Sak cyclization could be readily combined with other Sak modifications previously proposed, to generate an effective thrombolytic agent with lower immunogenicity and improved stability and activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azin Baharian
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Hiroaki Ishida
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Cassandra Sillner
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Hans J Vogel
- Biochemistry Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
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2
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Hanson GSM, Coxon CR. Fluorinated Tags to Study Protein Conformation and Interactions Using 19F NMR. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202400195. [PMID: 38744671 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202400195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The incorporation of fluorine atoms into a biomacromolecule provides a background-free and environmentally sensitive reporter of structure, conformation and interactions using 19F NMR. There are several methods to introduce the 19F reporter - either by synthetic incorporation via solid phase peptide synthesis; by suppressing the incorporation or biosynthesis of a natural amino acid and supplementing the growth media with a fluorinated counterpart during protein expression; and by genetic code expansion to add new amino acids to the amino acid alphabet. This review aims to discuss progress in the field of introducing fluorinated handles into biomolecules for NMR studies by post-translational bioconjugation or 'fluorine-tagging'. We will discuss the range of chemical tagging 'warheads' that have been used, explore the applications of fluorine tags, discuss ways to enhance reporter sensitivity and how the signal to noise ratios can be boosted. Finally, we consider some key challenges of the field and offer some ideas for future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- George S M Hanson
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, EH9 3FJ, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Christopher R Coxon
- EaStChem School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, Joseph Black Building, Kings Buildings, West Mains Road, EH9 3FJ, Edinburgh, UK
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3
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He X, Lin T, Xie Y, Li J, Ge Y, Zhang S, Fan J. Backbone cyclization of Salmonella typhimurium diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase to enhance the activity and stability. Protein Expr Purif 2024; 218:106447. [PMID: 38369031 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2024.106447] [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: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
Diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase transforms D and L isomers of 2,3-diaminopropionate to pyruvate and ammonia. It catalyzes D- and l-serine less effectively. L-2,3-diaminopropionate is a precursor in the biosynthesis of oxalyl diaminopropionate as a neurotoxin in certain legume species. In this work, we cyclized the diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase from Salmonella typhimurium in vitro using the redox-responsive split intein, and identified that backbone cyclization afforded the enzyme with the improved activity, thermal stability and resistance to the exopeptidase proteolysis, different from effects of the incorporated sequence recognized by tobacco vein mottling virus protease at C-terminus. Using analyses of three fluorescent dyes including 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid, N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine, and thioflavin T, the same amounts of the cyclic protein displayed less fluorescence than those of the linear protein upon the heat treatment. The cyclic enzyme displayed the enhanced activity in Escherichia coli cells using the designed novel reporter. In this system, d-serine was added to the culture and transported into the cytoplasm. It was transformed by pre-overexpression of the diaminopropionate ammonia-lyase, and untransformed d-serine was oxidized by the coproduced human d-amino acid oxidase to generate hydrogen peroxide. This oxidant is monitored by the HyPer indicator. The current results presented that the cyclized enzyme could be applied as a better candidate to block the neurotoxin biosynthesis in certain plant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomei He
- College of Biology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Lu'an, 237012, PR China
| | - Tingting Lin
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Yuying Xie
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Jinjing Li
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Ge
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Shuncheng Zhang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Jun Fan
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China.
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4
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Lin T, Ge Y, Gao Q, Zhang D, Chen X, Hu Y, Fan J. Backbone Cyclization of Flavin Mononucleotide-Based Fluorescent Protein Increases Fluorescence and Stability. J Microbiol Biotechnol 2023; 33:1681-1691. [PMID: 37789714 PMCID: PMC10772547 DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2305.05011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Flavin mononucleotide-binding proteins or domains emit cyan-green fluorescence under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, but relatively low fluorescence and less thermostability limit their application as reporters. In this work, we incorporated the codon-optimized fluorescent protein from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with two different linkers independently into the redox-responsive split intein construct, overexpressed the precursors in hyperoxic Escherichia coli SHuffle T7 strain, and cyclized the target proteins in vitro in the presence of the reducing agent. Compared with the purified linear protein, the cyclic protein with the short linker displayed enhanced fluorescence. In contrast, cyclized protein with incorporation of the long linker including the myc-tag and human rhinovirus 3C protease cleavable sequence emitted slightly increased fluorescence compared with the protein linearized with the protease cleavage. The cyclic protein with the short linker also exhibited increased thermal stability and exopeptidase resistance. Moreover, induction of the target proteins in an oxygen-deficient culture rendered fluorescent E. coli BL21 (DE3) cells brighter than those overexpressing the linear construct. Thus, the cyclic reporter can hopefully be used in certain thermophilic anaerobes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Lin
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Ge
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
| | - Qing Gao
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
| | - Di Zhang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Chen
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
| | - Yafang Hu
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
| | - Jun Fan
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui 230036, P.R. China
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5
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Fang J, Li T, Lee J, Im D, Xu L, Liu Y, Seo J, Zhang WB. A single-domain protein catenane of dihydrofolate reductase. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad304. [PMID: 38188024 PMCID: PMC10769465 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
A single-domain protein catenane refers to two mechanically interlocked polypeptide rings that fold synergistically into a compact and integrated structure, which is extremely rare in nature. Here, we report a single-domain protein catenane of dihydrofolate reductase (cat-DHFR). This design was achieved by rewiring the connectivity between secondary motifs to introduce artificial entanglement and synthesis was readily accomplished through a series of programmed and streamlined post-translational processing events in cells without any additional in vitro reactions. The target molecule contained few exogenous motifs and was thoroughly characterized using a combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, protease cleavage experiments and ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry. Compared with the linear control, cat-DHFR retained its catalytic capability and exhibited enhanced stability against thermal or chemical denaturation due to conformational restriction. These results suggest that linear proteins may be converted into their concatenated single-domain counterparts with almost identical chemical compositions, well-preserved functions and elevated stabilities, representing an entirely new horizon in protein science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Fang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tianzuo Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiyeon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Dahye Im
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Lianjie Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yajie Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jongcheol Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing 100084, China
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6
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Miles SA, Nillama JA, Hunter L. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy: The Diverse Roles That Fluorine Can Play within Amino Acid Side Chains. Molecules 2023; 28:6192. [PMID: 37687021 PMCID: PMC10489206 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Side chain-fluorinated amino acids are useful tools in medicinal chemistry and protein science. In this review, we outline some general strategies for incorporating fluorine atom(s) into amino acid side chains and for elaborating such building blocks into more complex fluorinated peptides and proteins. We then describe the diverse benefits that fluorine can offer when located within amino acid side chains, including enabling 19F NMR and 18F PET imaging applications, enhancing pharmacokinetic properties, controlling molecular conformation, and optimizing target-binding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Luke Hunter
