1
|
Dhaouadi S, Bouhaouala-Zahar B, Orend G. Tenascin-C targeting strategies in cancer. Matrix Biol 2024; 130:1-19. [PMID: 38642843 DOI: 10.1016/j.matbio.2024.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Tenascin-C (TNC) is a matricellular and multimodular glycoprotein highly expressed under pathological conditions, especially in cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. Since a long time TNC is considered as a promising target for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in anti-cancer treatments and was already extensively targeted in clinical trials on cancer patients. This review provides an overview of the current most advanced strategies used for TNC detection and anti-TNC theranostic approaches including some advanced clinical strategies. We also discuss novel treatment protocols, where targeting immune modulating functions of TNC could be center stage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sayda Dhaouadi
- Laboratoire des Venins et Biomolécules Thérapeutiques, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Balkiss Bouhaouala-Zahar
- Laboratoire des Venins et Biomolécules Thérapeutiques, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis, Tunisia; Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, Université Tunis el Manar, Tunis, Tunisia
| | - Gertraud Orend
- INSERM U1109, The Tumor Microenvironment laboratory, Université Strasbourg, Hôpital Civil, Institut d'Hématologie et d'Immunologie, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Strasbourg, France.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Weinberg ZY, Soliman SS, Kim MS, Chen IP, Ott M, El-Samad H. De novo-designed minibinders expand the synthetic biology sensing repertoire. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.12.575267. [PMID: 38293112 PMCID: PMC10827046 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.12.575267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic and chimeric receptors capable of recognizing and responding to user-defined antigens have enabled "smart" therapeutics based on engineered cells. These cell engineering tools depend on antigen sensors which are most often derived from antibodies. Advances in the de novo design of proteins have enabled the design of protein binders with the potential to target epitopes with unique properties and faster production timelines compared to antibodies. Building upon our previous work combining a de novo-designed minibinder of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 with the synthetic receptor synNotch (SARSNotch), we investigated whether minibinders can be readily adapted to a diversity of cell engineering tools. We show that the Spike minibinder LCB1 easily generalizes to a next-generation proteolytic receptor SNIPR that performs similarly to our previously reported SARSNotch. LCB1-SNIPR successfully enables the detection of live SARS-CoV-2, an improvement over SARSNotch which can only detect cell-expressed Spike. To test the generalizability of minibinders to diverse applications, we tested LCB1 as an antigen sensor for a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). LCB1-CAR enabled CD8+ T cells to cytotoxically target Spike-expressing cells. Our findings suggest that minibinders represent a novel class of antigen sensors that have the potential to dramatically expand the sensing repertoire of cell engineering tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew S. Kim
- Tetrad Gradudate Program, UCSF, San Francisco CA
- Cell Design Institute, San Francisco CA
| | - Irene P. Chen
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco CA
- Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco CA
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco CA
- Department of Medicine, UCSF, San Francisco CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub–San Francisco, San Francisco CA
| | - Hana El-Samad
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, UCSF, San Francisco CA
- Cell Design Institute, San Francisco CA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub–San Francisco, San Francisco CA
- Altos Labs, San Francisco CA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Rothfuss MT, Becht DC, Zeng B, McClelland LJ, Yates-Hansen C, Bowler BE. High-Accuracy Prediction of Stabilizing Surface Mutations to the Three-Helix Bundle, UBA(1), with EmCAST. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:22979-22992. [PMID: 37815921 PMCID: PMC10626973 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
The accurate modeling of energetic contributions to protein structure is a fundamental challenge in computational approaches to protein analysis and design. We describe a general computational method, EmCAST (empirical Cα stabilization), to score and optimize the sequence to the structure in proteins. The method relies on an empirical potential derived from the database of the Cα dihedral angle preferences for all possible four-residue sequences, using the data available in the Protein Data Bank. Our method produces stability predictions that naturally correlate one-to-one with the experimental results for solvent-exposed mutation sites. EmCAST predicted four mutations that increased the stability of a three-helix bundle, UBA(1), from 2.4 to 4.8 kcal/mol by optimizing residues in both helices and turns. For a set of eight variants, the predicted and experimental stabilizations correlate very well (R2 = 0.97) with a slope near 1 and with a 0.16 kcal/mol standard error for EmCAST predictions. Tests against literature data for the stability effects of surface-exposed mutations show that EmCAST outperforms the existing stability prediction methods. UBA(1) variants were crystallized to verify and analyze their structures at an atomic resolution. Thermodynamic and kinetic folding experiments were performed to determine the magnitude and mechanism of stabilization. Our method has the potential to enable the rapid, rational optimization of natural proteins, expand the analysis of the sequence/structure relationship, and supplement the existing protein design strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael T. Rothfuss
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
| | - Dustin C. Becht
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
| | - Baisen Zeng
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
| | - Levi J. McClelland
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
| | - Cindee Yates-Hansen
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
| | - Bruce E. Bowler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
- Center for Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Buckley PT, Chan R, Fernandez J, Luo J, Lacey KA, DuMont AL, O'Malley A, Brezski RJ, Zheng S, Malia T, Whitaker B, Zwolak A, Payne A, Clark D, Sigg M, Lacy ER, Kornilova A, Kwok D, McCarthy S, Wu B, Morrow B, Nemeth-Seay J, Petley T, Wu S, Strohl WR, Lynch AS, Torres VJ. Multivalent human antibody-centyrin fusion protein to prevent and treat Staphylococcus aureus infections. Cell Host Microbe 2023; 31:751-765.e11. [PMID: 37098341 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Treating and preventing infections by antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens is a worldwide problem. Pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus produce an array of virulence determinants, making it difficult to identify single targets for the development of vaccines or monoclonal therapies. We described a human-derived anti-S. aureus monoclonal antibody (mAb)-centyrin fusion protein ("mAbtyrin") that simultaneously targets multiple bacterial adhesins, resists proteolysis by bacterial protease GluV8, avoids Fc engagement by S. aureus IgG-binding proteins SpA and Sbi, and neutralizes pore-forming leukocidins via fusion with anti-toxin centyrins, while maintaining Fc- and complement-mediated functions. Compared with the parental mAb, mAbtyrin protected human phagocytes and boosted phagocyte-mediated killing. The mAbtyrin also reduced pathology, reduced bacterial burden, and protected from different types of infections in preclinical animal models. Finally, mAbtyrin synergized with vancomycin, enhancing pathogen clearance in an animal model of bacteremia. Altogether, these data establish the potential of multivalent mAbs for treating and preventing S. aureus diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter T Buckley
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA.
| | - Rita Chan
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jeffrey Fernandez
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Jinquan Luo
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Keenan A Lacey
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ashley L DuMont
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Aidan O'Malley
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Randall J Brezski
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Songmao Zheng
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Thomas Malia
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Brian Whitaker
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Adam Zwolak
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Angela Payne
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Desmond Clark
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Martin Sigg
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Eilyn R Lacy
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Anna Kornilova
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Debra Kwok
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Steve McCarthy
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Bingyuan Wu
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Brian Morrow
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | | | - Ted Petley
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Sam Wu
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - William R Strohl
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, USA
| | | | - Victor J Torres
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA; Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens Program, New York University Langone Health, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Programming multicellular assembly with synthetic cell adhesion molecules. Nature 2023; 614:144-152. [PMID: 36509107 PMCID: PMC9892004 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05622-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cell adhesion molecules are ubiquitous in multicellular organisms, specifying precise cell-cell interactions in processes as diverse as tissue development, immune cell trafficking and the wiring of the nervous system1-4. Here we show that a wide array of synthetic cell adhesion molecules can be generated by combining orthogonal extracellular interactions with intracellular domains from native adhesion molecules, such as cadherins and integrins. The resulting molecules yield customized cell-cell interactions with adhesion properties that are similar to native interactions. The identity of the intracellular domain of the synthetic cell adhesion molecules specifies interface morphology and mechanics, whereas diverse homotypic or heterotypic extracellular interaction domains independently specify the connectivity between cells. This toolkit of orthogonal adhesion molecules enables the rationally programmed assembly of multicellular architectures, as well as systematic remodelling of native tissues. The modularity of synthetic cell adhesion molecules provides fundamental insights into how distinct classes of cell-cell interfaces may have evolved. Overall, these tools offer powerful abilities for cell and tissue engineering and for systematically studying multicellular organization.
