1
|
Zong H, Han L, Chen J, Pan Z, Wang L, Sun R, Ding K, Xie Y, Jiang H, Lu H, Gilly J, Zhang B, Zhu J. Kinetics study of the natural split Npu DnaE intein in the generation of bispecific IgG antibodies. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 106:161-171. [PMID: 34882254 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-021-11707-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Rapid and efficient bispecific antibody (BsAb) production for industrial applications is still facing many challenges. We reported a technology platform for generating bispecific IgG antibodies, "Bispecific Antibody by Protein Trans-splicing (BAPTS)." While the "BAPTS" method has shown potential in high-throughput screening of BsAbs, further understanding and optimizing the methodology is desirable. A large number of BsAbs were selected to illustrate the conversion efficiency and kinetics parameters. The temperature of reaction makes no significant influence in conversion efficiency, which can reach more than 70% within 2 h, and CD3 × HER2 BsAb can reach 90%. By fitting trans-splicing reaction to single-component exponential decay curves, the apparent first-order rate constants at a series of temperatures were determined. The rate constant ranges from 0.02 to 0.11 min-1 at 37 °C, which is a high rate reported for the protein trans-splicing reaction (PTS). The reaction process is activated rapidly with activation energy of 8.9 kcal·mol-1 (CD3 × HER2) and 5.2 kcal·mol-1 (CD3 × EGFR). The BsAbs generated by "BAPTS" technology not only had the similar post-translation modifications to the parental antibodies, but also demonstrated excellent in vitro and in vivo bioactivity. The kinetics parameters and activation energy of the reaction illustrate feasible for high-throughput screening and industrial applications using the "BAPTS" approach. KEY POINTS: • The trans-splicing reaction of Npu DnaE intein in "BAPTS" platform is a rapid process with low reaction activation and high rate. • The BsAb generated by "BAPTS" remained effective in tumor cell killing. • The kinetics parameters and activation energy of the reaction illustrate feasible for high-throughput screening and industrial applications using the "BAPTS" approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huifang Zong
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Han
- Jecho Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhidi Pan
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Sun
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Ding
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueqing Xie
- Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Hua Jiang
- Jecho Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China.,Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Huili Lu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - John Gilly
- Jecho Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China
| | - Baohong Zhang
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jianwei Zhu
- Engineering Research Center of Cell & Therapeutic Antibody, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. .,Jecho Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Tianjin, China. .,Jecho Laboratories, Inc., Frederick, MD, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Identification of the EdcR Estrogen-Dependent Repressor in Caenibius tardaugens NBRC 16725: Construction of a Cellular Estradiol Biosensor. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12121846. [PMID: 34946795 PMCID: PMC8700777 DOI: 10.3390/genes12121846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
In this work, Caenibius tardaugens NBRC 16725 (strain ARI-1) (formerly Novosphingobium tardaugens) was isolated due to its capacity to mineralize estrogenic endocrine disruptors. Its genome encodes the edc genes cluster responsible for the degradation of 17β-estradiol, consisting of two putative operons (OpA and OpB) encoding the enzymes of the upper degradation pathway. Inside the edc cluster, we identified the edcR gene encoding a TetR-like protein. Genetic studies carried out with C. tardaugens mutants demonstrated that EdcR represses the promoters that control the expression of the two operons. These genetic analyses have also shown that 17β-estradiol and estrone, the second intermediate of the degradation pathway, are the true effectors of EdcR. This regulatory system has been heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, foreseeing its use to detect estrogens in environmental samples. Genome comparisons have identified a similar regulatory system in the edc cluster of Altererythrobacter estronivorus MHB5, suggesting that this regulatory arrangement has been horizontally transferred to other bacteria.