- School of Chemistry, The University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney 2052, Australia
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7
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Wang Y, Shi Y, Hellinga HW, Beese LS. Thermally controlled intein splicing of engineered DNA polymerases provides a robust and generalizable solution for accurate and sensitive molecular diagnostics. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5883-5894. [PMID: 37166959 PMCID: PMC10287962 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases are essential for nucleic acid synthesis, cloning, sequencing and molecular diagnostics technologies. Conditional intein splicing is a powerful tool for controlling enzyme reactions. We have engineered a thermal switch into thermostable DNA polymerases from two structurally distinct polymerase families by inserting a thermally activated intein domain into a surface loop that is integral to the polymerase active site, thereby blocking DNA or RNA template access. The fusion proteins are inactive, but retain their structures, such that the intein excises during a heat pulse delivered at 70-80°C to generate spliced, active polymerases. This straightforward thermal activation step provides a highly effective, one-component 'hot-start' control of PCR reactions that enables accurate target amplification by minimizing unwanted by-products generated by off-target reactions. In one engineered enzyme, derived from Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase, both DNA polymerase and reverse transcriptase activities are controlled by the intein, enabling single-reagent amplification of DNA and RNA under hot-start conditions. This engineered polymerase provides high-sensitivity detection for molecular diagnostics applications, amplifying 5-6 copies of the tested DNA and RNA targets with >95% certainty. The design principles used to engineer the inteins can be readily applied to construct other conditionally activated nucleic acid processing enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Yuqian Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Homme W Hellinga
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Lorena S Beese
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
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8
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Lin T, Zhang S, Zhang D, Chen X, Ge Y, Hu Y, Fan J. Use of the redox-dependent intein system for enhancing production of the cyclic green fluorescent protein. Protein Expr Purif 2023; 207:106272. [PMID: 37062513 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2023.106272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
To expand the reported redox-dependent intein system application, in this work, we used the split intein variant with highly trans-splicing efficiency and minimal extein dependence to cyclize the green fluorescent protein variant reporter in vitro. The CPG residues were introduced adjacent to the intein's catalytic cysteine for reversible formation of a disulfide bond to retard the trans-splicing reaction under the oxidative environment. The cyclized reporter protein in Escherichia coli cells was easily prepared by organic extraction and identified by the exopeptidase digestion. The amounts of extracted cyclized protein reporter in BL21 (DE3) cells were higher than those in hyperoxic SHuffle T7 coexpression system for facilitating the disulfide bond formation. The double His6-tagged precursor was purified for in vitro cyclization of the protein for 3 h. Compared with the purified linear counterpart, the cyclic reporter showed about twofold increase in fluorescence intensity, exhibited thermal and hydrolytic stability, and displayed better folding efficiency in BL21 (DE3) cells at the elevated temperature. Taken together, the developed redox-dependent intein system will be used for producing other cyclic disulfide-free proteins. The cyclic reporter is a potential candidate applied in certain thermophilic aerobes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Lin
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Shuncheng Zhang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Di Zhang
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Xiaofeng Chen
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Ge
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Yafang Hu
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China
| | - Jun Fan
- School of Life Science, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, PR China.
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9
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Stephen J, Salam F, Lekshmi M, Kumar SH, Varela MF. The Major Facilitator Superfamily and Antimicrobial Resistance Efflux Pumps of the ESKAPEE Pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12020343. [PMID: 36830254 PMCID: PMC9952236 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12020343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The ESKAPEE bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus has posed a serious public health concern for centuries. Throughout its evolutionary course, S. aureus has developed strains with resistance to antimicrobial agents. The bacterial pathogen has acquired multidrug resistance, causing, in many cases, untreatable infectious diseases and raising serious public safety and healthcare concerns. Amongst the various mechanisms for antimicrobial resistance, integral membrane proteins that serve as secondary active transporters from the major facilitator superfamily constitute a chief system of multidrug resistance. These MFS transporters actively export structurally different antimicrobial agents from the cells of S. aureus. This review article discusses the S. aureus-specific MFS multidrug efflux pump systems from a molecular mechanistic perspective, paying particular attention to structure-function relationships, modulation of antimicrobial resistance mediated by MFS drug efflux pumps, and direction for future investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerusha Stephen
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Fathima Salam
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Manjusha Lekshmi
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Sanath H. Kumar
- ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Education (CIFE), Mumbai 400061, India
| | - Manuel F. Varela
- Department of Biology, Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, NM 88130, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-575-562-2464
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10
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Wu WH, Guo J, Zhang L, Zhang WB, Gao W. Peptide/protein-based macrocycles: from biological synthesis to biomedical applications. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:815-829. [PMID: 35866174 PMCID: PMC9257627 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00246e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms have evolved cyclic or multicyclic peptides and proteins with enhanced stability and high bioactivity superior to their linear counterparts for diverse purposes. Herein, we review recent progress in applying this concept to artificial peptides and proteins to exploit the functional benefits of these macrocycles. Not only have simple cyclic forms been prepared, numerous macrocycle variants, such as knots and links, have also been developed. The chemical tools and synthetic strategies are summarized for the biological synthesis of these macrocycles, demonstrating it as a powerful alternative to chemical synthesis. Its further application to therapeutic peptides/proteins has led to biomedicines with profoundly improved pharmaceutical performances. Finally, we present our perspectives on the field and its future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Jianwen Guo
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
| | - Longshuai Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Weiping Gao
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
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11
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Song H, Wang Y, Dong W, Chen Q, Sun H, Peng H, Li R, Chang Y, Luo H. Effect of SpyTag/SpyCatcher cyclization on stability and refolding of green fluorescent protein. Biotechnol Lett 2022; 44:613-621. [PMID: 35359178 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-022-03246-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
To study the effect of SpyTag/SpyCatcher cyclization on stability and refolding of protein, we constructed a cyclized green fluorescent protein (SRGFP) and its derivative to act as a linear structure control (L-SRGFP). SRGFP and L-SRGFP showed similar fluorescence characteristics to the wild-type GFP, while compared with GFP and L-SRGFP, the thermal stability and denaturation resistance of SRGFP were improved. The refolding efficiencies of these three denatured proteins were investigated under different pH, temperature and initial protein concentration conditions, and it was found that SRGFP was superior to GFP and L-SRGFP in terms of refolding yield and refolding speed. In the pH range of 8.0-8.5, SRGFP could basically recover all fluorescence, while GFP and L-SRGFP recovered only about 87.52% and 88.58%. When refolded at a high temperature (37 °C), SRGFP still recovered 85.27% of the fluorescence, whereas GFP and L-SRGFP recovered only around 69.43% and 68.45%. At a high initial protein concentration (5 mg/mL), the refolding yield of SRGFP was about 15% higher than that of both GFP and L-SRGFP. These results suggest that the introduction of SpyRing structure (head-to-tail cyclization via SpyTag and SpyCatcher) improved the protein's stability and facilitated the refolding of denatured protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Song
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Wenge Dong
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Qiwei Chen
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hongxu Sun
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Ren Li
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yanhong Chang
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, Beijing, 100083, China.
