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Deng P, Zhang Y, Xu L, Lyu J, Li L, Sun F, Zhang WB, Gao H. Computational discovery and systematic analysis of protein entangling motifs in nature: from algorithm to database. Chem Sci 2025; 16:8998-9009. [PMID: 40271025 PMCID: PMC12013726 DOI: 10.1039/d4sc08649j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2025] [Indexed: 04/25/2025] Open
Abstract
Nontrivial protein topology has the potential to revolutionize protein engineering by enabling the manipulation of proteins' stability and dynamics. However, the rarity of topological proteins in nature poses a challenge for their design, synthesis and application, primarily due to the limited number of available entangling motifs as synthetic templates. Discovering these motifs is particularly difficult, as entanglement is a subtle structural feature that is not readily discernible from protein sequences. In this study, we developed a streamlined workflow enabling efficient and accurate identification of structurally reliable and applicable entangling motifs from protein sequences. Through this workflow, we automatically curated a database of 1115 entangling protein motifs from over 100 thousand sequences in the UniProt Knowledgebase. In our database, 73.3% of C2 entangling motifs and 80.1% of C3 entangling motifs exhibited low structural similarity to known protein structures. The entangled structures in the database were categorized into different groups and their functional and biological significance were analyzed. The results were summarized in an online database accessible through a user-friendly web platform, providing researchers with an expanded toolbox of entangling motifs. This resource is poised to significantly advance the field of protein topology engineering and inspire new research directions in protein design and application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puqing Deng
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Hong Kong
| | - Yuxuan Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Hong Kong
| | - Lianjie Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Jinyu Lyu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Hong Kong
| | - Linyan Li
- Department of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong Kowloon Hong Kong
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Hong Kong
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 P. R. China
- AI for Science (AI4S)-Preferred Program, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University Shenzhen 518055 P. R. China
| | - Hanyu Gao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Hong Kong
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2
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da Silva FB, Perlinska AP, Płonka J, Flapan E, Sulkowska JI. Universe of Lasso Proteins: Exploring the limit of entanglement of protein predicted by AlphaFold. J Mol Biol 2025:169217. [PMID: 40398674 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2025.169217] [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: 03/20/2025] [Revised: 05/13/2025] [Accepted: 05/13/2025] [Indexed: 05/23/2025]
Abstract
Knots and lasso topology represent a class of natural motifs found in proteins that are characterized by a threaded structure. Proteins with a lasso motif represent a macroscopic version of the peptide lasso, which is known for its high stability and offers tremendous potential for the development of novel therapeutics. Here, based on AlphaFold, we have shown the limit of topological complexity of naturally occurring protein structures with cysteine bridges. Based on 176 million high confidence (pLDDT > 70) AlphaFold-predicted protein models and a detailed analysis of the conservation of the motif in a family, we found four new lasso motifs, including L4 and LS4LS3 topologies, and the first examples of knotted lasso proteins: L1K31 and L3#K31. We show that in the case of natural proteins, there are no lassos with 5 threadings, but there exist some with 6. Families possessing proteins with more than 6 threadings did not exceed the conservation threshold of 10%. Moreover, we propose a probable folding mechanism for the LS4LS3 lasso motif, enhancing our view on protein folding and stability. This work expands the topological space of lasso type motifs in proteins but also suggests that more complex structures could be unfavorable for proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Agata P Perlinska
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jacek Płonka
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Joanna I Sulkowska
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland.
