1
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Sigal M, Matsumoto S, Beattie A, Katoh T, Suga H. Engineering tRNAs for the Ribosomal Translation of Non-proteinogenic Monomers. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6444-6500. [PMID: 38688034 PMCID: PMC11122139 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Ribosome-dependent protein biosynthesis is an essential cellular process mediated by transfer RNAs (tRNAs). Generally, ribosomally synthesized proteins are limited to the 22 proteinogenic amino acids (pAAs: 20 l-α-amino acids present in the standard genetic code, selenocysteine, and pyrrolysine). However, engineering tRNAs for the ribosomal incorporation of non-proteinogenic monomers (npMs) as building blocks has led to the creation of unique polypeptides with broad applications in cellular biology, material science, spectroscopy, and pharmaceuticals. Ribosomal polymerization of these engineered polypeptides presents a variety of challenges for biochemists, as translation efficiency and fidelity is often insufficient when employing npMs. In this Review, we will focus on the methodologies for engineering tRNAs to overcome these issues and explore recent advances both in vitro and in vivo. These efforts include increasing orthogonality, recruiting essential translation factors, and creation of expanded genetic codes. After our review on the biochemical optimizations of tRNAs, we provide examples of their use in genetic code manipulation, with a focus on the in vitro discovery of bioactive macrocyclic peptides containing npMs. Finally, an analysis of the current state of tRNA engineering is presented, along with existing challenges and future perspectives for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxwell Sigal
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Satomi Matsumoto
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Adam Beattie
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takayuki Katoh
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry,
Graduate School of Science, The University
of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
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2
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Reese A, de Moliner F, Mendive-Tapia L, Benson S, Kuru E, Bridge T, Richards J, Rittichier J, Kitamura T, Sachdeva A, McSorley HJ, Vendrell M. Inserting "OFF-to-ON" BODIPY Tags into Cytokines: A Fluorogenic Interleukin IL-33 for Real-Time Imaging of Immune Cells. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:143-154. [PMID: 38292608 PMCID: PMC10823590 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The essential functions that cytokine/immune cell interactions play in tissue homeostasis and during disease have prompted the molecular design of targeted fluorophores to monitor their activity in real time. Whereas activatable probes for imaging immune-related enzymes are common, many immunological functions are mediated by binding events between cytokines and their cognate receptors that are hard to monitor by live-cell imaging. A prime example is interleukin-33 (IL-33), a key cytokine in innate and adaptive immunity, whose interaction with the ST2 cell-surface receptor results in downstream signaling and activation of NF-κB and AP-1 pathways. In the present work, we have designed a chemical platform to site-specifically introduce OFF-to-ON BODIPY fluorophores into full cytokine proteins and generate the first nativelike fluorescent analogues of IL-33. Among different incorporation strategies, chemical aminoacylation followed by bioorthogonal derivatization led to the best labeling results. Importantly, the BODIPY-labeled IL-33 derivatives-unlike IL-33-GFP constructs-exhibited ST2-specific binding and downstream bioactivity profiles comparable to those of the wild-type interleukin. Real-time fluorescence microscopy assays under no wash conditions confirmed the internalization of IL-33 through ST2 receptors and its intracellular trafficking through the endosomal pathway. We envision that the modularity and versatility of our BODIPY labeling platform will facilitate the synthesis of minimally tagged fluorogenic cytokines as the next generation of imaging reagents for real-time visualization of signaling events in live immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail
E. Reese
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- IRR
Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio de Moliner
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- IRR
Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Lorena Mendive-Tapia
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- IRR
Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Sam Benson
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- IRR
Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Erkin Kuru
- Department
of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Wyss
Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Thomas Bridge
- School
of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Josh Richards
- Division
of Cell Signaling and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Rittichier
- Department
of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Takanori Kitamura
- Centre
for Reproductive Health, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Amit Sachdeva
- School
of Chemistry, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
| | - Henry J. McSorley
- Division
of Cell Signaling and Immunology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN, United Kingdom
| | - Marc Vendrell
- Centre
for Inflammation Research, The University
of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- IRR
Chemistry Hub, Institute for Regeneration and Repair, The University of Edinburgh, EH16 4UU, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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3
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Schloßhauer JL, Zemella A, Dondapati SK, Thoring L, Meyer M, Kubick S. Enhancing the performance of a mutant pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase to create a highly versatile eukaryotic cell-free protein synthesis tool. Sci Rep 2023; 13:15236. [PMID: 37709815 PMCID: PMC10502014 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42198-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Modification of proteins with a broad range of chemical functionalities enables the investigation of protein structure and activity by manipulating polypeptides at single amino acid resolution. Indeed, various functional groups including bulky non-canonical amino acids like strained cyclooctenes could be introduced by the unique features of the binding pocket of the double mutant pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase (Y306A, Y384F), but the instable nature of the enzyme limits its application in vivo. Here, we constructed a cell-free protein production system, which increased the overall enzyme stability by combining different reaction compartments. Moreover, a co-expression approach in a one-pot reaction allowed straightforward site-specific fluorescent labeling of the functional complex membrane protein cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Our work provides a versatile platform for introducing various non-canonical amino acids into difficult-to-express proteins for structural and fluorescence based investigation of proteins activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Schloßhauer
- Fraunhofer Project Group PZ-Syn of the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Institute of Biotechnology,, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Zemella
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany.