Collapse
|
6
|
Hu H, Liu S, Hon K, Psaltis AJ, Wormald PJ, Vreugde S. Staphylococcal protein A modulates inflammation by inducing interferon signaling in human nasal epithelial cells. Inflamm Res 2023; 72:251-262. [PMID: 36527461 PMCID: PMC9925485 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-022-01656-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is one of the leading causes of human respiratory tract infections. The function of Staphylococcal protein A (SpA), expressed on the S. aureus bacterial membrane and released in the environment, on human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, we tested the SpA expression in S. aureus from chronic rhinosinusitis patients and investigated the effects of SpA on HNECs inflammation through Interferon Gamma Receptor 1(IFNGR1)/phosphorylated Janus Kinase 2 (p-JAK2) pathway. METHODS RNA profiling was performed to investigate inflammatory activation in a S. aureus chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) mouse model. SpA release by S. aureus clinical isolates was determined using ELISA. The effect of purified SpA and SpA enriched conditioned media from S. aureus clinical isolates on HNECs cytotoxicity, apoptosis and release of inflammatory cytokines was evaluated using lactate dehydrogenase assays, and flow cytometry. SpA dependent IFNGR1 and p-JAK2 expression were assessed by qPCR, immunofluorescence and western blot in HNECs. RESULTS 49 genes were significantly induced in S. aureus CRS mice indicative of activation of interferon signaling. SpA release was significantly higher in S. aureus clinical isolates from chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) patients. Purified SpA significantly increased IFNGR1 mRNA and protein expression in HNECs. SpA induced cytotoxic effects and induced the release of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 in an IFNGR1 dependent way. CONCLUSION SpA induces interferon signaling through activation of the IFNGR1-JAK-2 pathway, which provides an understanding of how S. aureus SpA affects the inflammatory process in the upper airways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hua Hu
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA Australia ,Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia ,Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sha Liu
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA Australia ,Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Karen Hon
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA Australia ,Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Alkis J. Psaltis
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA Australia ,Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Peter John Wormald
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA Australia ,Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA Australia
| | - Sarah Vreugde
- Department of Surgery-Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, Central Adelaide Local Health Network, Woodville, SA, Australia. .,Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cano-Garrido O, Serna N, Unzueta U, Parladé E, Mangues R, Villaverde A, Vázquez E. Protein scaffolds in human clinics. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 61:108032. [PMID: 36089254 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Fundamental clinical areas such as drug delivery and regenerative medicine require biocompatible materials as mechanically stable scaffolds or as nanoscale drug carriers. Among the wide set of emerging biomaterials, polypeptides offer enticing properties over alternative polymers, including full biocompatibility, biodegradability, precise interactivity, structural stability and conformational and functional versatility, all of them tunable by conventional protein engineering. However, proteins from non-human sources elicit immunotoxicities that might bottleneck further development and narrow their clinical applicability. In this context, selecting human proteins or developing humanized protein versions as building blocks is a strict demand to design non-immunogenic protein materials. We review here the expanding catalogue of human or humanized proteins tailored to execute different levels of scaffolding functions and how they can be engineered as self-assembling materials in form of oligomers, polymers or complex networks. In particular, we emphasize those that are under clinical development, revising their fields of applicability and how they have been adapted to offer, apart from mere mechanical support, highly refined functions and precise molecular interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Cano-Garrido
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Naroa Serna
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ugutz Unzueta
- CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08025 Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Eloi Parladé
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Ramón Mangues
- Biomedical Research Institute Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau), 08025 Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, 08916 Badalona (Barcelona), Spain
| | - Antonio Villaverde
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain.
| | - Esther Vázquez
- Institut de Biotecnologia i de Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain; Departament de Genètica i de Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Cerdanyola del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
![]()
The paradigm of antivirulence
therapy dictates that bacterial pathogens
are specifically disarmed but not killed by neutralizing their virulence
factors. Clearance of the invading pathogen by the immune system is
promoted. As compared to antibiotics, the pathogen-selective antivirulence
drugs hold promise to minimize collateral damage to the beneficial
microbiome. Also, selective pressure for resistance is expected to
be lower because bacterial viability is not directly affected. Antivirulence
drugs are being developed for stand-alone prophylactic and therapeutic
treatments but also for combinatorial use with antibiotics. This Review
focuses on drug modalities that target bacterial exotoxins after the
secretion or release-upon-lysis. Exotoxins have a significant and
sometimes the primary role as the disease-causing virulence factor,
and thereby they are attractive targets for drug development. We describe
the key pre-clinical and clinical trial data that have led to the
approval of currently used exotoxin-targeted drugs, namely the monoclonal
antibodies bezlotoxumab (toxin B/TcdB, Clostridioides difficile), raxibacumab (anthrax toxin, Bacillus anthracis), and obiltoxaximab (anthrax toxin, Bacillus anthracis), but also to challenges with some of the promising leads. We also
highlight the recent developments in pre-clinical research sector
to develop exotoxin-targeted drug modalities, i.e., monoclonal antibodies,
antibody fragments, antibody mimetics, receptor analogs, neutralizing
scaffolds, dominant-negative mutants, and small molecules. We describe
how these exotoxin-targeted drug modalities work with high-resolution
structural knowledge and highlight their advantages and disadvantages
as antibiotic alternatives.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Moona Sakari
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Unit for Infection and Immunity, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Arttu Laisi
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Unit for Infection and Immunity, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Arto T. Pulliainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Research Unit for Infection and Immunity, University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 10, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Suter EC, Schmid EM, Harris AR, Voets E, Francica B, Fletcher DA. Antibody:CD47 ratio regulates macrophage phagocytosis through competitive receptor phosphorylation. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109587. [PMID: 34433055 PMCID: PMC8477956 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies often modulate macrophage effector function by introducing either targeting antibodies that activate Fcγ receptors (FcγRs) or blocking antibodies that disrupt inhibitory SIRPα-CD47 engagement. However, how these competing signals are integrated is poorly understood, raising questions about how to effectively titrate immune responses. Here, we find that macrophage phagocytic decisions are regulated by the ratio of activating ligand to inhibitory ligand over a broad range of absolute molecular densities. Using both endogenous and chimeric receptors, we show that activating:inhibitory ligand ratios of at least 10:1 are required to promote phagocytosis of model antibody-opsonized CD47-inhibited targets and that lowering that ratio reduces FcγR phosphorylation because of inhibitory phosphatases recruited to CD47-bound SIRPα. We demonstrate that ratiometric signaling is critical for phagocytosis of tumor cells and can be modified by blocking SIRPα, indicating that balancing targeting and blocking antibodies may be important for controlling macrophage phagocytosis in cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Suter
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; UC Berkeley/UC San Francisco Graduate Group in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Eva M Schmid
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Andrew R Harris
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Erik Voets
- Aduro Biotech Europe, Oss, the Netherlands
| | | | - Daniel A Fletcher
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA; UC Berkeley/UC San Francisco Graduate Group in Bioengineering, Berkeley, CA, USA; Division of Biological Systems and Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Boucher L, Somani S, Negron C, Ma W, Jacobs S, Chan W, Malia T, Obmolova G, Teplyakov A, Gilliland GL, Luo J. Surface salt bridges contribute to the extreme thermal stability of an FN3-like domain from a thermophilic bacterium. Proteins 2021; 90:270-281. [PMID: 34405904 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2020] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This study uses differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray crystallography, and molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structural basis for the high thermal stability (melting temperature 97.5°C) of a FN3-like protein domain from thermophilic bacteria Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (FN3tt). FN3tt adopts a typical FN3 fold with a three-stranded beta sheet packing against a four-stranded beta sheet. We identified three solvent exposed arginine residues (R23, R25, and R72), which stabilize the protein through salt bridge interactions with glutamic acid residues on adjacent strands. Alanine mutation of the three arginine residues reduced melting temperature by up to 22°C. Crystal structures of the wild type (WT) and a thermally destabilized (∆Tm -19.7°C) triple mutant (R23L/R25T/R72I) were found to be nearly identical, suggesting that the destabilization is due to interactions of the arginine residues. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the salt bridge interactions in the WT were stable and provided a dynamical explanation for the cooperativity observed between R23 and R25 based on calorimetry measurements. In addition, folding free energy changes computed using free energy perturbation molecular dynamics simulations showed high correlation with melting temperature changes. This work is another example of surface salt bridges contributing to the enhanced thermal stability of thermophilic proteins. The molecular dynamics simulation methods employed in this study may be broadly useful for in silico surface charge engineering of proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Boucher