| | - Hui Luo
- Department of Biological Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
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12
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Haim A, Neubacher S, Grossmann TN. Protein Macrocyclization for Tertiary Structure Stabilization. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2672-2679. [PMID: 34060202 PMCID: PMC8453710 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202100111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Proteins possess unique molecular recognition capabilities and enzymatic activities, features that are usually tied to a particular tertiary structure. To make use of proteins for biotechnological and biomedical purposes, it is often required to enforce their tertiary structure in order to ensure sufficient stability under the conditions inherent to the application of interest. The introduction of intramolecular crosslinks has proven efficient in stabilizing native protein folds. Herein, we give an overview of methods that allow the macrocyclization of expressed proteins, discussing involved reaction mechanisms and structural implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anissa Haim
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesVU University AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Saskia Neubacher
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesVU University AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Incircular B.V.De Boelelaan 11081081 HZAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Tom N. Grossmann
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesVU University AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life SciencesVU University AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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13
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Hsu STD, Lee YTC, Mikula KM, Backlund SM, Tascón I, Goldman A, Iwaï H. Tying up the Loose Ends: A Mathematically Knotted Protein. Front Chem 2021; 9:663241. [PMID: 34109153 PMCID: PMC8182377 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.663241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Knots have attracted scientists in mathematics, physics, biology, and engineering. Long flexible thin strings easily knot and tangle as experienced in our daily life. Similarly, long polymer chains inevitably tend to get trapped into knots. Little is known about their formation or function in proteins despite >1,000 knotted proteins identified in nature. However, these protein knots are not mathematical knots with their backbone polypeptide chains because of their open termini, and the presence of a “knot” depends on the algorithm used to create path closure. Furthermore, it is generally not possible to control the topology of the unfolded states of proteins, therefore making it challenging to characterize functional and physicochemical properties of knotting in any polymer. Covalently linking the amino and carboxyl termini of the deeply trefoil-knotted YibK from Pseudomonas aeruginosa allowed us to create the truly backbone knotted protein by enzymatic peptide ligation. Moreover, we produced and investigated backbone cyclized YibK without any knotted structure. Thus, we could directly probe the effect of the backbone knot and the decrease in conformational entropy on protein folding. The backbone cyclization did not perturb the native structure and its cofactor binding affinity, but it substantially increased the thermal stability and reduced the aggregation propensity. The enhanced stability of a backbone knotted YibK could be mainly originated from an increased ruggedness of its free energy landscape and the destabilization of the denatured state by backbone cyclization with little contribution from a knot structure. Despite the heterogeneity in the side-chain compositions, the chemically unfolded cyclized YibK exhibited several macroscopic physico-chemical attributes that agree with theoretical predictions derived from polymer physics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang-Te Danny Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yun-Tzai Cloud Lee
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kornelia M Mikula
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sofia M Backlund
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Igor Tascón
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Adrian Goldman
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
| | - Hideo Iwaï
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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14
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Matsumoto D, Nomura W. Molecular Switch Engineering for Precise Genome Editing. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:639-648. [PMID: 33825445 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing technology commenced in 1996 with the discovery of the first zinc-finger nuclease. Application of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR) associated protein 9 (Cas9) technology to genome editing of mammalian cells allowed researchers to use genome editing more easily and cost-effectively. However, one of the technological problems that remains to be solved is "off-target effects", which are unexpected mutations in nontarget DNA. One significant improvement in genome editing technology has been achieved with molecular/protein engineering. The key to this engineering is a "switch" to control function. In this review, we discuss recent efforts to design novel "switching" systems for precise editing using genome editing tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Matsumoto
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan
| | - Wataru Nomura
- Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi Minami-ku, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan
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15
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Shi J, Hu J, Yuan Y, Zhang B, Guo W, Wu Y, Jiang L. Genetic Fusion of Transacting Activator of Transcription Peptide to Cyclized Green Fluorescence Protein Improves Stability, Intracellular Delivery, and Tumor Retention. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:7931-7940. [PMID: 33778304 PMCID: PMC7992142 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic proteins such as enzymes, hormones, and cytokines suffer from poor stability, inefficient cellular penetration, and rapid clearance from circulation. Conjugation with polymers (such as poly(ethylene glycol)) and fusion with long-acting proteins (such as albumin and Fc fragments) have been utilized to partially address the delivery issues, but these strategies require the introduction of new macromolecular substances, resulting in potential immunogenicity and toxicity. Herein, we report an easy strategy to increase the intracellular delivery efficiency and stability of proteins by combining of sortase-mediated protein cyclization and cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-mediated intracellular delivery. We, for the first time, genetically constructed a green fluorescence protein (GFP) fused with a CPP, a transacting activator of transcription (TAT) peptide, at its C-terminus for intracellular internalization, and two sortase recognition sequences, pentaglycine and LPETG, at its N- and C-termini for cyclization. Notably, the cyclized GFP-TAT (cGFP-TAT) not only highly retained the photophysical properties of the protein but also significantly improved the in vitro stability compared with the native linear GFP (lGFP) and linear TAT peptide-fused GFP (lGFP-TAT).Moreover, cGFP-TAT showed better cellular internalization ability compared with lGFP. In C26 tumor-inoculated mice, cGFP-TAT exhibited enhanced in vivo tumor retention, with increases of 7.79- and 6.52-fold relative to lGFP and lGFP-TAT in tumor retention 3 h after intratumor administration. This proof-of-concept study has provided an easy strategy to increase the in vitro stability, intracellular delivery efficiency, and in vivo tumor retention of GFP, which would be applicable to numerous therapeutic proteins and peptides for clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianquan Shi
- Department
of Intensive Care Unit, Beijing Chest Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Tuberculosis and Thoracic Tumor