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3
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Deng P, Xu L, Wei Y, Sun F, Li L, Zhang WB, Gao H. Deep Learning-Assisted Discovery of Protein Entangling Motifs. Biomacromolecules 2025; 26:1520-1529. [PMID: 39937127 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.4c01243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/13/2025]
Abstract
Natural topological proteins exhibit unique properties including enhanced stability, controlled quaternary structures, and dynamic switching properties, highlighting topology as a unique dimension in protein engineering. Although artificial design and synthesis of topological proteins have achieved certain success, their diversity and complexity remain rather limited due to the scarcity of available entangling motifs essential for the construction of nontrivial protein topologies. In this work, we developed a deep-learning model to predict the entanglement features of a homodimer based solely on its amino acid sequence via the Gauss linking number matrices. The model achieved a search speed that was dozens of times faster than AlphaFold-Multimer, while maintaining comparable mean squared error. It was used to screen for entangling motifs from the genome of a hyperthermophilic archaeon. We demonstrated the effectiveness of our model by successful wet-lab synthesis of protein catenanes using two candidate entangling motifs. These findings show the great potential of our model for advancing the design and synthesis of novel topological proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puqing Deng
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Lianjie Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
| | - Ying Wei
- College of Computer Science and Technology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, P. R. China
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Linyan Li
- Department of Data Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P. R. China
- AI for Science (AI4S)-Preferred Program, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen 518055, P. R. China
| | - Hanyu Gao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay 999077, Hong Kong
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4
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Li L, Ye L, Shi Y, Yin L, Chen G. Liquid Phase Exfoliation of Protein Parent Crystals into Nanosheets and Fibrils Based on Orthogonal Supramolecular Interactions. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:31992-32002. [PMID: 39530760 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c11921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2024]
Abstract
Proteins are attractive building blocks for fabricating diverse and precise nanomaterials. However, the facile fabrication of multidimensional artificial assemblies is highly challenging. Here, inspired by the large-scale production technique of inorganic nanomaterials, we demonstrate the application of liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) on native protein ConA by the design of synthetic ligands. These ligands provide distinct in-plane and out-of-plane supramolecular interactions, allowing the generation of multidimensional architectures based on the same protein by dissociating a single interaction in solution, including 3D porous protein crystals, 2D sizable nanosheets, and 1D fibrils. Importantly, the exfoliated 2D sheets were dozens of times larger than the self-assembled nanosheets, resulting in a dramatic enhancement of the intrinsic bioactivity of the building blocks by receptor clustering and less endocytosis. These findings enable the successful application of LPE on biomacromolecules and open up an alternative avenue to generate advanced multidimensional nanomaterials, without the need for complex protein design and careful adjustment of self-assembly conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Linfei Ye
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yiwei Shi
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Lin Yin
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Guosong Chen
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers and Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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5
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Qu Z, Xu L, Jiang F, Liu Y, Zhang WB. Folds from fold: Exploring topological isoforms of a single-domain protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2407355121. [PMID: 39405345 PMCID: PMC11513978 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2407355121] [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: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 09/06/2024] [Indexed: 10/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Expanding the protein fold space beyond linear chains is of fundamental significance, yet remains largely unexplored. Herein, we report the creation of seven topological isoforms (i.e., linear, cyclic, knot, lasso, pseudorotaxane, and catenane) from a single protein fold precursor by rewiring the connectivity of secondary structure elements of the SpyTag-SpyCatcher complex and mutating the reactive residue on SpyTag to abolish the isopeptide bonding. These topological isoforms can be directly expressed in cells. Their topologies were confirmed by combined techniques of proteolytic digestion, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and topological transformation. To study the effects of topology on their structures and properties, their biophysical properties were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), heteronuclear single quantum coherence nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (HSQC-NMR), and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were further performed to reveal the atomic details of structural changes upon unfolding. Both experimental and simulation results suggest that they share a similar, well-folded hydrophobic core but exhibit distinct folding/unfolding dynamic behaviors. These results shed light onto the folding landscape of topological isoforms derived from the same protein fold. As a model system, this work improves our understanding of protein structure and dynamics beyond linear chains and suggests that protein folds are highly amenable to topological variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyu Qu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lianjie Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fengyi Jiang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing100871, People’s Republic of China
- Artificial Intelligence for Science-Preferred Program, Shenzhen Graduate School, Peking University, Shenzhen518055, People’s Republic of China
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6
