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Zhang W, Yang Z, Zheng J, Fu K, Wong JH, Ni Y, Ng TB, Cho CH, Chan MK, Lee MM. A Bioresponsive Genetically Encoded Antimicrobial Crystal for the Oral Treatment of Helicobacter Pylori Infection. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2301724. [PMID: 37675807 PMCID: PMC10602570 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202301724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) causes infection in the stomach and is a major factor for gastric carcinogenesis. The application of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an alternative treatment to traditional antibiotics is limited by their facile degradation in the stomach, their poor penetration of the gastric mucosa, and the cost of peptide production. Here, the design and characterization of a genetically encoded H. pylori-responsive microbicidal protein crystal Cry3Aa-MIIA-AMP-P17 is described. This designed crystal exhibits preferential binding to H. pylori, and when activated, promotes the targeted release of the AMP at the H. pylori infection site. Significantly, when the activated Cry3Aa-MIIA-AMP-P17 crystals are orally delivered to infected mice, the Cry3Aa crystal framework protects its cargo AMP against degradation, resulting in enhanced in vivo efficacy against H. pylori infection. Notably, in contrast to antibiotics, treatment with the activated crystals results in minimal perturbation of the mouse gut microbiota. These results demonstrate that engineered Cry3Aa crystals can serve as an effective platform for the oral delivery of therapeutic peptides to treat gastrointestinal diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenxiu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Zaofeng Yang
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Jiale Zheng
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Kaili Fu
- Department of Medicine and TherapeuticsFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Jack Ho Wong
- School of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
- Present address:
School of Health SciencesCaritas Institute of Higher EducationHong Kong999077China
| | - Yunbi Ni
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular PathologyPrince of Wales HospitalThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Tzi Bun Ng
- School of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Chi Hin Cho
- School of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
- Present address:
School of PharmacyUniversity of Southwest Medical UniversityLuzhou646000China
| | - Michael K. Chan
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
| | - Marianne M. Lee
- School of Life Sciences and Center of Novel BiomaterialsThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong999077China
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Kojima M, Abe S, Furuta T, Tran DP, Hirata K, Yamashita K, Hishikawa Y, Kitao A, Ueno T. Engineering of an in-cell protein crystal for fastening a metastable conformation of a target miniprotein. Biomater Sci 2023; 11:1350-1357. [PMID: 36594419 DOI: 10.1039/d2bm01759h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Protein crystals can be utilized as porous scaffolds to capture exogenous molecules. Immobilization of target proteins using protein crystals is expected to facilitate X-ray structure analysis of proteins that are difficult to be crystallized. One of the advantages of scaffold-assisted structure determination is the analysis of metastable structures that are not observed in solution. However, efforts to fix target proteins within the pores of scaffold protein crystals have been limited due to the lack of strategies to control protein-protein interactions formed in the crystals. In this study, we analyze the metastable structure of the miniprotein, CLN025, which forms a β-hairpin structure in solution, using a polyhedra crystal (PhC), an in-cell protein crystal. CLN025 is successfully fixed within the PhC scaffold by replacing the original loop region. X-ray crystal structure analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation reveal that CLN025 is fixed as a helical structure in a metastable state by non-covalent interactions in the scaffold crystal. These results indicate that modulation of intermolecular interactions can trap various protein conformations in the engineered PhC and provides a new strategy for scaffold-assisted structure determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Kojima
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Abe
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Tadaomi Furuta
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Duy Phuoc Tran
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Kunio Hirata
- SR Life Science Instrumentation Unit, RIKEN/SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Keitaro Yamashita
- SR Life Science Instrumentation Unit, RIKEN/SPring-8 Center, 1-1-1, Kouto, Sayo-cho, Sayo-gun, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan.,MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK
| | - Yuki Hishikawa
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Akio Kitao
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Ueno
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan. .,International Research Frontiers Initiative (IRFI), Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta-cho 4259, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