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sandeep Somani
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Wenting Ma
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Steven Jacobs
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Winnie Chan
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas Malia
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Galina Obmolova
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alexey Teplyakov
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Gary L Gilliland
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jinquan Luo
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Clegg J, Soldaini E, McLoughlin RM, Rittenhouse S, Bagnoli F, Phogat S. Staphylococcus aureus Vaccine Research and Development: The Past, Present and Future, Including Novel Therapeutic Strategies. Front Immunol 2021; 12:705360. [PMID: 34305945 PMCID: PMC8294057 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.705360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most important human pathogens worldwide. Its high antibiotic resistance profile reinforces the need for new interventions like vaccines in addition to new antibiotics. Vaccine development efforts against S. aureus have failed so far however, the findings from these human clinical and non-clinical studies provide potential insight for such failures. Currently, research is focusing on identifying novel vaccine formulations able to elicit potent humoral and cellular immune responses. Translational science studies are attempting to discover correlates of protection using animal models as well as in vitro and ex vivo models assessing efficacy of vaccine candidates. Several new vaccine candidates are being tested in human clinical trials in a variety of target populations. In addition to vaccines, bacteriophages, monoclonal antibodies, centyrins and new classes of antibiotics are being developed. Some of these have been tested in humans with encouraging results. The complexity of the diseases and the range of the target populations affected by this pathogen will require a multipronged approach using different interventions, which will be discussed in this review.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonah Clegg
- GSK, Siena, Italy
- Host Pathogen Interactions Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | - Rachel M. McLoughlin
- Host Pathogen Interactions Group, School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Deliz-Aguirre R, Cao F, Gerpott FHU, Auevechanichkul N, Chupanova M, Mun Y, Ziska E, Taylor MJ. MyD88 oligomer size functions as a physical threshold to trigger IL1R Myddosome signaling. J Cell Biol 2021; 220:212080. [PMID: 33956941 PMCID: PMC8105725 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202012071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
A recurring feature of innate immune receptor signaling is the self-assembly of signaling proteins into oligomeric complexes. The Myddosome is an oligomeric complex that is required to transmit inflammatory signals from TLR/IL1Rs and consists of MyD88 and IRAK family kinases. However, the molecular basis for how Myddosome proteins self-assemble and regulate intracellular signaling remains poorly understood. Here, we developed a novel assay to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of IL1R and Myddosome signaling in live cells. We found that MyD88 oligomerization is inducible and initially reversible. Moreover, the formation of larger, stable oligomers consisting of more than four MyD88s triggers the sequential recruitment of IRAK4 and IRAK1. Notably, genetic knockout of IRAK4 enhanced MyD88 oligomerization, indicating that IRAK4 controls MyD88 oligomer size and growth. MyD88 oligomer size thus functions as a physical threshold to trigger downstream signaling. These results provide a mechanistic basis for how protein oligomerization might function in cell signaling pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Fakun Cao
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | | | - YeVin Mun
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elke Ziska
- Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Centyrin ligands for extrahepatic delivery of siRNA. Mol Ther 2021; 29:2053-2066. [PMID: 33601052 PMCID: PMC8178446 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) offers the potential to treat disease at the earliest onset by selectively turning off the expression of target genes, such as intracellular oncogenes that drive cancer growth. However, the development of RNAi therapeutics as anti-cancer drugs has been limited by both a lack of efficient and target cell-specific delivery systems and the necessity to overcome numerous intracellular barriers, including serum/lysosomal instability, cell membrane impermeability, and limited endosomal escape. Here, we combine two technologies to achieve posttranscriptional gene silencing in tumor cells: Centyrins, alternative scaffold proteins binding plasma membrane receptors for targeted delivery, and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), chemically modified for high metabolic stability and potency. An EGFR Centyrin known to internalize in EGFR-positive tumor cells was site-specifically conjugated to a beta-catenin (CTNNb1) siRNA and found to drive potent and specific target knockdown by free uptake in cell culture and in mice inoculated with A431 tumor xenografts (EGFR amplified). The generalizability of this approach was further demonstrated with Centyrins targeting multiple receptors (e.g., BCMA, PSMA, and EpCAM) and siRNAs targeting multiple genes (e.g., CD68, KLKb1, and SSB1). Moreover, by installing multiple conjugation handles, two different siRNAs were fused to a single Centyrin, and the conjugate was shown to simultaneously silence two different targets. Finally, by specifically pairing EpCAM-binding Centyrins that exhibited optimized internalization profiles, we present data showing that an EpCAM Centyrin CTNNb1 siRNA conjugate suppressed tumor cell growth of a colorectal cancer cell line containing an APC mutation but not cells with normal CTNNb1 signaling. Overall, these data demonstrate the potential of Centyrin-siRNA conjugates to target cancer cells and silence oncogenes, paving the way to a new class of anticancer drugs.
Collapse
|
14
|
Abstract
The concept of engineering robust protein scaffolds for novel binding functions emerged 20 years ago, one decade after the advent of recombinant antibody technology. Early examples were the Affibody, Monobody (Adnectin), and Anticalin proteins, which were derived from fragments of streptococcal protein A, from the tenth type III domain of human fibronectin, and from natural lipocalin proteins, respectively. Since then, this concept has expanded considerably, including many other protein templates. In fact, engineered protein scaffolds with useful binding specificities, mostly directed against targets of biomedical relevance, constitute an area of active research today, which has yielded versatile reagents as laboratory tools. However, despite strong interest from basic science, only a handful of those protein scaffolds have undergone biopharmaceutical development up to the clinical stage. This includes the abovementioned pioneering examples as well as designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins). Here we review the current state and clinical validation of these next-generation therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Arne Skerra
- Lehrstuhl für Biologische Chemie, Technische Universität München, 85354 Freising, Germany;
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wójcik M, Vázquez Torres S, Quax WJ, Boersma YL. Sortase mutants with improved protein thermostability and enzymatic activity obtained by consensus design. Protein Eng Des Sel 2020; 32:555-564. [PMID: 32725168 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzaa018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus sortase A (SaSrtA) is an enzyme that anchors proteins to the cell surface of Gram-positive bacteria. During the transpeptidation reaction performed by SaSrtA, proteins containing an N-terminal glycine can be covalently linked to another protein with a C-terminal LPXTG motif (X being any amino acid). Since the sortase reaction can be performed in vitro as well, it has found many applications in biotechnology. Although sortase-mediated ligation has many advantages, SaSrtA is limited by its low enzymatic activity and dependence on Ca2+. In our study, we evaluated the thermodynamic stability of the SaSrtA wild type and found the enzyme to be stable. We applied consensus analysis to further improve the enzyme's stability while at the same time enhancing the enzyme's activity. As a result, we found thermodynamically improved, more active and Ca2+-independent mutants. We envision that these new variants can be applied in conjugation reactions in low Ca2+ environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Wójcik
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Susana Vázquez Torres
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wim J Quax
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ykelien L Boersma
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Biology, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Morrissey MA, Kern N, Vale RD. CD47 Ligation Repositions the Inhibitory Receptor SIRPA to Suppress Integrin Activation and Phagocytosis. Immunity 2020; 53:290-302.e6. [PMID: 32768386 PMCID: PMC7453839 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2020.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
CD47 acts as a "don't eat me" signal that protects cells from phagocytosis by binding and activating its receptor SIPRA on macrophages. CD47 suppresses multiple different pro-engulfment "eat me" signals, including immunoglobulin G (IgG), complement, and calreticulin, on distinct target cells. This complexity has limited understanding of how the "don't eat me" signal is transduced biochemically. Here, we utilized a reconstituted system with a defined set of signals to interrogate the mechanism of SIRPA activation and its downstream targets. CD47 ligation altered SIRPA localization, positioning SIRPA for activation at the phagocytic synapse. At the phagocytic synapse, SIRPA inhibited integrin activation to limit macrophage spreading across the surface of the engulfment target. Chemical reactivation of integrin bypassed CD47-mediated inhibition and rescued engulfment, similar to the effect of a CD47 function-blocking antibody. Thus, the CD47-SIRPA axis suppresses phagocytosis by inhibiting inside-out activation of integrin signaling in the macrophage, with implications to cancer immunotherapy applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Meghan A Morrissey
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Nadja Kern
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ronald D Vale