| | - Srujan K Dondapati
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Lena Thoring
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Manpreet Meyer
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Kubick
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Joint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus -Senftenberg, The Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Thielallee 63, 14195, Berlin, Germany
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4
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McFeely CAL, Shakya B, Makovsky CA, Haney AK, Ashton Cropp T, Hartman MCT. Extensive breaking of genetic code degeneracy with non-canonical amino acids. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5008. [PMID: 37591858 PMCID: PMC10435567 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40529-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic code expansion (GCE) offers many exciting opportunities for the creation of synthetic organisms and for drug discovery methods that utilize in vitro translation. One type of GCE, sense codon reassignment (SCR), focuses on breaking the degeneracy of the 61 sense codons which encode for only 20 amino acids. SCR has great potential for genetic code expansion, but extensive SCR is limited by the post-transcriptional modifications on tRNAs and wobble reading of these tRNAs by the ribosome. To better understand codon-tRNA pairing, here we develop an assay to evaluate the ability of aminoacyl-tRNAs to compete with each other for a given codon. We then show that hyperaccurate ribosome mutants demonstrate reduced wobble reading, and when paired with unmodified tRNAs lead to extensive and predictable SCR. Together, we encode seven distinct amino acids across nine codons spanning just two codon boxes, thereby demonstrating that the genetic code hosts far more re-assignable space than previously expected, opening the door to extensive genetic code engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton A L McFeely
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W Main St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA, 23219, USA
| | - Bipasana Shakya
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W Main St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA, 23219, USA
| | - Chelsea A Makovsky
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W Main St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA, 23219, USA
| | - Aidan K Haney
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W Main St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
| | - T Ashton Cropp
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W Main St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA
| | - Matthew C T Hartman
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W Main St., Richmond, VA, 23284, USA.
- Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College St., Richmond, VA, 23219, USA.
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5
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Liu F, He L, Dong S, Xuan J, Cui Q, Feng Y. Artificial Small Molecules as Cofactors and Biomacromolecular Building Blocks in Synthetic Biology: Design, Synthesis, Applications, and Challenges. Molecules 2023; 28:5850. [PMID: 37570818 PMCID: PMC10421094 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28155850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Enzymes are essential catalysts for various chemical reactions in biological systems and often rely on metal ions or cofactors to stabilize their structure or perform functions. Improving enzyme performance has always been an important direction of protein engineering. In recent years, various artificial small molecules have been successfully used in enzyme engineering. The types of enzymatic reactions and metabolic pathways in cells can be expanded by the incorporation of these artificial small molecules either as cofactors or as building blocks of proteins and nucleic acids, which greatly promotes the development and application of biotechnology. In this review, we summarized research on artificial small molecules including biological metal cluster mimics, coenzyme analogs (mNADs), designer cofactors, non-natural nucleotides (XNAs), and non-natural amino acids (nnAAs), focusing on their design, synthesis, and applications as well as the current challenges in synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenghua Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lingling He
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Sheng Dong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Xuan
- Department of Bioscience and Bioengineering, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Qiu Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yingang Feng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Shandong Energy Institute, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, 189 Songling Road, Qingdao 266101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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6
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Lahiri P, Martin MS, Lino BR, Scheck RA, Van Deventer JA. Dual Noncanonical Amino Acid Incorporation Enabling Chemoselective Protein Modification at Two Distinct Sites in Yeast. Biochemistry 2023; 62:2098-2114. [PMID: 37377426 PMCID: PMC11146674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Incorporation of more than one noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) within a single protein endows the resulting construct with multiple useful features such as augmented molecular recognition or covalent cross-linking capabilities. Herein, for the first time, we demonstrate the incorporation of two chemically distinct ncAAs into proteins biosynthesized in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To complement ncAA incorporation in response to the amber (TAG) stop codon in yeast, we evaluated opal (TGA) stop codon suppression using three distinct orthogonal translation systems. We observed selective TGA readthrough without detectable cross-reactivity from host translation components. Readthrough efficiency at TGA was modulated by factors including the local nucleotide environment, gene deletions related to the translation process, and the identity of the suppressor tRNA. These observations facilitated systematic investigation of dual ncAA incorporation in both intracellular and yeast-displayed protein constructs, where we observed efficiencies up to 6% of wild-type protein controls. The successful display of doubly substituted proteins enabled the exploration of two critical applications on the yeast surface─(A) antigen binding functionality and (B) chemoselective modification with two distinct chemical probes through sequential application of two bioorthogonal click chemistry reactions. Lastly, by utilizing a soluble form of a doubly substituted construct, we validated the dual incorporation system using mass spectrometry and demonstrated the feasibility of conducting selective labeling of the two ncAAs sequentially using a "single-pot" approach. Overall, our work facilitates the addition of a 22nd amino acid to the genetic code of yeast and expands the scope of applications of ncAAs for basic biological research and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Lahiri
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Meghan S. Martin
- Chemistry Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - Briana R. Lino
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
| | - Rebecca A. Scheck
- Chemistry Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
| | - James A. Van Deventer
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, MA 02155, USA
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA
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7