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Zhang Y, Yang Z, Saimi D, Shen X, Ye J, Yu B, Pefaur N, Scheer JM, Nixon AE, Chen Z. Geometric Antibody Engineering Reveals the Spatial Factor on the Efficacy of Bispecific T Cell Engagers. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:916-925. [PMID: 38491942 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) represent an emerging class of biologics that can recognize two different antigens or epitopes. T-cell engagers (TcEs) bind two targets in trans on the cell surface of the effector and target cell to induce proximal immune effects, opening exciting windows for immunotherapies. To date, the engineering of BsAbs has been mainly focused on tuning the molecular weight and valency. However, the effects of spatial factors on the biological functions of BsAbs have been less explored due to the lack of biochemical methods to precisely manipulate protein geometry. Here, we studied the geometric effects of the TcEs. First, by genetically inserting rigidly designed ankyrin repeat proteins into TcEs, we revealed that the efficacy progressively decreased as the spacer distance of the two binding domains increased. Then, we constructed 26 pairs of TcEs with the same size but varying orientations using click chemistry-mediated conjugation at different mutation sites. We found that linear ligation sites play a minor role in modulating cell-killing efficacy. Next, we rendered the TcEs' advanced topology by cyclization chemistry using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher pair or sortase ligation approaches. Cyclized TcEs were generally more potent than their linear counterparts. Particularly, sortase A cyclized TcEs, bearing a minimal tagging motif, exhibited better cell-killing efficacy in vitro and improved stability both in vitro and in vivo compared to the linear TcE. This work combines modern bioconjugation chemistry and protein engineering tools for antibody engineering, shedding light on the elusive spatial factors of BsAbs functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- College of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Zhe Yang
- College of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Dilizhatai Saimi
- College of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaowen Shen
- College of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Junqing Ye
- Department of Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim, Investment Co., Ltd., Beijing 100027, China
| | - Bingke Yu
- Department of Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim, Investment Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Noah Pefaur
- Biotherapeutics Discovery, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, United States
| | - Justin M Scheer
- Biotherapeutics Discovery, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, United States
| | - Andrew E Nixon
- Biotherapeutics Discovery, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 900 Ridgebury Road, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877, United States
| | - Zhixing Chen
- College of Future Technology, Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Biomedical Imaging Center, Beijing Key Laboratory of Cardiometabolic Molecular Medicine, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Science, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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7
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Xie M, Jia X, Xu X. Control of polymer-protein interactions by tuning the composition and length of polymer chains. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:4052-4061. [PMID: 38224136 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp05017c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Nanomoduling the 3D shape and chemical functionalities in a synthetic polymer may create recognition cavities for biomacromolecule binding, which serves as an attractive alternative to natural antibodies with much less cost. To obtain fundamental understanding and predict molecular design rules of the polymer antibody, we analyze the complex structure between the biomarker protein epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and a series of polymer ligands via molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. For monomeric ligands, strong enrichment of aromatic residues in protein binding sites is revealed, in line with the reported observations for natural antibodies. Yet, for linear polymers with a growing degree of polymerization, for the first time, a drastic change is revealed on the type of enriched protein residues and the location of protein binding sites, driven by the increasing steric hindrance effect that makes the adsorption of the polymer in the protein exterior feasible. Varying the polymer length and monomeric composition also significantly affects the ligand binding affinity. Here, we have captured three distinct dependences of the ligand binding free energy on the degree of polymerization: for NIPAm based hydrophilic polymers, TBAm dominated hydrophobic polymers and AAc dominated charged polymers. These results can be rationalized by the complex structure and the composition of protein residues at the binding interface. The entire analysis demonstrates unique binding features for polymer ligands and the possibility to modulate their binding sites and affinity by engineering the polymer structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menghan Xie
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiao Ling Wei, Nanjing 210094, P. R. China.
| | - Xu Jia
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiao Ling Wei, Nanjing 210094, P. R. China.
| | - Xiao Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, 200 Xiao Ling Wei, Nanjing 210094, P. R. China.
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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8
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Lee J, Im D, Liu Y, Fang J, Tian X, Kim M, Zhang WB, Seo J. Distinguishing Protein Chemical Topologies Using Supercharging Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202314980. [PMID: 37937859 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202314980] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
A technique combining ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry (IMS-MS) and supercharging electrospray ionization (ESI) has been demonstrated to differentiate protein chemical topology effectively. Incorporating as many charges as possible into proteins via supercharging ESI allows the protein chains to be largely unfolded and stretched, revealing their hidden chemical topology. Different chemical topologies result in differing geometrical sizes of the unfolded proteins due to constraints in torsional rotations in cyclic domains. By introducing new topological indices, such as the chain-length-normalized collision cross-section (CCS) and the maximum charge state (zM ) in the extensively unfolded state, we were able to successfully differentiate various protein chemical topologies, including linear chains, ring-containing topologies (lasso, tadpole, multicyclics, etc.), and mechanically interlocked rings, like catenanes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyeon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang, 37673, Gyeonsangbuk-do (Republic of, Korea