Research Institute, Beijing 101149, China
| | - Jin Hu
- Department
of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe
and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union
Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yeshuang Yuan
- Department
of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe
and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union
Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, North Sichuan
Medical College, Nanchong 637100, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department
of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe
and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union
Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Wenting Guo
- Department
of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe
and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union
Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuanhao Wu
- Department
of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe
and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union
Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Lingjuan Jiang
- Department
of Medical Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe
and Rare Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union
Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
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16
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Jiang W, Zeng W. Construction of a Self-Purification and Self-Assembly Coenzyme Regeneration System for the Synthesis of Chiral Drug Intermediates. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:1911-1916. [PMID: 33521431 PMCID: PMC7841785 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c04668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
As one of the important research contents of synthetic biology, the construction of a regulatory system exhibits great potential in the synthesis of high value-added chemicals such as drug intermediates. In this work, a self-assembly coenzyme regeneration system, leucine dehydrogenase (LeuDH)-formate dehydrogenase (FDH) protein co-assembly system, was constructed by using the polypeptide, SpyTag/SpyCatcher. Then, it was demonstrated that the nonchromatographic inverse transition cycling purification method could purify intracellular coupling proteins and extracellular coupling proteins well. The conversion rate of the pure LeuDH-FDH protein assembly (FR-LR) was shown to be 1.6-fold and 32.3-fold higher than that of the free LeuDH-FDH system (LeuDH + FDH) and free LeuDH, respectively. This work has paved a new way of constructing a protein self-assembly system and engineering self-purification coenzyme regeneration system for the synthesis of chiral amino acids or chiral α-hydroxy acids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Jiang
- ; . Tel.: +86-05926162305. Fax: +86-05926162305
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17
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Mylemans B, Noguchi H, Deridder E, Lescrinier E, Tame JRH, Voet ARD. Influence of circular permutations on the structure and stability of a six-fold circular symmetric designer protein. Protein Sci 2020; 29:2375-2386. [PMID: 33006397 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The β-propeller fold is adopted by a sequentially diverse family of repeat proteins with apparent rotational symmetry. While the structure is mostly stabilized by hydrophobic interactions, an additional stabilization is provided by hydrogen bonds between the N-and C-termini, which are almost invariably part of the same β-sheet. This feature is often referred to as the "Velcro" closure. The positioning of the termini within a blade is variable and depends on the protein family. In order to investigate the influence of this location on protein structure, folding and stability, we created different circular permutants, and a circularized version, of the designer propeller protein named Pizza. This protein is perfectly symmetrical, possessing six identical repeats. While all mutants adopt the same structure, the proteins lacking the "Velcro" closure were found to be significantly less resistant to thermal and chemical denaturation. This could explain why such proteins are rarely observed in nature. Interestingly the most common "Velcro" configuration for this protein family was not the most stable among the Pizza variants tested. The circularized version shows dramatically improved stability, which could have implications for future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Els Deridder
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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18
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Pinto F, Thornton EL, Wang B. An expanded library of orthogonal split inteins enables modular multi-peptide assemblies. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1529. [PMID: 32251274 PMCID: PMC7090010 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15272-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Inteins are protein segments capable of joining adjacent residues via a peptide bond. In this process known as protein splicing, the intein itself is not present in the final sequence, thus achieving scarless peptide ligation. Here, we assess the splicing activity of 34 inteins (both uncharacterized and known) using a rapid split fluorescent reporter characterization platform, and establish a library of 15 mutually orthogonal split inteins for in vivo applications, 10 of which can be simultaneously used in vitro. We show that orthogonal split inteins can be coupled to multiple split transcription factors to implement complex logic circuits in living organisms, and that they can also be used for the in vitro seamless assembly of large repetitive proteins with biotechnological relevance. Our work demonstrates the versatility and vast potential of an expanded library of orthogonal split inteins for their use in the fields of synthetic biology and protein engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe Pinto
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Ella Lucille Thornton
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK
| | - Baojun Wang
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK.
- Centre for Synthetic and Systems Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FF, UK.
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19
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20
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Covalently-assembled single-chain protein nanostructures with ultra-high stability. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3317. [PMID: 31346167 PMCID: PMC6658521 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11285-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein nanostructures with precisely defined geometries have many potential applications in catalysis, sensing, signal processing, and drug delivery. While many de novo protein nanostructures have been assembled via non-covalent intramolecular and intermolecular interactions, a largely unexplored strategy is to construct nanostructures by covalently linking multiple individually folded proteins through site-specific ligations. Here, we report the synthesis of single-chain protein nanostructures with triangular and square shapes made using multiple copies of a three-helix bundle protein and split intein chemistry. Coarse-grained simulations confirm the experimentally observed flexibility of these nanostructures, which is optimized to produce triangular structures with high regularity. These single-chain nanostructures also display ultra-high thermostability, resist denaturation by chaotropes and organic solvents, and have applicability as scaffolds for assembling materials with nanometer resolution. Our results show that site-specific covalent ligation can be used to assemble individually folded proteins into single-chain nanostructures with bespoke architectures and high stabilities. De novo protein nanostructures are typically assembled via top-down approaches. Here, the authors developed a bottom-up approach, using split inteins to ligate multiple copies of a three-helix bundle to create 2D triangular and square-shaped structures with high stability.