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Seki K, Galindo JL, Karim AS, Jewett MC. A Cell-Free Gene Expression Platform for Discovering and Characterizing Stop Codon Suppressing tRNAs. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1324-1334. [PMID: 37257197 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) can be incorporated into peptides and proteins to create new properties and functions. Site-specific ncAA incorporation is typically enabled by orthogonal translation systems comprising a stop codon suppressing tRNA (typically UAG), an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase, and an ncAA of interest. Unfortunately, methods to discover and characterize suppressor tRNAs are limited because of laborious and time-consuming workflows in living cells. In this work, we develop anEscherichia coli crude extract-based cell-free gene expression system to rapidly express and characterize functional suppressor tRNAs. Our approach co-expresses orthogonal tRNAs using endogenous machinery alongside a stop-codon containing superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) reporter, which can be used as a simple read-out for suppression. As a model, we evaluate the UAG and UAA suppressing activity of several orthogonal tRNAs. Then, we demonstrate that co-transcription of two mutually orthogonal tRNAs can direct the incorporation of two unique ncAAs within a single modified sfGFP. Finally, we show that the cell-free workflow can be used to discover putative UAG-suppressor tRNAs found in metagenomic data, which are nonspecifically recognized by endogenous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. We anticipate that our cell-free system will accelerate the development of orthogonal translation systems for synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kosuke Seki
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Joey L Galindo
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Ashty S Karim
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, United States
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8
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Li J, Tang M, Qi H. Codon-Reduced Protein Synthesis With Manipulating tRNA Components in Cell-Free System. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:891808. [PMID: 35646841 PMCID: PMC9136035 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.891808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Manipulating transfer RNAs (tRNAs) for emancipating sense codons to simplify genetic codons in a cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system can offer more flexibility and controllability. Here, we provide an overview of the tRNA complement protein synthesis system construction in the tRNA-depleted Protein synthesis Using purified Recombinant Elements (PURE) system or S30 extract. These designed polypeptide coding sequences reduce the genetic codon and contain only a single tRNA corresponding to a single amino acid in this presented system. Strategies for removing tRNAs from cell lysates and synthesizing tRNAs in vivo/vitro are summarized and discussed in detail. Furthermore, we point out the trend toward a minimized genetic codon for reducing codon redundancy by manipulating tRNAs in the different proteins. It is hoped that the tRNA complement protein synthesis system can facilitate the construction of minimal cells and expand the biomedical application scope of synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaojiao Li
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Mengtong Tang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Qi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- *Correspondence: Hao Qi,
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9
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Yukhnovets O, Höfig H, Bustorff N, Katranidis A, Fitter J. Impact of Molecule Concentration, Diffusion Rates and Surface Passivation on Single-Molecule Fluorescence Studies in Solution. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030468. [PMID: 35327660 PMCID: PMC8946791 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
For single-molecule studies in solution, very small concentrations of dye-labelled molecules are employed in order to achieve single-molecule sensitivity. In typical studies with confocal microscopes, often concentrations in the pico-molar regime are required. For various applications that make use of single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) or two-color coincidence detection (TCCD), the molecule concentration must be set explicitly to targeted values and furthermore needs to be stable over a period of several hours. As a consequence, specific demands must be imposed on the surface passivation of the cover slides during the measurements. The aim of having only one molecule in the detection volume at the time is not only affected by the absolute molecule concentration, but also by the rate of diffusion. Therefore, we discuss approaches to control and to measure absolute molecule concentrations. Furthermore, we introduce an approach to calculate the probability of chance coincidence events and demonstrate that measurements with challenging smFRET samples require a strict limit of maximal sample concentrations in order to produce meaningful results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olessya Yukhnovets
- AG Biophysik, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
- Correspondence: (O.Y.); (J.F.)
| | - Henning Höfig
- AG Biophysik, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
| | - Nuno Bustorff
- Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-3), Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-6, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (N.B.); (A.K.)
| | - Alexandros Katranidis
- Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-3), Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-6, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (N.B.); (A.K.)
| | - Jörg Fitter
- AG Biophysik, I. Physikalisches Institut (IA), RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany;
- Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-3), Institute of Biological Information Processing IBI-6, Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany; (N.B.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (O.Y.); (J.F.)
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10
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Kofman C, Lee J, Jewett MC. Engineering molecular translation systems. Cell Syst 2021; 12:593-607. [PMID: 34139167 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Molecular translation systems provide a genetically encoded framework for protein synthesis, which is essential for all life. Engineering these systems to incorporate non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) into peptides and proteins has opened many exciting opportunities in chemical and synthetic biology. Here, we review recent advances that are transforming our ability to engineer molecular translation systems. In cell-based systems, new processes to synthesize recoded genomes, tether ribosomal subunits, and engineer orthogonality with high-throughput workflows have emerged. In cell-free systems, adoption of flexizyme technology and cell-free ribosome synthesis and evolution platforms are expanding the limits of chemistry at the ribosome's RNA-based active site. Looking forward, innovations will deepen understanding of molecular translation and provide a path to polymers with previously unimaginable structures and functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Kofman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Joongoo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Department of Chemical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Interdisplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Simpson Querrey Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA; Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA.