| | - Dahye Im
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang, 37673, Gyeonsangbuk-do (Republic of, Korea
| | - Yajie Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jing Fang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Xibao Tian
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Minsu Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang, 37673, Gyeonsangbuk-do (Republic of, Korea
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, P. R. China
| | - Jongcheol Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), 77 Cheongam-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang, 37673, Gyeonsangbuk-do (Republic of, Korea
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9
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Fang J, Li T, Lee J, Im D, Xu L, Liu Y, Seo J, Zhang WB. A single-domain protein catenane of dihydrofolate reductase. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad304. [PMID: 38188024 PMCID: PMC10769465 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024] Open
Abstract
A single-domain protein catenane refers to two mechanically interlocked polypeptide rings that fold synergistically into a compact and integrated structure, which is extremely rare in nature. Here, we report a single-domain protein catenane of dihydrofolate reductase (cat-DHFR). This design was achieved by rewiring the connectivity between secondary motifs to introduce artificial entanglement and synthesis was readily accomplished through a series of programmed and streamlined post-translational processing events in cells without any additional in vitro reactions. The target molecule contained few exogenous motifs and was thoroughly characterized using a combination of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, protease cleavage experiments and ion mobility spectrometry-mass spectrometry. Compared with the linear control, cat-DHFR retained its catalytic capability and exhibited enhanced stability against thermal or chemical denaturation due to conformational restriction. These results suggest that linear proteins may be converted into their concatenated single-domain counterparts with almost identical chemical compositions, well-preserved functions and elevated stabilities, representing an entirely new horizon in protein science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Fang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tianzuo Li
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jiyeon Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Dahye Im
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Lianjie Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yajie Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jongcheol Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 37673, Republic of Korea
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing 100084, China
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10
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Zhou S, Wei Y. Kaleidoscope megamolecules synthesis and application using self-assembly technology. Biotechnol Adv 2023; 65:108147. [PMID: 37023967 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
The megamolecules with high ordered structures play an important role in chemical biology and biomedical engineering. Self-assembly, a long-discovered but very appealing technique, could induce many reactions between biomacromolecules and organic linking molecules, such as an enzyme domain and its covalent inhibitors. Enzyme and its small-molecule inhibitors have achieved many successes in medical application, which realize the catalysis process and theranostic function. By employing the protein engineering technology, the building blocks of enzyme fusion protein and small molecule linker can be assembled into a novel architecture with the specified organization and conformation. Molecular level recognition of enzyme domain could provide both covalent reaction sites and structural skeleton for the functional fusion protein. In this review, we will discuss the range of tools available to combine functional domains by using the recombinant protein technology, which can assemble them into precisely specified architectures/valences and develop the kaleidoscope megamolecules for catalytic and medical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengwang Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China.
| | - Yuan Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, PR China
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11
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Qu Z, Fang J, Wang YX, Sun Y, Liu Y, Wu WH, Zhang WB. A single-domain green fluorescent protein catenane. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3480. [PMID: 37311944 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39233-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Natural proteins exhibit rich structural diversity based on the folds of an invariably linear chain. Macromolecular catenanes that cooperatively fold into a single domain do not belong to the current protein universe, and their design and synthesis open new territories in chemistry. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and properties of a single-domain green fluorescent protein catenane via rewiring the connectivity of GFP's secondary motifs. The synthesis could be achieved in two steps via a pseudorotaxane intermediate or directly via expression in cellulo. Various proteins-of-interest may be inserted at the loop regions to give fusion protein catenanes where the two subunits exhibit enhanced thermal resilience, thermal stability, and mechanical stability due to strong conformational coupling. The strategy can be applied to other proteins with similar fold, giving rise to a family of single-domain fluorescent proteins. The results imply that there may be multiple protein topological variants with desirable functional traits beyond their corresponding linear protein counterparts, which are now made accessible and fully open for exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyu Qu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jing Fang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yu-Xiang Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yibin Sun
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yajie Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Hao Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China.
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, P. R. China.
- Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence, Beijing, P. R. China.