Collapse
|
3
|
Wall DA, Tarrant SP, Wang C, Mills KV, Lennon CW. Intein Inhibitors as Novel Antimicrobials: Protein Splicing in Human Pathogens, Screening Methods, and Off-Target Considerations. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:752824. [PMID: 34692773 PMCID: PMC8529194 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.752824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein splicing is a post-translational process by which an intervening polypeptide, or intein, catalyzes its own removal from the flanking polypeptides, or exteins, concomitant with extein ligation. Although inteins are highly abundant in the microbial world, including within several human pathogens, they are absent in the genomes of metazoans. As protein splicing is required to permit function of essential proteins within pathogens, inteins represent attractive antimicrobial targets. Here we review key proteins interrupted by inteins in pathogenic mycobacteria and fungi, exciting discoveries that provide proof of concept that intein activity can be inhibited and that this inhibition has an effect on the host organism's fitness, and bioanalytical methods that have been used to screen for intein activity. We also consider potential off-target inhibition of hedgehog signaling, given the similarity in structure and function of inteins and hedgehog autoprocessing domains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana A Wall
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Seanan P Tarrant
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY, United States
| | - Kenneth V Mills
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA, United States
| | - Christopher W Lennon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Murray State University, Murray, KY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Inteins in Science: Evolution to Application. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8122004. [PMID: 33339089 PMCID: PMC7765530 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8122004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Inteins are mobile genetic elements that apply standard enzymatic strategies to excise themselves post-translationally from the precursor protein via protein splicing. Since their discovery in the 1990s, recent advances in intein technology allow for them to be implemented as a modern biotechnological contrivance. Radical improvement in the structure and catalytic framework of cis- and trans-splicing inteins devised the development of engineered inteins that contribute to various efficient downstream techniques. Previous literature indicates that implementation of intein-mediated splicing has been extended to in vivo systems. Besides, the homing endonuclease domain also acts as a versatile biotechnological tool involving genetic manipulation and control of monogenic diseases. This review orients the understanding of inteins by sequentially studying the distribution and evolution pattern of intein, thereby highlighting a role in genetic mobility. Further, we include an in-depth summary of specific applications branching from protein purification using self-cleaving tags to protein modification, post-translational processing and labelling, followed by the development of intein-based biosensors. These engineered inteins offer a disruptive approach towards research avenues like biomaterial construction, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. Therefore, this linear perspective allows for a more comprehensive understanding of intein function and its diverse applications.
Collapse
|
5
|
Sarmiento C, Camarero JA. Biotechnological Applications of Protein Splicing. Curr Protein Pept Sci 2019; 20:408-424. [PMID: 30734675 PMCID: PMC7135711 DOI: 10.2174/1389203720666190208110416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing domains, also called inteins, have become a powerful biotechnological tool for applications involving molecular biology and protein engineering. Early applications of inteins focused on self-cleaving affinity tags, generation of recombinant polypeptide α-thioesters for the production of semisynthetic proteins and backbone cyclized polypeptides. The discovery of naturallyoccurring split-inteins has allowed the development of novel approaches for the selective modification of proteins both in vitro and in vivo. This review gives a general introduction to protein splicing with a focus on their role in expanding the applications of intein-based technologies in protein engineering and chemical biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Corina Sarmiento
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA9033 USA
| | - Julio A. Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA9033 USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA9033 USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-9121, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Di Ventura B, Mootz HD. Switchable inteins for conditional protein splicing. Biol Chem 2018; 400:467-475. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2018-0309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 08/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Synthetic biologists aim at engineering controllable biological parts such as DNA, RNA and proteins in order to steer biological activities using external inputs. Proteins can be controlled in several ways, for instance by regulating the expression of their encoding genes with small molecules or light. However, post-translationally modifying pre-existing proteins to regulate their function or localization leads to faster responses. Conditional splicing of internal protein domains, termed inteins, is an attractive methodology for this purpose. Here we discuss methods to control intein activity with a focus on those compatible with applications in living cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Di Ventura
- Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg , 79104 Freiburg , Germany
- BIOSS – Centre for Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg , 79104 Freiburg , Germany
| | - Henning D. Mootz
- Department Chemistry and Pharmacy , Institute of Biochemistry, University of Münster , Münster D-48149 , Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zutz C, Wagener K, Yankova D, Eder S, Möstl E, Drillich M, Rychli K, Wagner M, Strauss J. A robust high-throughput fungal biosensor assay for the detection of estrogen activity. Steroids 2017; 126:57-65. [PMID: 28712952 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2017.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Revised: 06/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Estrogenic active compounds are present in a variety of sources and may alter biological functions in vertebrates. Therefore, it is crucial to develop innovative analytical systems that allow us to screen a broad spectrum of matrices and deliver fast and reliable results. We present the adaptation and validation of a fungal biosensor for the detection of estrogen activity in cow derived samples and tested the clinical applicability for pregnancy diagnosis in 140 mares and 120 cows. As biosensor we used a previously engineered genetically modified strain of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans, which contains the human estrogen receptor alpha and a reporter construct, in which β-galactosidase gene expression is controlled by an estrogen-responsive-element. The estrogen response of the fungal biosensor was validated with blood, urine, feces, milk and saliva. All matrices were screened for estrogenic activity prior to and after chemical extraction and the results were compared to an enzyme immunoassay (EIA). The biosensor showed consistent results in milk, urine and feces, which were comparable to those of the EIA. In contrast to the EIA, no sample pre-treatment by chemical extraction was needed. For 17β-estradiol, the biosensor showed a limit of detection of 1ng/L. The validation of the biosensor for pregnancy diagnosis revealed a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of more than 97%. In conclusion, we developed and validated a highly robust fungal biosensor for detection of estrogen activity, which is highly sensitive and economic as it allows analyzing in high-throughput formats without the necessity for organic solvents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Zutz
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Bioresources and Technologies Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria; Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, Department of Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Karen Wagener
- University Clinic for Ruminants, Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Desislava Yankova
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Bioresources and Technologies Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| | - Stefanie Eder
- University Clinic for Ruminants, Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Erich Möstl
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marc Drillich
- University Clinic for Ruminants, Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kathrin Rychli
- Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, Department of Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Wagner
- Institute of Milk Hygiene, Milk Technology and Food Science, Department of Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Joseph Strauss
- Research Platform Bioactive Microbial Metabolites (BiMM), Bioresources and Technologies Campus Tulln, Konrad Lorenz Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria; Fungal Genetics and Genomics Unit, Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Konrad Lorenz Straße 24, 3430 Tulln, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Neugebauer M, Böcker JK, Matern JCJ, Pietrokovski S, Mootz HD. Development of a screening system for inteins active in protein splicing based on intein insertion into the LacZα-peptide. Biol Chem 2017; 398:57-67. [PMID: 27632429 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2016-0229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Protein splicing by inteins has found diverse applications in biotechnology, protein chemistry and chemical biology. Inteins display a wide range of efficiencies and rates unpredictable from their amino acid sequences. Here, we identified positions T22S and S35 in the LacZα peptide as intein insertion sites that strictly require protein splicing, in contrast to cleavage side-reactions, to allow for complementation of β-galactosidase activity. Both the cis-variant of the M86 mutant of the Ssp DnaB intein and a split form undergoing protein trans-splicing gave rise to formation of blue colonies in the β-galactosidase read-out. Furthermore, we report the two novel, naturally split VidaL T4Lh-1 and VidaL UvsX-2 inteins whose N-terminal fragments consist of only 15 and 16 amino acids, respectively. Initial biochemical characterization with the LacZα host system of these inteins further underlines its utility. Finally, we used the LacZα host system to rapidly identify amino acid substitutions from a small randomized library at the structurally conserved intein position 2 next to the catalytic center, that are tolerated for protein splicing activity of the M86 intein. These findings demonstrate the potential of the system for initial testing and directed evolution of inteins.