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11
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Adhikari A, Bhattarai BR, Aryal A, Thapa N, KC P, Adhikari A, Maharjan S, Chanda PB, Regmi BP, Parajuli N. Reprogramming natural proteins using unnatural amino acids. RSC Adv 2021; 11:38126-38145. [PMID: 35498070 PMCID: PMC9044140 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra07028b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Unnatural amino acids have gained significant attention in protein engineering and drug discovery as they allow the evolution of proteins with enhanced stability and activity. The incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins offers a rational approach to engineer enzymes for designing efficient biocatalysts that exhibit versatile physicochemical properties and biological functions. This review highlights the biological and synthetic routes of unnatural amino acids to yield a modified protein with altered functionality and their incorporation methods. Unnatural amino acids offer a wide array of applications such as antibody-drug conjugates, probes for change in protein conformation and structure–activity relationships, peptide-based imaging, antimicrobial activities, etc. Besides their emerging applications in fundamental and applied science, systemic research is necessary to explore unnatural amino acids with novel side chains that can address the limitations of natural amino acids. Incorporation of unnatural amino acids into protein offers wide array of applications in fundamental and applied science.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Anup Adhikari
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Bibek Raj Bhattarai
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Ashika Aryal
- Department of Chemistry, Birendra Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University, Bharatpur, Chitwan, Nepal
| | - Niru Thapa
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Puja KC
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Ashma Adhikari
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Sushila Maharjan
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
| | - Prem B. Chanda
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southeastern Louisiana University, Hammond, Louisiana 70402, USA
| | - Bishnu P. Regmi
- Department of Chemistry, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, Tallahassee, Florida 32307, USA
| | - Niranjan Parajuli
- Biological Chemistry Lab, Central Department of Chemistry, Tribhuvan University, Kritipur, 44618, Kathmandu, Nepal
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12
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One-Pot Biocatalytic Preparation of Enantiopure Unusual α-Amino Acids from α-Hydroxy Acids via a Hydrogen-Borrowing Dual-Enzyme Cascade. Catalysts 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/catal10121470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Unusual α-amino acids (UAAs) are important fundamental building blocks and play a key role in medicinal chemistry. Here, we constructed a hydrogen-borrowing dual-enzyme cascade for efficient synthesis of UAAs from α-hydroxy acids (α-HAs). D-mandelate dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus brevis (LbMDH) was screened for the catalysis of α-HAs to α-keto acids but with low activity towards aliphatic α-HAs. Therefore, we rational engineered LbMDH to improve its activity towards aliphatic α-HAs. The substitution of residue Leu243 located in the substrate entrance channel with nonpolar amino acids like Met, Trp, and Ile significantly influenced the enzyme activity towards different α-HAs. Compared with wild type (WT), variant L243W showed 103 U/mg activity towards D-α-hydroxybutyric acid, 1.7 times of the WT’s 60.2 U/mg, while its activity towards D-mandelic acid decreased. Variant L243M showed 2.3 times activity towards D-mandelic acid compared to WT, and its half-life at 40 °C increased to 150.2 h comparing with 98.5 h of WT. By combining LbMDH with L-leucine dehydrogenase from Bacillus cereus, the synthesis of structurally diverse range of UAAs from α-HAs was constructed. We achieved 90.7% conversion for L-phenylglycine production and 66.7% conversion for L-α-aminobutyric acid production. This redox self-sufficient cascade provided high catalytic efficiency and generated pure products.
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13
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Chung CZ, Amikura K, Söll D. Using Genetic Code Expansion for Protein Biochemical Studies. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:598577. [PMID: 33195171 PMCID: PMC7604363 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.598577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein identification has gone beyond simply using protein/peptide tags and labeling canonical amino acids. Genetic code expansion has allowed residue- or site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids into proteins. By taking advantage of the unique properties of non-canonical amino acids, we can identify spatiotemporal-specific protein states within living cells. Insertion of more than one non-canonical amino acid allows for selective labeling that can aid in the identification of weak or transient protein-protein interactions. This review will discuss recent studies applying genetic code expansion for protein labeling and identifying protein-protein interactions and offer considerations for future work in expanding genetic code expansion methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Z. Chung
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Kazuaki Amikura
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Dieter Söll
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States
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14