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Chandler PG, Buckle AM. Development and Differentiation in Monobodies Based on the Fibronectin Type 3 Domain. Cells 2020; 9:E610. [PMID: 32143310 PMCID: PMC7140400 DOI: 10.3390/cells9030610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As a non-antibody scaffold, monobodies based on the fibronectin type III (FN3) domain overcome antibody size and complexity while maintaining analogous binding loops. However, antibodies and their derivatives remain the gold standard for the design of new therapeutics. In response, clinical-stage therapeutic proteins based on the FN3 domain are beginning to use native fibronectin function as a point of differentiation. The small and simple structure of monomeric monobodies confers increased tissue distribution and reduced half-life, whilst the absence of disulphide bonds improves stability in cytosolic environments. Where multi-specificity is challenging with an antibody format that is prone to mis-pairing between chains, multiple FN3 domains in the fibronectin assembly already interact with a large number of molecules. As such, multiple monobodies engineered for interaction with therapeutic targets are being combined in a similar beads-on-a-string assembly which improves both efficacy and pharmacokinetics. Furthermore, full length fibronectin is able to fold into multiple conformations as part of its natural function and a greater understanding of how mechanical forces allow for the transition between states will lead to advanced applications that truly differentiate the FN3 domain as a therapeutic scaffold.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter G. Chandler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton 3800, Australia;
| | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Stimple SD, Smith MD, Tessier PM. Directed evolution methods for overcoming trade-offs between protein activity and stability. AIChE J 2020; 66. [PMID: 32719568 DOI: 10.1002/aic.16814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Engineered proteins are being widely developed and employed in applications ranging from enzyme catalysts to therapeutic antibodies. Directed evolution, an iterative experimental process composed of mutagenesis and library screening, is a powerful technique for enhancing existing protein activities and generating entirely new ones not observed in nature. However, the process of accumulating mutations for enhanced protein activity requires chemical and structural changes that are often destabilizing, and low protein stability is a significant barrier to achieving large enhancements in activity during multiple rounds of directed evolution. Here we highlight advances in understanding the origins of protein activity/stability trade-offs for two important classes of proteins (enzymes and antibodies) as well as innovative experimental and computational methods for overcoming such trade-offs. These advances hold great potential for improving the generation of highly active and stable proteins that are needed to address key challenges related to human health, energy and the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. Stimple
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
- Department of Chemical Engineering Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Matthew D. Smith
- Department of Chemical Engineering Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| | - Peter M. Tessier
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
- Department of Chemical Engineering Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Wagner M, Lévy J, Jung-Klawitter S, Bakhtiari S, Monteiro F, Maroofian R, Bierhals T, Hempel M, Elmaleh-Bergès M, Kitajima JP, Kim CA, Salomao JG, Amor DJ, Cooper MS, Perrin L, Pipiras E, Neu A, Doosti M, Karimiani EG, Toosi MB, Houlden H, Jin SC, Si YC, Rodan LH, Venselaar H, Kruer MC, Kok F, Hoffmann GF, Strom TM, Wortmann SB, Tabet AC, Opladen T. Loss of TNR causes a nonprogressive neurodevelopmental disorder with spasticity and transient opisthotonus. Genet Med 2020; 22:1061-1068. [PMID: 32099069 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-020-0768-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE TNR, encoding Tenascin-R, is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein involved in neurite outgrowth and neural cell adhesion, proliferation and migration, axonal guidance, myelination, and synaptic plasticity. Tenascin-R is exclusively expressed in the central nervous system with highest expression after birth. The protein is crucial in the formation of perineuronal nets that ensheath interneurons. However, the role of Tenascin-R in human pathology is largely unknown. We aimed to establish TNR as a human disease gene and unravel the associated clinical spectrum. METHODS Exome sequencing and an online matchmaking tool were used to identify patients with biallelic variants in TNR. RESULTS We identified 13 individuals from 8 unrelated families with biallelic variants in TNR sharing a phenotype consisting of spastic para- or tetraparesis, axial muscular hypotonia, developmental delay, and transient opisthotonus. Four homozygous loss-of-function and four different missense variants were identified. CONCLUSION We establish TNR as a disease gene for an autosomal recessive nonprogressive neurodevelopmental disorder with spasticity and transient opisthotonus and highlight the role of central nervous system extracellular matrix proteins in the pathogenicity of spastic disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matias Wagner
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University München, Munich, Germany. .,Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany. .,Institut für Neurogenomik, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany.
| | - Jonathan Lévy
- Genetics Department, AP-HP, Robert-Debré University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Sabine Jung-Klawitter
- Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Somayeh Bakhtiari
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Departments of Child Health, Neurology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine and Program in Genetics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | | | - Reza Maroofian
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Tatjana Bierhals
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maja Hempel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Chong A Kim
- Genetic Unit, Instituto da Criança-HCFMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Julia G Salomao
- Genetic Unit, Instituto da Criança-HCFMUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - David J Amor
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Monica S Cooper
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Laurence Perrin
- Genetics Department, AP-HP, Robert-Debré University Hospital, Paris, France
| | - Eva Pipiras
- Department of Cytogenetics, Jean-Verdier Hospital, Paris 13 University, Embryology and Histology, AP-HP, Bondy, France
| | - Axel Neu
- Department of Pediatrics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Mohammad Doosti
- Department of Genetics, Next Generation Genetic Polyclinic, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Ehsan G Karimiani
- Genetics Research Centre, Molecular and Clinical Sciences Institute, St. George's, University, London, UK
| | - Mehran B Toosi
- Department of Pediatric Neurology, Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Henry Houlden
- Department of Neuromuscular Disorders, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Sheng Chih Jin
- Laboratory of Human Genetics and Genomics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Lance H Rodan
- Division of Genetics and Genomics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hanka Venselaar
- Centre for Molecular and Biomolecular Informatics, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael C Kruer
- Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, USA.,Departments of Child Health, Neurology, Cellular & Molecular Medicine and Program in Genetics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Fernando Kok
- Mendelics Genomic Analysis, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Georg F Hoffmann
- Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Tim M Strom
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University München, Munich, Germany
| | - Saskia B Wortmann
- Institute of Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Technical University München, Munich, Germany.,Institute of Human Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Neuherberg, Germany.,University Childrens Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Anne-Claude Tabet
- Genetics Department, AP-HP, Robert-Debré University Hospital, Paris, France.,Neuroscience Department, Human Genetics and Cognitive Function Unit, Pasteur Institute, Paris, France
| | - Thomas Opladen
- Division of Neuropediatrics and Metabolic Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Chan R, Buckley PT, O'Malley A, Sause WE, Alonzo F, Lubkin A, Boguslawski KM, Payne A, Fernandez J, Strohl WR, Whitaker B, Lynch AS, Torres VJ. Identification of biologic agents to neutralize the bicomponent leukocidins of Staphylococcus aureus. Sci Transl Med 2020; 11:11/475/eaat0882. [PMID: 30651319 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aat0882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2017] [Revised: 01/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A key aspect underlying the severity of infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus is the abundance of virulence factors that the pathogen uses to thwart critical components of the human immune response. One such mechanism involves the destruction of host immune cells by cytolytic toxins secreted by S. aureus, including five bicomponent leukocidins: PVL, HlgAB, HlgCB, LukED, and LukAB. Purified leukocidins can lyse immune cells ex vivo, and systemic injections of purified LukED or HlgAB can acutely kill mice. Here, we describe the generation and characterization of centyrins that bind S. aureus leukocidins with high affinity and protect primary human immune cells from toxin-mediated cytolysis. Centyrins are small protein scaffolds derived from the fibronectin type III-binding domain of the human protein tenascin-C. Although centyrins are potent in tissue culture assays, their short serum half-lives limit their efficacies in vivo. By extending the serum half-lives of centyrins through their fusion to an albumin-binding consensus domain, we demonstrate the in vivo efficacy of these biologics in a murine intoxication model and in models of both prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of live S. aureus systemic infections. These biologics that target S. aureus virulence factors have potential for treating and preventing serious staphylococcal infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rita Chan
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Peter T Buckley
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Aidan O'Malley
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - William E Sause
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Francis Alonzo
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Ashira Lubkin
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Kristina M Boguslawski
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Angela Payne
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Jeffrey Fernandez
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - William R Strohl
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Brian Whitaker
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Anthony Simon Lynch
- Janssen Research & Development, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA.