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21
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Sarmiento C, Camarero JA. Biotechnological Applications of Protein Splicing. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2019; 20:408-424. [PMID: 30734675 PMCID: PMC7135711 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190208110416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing domains, also called inteins, have become a powerful biotechnological tool for applications involving molecular biology and protein engineering. Early applications of inteins focused on self-cleaving affinity tags, generation of recombinant polypeptide α-thioesters for the production of semisynthetic proteins and backbone cyclized polypeptides. The discovery of naturallyoccurring split-inteins has allowed the development of novel approaches for the selective modification of proteins both in vitro and in vivo. This review gives a general introduction to protein splicing with a focus on their role in expanding the applications of intein-based technologies in protein engineering and chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Sarmiento
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA9033 USA
| | - Julio A. Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA9033 USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA9033 USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-9121, USA
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22
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Wang XW, Zhang WB. SpyTag-SpyCatcher Chemistry for Protein Bioconjugation In Vitro and Protein Topology Engineering In Vivo. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 2033:287-300. [PMID: 31332761 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9654-4_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of "molecular superglue," such as SpyTag-SpyCatcher chemistry, has tremendously expanded our capability in manipulating protein shape and architecture via conjugation. Telechelic proteins bearing the SpyTag and SpyCatcher reactive sequences can be expressed and purified for bioconjugation in vitro, giving protein conjugates, branched proteins, and circular proteins. By encoding both reactive sequences in the same construct for expression in vivo, the nascent protein undergoes programmed posttranslational modification guided by protein folding and reaction, leading to diverse nonlinear topologies in situ. In this chapter, we present the SpyTag-SpyCatcher chemistry as a versatile platform for protein bioconjugation and topology engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wei Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Straub CT, Counts JA, Nguyen DMN, Wu CH, Zeldes BM, Crosby JR, Conway JM, Otten JK, Lipscomb GL, Schut GJ, Adams MWW, Kelly RM. Biotechnology of extremely thermophilic archaea. FEMS Microbiol Rev 2018; 42:543-578. [PMID: 29945179 DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuy012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the extremely thermophilic archaea (Topt ≥ 70°C) may be the most primitive extant forms of life, they have been studied to a limited extent relative to mesophilic microorganisms. Many of these organisms have unique biochemical and physiological characteristics with important biotechnological implications. These include methanogens that generate methane, fermentative anaerobes that produce hydrogen gas with high efficiency, and acidophiles that can mobilize base, precious and strategic metals from mineral ores. Extremely thermophilic archaea have also been a valuable source of thermoactive, thermostable biocatalysts, but their use as cellular systems has been limited because of the general lack of facile genetics tools. This situation has changed recently, however, thereby providing an important avenue for understanding their metabolic and physiological details and also opening up opportunities for metabolic engineering efforts. Along these lines, extremely thermophilic archaea have recently been engineered to produce a variety of alcohols and industrial chemicals, in some cases incorporating CO2 into the final product. There are barriers and challenges to these organisms reaching their full potential as industrial microorganisms but, if these can be overcome, a new dimension for biotechnology will be forthcoming that strategically exploits biology at high temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Straub
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
| | - James A Counts
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
| | - Diep M N Nguyen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Chang-Hao Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Benjamin M Zeldes
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
| | - James R Crosby
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
| | - Jonathan M Conway
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
| | - Jonathan K Otten
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
| | - Gina L Lipscomb
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Gerrit J Schut
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Michael W W Adams
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Robert M Kelly
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7905, USA
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24
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Wang XW, Zhang WB. Chemical Topology and Complexity of Protein Architectures. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 43:806-817. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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25
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Ye B, Shen W, Shi M, Zhang Y, Xu C, Zhao Z. Intein-mediated backbone cyclization of entolimod confers enhanced radioprotective activity in mouse models. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5043. [PMID: 29938138 PMCID: PMC6011820 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2018] [Accepted: 05/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Entolimod is a Salmonella enterica flagellin derivate. Previous work has demonstrated that entolimod effectively protects mice and non-human primates from ionizing radiation. However, it caused a “flu-like” syndrome after radioprotective and anticancer clinical application, indicating some type of immunogenicity and toxicity. Cyclization is commonly used to improve the in vivo stability and activity of peptides and proteins. Methods We designed and constructed cyclic entolimod using split Nostoc punctiforme DnaE intein with almost 100% cyclization efficiency. We adopted different strategies to purify the linear and circular entolimod due to their different topologies. Both of linear and circular entolimod were first purified by Ni-chelating affinity chromatography, and then the linear and circular entolimod were purified by size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography, respectively. Results The circular entolimod showed significantly increased both the in vitro NF-κB signaling and in vivo radioprotective activity in mice. Conclusion Our data indicates that circular entolimod might be a good candidate for further clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyu Ye
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China.,State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Cell Differentiation Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China.,Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Wenlong Shen
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Minglei Shi
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
| | - Cunshuan Xu
- College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China.,State Key Laboratory Cultivation Base for Cell Differentiation Regulation, College of Life Science, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
| | - Zhihu Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing, China
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26
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Bi X, Yin J, Hemu X, Rao C, Tam JP, Liu CF. Immobilization and Intracellular Delivery of Circular Proteins by Modifying a Genetically Incorporated Unnatural Amino Acid. Bioconjug Chem 2018; 29:2170-2175. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.8b00244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobao Bi
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | | | - Xinya Hemu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Chang Rao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - James P. Tam
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
| | - Chuan-Fa Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, 637551, Singapore
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27
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Structural insights into the backbone-circularized granulocyte colony-stimulating factor containing a short connector. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2018; 500:224-228. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.04.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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28
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Zhang RY, Thapa P, Espiritu MJ, Menon V, Bingham JP. From nature to creation: Going around in circles, the art of peptide cyclization. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:1135-1150. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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29