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Cui Z, Johnston WA, Alexandrov K. Cell-Free Approach for Non-canonical Amino Acids Incorporation Into Polypeptides. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:1031. [PMID: 33117774 PMCID: PMC7550873 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.01031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology holds promise to revolutionize the life sciences and biomedicine via expansion of macromolecular diversity outside the natural chemical space. Use of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) via codon reassignment has found diverse applications in protein structure and interaction analysis, introduction of post-translational modifications, production of constrained peptides, antibody-drug conjugates, and novel enzymes. However, simultaneously encoding multiple ncAAs in vivo requires complex engineering and is sometimes restricted by the cell's poor uptake of ncAAs. In contrast the open nature of cell-free protein synthesis systems offers much greater freedom for manipulation and repurposing of the biosynthetic machinery by controlling the level and identity of translational components and reagents, and allows simultaneous incorporation of multiple ncAAs with non-canonical side chains and even backbones (N-methyl, D-, β-amino acids, α-hydroxy acids etc.). This review focuses on the two most used Escherichia coli-based cell-free protein synthesis systems; cell extract- and PURE-based systems. The former is a biological mixture with >500 proteins, while the latter consists of 38 individually purified biomolecules. We delineate compositions of these two systems and discuss their respective advantages and applications. Also, we dissect the translational components required for ncAA incorporation and compile lists of ncAAs that can be incorporated into polypeptides via different acylation approaches. We highlight the recent progress in using unnatural nucleobase pairs to increase the repertoire of orthogonal codons, as well as using tRNA-specific ribozymes for in situ acylation. We summarize advances in engineering of translational machinery such as tRNAs, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, elongation factors, and ribosomes to achieve efficient incorporation of structurally challenging ncAAs. We note that, many engineered components of biosynthetic machinery are developed for the use in vivo but are equally applicable to the in vitro systems. These are included in the review to provide a comprehensive overview for ncAA incorporation and offer new insights for the future development in cell-free systems. Finally, we highlight the exciting progress in the genomic engineering, resulting in E. coli strains free of amber and some redundant sense codons. These strains can be used for preparation of cell extracts offering multiple reassignment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenling Cui
- Synthetic Biology Laboratory, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Wayne A Johnston
- Synthetic Biology Laboratory, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Kirill Alexandrov
- Synthetic Biology Laboratory, School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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15
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Wu Y, Wang Z, Qiao X, Li J, Shu X, Qi H. Emerging Methods for Efficient and Extensive Incorporation of Non-canonical Amino Acids Using Cell-Free Systems. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:863. [PMID: 32793583 PMCID: PMC7387428 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has emerged as a novel protein expression platform. Especially the incorporation of non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) has led to the development of numerous flexible methods for efficient and extensive expression of artificial proteins. Approaches were developed to eliminate the endogenous competition for ncAAs and engineer translation factors, which significantly enhanced the incorporation efficiency. Furthermore, in vitro aminoacylation methods can be conveniently combined with cell-free systems, extensively expanding the available ncAAs with novel and unique moieties. In this review, we summarize the recent progresses on the efficient and extensive incorporation of ncAAs by different strategies based on the elimination of competition by endogenous factors, translation factors engineering and extensive incorporation of novel ncAAs coupled with in vitro aminoacylation methods in CFPS. We also aim to offer new ideas to researchers working on ncAA incorporation techniques in CFPS and applications in various emerging fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wu
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhaoguan Wang
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xin Qiao
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiaojiao Li
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangrong Shu
- Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Huanhu Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hao Qi
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China.,Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering, Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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16
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Abstract
Proteins are the main source of drug targets and some of them possess therapeutic potential themselves. Among them, membrane proteins constitute approximately 50% of the major drug targets. In the drug discovery pipeline, rapid methods for producing different classes of proteins in a simple manner with high quality are important for structural and functional analysis. Cell-free systems are emerging as an attractive alternative for the production of proteins due to their flexible nature without any cell membrane constraints. In a bioproduction context, open systems based on cell lysates derived from different sources, and with batch-to-batch consistency, have acted as a catalyst for cell-free synthesis of target proteins. Most importantly, proteins can be processed for downstream applications like purification and functional analysis without the necessity of transfection, selection, and expansion of clones. In the last 5 years, there has been an increased availability of new cell-free lysates derived from multiple organisms, and their use for the synthesis of a diverse range of proteins. Despite this progress, major challenges still exist in terms of scalability, cost effectiveness, protein folding, and functionality. In this review, we present an overview of different cell-free systems derived from diverse sources and their application in the production of a wide spectrum of proteins. Further, this article discusses some recent progress in cell-free systems derived from Chinese hamster ovary and Sf21 lysates containing endogenous translocationally active microsomes for the synthesis of membrane proteins. We particularly highlight the usage of internal ribosomal entry site sequences for more efficient protein production, and also the significance of site-specific incorporation of non-canonical amino acids for labeling applications and creation of antibody drug conjugates using cell-free systems. We also discuss strategies to overcome the major challenges involved in commercializing cell-free platforms from a laboratory level for future drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Srujan Kumar Dondapati
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Marlitt Stech
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Anne Zemella
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Stefan Kubick
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Am Mühlenberg 13, 14476, Potsdam, Germany.