| | - Victor J Torres
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, Alexandria Center for Life Science, 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Chandler PG, Broendum SS, Riley BT, Spence MA, Jackson CJ, McGowan S, Buckle AM. Strategies for Increasing Protein Stability. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2073:163-181. [PMID: 31612442 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9869-2_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The stability of wild-type proteins is often a hurdle to their practical use in research, industry, and medicine. The route to engineering stability of a protein of interest lies largely with the available data. Where high-resolution structural data is available, rational design, based on fundamental principles of protein chemistry, can improve protein stability. Recent advances in computational biology and the use of nonnatural amino acids have also provided novel rational methods for improving protein stability. Likewise, the explosion of sequence and structural data available in public databases, in combination with improvements in freely available computational tools, has produced accessible phylogenetic approaches. Trawling modern sequence databases can identify the thermostable homologs of a target protein, and evolutionary data can be quickly generated using available phylogenetic tools. Grafting features from those thermostable homologs or ancestors provides stability improvement through a semi-rational approach. Further, molecular techniques such as directed evolution have shown great promise in delivering designer proteins. These strategies are well documented and newly accessible to the molecular biologist, allowing for rapid enhancements of protein stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter G Chandler
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sebastian S Broendum
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Blake T Riley
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Matthew A Spence
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Colin J Jackson
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sheena McGowan
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Ashley M Buckle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Heinzelman P, Low A, Simeon R, Wright GA, Chen Z. De Novo Isolation & Affinity Maturation of yeast-displayed Virion-binding human fibronectin domains by flow cytometric screening against Virions. J Biol Eng 2019; 13:76. [PMID: 31636701 PMCID: PMC6796422 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0203-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The promise of biopharmaceuticals comprising one or more binding domains motivates the development of novel methods for de novo isolation and affinity maturation of virion-binding domains. Identifying avenues for overcoming the challenges associated with using virions as screening reagents is paramount given the difficulties associated with obtaining high-purity virus-associated proteins that retain the conformation exhibited on the virion surface. RESULTS Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) of 1.5 × 107 clones taken from a naïve yeast surface-displayed human fibronectin domain (Fn3) against whole virions yielded two unique binders to Zika virions. Construction and FACS of site-directed binding loop mutant libraries based on one of these binders yielded multiple progeny clones with enhanced Zika-binding affinities. These affinity-matured clones bound Zika virions with low double- or single-digit nanomolar affinity in ELISA assays, and expressed well as soluble proteins in E. coli shake flask culture, with post-purification yields exceeding 10 mg/L. CONCLUSIONS FACS of a yeast-displayed binding domain library is an efficient method for de novo isolation of virion-binding domains. Affinities of isolated virion-binding clones are readily enhanced via FACS screening of mutant progeny libraries. Given that most binding domains are compatible with yeast display, the approach taken in this work may be broadly utilized for generating virion-binding domains against many different viruses for use in passive immunotherapy and the prevention of viral infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pete Heinzelman
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 USA
| | - Alyssa Low
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 USA
| | - Rudo Simeon
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 USA
| | - Gus A. Wright
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 USA
| | - Zhilei Chen
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis & Immunology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843 USA
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Engineering selective competitors for the discrimination of highly conserved protein-protein interaction modules. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4521. [PMID: 31586061 PMCID: PMC6778148 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12528-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Designing highly specific modulators of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is especially challenging in the context of multiple paralogs and conserved interaction surfaces. In this case, direct generation of selective and competitive inhibitors is hindered by high similarity within the evolutionary-related protein interfaces. We report here a strategy that uses a semi-rational approach to separate the modulator design into two functional parts. We first achieve specificity toward a region outside of the interface by using phage display selection coupled with molecular and cellular validation. Highly selective competition is then generated by appending the more degenerate interaction peptide to contact the target interface. We apply this approach to specifically bind a single PDZ domain within the postsynaptic protein PSD-95 over highly similar PDZ domains in PSD-93, SAP-97 and SAP-102. Our work provides a paralog-selective and domain specific inhibitor of PSD-95, and describes a method to efficiently target other conserved PPI modules. Developing inhibitors that target specific protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is challenging. Here, the authors show that target selectivity and PPI blocking can be achieved simultaneously with PPI inhibitors that contain two functional modules, and create a paralog-selective PSD-95 inhibitor as proof-of-concept.
Collapse
|
24
|
Gao X, Conard A, Yang C, Zhan Y, Zeng F, Shi J, Li W, Dimitrov DS, Gong R. Optimization of the C-Terminus of an Autonomous Human IgG1 CH2 Domain for Stability and Aggregation Resistance. Mol Pharm 2019; 16:3647-3656. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Alex Conard
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Chunpeng Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yancheng Zhan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Fang Zeng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jian Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Wei Li
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Dimiter S. Dimitrov
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh Medical School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States
| | - Rui Gong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Size-Dependent Segregation Controls Macrophage Phagocytosis of Antibody-Opsonized Targets. Cell 2019; 174:131-142.e13. [PMID: 29958103 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.05.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2017] [Revised: 03/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Macrophages protect the body from damage and disease by targeting antibody-opsonized cells for phagocytosis. Though antibodies can be raised against antigens with diverse structures, shapes, and sizes, it is unclear why some are more effective at triggering immune responses than others. Here, we define an antigen height threshold that regulates phagocytosis of both engineered and cancer-specific antigens by macrophages. Using a reconstituted model of antibody-opsonized target cells, we find that phagocytosis is dramatically impaired for antigens that position antibodies >10 nm from the target surface. Decreasing antigen height drives segregation of antibody-bound Fc receptors from the inhibitory phosphatase CD45 in an integrin-independent manner, triggering Fc receptor phosphorylation and promoting phagocytosis. Our work shows that close contact between macrophage and target is a requirement for efficient phagocytosis, suggesting that therapeutic antibodies should target short antigens in order to trigger Fc receptor activation through size-dependent physical segregation.
Collapse
|
26
|
Bioanalytical workflow for novel scaffold protein–drug conjugates: quantitation of total Centyrin protein, conjugated Centyrin and free payload for Centyrin–drug conjugate in plasma and tissue samples using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Bioanalysis 2018; 10:1651-1665. [DOI: 10.4155/bio-2018-0201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Alternative scaffold proteins have emerged as novel platforms for development of therapeutic applications. One such application is in protein–drug conjugates (PDCs), which are analogous to antibody–drug conjugates. Methodology: Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry methods for quantitation of total protein, conjugate and free payload for a PDC based on Centyrin scaffold were developed. Tryptic peptides generated from a region of the Centyrin that does not contain a conjugation site, and another that has the conjugation site with the linker-payload attached were used as surrogates of the total and conjugated Centyrin, respectively. Conclusion: The methods were successfully applied to analysis of samples from mice to quantify the plasma and tissue concentrations. This same workflow can potentially be applied to other PDCs and site-specific antibody–drug conjugates.
Collapse
|
27
|
DeRosa JR, Moyer BS, Lumen E, Wolfe AJ, Sleeper MB, Bianchi AH, Crawford A, McGuigan C, Wortel D, Fisher C, Moody KJ, Blanden AR. RPtag as an Orally Bioavailable, Hyperstable Epitope Tag and Generalizable Protein Binding Scaffold. Biochemistry 2018; 57:3036-3049. [PMID: 29722979 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.8b00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies are the most prolific biologics in research and clinical environments because of their ability to bind targets with high affinity and specificity. However, antibodies also carry liabilities. A significant portion of the life-science reproducibility crisis is driven by inconsistent performance of research-grade antibodies, and clinical antibodies are often unstable and require costly cold-chain management to reach their destinations in active form. In biotechnology, antibodies are also limited by difficulty integrating them in many recombinant systems due to their size and structural complexity. A switch to small, stable, sequence-verified binding scaffolds may overcome these barriers. Here we present such a scaffold, RPtag, based on a ribose-binding protein (RBP) from extremophile Caldanaerobacter subterraneus. RPtag binds an optimized peptide with pM affinity, is stable to extreme temperature, pH, and protease treatment, readily refolds after denaturation, is effective in common laboratory applications, was rationally engineered to bind bioactive PDGF-β, and was formulated as a gut-stable orally bioavailable preparation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R DeRosa
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Brandon S Moyer
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Ellie Lumen
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Aaron J Wolfe
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Meegan B Sleeper
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Anthony H Bianchi
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Ashleigh Crawford
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Connor McGuigan
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Danique Wortel
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Cheyanne Fisher
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Kelsey J Moody
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| | - Adam R Blanden
- Ichor Therapeutics, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States.,RecombiPure, Inc. , 2521 US-11 , Lafayette , New York 13084 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Shi C, Goldberg S, Lin T, Dudkin V, Widdison W, Harris L, Wilhelm S, Jmeian Y, Davis D, O’Neil K, Weng N, Jian W. LC/MS/MS Bioanalysis of Protein–Drug Conjugates—The Importance of Incorporating Succinimide Hydrolysis Products. Anal Chem 2018; 90:5314-5321. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Shi
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Shalom Goldberg
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Tricia Lin
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Vadim Dudkin
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Wayne Widdison
- ImmunoGen, Inc., 830 Winter Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Luke Harris
- ImmunoGen, Inc., 830 Winter Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Sharon Wilhelm