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Pavankumar TL. Inteins: Localized Distribution, Gene Regulation, and Protein Engineering for Biological Applications. Microorganisms 2018; 6:E19. [PMID: 29495613 PMCID: PMC5874633 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms6010019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 02/24/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are self-splicing polypeptides with an ability to excise themselves from flanking host protein regions with remarkable precision; in the process, they ligate flanked host protein fragments. Inteins are distributed sporadically across all three domains of life (bacteria, archaea, and unicellular eukaryotes). However, their apparent localized distribution in DNA replication, repair, and recombination proteins (the 3Rs), particularly in bacteria and archaea, is enigmatic. Our understanding of the localized distribution of inteins in the 3Rs, and their possible regulatory role in such distribution, is still only partial. Nevertheless, understanding the chemistry of post-translational self-splicing of inteins has opened up opportunities for protein chemists to modify, manipulate, and bioengineer proteins. Protein-splicing technology is adapted to a wide range of applications, starting with untagged protein purification, site-specific protein labeling, protein biotinylation, isotope incorporation, peptide cyclization, as an antimicrobial target, and so on. This review is focused on the chemistry of splicing; the localized distribution of inteins, particularly in the 3Rs and their possible role in regulating host protein function; and finally, the use of protein-splicing technology in various protein engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theetha L Pavankumar
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Briggs Hall, One Shields Ave, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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30
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31
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Miyafusa T, Shibuya R, Nishima W, Ohara R, Yoshida C, Honda S. Backbone Circularization Coupled with Optimization of Connecting Segment in Effectively Improving the Stability of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:2690-2696. [PMID: 28895717 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Backbone circularization of protein is a powerful method to improve its structural stability. In this paper, we presumed that a tight connection leads to much higher stability. Therefore, we designed circularized variants of a granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) with a structurally optimized terminal connection. To estimate the appropriate length of the connection, we surveyed the Protein Data Bank to find local structures as a model for the connecting segment. We set the library of local structures composed of "helix-loop-helix," subsequently selected entries similar to the G-CSF terminus, and finally sorted the hit structures according to the loop length. Two, five, or nine loop residues were frequently observed; thus, three circularized variants (C163, C166, and C170) were constructed, prepared, and evaluated. All circularized variants demonstrated a higher thermal stability than linear G-CSF (L175). In particular, C166 that retained five connecting residues demonstrated apparent Tm values of 69.4 °C, which is 8.7 °C higher than that of the circularized variant with no truncation (C177), indicating that the optimization of the connecting segment is effective for enhancing the overall structural stability. C166 also showed higher proteolytic stability against both endoprotease and exopeptidase than L175. We anticipate that the present study will contribute to the improvement in the general design of circularized protein and development of G-CSF biobetters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takamitsu Miyafusa
- Biomedical Research Institute, The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Risa Shibuya
- Department
of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of
Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Wataru Nishima
- Biomedical Research Institute, The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Rie Ohara
- Department
of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of
Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
| | - Chuya Yoshida
- Biomedical Research Institute, The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
| | - Shinya Honda
- Biomedical Research Institute, The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8566, Japan
- Department
of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of
Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8562, Japan
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32
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Wang XW, Zhang WB. Protein Catenation Enhances Both the Stability and Activity of Folded Structural Domains. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201705194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education; Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education; Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P. R. China
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33
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Wang XW, Zhang WB. Protein Catenation Enhances Both the Stability and Activity of Folded Structural Domains. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2017; 56:13985-13989. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201705194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 08/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education; Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education; Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P. R. China
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Chauhan S, Hou CY, Jung ST, Kang TJ. Detection and purification of backbone-cyclized proteins using a bacterially expressed anti-myc-tag single chain antibody. Anal Biochem 2017; 532:38-44. [PMID: 28600127 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
A myc-tag and of which recognition by an antibody 9E10 has long been used for the detection and purification of recombinant proteins. We have previously expanded the application of the tag to the specific detection and purification of backbone-cyclized proteins. Here we sought a more practical way to using the 9E10 antibody by expressing its single chain antibody (scAb) form in Escherichia coli. The combined use of a strong T7 promoter and auto-induction strategy rather than early to mid-log induction of a Lac promoter resulted in the soluble over-expression of 9E10 scAb. However, the co-expression of a chaperone, Skp, was absolutely necessary for the activity even when the protein was expressed in a soluble manner. We could purify about 4 mg of 9E10 scAb from 1 l of culture, and the resulting scAb could be used to detect and purify the backbone-cyclized protein as the parental full-length 9E10. Moreover, the immunoaffinity resin prepared using 9E10 scAb could be regenerated several times after the elution of bound proteins using an acid, which added more value to the ready preparation of the active antibody in bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushma Chauhan
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 04620, South Korea
| | - Chen Yuan Hou
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 04620, South Korea
| | - Sang Taek Jung
- Department of Bio and Nano Chemistry, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, South Korea
| | - Taek Jin Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Dongguk University-Seoul, Seoul 04620, South Korea.
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35
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Liu D, Wu WH, Liu YJ, Wu XL, Cao Y, Song B, Li X, Zhang WB. Topology Engineering of Proteins in Vivo Using Genetically Encoded, Mechanically Interlocking SpyX Modules for Enhanced Stability. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2017; 3:473-481. [PMID: 28573210 PMCID: PMC5445526 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.7b00104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Recombinant proteins are traditionally limited to linear configuration. Herein, we report in vivo protein topology engineering using highly efficient, mechanically interlocking SpyX modules named AXB and BXA. SpyX modules are protein domains composed of p53dim (X), SpyTag (A), and SpyCatcher (B). The p53dim guides the intertwining of the two nascent protein chains followed by autocatalytic isopeptide bond formation between SpyTag and SpyCatcher to fulfill the interlocking, leading to a variety of backbone topologies. Direct expression of AXB or BXA produces protein catenanes with distinct ring sizes. Recombinant proteins containing SpyX modules are obtained either as mechanically interlocked obligate dimers if the protein of interest is fused to the N- or C-terminus of SpyX modules, or as star proteins if the protein is fused to both N- and C-termini. As examples, cellular syntheses of dimers of (GB1)2 (where GB1 stands for immunoglobulin-binding domain B1 of streptococcal protein G) and of four-arm elastin-like star proteins were demonstrated. Comparison of the catenation efficiencies in different constructs reveals that BXA is generally much more effective than AXB, which is rationalized by the arrangement of three domains in space. Mechanical interlocking induces considerable stability enhancement. Both AXB and BXA have a melting point ∼20 °C higher than the linear controls and the BXA catenane has a melting point ~2 °C higher than the cyclic control BX'A. Notably, four-arm elastin-like star proteins demonstrate remarkable tolerance against trypsin digestion. The SpyX modules provide a convenient and versatile approach to construct unconventional protein topologies via the "assembly-reaction" synergy, which opens a new horizon in protein science for stability enhancement and function reinforcement via topology engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong Liu