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Joint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, The Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane and the University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
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17
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18
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Hammerling MJ, Krüger A, Jewett MC. Strategies for in vitro engineering of the translation machinery. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:1068-1083. [PMID: 31777928 PMCID: PMC7026604 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz1011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineering the process of molecular translation, or protein biosynthesis, has emerged as a major opportunity in synthetic and chemical biology to generate novel biological insights and enable new applications (e.g. designer protein therapeutics). Here, we review methods for engineering the process of translation in vitro. We discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the two major strategies-purified and extract-based systems-and how they may be used to manipulate and study translation. Techniques to engineer each component of the translation machinery are covered in turn, including transfer RNAs, translation factors, and the ribosome. Finally, future directions and enabling technological advances for the field are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Hammerling
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Antje Krüger
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Michael C Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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19
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Calles J, Justice I, Brinkley D, Garcia A, Endy D. Fail-safe genetic codes designed to intrinsically contain engineered organisms. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 47:10439-10451. [PMID: 31511890 PMCID: PMC6821295 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkz745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
One challenge in engineering organisms is taking responsibility for their behavior over many generations. Spontaneous mutations arising before or during use can impact heterologous genetic functions, disrupt system integration, or change organism phenotype. Here, we propose restructuring the genetic code itself such that point mutations in protein-coding sequences are selected against. Synthetic genetic systems so-encoded should fail more safely in response to most spontaneous mutations. We designed fail-safe codes and simulated their expected effects on the evolution of so-encoded proteins. We predict fail-safe codes supporting expression of 20 or 15 amino acids could slow protein evolution to ∼30% or 0% the rate of standard-encoded proteins, respectively. We also designed quadruplet-codon codes that should ensure all single point mutations in protein-coding sequences are selected against while maintaining expression of 20 or more amino acids. We demonstrate experimentally that a reduced set of 21 tRNAs is capable of expressing a protein encoded by only 20 sense codons, whereas a standard 64-codon encoding is not expressed. Our work suggests that biological systems using rationally depleted but otherwise natural translation systems should evolve more slowly and that such hypoevolvable organisms may be less likely to invade new niches or outcompete native populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Calles
- Bioengineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Isaac Justice
- Bioengineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Detravious Brinkley
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Claflin University, Orangeburg, SC 29115, USA
| | - Alexa Garcia
- Bioengineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Drew Endy
- Bioengineering Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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20
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Cui Z, Wu Y, Mureev S, Alexandrov K. Oligonucleotide-mediated tRNA sequestration enables one-pot sense codon reassignment in vitro. Nucleic Acids Res 2019; 46:6387-6400. [PMID: 29846683 PMCID: PMC6158751 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sense codon reassignment to unnatural amino acids (uAAs) represents a powerful approach for introducing novel properties into polypeptides. The main obstacle to this approach is competition between the native isoacceptor tRNA(s) and orthogonal tRNA(s) for the reassigned codon. While several chromatographic and enzymatic procedures for selective deactivation of tRNA isoacceptors in cell-free translation systems exist, they are complex and not scalable. We designed a set of tRNA antisense oligonucleotides composed of either deoxy-, ribo- or 2′-O-methyl ribonucleotides and tested their ability to efficiently complex tRNAs of choice. Methylated oligonucleotides targeting sequence between the anticodon and variable loop of tRNASerGCU displayed subnanomolar binding affinity with slow dissociation kinetics. Such oligonucleotides efficiently and selectively sequestered native tRNASerGCU directly in translation-competent Escherichia coli S30 lysate, thereby, abrogating its translational activity and liberating the AGU/AGC codons. Expression of eGFP protein from the template harboring a single reassignable AGU codon in tRNASerGCU-depleted E. coli lysate allowed its homogeneous modification with n-propargyl-l-lysine or p-azido-l-phenylalanine. The strategy developed here is generic, as demonstrated by sequestration of tRNAArgCCU isoacceptor in E. coli translation system. Furthermore, this method is likely to be species-independent and was successfully applied to the eukaryotic Leishmania tarentolae in vitro translation system. This approach represents a new direction in genetic code reassignment with numerous practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenling Cui
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Yue Wu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Sergey Mureev
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Kirill Alexandrov
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.,Australian Institute for Bioengeneering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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21
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Arranz-Gibert P, Patel JR, Isaacs FJ. The Role of Orthogonality in Genetic Code Expansion. Life (Basel) 2019; 9:E58. [PMID: 31284384 PMCID: PMC6789853 DOI: 10.3390/life9030058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 07/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The genetic code defines how information in the genome is translated into protein. Aside from a handful of isolated exceptions, this code is universal. Researchers have developed techniques to artificially expand the genetic code, repurposing codons and translational machinery to incorporate nonstandard amino acids (nsAAs) into proteins. A key challenge for robust genetic code expansion is orthogonality; the engineered machinery used to introduce nsAAs into proteins must co-exist with native translation and gene expression without cross-reactivity or pleiotropy. The issue of orthogonality manifests at several levels, including those of codons, ribosomes, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, tRNAs, and elongation factors. In this concept paper, we describe advances in genome recoding, translational engineering and associated challenges rooted in establishing orthogonality needed to expand the genetic code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pol Arranz-Gibert
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Jaymin R Patel
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Farren J Isaacs
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520, USA.
- Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
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22
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Saleh AM, Wilding KM, Calve S, Bundy BC, Kinzer-Ursem TL. Non-canonical amino acid labeling in proteomics and biotechnology. J Biol Eng 2019; 13:43. [PMID: 31139251 PMCID: PMC6529998 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-019-0166-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Metabolic labeling of proteins with non-canonical amino acids (ncAAs) provides unique bioorthogonal chemical groups during de novo synthesis by taking advantage of both endogenous and heterologous protein synthesis machineries. Labeled proteins can then be selectively conjugated to fluorophores, affinity reagents, peptides, polymers, nanoparticles or surfaces for a wide variety of downstream applications in proteomics and biotechnology. In this review, we focus on techniques in which proteins are residue- and site-specifically labeled with ncAAs containing bioorthogonal handles. These ncAA-labeled proteins are: readily enriched from cells and tissues for identification via mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis; selectively purified for downstream biotechnology applications; or labeled with fluorophores for in situ analysis. To facilitate the wider use of these techniques, we provide decision trees to help guide the design of future experiments. It is expected that the use of ncAA labeling will continue to expand into new application areas where spatial and temporal analysis of proteome dynamics and engineering new chemistries and new function into proteins are desired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya M. Saleh
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
| | - Kristen M. Wilding
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT USA
| | - Sarah Calve
- Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN USA
| | - Bradley C. Bundy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT USA
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23
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24
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Gerrits M, Budisa N, Merk H. Site-Specific Chemoselective Pyrrolysine Analogues Incorporation Using the Cell-Free Protein Synthesis System. ACS Synth Biol 2019; 8:381-390. [PMID: 30589532 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.8b00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a fast and convenient way to synthesize proteins for analytical studies and applications. CFPS, when equipped with a suitable orthogonal pair, allows for protein-site-directed labeling with desired functionalities such as fluorescent dyes or therapeutic groups that are needed to tailor proteins for analytical applications. In this context, chemoselective reactive pyrrolysine analogues (CR-OAs) are of particular value, as this class of unnatural amino acids, among other useful properties, covers a wide range of different chemoselective reactions. In this study, we present a flexible approach that facilitates incorporation of CR-OAs in CFPS systems. In particular, a fairly simple addition of two expression plasmids in our cell-free system, one encoding pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase and the other one the target protein, enabled ribosomal synthesis of proteins in the half-milligram range with the pre-installed orthogonal reactivity, easily modifiable by using mild, copper-free bioorthogonal chemistry. Our CFPS system allows rapid and highly customizable expression, as shown by several examples of successful site-directed fluorescence labeling. The feasibility of our CFPS system for protein analytics is further proved by demonstrating the functional integrity of a labeled protein by interaction measurements using microscale thermophoresis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Gerrits
- Biocatalysis Group, Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- biotechrabbit GmbH, 12489 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nediljko Budisa
- Biocatalysis Group, Department of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany
- Chemical Synthetic Biology, Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Road, R3T 2N2 Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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25
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Katranidis A, Fitter J. Single-Molecule Techniques and Cell-Free Protein Synthesis: A Perfect Marriage. Anal Chem 2019; 91:2570-2576. [PMID: 30648382 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b03855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Single-molecule techniques are currently an essential tool to study conformational changes as well as the synthesis and folding of proteins. However, the preparation of suitable protein samples is often time-consuming and demanding. The rapid development of cell-free protein synthesis over the last few years opened new perspectives for fast and easy sample preparation, but this was not fully exploited until now. Here, we take a look at the advancements in sample preparation as well as in the development of technical approaches and analytical tools, which unavoidably lead to the combination of single-molecule techniques and cell-free protein synthesis. It is an ideal combination that can unlock the full potential of studying complex biological processes in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jörg Fitter
- Forschungszentrum Jülich , Institute of Complex Systems ICS-5, Jülich , Germany.,RWTH Aachen , I. Physikalisches Institut (IA) , Aachen , Germany
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26
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Chemla Y, Ozer E, Algov I, Alfonta L. Context effects of genetic code expansion by stop codon suppression. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 46:146-155. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.07.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 05/01/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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27
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Whitford CM, Dymek S, Kerkhoff D, März C, Schmidt O, Edich M, Droste J, Pucker B, Rückert C, Kalinowski J. Auxotrophy to Xeno-DNA: an exploration of combinatorial mechanisms for a high-fidelity biosafety system for synthetic biology applications. J Biol Eng 2018; 12:13. [PMID: 30123321 PMCID: PMC6090650 DOI: 10.1186/s13036-018-0105-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Biosafety is a key aspect in the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, which offers student teams an amazing opportunity to pursue their own research projects in the field of Synthetic Biology. iGEM projects often involve the creation of genetically engineered bacterial strains. To minimize the risks associated with bacterial release, a variety of biosafety systems were constructed, either to prevent survival of bacteria outside the lab or to hinder horizontal or vertical gene transfer. MAIN BODY Physical containment methods such as bioreactors or microencapsulation are considered the first safety level. Additionally, various systems involving auxotrophies for both natural and synthetic compounds have been utilized by iGEM teams in recent years. Combinatorial systems comprising multiple auxotrophies have been shown to reduced escape frequencies below the detection limit. Furthermore, a number of natural toxin-antitoxin systems can be deployed to kill cells under certain conditions. Additionally, parts of naturally occurring toxin-antitoxin systems can be used for the construction of 'kill switches' controlled by synthetic regulatory modules, allowing control of cell survival. Kill switches prevent cell survival but do not completely degrade nucleic acids. To avoid horizontal gene transfer, multiple mechanisms to cleave nucleic acids can be employed, resulting in 'self-destruction' of cells. Changes in light or temperature conditions are powerful regulators of gene expression and could serve as triggers for kill switches or self-destruction systems. Xenobiology-based containment uses applications of Xeno-DNA, recoded codons and non-canonical amino acids to nullify the genetic information of constructed cells for wild type organisms. A 'minimal genome' approach brings the opportunity to reduce the genome of a cell to only genes necessary for survival under lab conditions. Such cells are unlikely to survive in the natural environment and are thus considered safe hosts. If suitable for the desired application, a shift to cell-free systems based on Xeno-DNA may represent the ultimate biosafety system. CONCLUSION Here we describe different containment approaches in synthetic biology, ranging from auxotrophies to minimal genomes, which can be combined to significantly improve reliability. Since the iGEM competition greatly increases the number of people involved in synthetic biology, we will focus especially on biosafety systems developed and applied in the context of the iGEM competition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saskia Dymek