- ImmunoGen, Inc., 830 Winter Street, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Yazen Jmeian
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Darryl Davis
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Karyn O’Neil
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Naidong Weng
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| | - Wenying Jian
- Janssen Research & Development, LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, Pennsylvania 19477, United States
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Zhang D, Whitaker B, Derebe MG, Chiu ML. FcγRII-binding Centyrins mediate agonism and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis when fused to an anti-OX40 antibody. MAbs 2018; 10:463-475. [PMID: 29359992 PMCID: PMC5916553 DOI: 10.1080/19420862.2018.1424611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunostimulatory antibodies against the tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFR) are emerging as promising cancer immunotherapies. The agonism activity of such antibodies depends on crosslinking to Fc gamma RIIB receptor (FcγRIIB) to enable the antibody multimerization that drives TNFR activation. Previously, Fc engineering was used to enhance the binding of such antibodies to Fcγ receptors. Here, we report the identification of Centyrins as alternative scaffold proteins with binding affinities to homologous FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA, but not to other types of Fcγ receptors. One Centyrin, S29, was engineered at distinct positions of an anti-OX40 SF2 antibody to generate bispecific and tetravalent molecules named as mAbtyrins. Regardless of the position of S29 on the SF2 antibody, SF2-S29 mAbtyrins could bind FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA specifically while maintaining binding to OX40 receptors. In a NFκB reporter assay, attachment of S29 Centyrin molecules at the C-termini, but not the N-termini, resulted in SF2 antibodies with increased agonism owing to FcγRIIB crosslinking. The mAbtyrins also showed agonism in T-cell activation assays with immobilized FcγRIIB and FcγRIIA, but this activity was confined to mAbtyrins with S29 specifically at the C-termini of antibody heavy chains. Furthermore, regardless of the position of the molecule, S29 Centyrin could equip an otherwise Fc-silent antibody with antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis activity without affecting the antibody's intrinsic antibody-dependent cell-meditated cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity. In summary, the appropriate adoption FcγRII-binding Centyrins as functional modules represents a novel strategy to engineer therapeutic antibodies with improved functionalities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Di Zhang
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| | - Brian Whitaker
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| | - Mehabaw G Derebe
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| | - Mark L Chiu
- a Department of Biologics Research , Janssen R&D, LLC, Spring House , PA , USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Zhao J, Ren J, Wang N, Cheng Z, Yang R, Lin G, Guo Y, Cai D, Xie Y, Zhao X. Crystal structure of the second fibronectin type III (FN3) domain from human collagen α1 type XX. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2017; 73:695-700. [PMID: 29199991 PMCID: PMC5713675 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x1701648x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Collagen α1 type XX, which contains fibronectin type III (FN3) repeats involving six FN3 domains (referred to as the FN#1-FN#6 domains), is an unusual member of the fibril-associated collagens with interrupted triple helices (FACIT) subfamily of collagens. The results of standard protein BLAST suggest that the FN3 repeats might contribute to collagen α1 type XX acting as a cytokine receptor. To date, solution NMR structures of the FN#3, FN#4 and FN#6 domains have been determined. To obtain further structural evidence to understand the relationship between the structure and function of the FN3 repeats from collagen α1 type XX, the crystal structure of the FN#2 domain from human collagen α1 type XX (residues Pro386-Pro466; referred to as FN2-HCXX) was solved at 2.5 Å resolution. The crystal structure of FN2-HCXX shows an immunoglobulin-like fold containing a β-sandwich structure, which is formed by a three-stranded β-sheet (β1, β2 and β5) packed onto a four-stranded β-sheet (β3, β4, β6 and β7). Two consensus domains, tencon and fibcon, are structural analogues of FN2-HCXX. Fn8, an FN3 domain from human oncofoetal fibronectin, is the closest structural analogue of FN2-HCXX derived from a naturally occurring sequence. Based solely on the structural similarity of FN2-HCXX to other FN3 domains, the detailed functions of FN2-HCXX and the FN3 repeats in collagen α1 type XX cannot be identified.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingfeng Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jixia Ren
- College of Life Science, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng, Shandong 252059, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Runmei Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Gen Lin
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yi Guo
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Dayong Cai
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yong Xie
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohong Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 151 Malianwa North Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, People’s Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Affiliation(s)
- Madduri Srinivasarao
- Purdue Institute for Drug
Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Philip S. Low
- Purdue Institute for Drug
Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Kanwal S, Jensch I, Palm GJ, Brönstrup M, Rohde M, Kohler TP, Somplatzki D, Tegge W, Jenkinson HF, Hammerschmidt S. Mapping the recognition domains of pneumococcal fibronectin-binding proteins PavA and PavB demonstrates a common pattern of molecular interactions with fibronectin type III repeats. Mol Microbiol 2017; 105:839-859. [PMID: 28657670 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Colonization of mucosal respiratory surfaces is a prerequisite for the human pathobiont Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus) to cause severe invasive infections. The arsenal of pneumococcal adhesins interacts with a multitude of extracellular matrix proteins. A paradigm for pneumococci is their interaction with the adhesive glycoprotein fibronectin, which facilitates bacterial adherence to host cells. Here, we deciphered the molecular interaction between fibronectin and pneumococcal fibronectin-binding proteins (FnBPs) PavA and PavB respectively. We show in adherence and binding studies that the pneumococcal interaction with fibronectin is a non-human specific trait. PavA and PavB target at least 13 out of 15 type III fibronectin domains as demonstrated in ligand overlay assays, surface plasmon resonance studies and SPOT peptide arrays. Strikingly, both pneumococcal FnBPs recognize similar peptides in targeted type III repeats. Structural comparisons revealed that the targeted type III repeat epitopes cluster on the inner strands of both β-sheets forming the fibronectin domains. Importantly, synthetic peptides of FnIII1 , FnIII5 or FnIII15 bind directly to FnBPs PavA and PavB respectively. In conclusion, our study suggests a common pattern of molecular interactions between pneumococcal FnBPs and fibronectin. The specific epitopes recognized in this study can potentially be tested as antimicrobial targets in further scientific endeavours.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sajida Kanwal
- Department Genetics of Microorganisms, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, D-17487, Germany
| | - Inga Jensch
- Department Genetics of Microorganisms, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, D-17487, Germany
| | - Gottfried J Palm
- Department of Structural Biology, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, D-17487, Germany
| | - Mark Brönstrup
- Department of Chemical Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Braunschweig, D-38124, Germany
| | - Manfred Rohde
- Central Facility for Microscopy, ZEIM, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, D-38124, Germany
| | - Thomas P Kohler
- Department Genetics of Microorganisms, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, D-17487, Germany
| | - Daniela Somplatzki
- Research Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, D-97070, Germany
| | - Werner Tegge
- Department of Chemical Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Braunschweig, D-38124, Germany
| | - Howard F Jenkinson
- Department of Oral and Dental Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Sven Hammerschmidt
- Department Genetics of Microorganisms, Interfaculty Institute for Genetics and Functional Genomics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, D-17487, Germany.,Research Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, D-97070, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Tripp KW, Sternke M, Majumdar A, Barrick D. Creating a Homeodomain with High Stability and DNA Binding Affinity by Sequence Averaging. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:5051-5060. [PMID: 28326770 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b11323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
There is considerable interest in generating proteins with both high stability and high activity for biomedical and industrial purposes. One approach that has been used successfully to increase the stability of linear repeat proteins is consensus design. It is unclear the extent over which the consensus design approach can be used to produce folded and hyperstable proteins, and importantly, whether such stabilized proteins would retain function. Here we extend the consensus strategy to design a globular protein. We show that a consensus-designed homeodomain (HD) sequence adopts a cooperatively folded homeodomain structure. The unfolding free energy of the consensus-HD is 5 kcal·mol-1 higher than that of the naturally occurring engrailed-HD from Drosophila melanogaster. Remarkably, the consensus-HD binds the engrailed-HD cognate DNA in a similar mode as the engrailed-HD with approximately 100-fold higher affinity. 15N relaxation studies show a decrease in ps-ns backbone dynamics in the free state of consensus-HD, suggesting that increased affinity is not a result of increased plasticity. In addition to demonstrating the potential for consensus design of globular proteins with increased stability, these results demonstrate that greatly stabilized proteins can bind cognate substrates with increased affinities, showing that high stability is compatible with function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine W Tripp
- The T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics and ‡Biomolecular NMR Center, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Matt Sternke
- The T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics and ‡Biomolecular NMR Center, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Ananya Majumdar
- The T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics and ‡Biomolecular NMR Center, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| | - Doug Barrick
- The T. C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics and ‡Biomolecular NMR Center, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, United States
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Abstract
Synthetic protein switches with tailored response functions are finding increasing applications as tools in basic research and biotechnology. With a number of successful design strategies emerging, the construction of synthetic protein switches still frequently necessitates an integrated approach that combines detailed biochemical and biophysical characterization in combination with high-throughput screening to construct tailored synthetic protein switches. This is increasingly complemented by computational strategies that aim to reduce the need for costly empirical optimization and thus facilitate the protein design process. Successful computational design approaches range from analyzing phylogenetic data to infer useful structural, biophysical, and biochemical information to modeling the structure and function of proteins ab initio. The following chapter provides an overview over the theoretical considerations and experimental approaches that have been successful applied in the construction of synthetic protein switches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Stein