Collapse
|
9
|
Li S, Jin Y, Wang J, Tang Z, Xu S, Wang T, Cai Z. Urinary profiling of cis-diol-containing metabolites in rats with bisphenol A exposure by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and isotope labeling. Analyst 2016; 141:1144-53. [DOI: 10.1039/c5an02195b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A rapid UPLC-MS method combined with isotope labeling technology was developed for the detection ofcis-diolmetabolites in rat urine after bisphenol A exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shangfu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis
- Department of Chemistry
- Hong Kong Baptist University
- P. R. China
| | - Yibao Jin
- Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control
- Shenzhen
- P. R. China
| | - Jue Wang
- Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control
- Shenzhen
- P. R. China
| | - Zhi Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis
- Department of Chemistry
- Hong Kong Baptist University
- P. R. China
| | - Shunqing Xu
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Health
- Ministry of Education & Ministry of Environmental Protection
- and State Key Laboratory of Environmental Health
- School of Public Health
- Tongji Medical College
| | - Tiejie Wang
- Shenzhen Institute for Drug Control
- Shenzhen
- P. R. China
| | - Zongwei Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis
- Department of Chemistry
- Hong Kong Baptist University
- P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kim H, Siu KH, Raeeszadeh-Sarmazdeh M, Sun Q, Chen Q, Chen W. Bioengineering strategies to generate artificial protein complexes. Biotechnol Bioeng 2015; 112:1495-505. [DOI: 10.1002/bit.25637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2015] [Accepted: 05/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Heejae Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware 19716
| | - Ka-Hei Siu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware 19716
| | | | - Qing Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware 19716
| | - Qi Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware 19716
| | - Wilfred Chen
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; University of Delaware; Newark Delaware 19716
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Wood DW, Camarero JA. Intein applications: from protein purification and labeling to metabolic control methods. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:14512-9. [PMID: 24700459 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.r114.552653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of inteins in the early 1990s opened the door to a wide variety of new technologies. Early engineered inteins from various sources allowed the development of self-cleaving affinity tags and new methods for joining protein segments through expressed protein ligation. Some applications were developed around native and engineered split inteins, which allow protein segments expressed separately to be spliced together in vitro. More recently, these early applications have been expanded and optimized through the discovery of highly efficient trans-splicing and trans-cleaving inteins. These new inteins have enabled a wide variety of applications in metabolic engineering, protein labeling, biomaterials construction, protein cyclization, and protein purification.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David W Wood
- From the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 and
| | - Julio A Camarero
- the Departments of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90033
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Topilina NI, Mills KV. Recent advances in in vivo applications of intein-mediated protein splicing. Mob DNA 2014; 5:5. [PMID: 24490831 PMCID: PMC3922620 DOI: 10.1186/1759-8753-5-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2013] [Accepted: 01/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Intein-mediated protein splicing has become an essential tool in modern biotechnology. Fundamental progress in the structure and catalytic strategies of cis- and trans-splicing inteins has led to the development of modified inteins that promote efficient protein purification, ligation, modification and cyclization. Recent work has extended these in vitro applications to the cell or to whole organisms. We review recent advances in intein-mediated protein expression and modification, post-translational processing and labeling, protein regulation by conditional protein splicing, biosensors, and expression of trans-genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kenneth V Mills
- Department of Chemistry, College of the Holy Cross, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gredell JA, Frei CS, Cirino PC. Protein and RNA engineering to customize microbial molecular reporting. Biotechnol J 2011; 7:477-99. [PMID: 22031507 DOI: 10.1002/biot.201100266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2011] [Revised: 07/20/2011] [Accepted: 08/23/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Nature takes advantage of the malleability of protein and RNA sequence and structure to employ these macromolecules as molecular reporters whose conformation and functional roles depend on the presence of a specific ligand (an "effector" molecule). By following nature's example, ligand-responsive proteins and RNA molecules are now routinely engineered and incorporated into customized molecular reporting systems (biosensors). Microbial small-molecule biosensors and endogenous molecular reporters based on these sensing components find a variety of applications that include high-throughput screening of biosynthesis libraries, environmental monitoring, and novel gene regulation in synthetic biology. Here, we review recent advances in engineering small-molecule recognition by proteins and RNA and in coupling in vivo ligand binding to reporter-gene expression or to allosteric activation of a protein conferring a detectable phenotype. Emphasis is placed on microbial screening systems that serve as molecular reporters and facilitate engineering the ligand-binding component to recognize new molecules.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph A Gredell
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|