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Denise Kerkhoff
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Camilla März
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Olga Schmidt
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Maximilian Edich
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Julian Droste
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Boas Pucker
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
- Present address: Evolution and Diversity, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Christian Rückert
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Center for Biotechnology, Bielefeld University, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
- Faculty of Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
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28
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Richardson SL, Dods KK, Abrigo NA, Iqbal ES, Hartman MC. In vitro genetic code reprogramming and expansion to study protein function and discover macrocyclic peptide ligands. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 46:172-179. [PMID: 30077877 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The ability to introduce non-canonical amino acids into peptides and proteins is facilitated by working within in vitro translation systems. Non-canonical amino acids can be introduced into these systems using sense codon reprogramming, stop codon suppression, and by breaking codon degeneracy. Here, we review how these techniques have been used to create proteins with novel properties and how they facilitate sophisticated studies of protein function. We also discuss how researchers are using in vitro translation experiments with non-canonical amino acids to explore the tolerance of the translation apparatus to artificial building blocks. Finally, we give several examples of how non-canonical amino acids can be combined with mRNA-displayed peptide libraries for the creation of protease-stable, macrocyclic peptide libraries for ligand discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacie L Richardson
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), 1001 West Main Street, P.O. Box 842006, Richmond, USA; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College Street, Richmond, USA
| | - Kara K Dods
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), 1001 West Main Street, P.O. Box 842006, Richmond, USA; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College Street, Richmond, USA
| | - Nicolas A Abrigo
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), 1001 West Main Street, P.O. Box 842006, Richmond, USA; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College Street, Richmond, USA
| | - Emil S Iqbal
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), 1001 West Main Street, P.O. Box 842006, Richmond, USA; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College Street, Richmond, USA
| | - Matthew Ct Hartman
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), 1001 West Main Street, P.O. Box 842006, Richmond, USA; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 401 College Street, Richmond, USA.
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29
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Tajima K, Katoh T, Suga H. Genetic code expansion via integration of redundant amino acid assignment by finely tuning tRNA pools. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 46:212-218. [PMID: 30072241 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
In all translation systems, the genetic code assigns codons to amino acids as building blocks of polypeptides, defining their chemical, structural and physiological properties. The canonical genetic code, however, utilizes only 20 proteinogenic amino acids redundantly encoded in 61 codons. In order to expand the building block repertoire, this redundancy was reduced by tuning composition of the transfer RNA (tRNA) mixture in vitro. Depletion of particular tRNAs from the total tRNA mixture or its reconstitution with in vitro-transcribed tRNASNNs (S = C or G, N = U, C, A or G) divided a codon box to encode two amino acids, expanding the repertoire to 23. The expanded genetic codes may benefit analysis of cellular regulatory pathways and drug screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenya Tajima
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Takayuki Katoh
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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30
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Kumar V, Dangi AK, Shukla P. Engineering Thermostable Microbial Xylanases Toward its Industrial Applications. Mol Biotechnol 2018; 60:226-235. [DOI: 10.1007/s12033-018-0059-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
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31
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Agris PF, Eruysal ER, Narendran A, Väre VYP, Vangaveti S, Ranganathan SV. Celebrating wobble decoding: Half a century and still much is new. RNA Biol 2017; 15:537-553. [PMID: 28812932 PMCID: PMC6103715 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1356562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
A simple post-transcriptional modification of tRNA, deamination of adenosine to inosine at the first, or wobble, position of the anticodon, inspired Francis Crick's Wobble Hypothesis 50 years ago. Many more naturally-occurring modifications have been elucidated and continue to be discovered. The post-transcriptional modifications of tRNA's anticodon domain are the most diverse and chemically complex of any RNA modifications. Their contribution with regards to chemistry, structure and dynamics reveal individual and combined effects on tRNA function in recognition of cognate and wobble codons. As forecast by the Modified Wobble Hypothesis 25 years ago, some individual modifications at tRNA's wobble position have evolved to restrict codon recognition whereas others expand the tRNA's ability to read as many as four synonymous codons. Here, we review tRNA wobble codon recognition using specific examples of simple and complex modification chemistries that alter tRNA function. Understanding natural modifications has inspired evolutionary insights and possible innovation in protein synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul F. Agris
- The RNA Institute, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Biology, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
- Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Emily R. Eruysal
- Department of Biology, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Amithi Narendran
- Department of Biology, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Ville Y. P. Väre
- Department of Biology, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Sweta Vangaveti
- The RNA Institute, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
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