- Fachbereich Biologie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Almaaytah A, Ajingi Y, Abualhaijaa A, Tarazi S, Alshar’i N, Al-Balas Q. Peptide consensus sequence determination for the enhancement of the antimicrobial activity and selectivity of antimicrobial peptides. Infect Drug Resist 2016; 10:1-17. [PMID: 28096686 PMCID: PMC5207468 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s118877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The rise of multidrug-resistant bacteria is causing a serious threat to the world's human population. Recent reports have identified bacterial strains displaying pan drug resistance against antibiotics and generating fears among medical health specialists that humanity is on the dawn of entering a post-antibiotics era. Global research is currently focused on expanding the lifetime of current antibiotics and the development of new antimicrobial agents to tackle the problem of antimicrobial resistance. In the present study, we designed a novel consensus peptide named "Pepcon" through peptide consensus sequence determination among members of a highly homologous group of scorpion antimicrobial peptides. Members of this group were found to possess moderate antimicrobial activity with significant toxicity against mammalian cells. The aim of our design method was to generate a novel peptide with an enhanced antimicrobial potency and selectivity against microbial rather than mammalian cells. The results of our study revealed that the consensus peptide displayed potent antibacterial activities against a broad range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Our membrane permeation studies displayed that the peptide efficiently induced membrane damage and consequently led to cell death through the process of cell lysis. The microbial DNA binding assay of the peptide was found to be very weak suggesting that the peptide is not targeting the microbial DNA. Pepcon induced minimal cytotoxicity at the antimicrobial concentrations as the hemolytic activity was found to be zero at the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The results of our study demonstrate that the consensus peptide design strategy is efficient in generating peptides.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ammar Almaaytah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Ya’u Ajingi
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Arts, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Ahmad Abualhaijaa
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Arts, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Shadi Tarazi
- Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Arts, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Nizar Alshar’i
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| | - Qosay Al-Balas
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Goldberg SD, Cardoso RMF, Lin T, Spinka-Doms T, Klein D, Jacobs SA, Dudkin V, Gilliland G, O'Neil KT. Engineering a targeted delivery platform using Centyrins. Protein Eng Des Sel 2016; 29:563-572. [PMID: 27737926 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzw054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted delivery of therapeutic payloads to specific tissues and cell types is an important component of modern pharmaceutical development. Antibodies or other scaffold proteins can provide the cellular address for delivering a covalently linked therapeutic via specific binding to cell-surface receptors. Optimization of the conjugation site on the targeting protein, linker chemistry and intracellular trafficking pathways can all influence the efficiency of delivery and potency of the drug candidate. In this study, we describe a comprehensive engineering experiment for an EGFR binding Centyrin, a highly stable fibronectin type III (FN3) domain, wherein all possible single-cysteine replacements were evaluated for expression, purification, conjugation efficiency, retention of target binding, biophysical properties and delivery of a cytotoxic small molecule payload. Overall, 26 of the 94 positions were identified as ideal for cysteine modification, conjugation and drug delivery. Conjugation-tolerant positions were mapped onto a crystal structure of the Centyrin, providing a structural context for interpretation of the mutagenesis experiment and providing a foundation for a Centyrin-targeted delivery platform.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shalom D Goldberg
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Rosa M F Cardoso
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Tricia Lin
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Tracy Spinka-Doms
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Donna Klein
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Steven A Jacobs
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Vadim Dudkin
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Gary Gilliland
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Karyn T O'Neil
- Janssen Research and Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Porebski BT, Keleher S, Hollins JJ, Nickson AA, Marijanovic EM, Borg NA, Costa MGS, Pearce MA, Dai W, Zhu L, Irving JA, Hoke DE, Kass I, Whisstock JC, Bottomley SP, Webb GI, McGowan S, Buckle AM. Smoothing a rugged protein folding landscape by sequence-based redesign. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33958. [PMID: 27667094 PMCID: PMC5036219 DOI: 10.1038/srep33958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The rugged folding landscapes of functional proteins puts them at risk of misfolding and aggregation. Serine protease inhibitors, or serpins, are paradigms for this delicate balance between function and misfolding. Serpins exist in a metastable state that undergoes a major conformational change in order to inhibit proteases. However, conformational labiality of the native serpin fold renders them susceptible to misfolding, which underlies misfolding diseases such as α1-antitrypsin deficiency. To investigate how serpins balance function and folding, we used consensus design to create conserpin, a synthetic serpin that folds reversibly, is functional, thermostable, and polymerization resistant. Characterization of its structure, folding and dynamics suggest that consensus design has remodeled the folding landscape to reconcile competing requirements for stability and function. This approach may offer general benefits for engineering functional proteins that have risky folding landscapes, including the removal of aggregation-prone intermediates, and modifying scaffolds for use as protein therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Porebski
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Shani Keleher
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Jeffrey J Hollins
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Adrian A Nickson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Emilia M Marijanovic
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Natalie A Borg
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Mauricio G S Costa
- Programa de Computação Científica, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21949900 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mary A Pearce
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Weiwen Dai
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Liguang Zhu
- Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - James A Irving
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - David E Hoke
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Itamar Kass
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - James C Whisstock
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Stephen P Bottomley
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I Webb
- Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Sheena McGowan
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.,Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Ashley M Buckle
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Abstract
A popular and successful strategy in semi-rational design of protein stability is the use of evolutionary information encapsulated in homologous protein sequences. Consensus design is based on the hypothesis that at a given position, the respective consensus amino acid contributes more than average to the stability of the protein than non-conserved amino acids. Here, we review the consensus design approach, its theoretical underpinnings, successes, limitations and challenges, as well as providing a detailed guide to its application in protein engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Porebski
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Ashley M Buckle
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Using natural sequences and modularity to design common and novel protein topologies. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2016; 38:26-36. [PMID: 27270240 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Revised: 05/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Protein design is still a challenging undertaking, often requiring multiple attempts or iterations for success. Typically, the source of failure is unclear, and scoring metrics appear similar between successful and failed cases. Nevertheless, the use of sequence statistics, modularity and symmetry from natural proteins, combined with computational design both at the coarse-grained and atomistic levels is propelling a new wave of design efforts to success. Here we highlight recent examples of design, showing how the wealth of natural protein sequence and topology data may be leveraged to reduce the search space and increase the likelihood of achieving desired outcomes.
Collapse
|
40
|
Kim DN, Jacobs TM, Kuhlman B. Boosting protein stability with the computational design of β-sheet surfaces. Protein Sci 2016; 25:702-10. [PMID: 26701383 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
β-sheets often have one face packed against the core of the protein and the other facing solvent. Mutational studies have indicated that the solvent-facing residues can contribute significantly to protein stability, and that the preferred amino acid at each sequence position is dependent on the precise structure of the protein backbone and the identity of the neighboring amino acids. This suggests that the most advantageous methods for designing β-sheet surfaces will be approaches that take into account the multiple energetic factors at play including side chain rotamer preferences, van der Waals forces, electrostatics, and desolvation effects. Here, we show that the protein design software Rosetta, which models these energetic factors, can be used to dramatically increase protein stability by optimizing interactions on the surfaces of small β-sheet proteins. Two design variants of the β-sandwich protein from tenascin were made with 7 and 14 mutations respectively on its β-sheet surfaces. These changes raised the thermal midpoint for unfolding from 45°C to 64°C and 74°C. Additionally, we tested an empirical approach based on increasing the number of potential salt bridges on the surfaces of the β-sheets. This was not a robust strategy for increasing stability, as three of the four variants tested were unfolded.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Doo Nam Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Timothy M Jacobs
- Program in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| | - Brian Kuhlman
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Abstract
Using structure and sequence based analysis we can engineer proteins to increase their thermal stability.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H. Pezeshgi Modarres
- Molecular Cell Biomechanics Laboratory
- Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering
- University of California Berkeley
- Berkeley
- USA
| | - M. R. Mofrad
- Molecular Cell Biomechanics Laboratory
- Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Engineering
- University of California Berkeley
- Berkeley
- USA
| | - A. Sanati-Nezhad
- BioMEMS and Bioinspired Microfluidic Laboratory
- Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
- University of Calgary
- Calgary
- Canada
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Sause WE, Buckley PT, Strohl WR, Lynch AS, Torres VJ. Antibody-Based Biologics and Their Promise to Combat Staphylococcus aureus Infections. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2015; 37:231-241. [PMID: 26719219 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2015.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The growing incidence of serious infections mediated by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains poses a significant risk to public health. This risk is exacerbated by a prolonged void in the discovery and development of truly novel antibiotics and the absence of a vaccine. These gaps have created renewed interest in the use of biologics in the prevention and treatment of serious staphylococcal infections. In this review, we focus on efforts towards the discovery and development of antibody-based biologic agents and their potential as clinical agents in the management of serious S. aureus infections. Recent promising data for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting anthrax and Ebola highlight the potential of antibody-based biologics as therapeutic agents for serious infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William E Sause
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Peter T Buckley
- Janssen Research & Development LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - William R Strohl
- Janssen Research & Development LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - A Simon Lynch
- Janssen Research & Development LLC, 1400 McKean Road, Spring House, PA 19477, USA.