- Key
Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education,
Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Hao Wu
- Key
Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education,
Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Ya-Jie Liu
- Key
Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education,
Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xia-Ling Wu
- Key
Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education,
Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Yang Cao
- Key
Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education,
Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Bo Song
- Department
of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Xiaopeng Li
- Department
of Chemistry, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620, United States
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Key
Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education,
Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry
and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
- Tel: + 86 10 6276 6876. Fax: + 86 10 6275 1710. E-mail:
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36
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Mikula KM, Tascón I, Tommila JJ, Iwaï H. Segmental isotopic labeling of a single-domain globular protein without any refolding step by an asparaginyl endopeptidase. FEBS Lett 2017; 591:1285-1294. [PMID: 28369872 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.12640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2017] [Revised: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) catalyze head-to-tail backbone cyclization of naturally occurring cyclic peptides such as cyclotides, and have become an important peptide-engineering tool for macrocyclization and peptide ligation. Here, we report efficient protein ligation in trans by mimicking efficient backbone cyclization by an AEP without any excess of reactants. We demonstrate a practical application of segmental isotopic labeling for NMR studies of a single-domain globular protein without any refolding step using the recombinant AEP prepared from Escherichia coli. This simple protein ligation approach using an AEP could be applied for incorporation of various biophysical probes into proteins as well as post-translational production of full-length proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kornelia M Mikula
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Igor Tascón
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jenni J Tommila
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Hideo Iwaï
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Finland
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37
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38
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Ciragan A, Aranko AS, Tascon I, Iwaï H. Salt-inducible Protein Splicing in cis and trans by Inteins from Extremely Halophilic Archaea as a Novel Protein-Engineering Tool. J Mol Biol 2016; 428:4573-4588. [PMID: 27720988 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2016] [Revised: 09/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Intervening protein sequences (inteins) from extremely halophilic haloarchaea can be inactive under low salinity but could be activated by increasing the salt content to a specific concentration for each intein. The halo-obligatory inteins confer high solubility under both low and high salinity conditions. We showed the broad utility of salt-dependent protein splicing in cis and trans by demonstrating backbone cyclization, self-cleavage for purification, and scarless protein ligation for segmental isotopic labeling. Artificially split MCM2 intein derived from Halorhabdus utahensis remained highly soluble and was capable of protein trans-splicing with excellent ligation kinetics by reassembly under high salinity conditions. Importantly, the MCM2 intein has the active site residue of Ser at the +1 position, which remains in the ligated product, instead of Cys as found in many other efficient split inteins. Since Ser is more abundant than Cys in proteins, the novel split intein could widen the applications of segmental labeling in protein NMR spectroscopy and traceless protein ligation by exploiting a Ser residue in the native sequences as the +1 position of the MCM2 intein. The split halo-obligatory intein was successfully used to demonstrate the utility in NMR investigation of intact proteins by producing segmentally isotope-labeled intact TonB protein from Helicobacter pylori.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Ciragan
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland
| | - A Sesilja Aranko
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland
| | - Igor Tascon
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland
| | - Hideo Iwaï
- Research Program in Structural Biology and Biophysics, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 65, Helsinki, FI-00014, Finland.
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39
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Si M, Xu Q, Jiang L, Huang H. SpyTag/SpyCatcher Cyclization Enhances the Thermostability of Firefly Luciferase. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162318. [PMID: 27658030 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162318.g001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
SpyTag can spontaneously form a covalent isopeptide bond with its protein partner SpyCatcher. Firefly luciferase from Photinus pyralis was cyclized in vivo by fusing SpyCatcher at the N terminus and SpyTag at the C terminus. Circular LUC was more thermostable and alkali-tolerant than the wild type, without compromising the specific activity. Structural analysis indicated that the cyclized LUC increased the thermodynamic stability of the structure and remained more properly folded at high temperatures when compared with the wild type. We also prepared an N-terminally and C-terminally shortened form of the SpyCatcher protein and cyclization using this truncated form led to even more thermostability than the original form. Our findings suggest that cyclization with SpyTag and SpyCatcher is a promising and effective strategy to enhance thermostability of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Si
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Qing Xu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- College of Food Sciences and Light Industry, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - He Huang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
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40
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Si M, Xu Q, Jiang L, Huang H. SpyTag/SpyCatcher Cyclization Enhances the Thermostability of Firefly Luciferase. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162318. [PMID: 27658030 PMCID: PMC5033358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
SpyTag can spontaneously form a covalent isopeptide bond with its protein partner SpyCatcher. Firefly luciferase from Photinus pyralis was cyclized in vivo by fusing SpyCatcher at the N terminus and SpyTag at the C terminus. Circular LUC was more thermostable and alkali-tolerant than the wild type, without compromising the specific activity. Structural analysis indicated that the cyclized LUC increased the thermodynamic stability of the structure and remained more properly folded at high temperatures when compared with the wild type. We also prepared an N-terminally and C-terminally shortened form of the SpyCatcher protein and cyclization using this truncated form led to even more thermostability than the original form. Our findings suggest that cyclization with SpyTag and SpyCatcher is a promising and effective strategy to enhance thermostability of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Si
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
| | - Qing Xu
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- College of Food Sciences and Light Industry, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
- * E-mail: (LJ); (HH)
| | - He Huang
- College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, 211816, China
- * E-mail: (LJ); (HH)
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41
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Abstract
Split intein circular ligation of peptides and proteins (SICLOPPS) is a genetically encoded method for the intracellular production of cyclic peptide libraries of around 100 million (10(8)) members that utilizes the Synechocystis sp PCC6803 (Ssp) DnaE split inteins. However, Ssp inteins are relatively slow splicing and intolerant of amino acid variation around the splice junction, potentially limiting the utility and composition of SICLOPPS libraries. In contrast, Nostoc punctiforme (Npu) DnaE split inteins not only splice significantly faster, they are also much more tolerant of amino acid variation around their splice junctions. Here, we report the use of engineered Npu inteins in SICLOPPS for the generation of cyclic peptide libraries and cyclic proteins. Despite their superior splicing characteristics, however, we observed a high level of toxicity from the Npu SICLOPPS constructs in E. coli. The observed toxicity was overcome though incorporation of an SsrA tag to target the spliced Npu inteins to the ClpXP complex for degradation. The resulting traceless Npu SICLOPPS inteins showed no toxicity to E. coli, demonstrating their potential for the production of cyclic peptide libraries for use in a variety of high-throughput screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime E. Townend
- Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Tavassoli
- Chemistry, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, United Kingdom
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42
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Borra R, Camarero JA. Recombinant expression of backbone-cyclized polypeptides. Biopolymers 2016; 100:502-9. [PMID: 23893781 DOI: 10.1002/bip.22306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2013] [Revised: 03/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/28/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Here we review the different biochemical approaches available for the expression of backbone-cyclized polypeptides, including peptides and proteins. These methods allow for the production of circular polypeptides either in vitro or in vivo using standard recombinant DNA expression techniques. Polypeptide circularization provides a valuable tool to study the effects of topology on protein stability and folding kinetics. Furthermore, having biosynthetic access to backbone-cyclized polypeptides makes the production of genetically encoded libraries of cyclic polypeptides possible. The production of such libraries, which was previously restricted to the domain of synthetic chemistry, now offers biologists access to highly diverse and stable molecular libraries that can be screened using high-throughput methods for the rapid selection of novel cyclic polypeptide sequences with new biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radhika Borra
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033
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43
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P.R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P.R. China
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44
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Wang XW, Zhang WB. Cellular Synthesis of Protein Catenanes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2016; 55:3442-6. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201511640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Wei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P.R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering; Peking University; Beijing 100871 P.R. China
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45
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Lonzarić J, Lebar T, Majerle A, Manček-Keber M, Jerala R. Locked and proteolysis-based transcription activator-like effector (TALE) regulation. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:1471-81. [PMID: 26748097 PMCID: PMC4756844 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv1541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Development of orthogonal, designable and adjustable transcriptional regulators is an important goal of synthetic biology. Their activity has been typically modulated through stimulus-induced oligomerization or interaction between the DNA-binding and activation/repression domain. We exploited a feature of the designable Transcription activator-like effector (TALE) DNA-binding domain that it winds around the DNA which allows to topologically prevent it from binding by intramolecular cyclization. This new approach was investigated through noncovalent ligand-induced cyclization or through a covalent split intein cyclization strategy, where the topological inhibition of DNA binding by cyclization and its restoration by a proteolytic release of the topologic constraint was expected. We show that locked TALEs indeed have diminished DNA binding and regain full transcriptional activity by stimulation with the rapamycin ligand or site-specific proteolysis of the peptide linker, with much higher level of activation than rapamycin-induced heterodimerization. Additionally, we demonstrated reversibility, activation of genomic targets and implemented logic gates based on combinations of protein cyclization, proteolytic cleavage and ligand-induced dimerization, where the strongest fold induction was achieved by the proteolytic cleavage of a repression domain from a linear TALE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Lonzarić
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia Graduate School of Biomedicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Tina Lebar
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia Graduate School of Biomedicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Andreja Majerle
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Mateja Manček-Keber
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Roman Jerala
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia EN-FIST Centre of Excellence, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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46
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Li Y. Split-inteins and their bioapplications. Biotechnol Lett 2015; 37:2121-37. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-015-1905-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2015] [Accepted: 06/29/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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47
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Waldhauer MC, Schmitz SN, Ahlmann-Eltze C, Gleixner JG, Schmelas CC, Huhn AG, Bunne C, Büscher M, Horn M, Klughammer N, Kreft J, Schäfer E, Bayer PA, Krämer SG, Neugebauer J, Wehler P, Mayer MP, Eils R, Di Ventura B. Backbone circularization of Bacillus subtilis family 11 xylanase increases its thermostability and its resistance against aggregation. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2015; 11:3231-43. [DOI: 10.1039/c5mb00341e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
While using a serine (S) as linker for circularization increases the thermostability, a longer linker (RGKCWE) leads to reduced aggregation after heat shock at elevated temperatures.
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48
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Wood DW, Camarero JA. Intein applications: from protein purification and labeling to metabolic control methods. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:14512-9. [PMID: 24700459 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r114.552653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of inteins in the early 1990s opened the door to a wide variety of new technologies. Early engineered inteins from various sources allowed the development of self-cleaving affinity tags and new methods for joining protein segments through expressed protein ligation. Some applications were developed around native and engineered split inteins, which allow protein segments expressed separately to be spliced together in vitro. More recently, these early applications have been expanded and optimized through the discovery of highly efficient trans-splicing and trans-cleaving inteins. These new inteins have enabled a wide variety of applications in metabolic engineering, protein labeling, biomaterials construction, protein cyclization, and protein purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- David W Wood
- From the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 and
| | - Julio A Camarero
- the Departments of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
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49
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Abstract
The coordination of cell proliferation and programmed death (apoptosis) is essential for normal physiology, and imbalance in these two opposing processes is implicated in various diseases. Objective and quantitative noninvasive imaging of apoptosis would significantly facilitate rapid screening as well as validation of therapeutic chemicals. Herein, we molecularly engineered an apoptosis switch-on PET-based cyclic herpes simplex virus type 1-thymidine kinase reporter (cTK266) containing a caspase-3 recognition domain as the switch. Translation of the reporter and protein splicing in healthy mammalian cells produce an inactive cyclic chimera. Upon apoptosis, caspase-3-specific cleavage of the circular product occurs, resulting in the restoration of the thymidine kinase activity, which can be detected in living cells and animals by noninvasive PET imaging. Our results showed the high sensitivity of this reporter in dynamic and quantitative imaging of apoptosis in living subjects. This reporter could be applied as a valuable tool for high-throughput functional screening of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic compounds in preclinical models in drug development, and monitoring the destination of therapeutic cells in clinical settings.
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Topilina NI, Mills KV. Recent advances in in vivo applications of intein-mediated protein splicing. Mob DNA 2014; 5:5. [PMID: 24490831 PMCID: PMC3922620 DOI: 10.1186/1759-8753-5-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Intein-mediated protein splicing has become an essential tool in modern biotechnology. Fundamental progress in the structure and catalytic strategies of cis- and trans-splicing inteins has led to the development of modified inteins that promote efficient protein purification, ligation, modification and cyclization. Recent work has extended these in vitro applications to the cell or to whole organisms. We review recent advances in intein-mediated protein expression and modification, post-translational processing and labeling, protein regulation by conditional protein splicing, biosensors, and expression of trans-genes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth V Mills
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.
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