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Kojima M, Abe S, Ueno T. Engineering of protein crystals for use as solid biomaterials. Biomater Sci 2021; 10:354-367. [PMID: 34928275 DOI: 10.1039/d1bm01752g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Protein crystals have attracted a great deal of attention as solid biomaterials because they have porous structures created by regular assemblies of proteins. The lattice structures of protein crystals are controlled by designing molecular interfacial interactions via covalent bonds and non-covalent bonds. Protein crystals have been functionalized as templates to immobilize foreign molecules such as metal nanoparticles, metal complexes, and proteins. These hybrid crystals are used as functional materials for catalytic reactions and structural analysis. Furthermore, in-cell protein crystals have been studied extensively, providing progress in rapid protein crystallization and crystallography. This review highlights recent advances in crystal engineering for protein crystallization and generation of solid functional materials both in vitro and within cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariko Kojima
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259-B55, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Satoshi Abe
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259-B55, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Ueno
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta 4259-B55, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
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Chatterjee S, Kumari S, Rath S, Priyadarshanee M, Das S. Diversity, structure and regulation of microbial metallothionein: metal resistance and possible applications in sequestration of toxic metals. Metallomics 2020; 12:1637-1655. [PMID: 32996528 DOI: 10.1039/d0mt00140f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Metallothioneins (MTs) are a group of cysteine-rich, universal, low molecular weight proteins distributed widely in almost all major taxonomic groups ranging from tiny microbes to highly organized vertebrates. The primary function of this protein is storage, transportation and binding of metals, which enable microorganisms to detoxify heavy metals. In the microbial world, these peptides were first identified in a cyanobacterium Synechococcus as the SmtA protein which exhibits high affinity towards rising level of zinc and cadmium to preserve metal homeostasis in a cell. In yeast, MTs aid in reserving copper and confer protection against copper toxicity by chelating excess copper ions in a cell. Two MTs, CUP1 and Crs5, originating from Saccharomyces cerevisiae predominantly bind to copper though are capable of binding with zinc and cadmium ions. MT superfamily 7 is found in ciliated protozoa which show high affinity towards copper and cadmium. Several tools and techniques, such as western blot, capillary electrophoresis, inductively coupled plasma, atomic emission spectroscopy and high performance liquid chromatography, have been extensively utilized for the detection and quantification of microbial MTs which are utilized for the efficient remediation and sequestration of heavy metals from a contaminated environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreosi Chatterjee
- Laboratory of Environmental Microbiology and Ecology (LEnME), Department of Life Science, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769 008, Odisha, India.
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Matsarskaia O, Roosen‐Runge F, Schreiber F. Multivalent ions and biomolecules: Attempting a comprehensive perspective. Chemphyschem 2020; 21:1742-1767. [PMID: 32406605 PMCID: PMC7496725 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202000162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ions are ubiquitous in nature. They play a key role for many biological processes on the molecular scale, from molecular interactions, to mechanical properties, to folding, to self-organisation and assembly, to reaction equilibria, to signalling, to energy and material transport, to recognition etc. Going beyond monovalent ions to multivalent ions, the effects of the ions are frequently not only stronger (due to the obviously higher charge), but qualitatively different. A typical example is the process of binding of multivalent ions, such as Ca2+ , to a macromolecule and the consequences of this ion binding such as compaction, collapse, potential charge inversion and precipitation of the macromolecule. Here we review these effects and phenomena induced by multivalent ions for biological (macro)molecules, from the "atomistic/molecular" local picture of (potentially specific) interactions to the more global picture of phase behaviour including, e. g., crystallisation, phase separation, oligomerisation etc. Rather than attempting an encyclopedic list of systems, we rather aim for an embracing discussion using typical case studies. We try to cover predominantly three main classes: proteins, nucleic acids, and amphiphilic molecules including interface effects. We do not cover in detail, but make some comparisons to, ion channels, colloidal systems, and synthetic polymers. While there are obvious differences in the behaviour of, and the relevance of multivalent ions for, the three main classes of systems, we also point out analogies. Our attempt of a comprehensive discussion is guided by the idea that there are not only important differences and specific phenomena with regard to the effects of multivalent ions on the main systems, but also important similarities. We hope to bridge physico-chemical mechanisms, concepts of soft matter, and biological observations and connect the different communities further.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Felix Roosen‐Runge
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biofilms-Research Center for Biointerfaces (BRCB), Faculty of Health and SocietyMalmö UniversitySweden
- Division of Physical ChemistryLund UniversitySweden
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Abstract
“Biological Crystallization” is today a very wide topic that includes biomineralization, but also the laboratory crystallization of biological compounds such as macromolecules, carbohydrates or lipids, and the synthesis and fabrication of biomimetic materials by different routes [...]
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