| | - Victor J Torres
- Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Redesigning alcohol dehydrogenases/reductases for more efficient biosynthesis of enantiopure isomers. Biotechnol Adv 2015; 33:1671-84. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
44
|
Porebski BT, Nickson AA, Hoke DE, Hunter MR, Zhu L, McGowan S, Webb GI, Buckle AM. Structural and dynamic properties that govern the stability of an engineered fibronectin type III domain. Protein Eng Des Sel 2015; 28:67-78. [PMID: 25691761 PMCID: PMC4330816 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzv002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Consensus protein design is a rapid and reliable technique for the improvement of protein stability, which relies on the use of homologous protein sequences. To enhance the stability of a fibronectin type III (FN3) domain, consensus design was employed using an alignment of 2123 sequences. The resulting FN3 domain, FN3con, has unprecedented stability, with a melting temperature >100°C, a ΔGD−N of 15.5 kcal mol−1 and a greatly reduced unfolding rate compared with wild-type. To determine the underlying molecular basis for stability, an X-ray crystal structure of FN3con was determined to 2.0 Å and compared with other FN3 domains of varying stabilities. The structure of FN3con reveals significantly increased salt bridge interactions that are cooperatively networked, and a highly optimized hydrophobic core. Molecular dynamics simulations of FN3con and comparison structures show the cooperative power of electrostatic and hydrophobic networks in improving FN3con stability. Taken together, our data reveal that FN3con stability does not result from a single mechanism, but rather the combination of several features and the removal of non-conserved, unfavorable interactions. The large number of sequences employed in this study has most likely enhanced the robustness of the consensus design, which is now possible due to the increased sequence availability in the post-genomic era. These studies increase our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that govern stability and demonstrate the rising potential for enhancing stability via the consensus method.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin T Porebski
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Adrian A Nickson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, UK
| | - David E Hoke
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Morag R Hunter
- Centre for Brain Research and Department of Pharmacology and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Liguang Zhu
- Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Sheena McGowan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I Webb
- Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Ashley M Buckle
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Biomedical Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Jacobs SA, Gibbs AC, Conk M, Yi F, Maguire D, Kane C, O'Neil KT. Fusion to a highly stable consensus albumin binding domain allows for tunable pharmacokinetics. Protein Eng Des Sel 2015; 28:385-93. [PMID: 26275855 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzv040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 07/22/2015] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of classes of proteins have been engineered for high stability using consensus sequence design methods. Here we describe the engineering of a novel albumin binding domain (ABD) three-helix bundle protein. The resulting engineered ABD molecule, called ABDCon, is expressed at high levels in the soluble fraction of Escherichia coli and is highly stable, with a melting temperature of 81.5°C. ABDCon binds human, monkey and mouse serum albumins with affinity as high as 61 pM. The solution structure of ABDCon is consistent with the three-helix bundle design and epitope mapping studies enabled a precise definition of the albumin binding interface. Fusion of a 10 kDa scaffold protein to ABDCon results in a long terminal half-life of 60 h in mice and 182 h in cynomolgus monkeys. To explore the link between albumin affinity and in vivo exposure, mutations were designed at the albumin binding interface of ABDCon yielding variants that span an 11 000-fold range in affinity. The PK properties of five such variants were determined in mice in order to demonstrate the tunable nature of serum half-life, exposure and clearance with variations in albumin binding affinity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven A Jacobs
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Alan C Gibbs
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Michelle Conk
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Fang Yi
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Diane Maguire
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Colleen Kane
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| | - Karyn T O'Neil
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 Welsh & McKean Rd., Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA 19454, USA
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
|
47
|
Gilbreth RN, Chacko BM, Grinberg L, Swers JS, Baca M. Stabilization of the third fibronectin type III domain of human tenascin-C through minimal mutation and rational design. Protein Eng Des Sel 2014; 27:411-8. [PMID: 24996411 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzu024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-antibody scaffolds are increasingly used to generate novel binding proteins for both research and therapeutic applications. Our group has developed the tenth fibronectin type III domain of human tenascin-C (TNfn3) as one such scaffold. As a scaffold, TNfn3 must tolerate extensive mutation to introduce novel binding sites. However, TNfn3's marginal stability (T(m) ∼ 59°C, ΔG(unfolding) = 5.7 kcal/mol) stands as a potential obstacle to this process. To address this issue, we sought to engineer highly stable TNfn3 variants. We used two parallel strategies. Using insights gained from structural analysis of other FN3 family members, we (1) rationally designed stabilizing point mutations or (2) introduced novel stabilizing disulfide bonds. Both strategies yielded highly stable TNfn3 variants with T(m) values as high as 83°C and ΔG(unfolding) values as high as 9.4 kcal/mol. Notably, only three or four mutations were required to achieve this level of stability with either approach. These results validate our rational design strategies and illustrate that substantial stability increases can be achieved with minimal mutation. One TNfn3 variant reported here has now been successfully used as a scaffold to develop two promising therapeutic molecules. We anticipate that other variants described will exhibit similar utility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R N Gilbreth
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
| | - B M Chacko
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
| | - L Grinberg
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
| | - J S Swers
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
| | - M Baca
- Department of Antibody Discovery and Protein Engineering, MedImmune LLC, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, USA
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Diem MD, Hyun L, Yi F, Hippensteel R, Kuhar E, Lowenstein C, Swift EJ, O'Neil KT, Jacobs SA. Selection of high-affinity Centyrin FN3 domains from a simple library diversified at a combination of strand and loop positions. Protein Eng Des Sel 2014; 27:419-29. [PMID: 24786107 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzu016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Alternative scaffold molecules represent a class of proteins important to the study of protein design and mechanisms of protein-protein interactions, as well as for the development of therapeutic proteins. Here, we describe the generation of a library built upon the framework of a consensus FN3 domain sequence resulting in binding proteins we call Centyrins. This new library employs diversified positions within the C-strand, CD-loop, F-strand and FG-loop of the FN3 domain. CIS display was used to select high-affinity Centyrin variants against three targets; c-MET, murine IL-17A and rat TNFα and scanning mutagenesis studies were used to define the positions of the library most important for target binding. Contributions from both the strand and loop positions were noted, although the pattern was different for each molecule. In addition, an affinity maturation scheme is described that resulted in a significant improvement in the affinity of one selected Centyrin variant. Together, this work provides important data contributing to our understanding of potential FN3 binding interfaces and a new tool for generating high-affinity scaffold molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael D Diem
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Linus Hyun
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Fang Yi
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Randi Hippensteel
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Elise Kuhar
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Cassandra Lowenstein
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Edward J Swift
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Karyn T O'Neil
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| | - Steven A Jacobs
- Janssen Research & Development, L.L.C., 1400 McKean Road, PO Box 776, Spring House, PA 19477, USA
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Tiede C, Tang AAS, Deacon SE, Mandal U, Nettleship JE, Owen RL, George SE, Harrison DJ, Owens RJ, Tomlinson DC, McPherson MJ. Adhiron: a stable and versatile peptide display scaffold for molecular recognition applications. Protein Eng Des Sel 2014; 27:145-55. [PMID: 24668773 PMCID: PMC4000234 DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzu007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We have designed a novel non-antibody scaffold protein, termed Adhiron, based on a phytocystatin consensus sequence. The Adhiron scaffold shows high thermal stability (Tm ca. 101°C), and is expressed well in Escherichia coli. We have determined the X-ray crystal structure of the Adhiron scaffold to 1.75 Å resolution revealing a compact cystatin-like fold. We have constructed a phage-display library in this scaffold by insertion of two variable peptide regions. The library is of high quality and complexity comprising 1.3 × 1010 clones. To demonstrate library efficacy, we screened against the yeast Small Ubiquitin-like Modifier (SUMO). In selected clones, variable region 1 often contained sequences homologous to the known SUMO interactive motif (V/I-X-V/I-V/I). Four Adhirons were further characterised and displayed low nanomolar affinities and high specificity for yeast SUMO with essentially no cross-reactivity to human SUMO protein isoforms. We have identified binders against >100 target molecules to date including as examples, a fibroblast growth factor (FGF1), platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1; CD31), the SH2 domain Grb2 and a 12-aa peptide. Adhirons are highly stable and well expressed allowing highly specific binding reagents to be selected for use in molecular recognition applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christian Tiede
- Biomedical Health Research Centre, BioScreening Technology Group, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Luo J, Teplyakov A, Obmolova G, Malia TJ, Chan W, Jacobs SA, O'Neil KT, Gilliland GL. N-terminal β-strand swapping in a consensus-derived alternative scaffold driven by stabilizing hydrophobic interactions. Proteins 2014; 82:1527-33. [PMID: 24464739 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2013] [Revised: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The crystal structure of an N-terminal β-strand-swapped consensus-derived tenascin FN3 alternative scaffold has been determined. A comparison with the unswapped structure reveals that the side chain of residue F88 orients differently and packs more tightly with the hydrophobic core of the domain. Dimer formation also results in the burial of a hydrophobic patch on the surface of the domain. Thus, it appears that tighter packing of F88 in the hydrophobic core and burial of surface hydrophobicity provide the driving forces for the N-terminal β-strand swapping, leading to the formation of a stable compact dimer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinquan Luo
- Biotechnology Center of Excellence, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Spring House, Pennsylvania, 19477
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|