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12
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Shen J, Wang Q, Mao Y, Gao W, Duan S. Targeting the p53 signaling pathway in cancers: Molecular mechanisms and clinical studies. MedComm (Beijing) 2023; 4:e288. [PMID: 37256211 PMCID: PMC10225743 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumor suppressor p53 can transcriptionally activate downstream genes in response to stress, and then regulate the cell cycle, DNA repair, metabolism, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and other biological responses. p53 has seven functional domains and 12 splice isoforms, and different domains and subtypes play different roles. The activation and inactivation of p53 are finely regulated and are associated with phosphorylation/acetylation modification and ubiquitination modification, respectively. Abnormal activation of p53 is closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. While targeted therapy of the p53 signaling pathway is still in its early stages and only a few drugs or treatments have entered clinical trials, the development of new drugs and ongoing clinical trials are expected to lead to the widespread use of p53 signaling-targeted therapy in cancer treatment in the future. TRIAP1 is a novel p53 downstream inhibitor of apoptosis. TRIAP1 is the homolog of yeast mitochondrial intermembrane protein MDM35, which can play a tumor-promoting role by blocking the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway. This work provides a systematic overview of recent basic research and clinical progress in the p53 signaling pathway and proposes that TRIAP1 is an important therapeutic target downstream of p53 signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinze Shen
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang ProvinceSchool of MedicineHangzhou City UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Qurui Wang
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang ProvinceSchool of MedicineHangzhou City UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Yunan Mao
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang ProvinceSchool of MedicineHangzhou City UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Wei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang ProvinceSchool of MedicineHangzhou City UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
| | - Shiwei Duan
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang ProvinceSchool of MedicineHangzhou City UniversityHangzhouZhejiangChina
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13
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Zhang W, Xiang Y, Xu W. Probing protein higher-order structures by native capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry. Trends Analyt Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2022.116739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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14
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Jamornsuriya S, Vao-soongnern V. Molecular simulation of an initial stage of the ordered-structure formation of linear and ring polymers upon cooling from the melts. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2022.119833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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15
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Liu Y, Bai X, Lyu C, Fang J, Zhang F, Wu WH, Wei W, Zhang WB. Mechano-bioconjugation Strategy Empowering Fusion Protein Therapeutics with Aggregation Resistance, Prolonged Circulation, and Enhanced Antitumor Efficacy. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:18387-18396. [PMID: 36178288 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c06532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Bioconjugation is a powerful protein modification strategy to improve protein properties. Herein, we report mechano-bioconjugation as a novel approach to empower fusion protein therapeutics and demonstrate its utility by a protein heterocatenane (cat-IFN-ABD) containing interferon-α2b (IFN) mechanically interlocked with a consensus albumin-binding domain (ABD). The conjugate was selectively synthesized in cellulo following a cascade of post-translational events using a pair of heterodimerizing p53dim variants and two orthogonal split-intein reactions. The catenane topology was proven by combined techniques of LC-MS, SDS-PAGE, SEC, and controlled proteolytic digestion. Not only did cat-IFN-ABD retain activities comparable to those of the wild-type IFN and ABD, the conjugate also exhibited enhanced aggregation resistance and prolonged circulation time over the simple linear and cyclic fusions. Consequently, cat-IFN-ABD potently inhibited tumor growth in the mouse xenograft model. Therefore, mechano-bioconjugation by catenation accomplishes function integration with additional benefits, providing an alternative pathway for developing advanced protein therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Liu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
| | - Xilin Bai
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
| | - Chengliang Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Jing Fang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Hao Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P.R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, P.R. China
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16
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Wu WH, Guo J, Zhang L, Zhang WB, Gao W. Peptide/protein-based macrocycles: from biological synthesis to biomedical applications. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:815-829. [PMID: 35866174 PMCID: PMC9257627 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00246e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Living organisms have evolved cyclic or multicyclic peptides and proteins with enhanced stability and high bioactivity superior to their linear counterparts for diverse purposes. Herein, we review recent progress in applying this concept to artificial peptides and proteins to exploit the functional benefits of these macrocycles. Not only have simple cyclic forms been prepared, numerous macrocycle variants, such as knots and links, have also been developed. The chemical tools and synthetic strategies are summarized for the biological synthesis of these macrocycles, demonstrating it as a powerful alternative to chemical synthesis. Its further application to therapeutic peptides/proteins has led to biomedicines with profoundly improved pharmaceutical performances. Finally, we present our perspectives on the field and its future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Hao Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Jianwen Guo
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
| | - Longshuai Zhang
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University Beijing 100871 P. R. China
| | - Weiping Gao
- Department of Geriatric Dentistry, Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology Beijing 100081 P. R. China
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Peking University Beijing 100191 P. R. China
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17
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Li Y, Li P, Ke Y, Yu X, Yu W, Wen K, Shen J, Wang Z. A rare monoclonal antibody discovery based on indirect competitive screening of a single hapten-specific rabbit antibody secreting cell. Analyst 2022; 147:2942-2952. [PMID: 35674177 DOI: 10.1039/d2an00678b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A rare antibody that is able to tolerate physio-chemical factors is preferred and highly demanded in diagnosis and therapy. Rabbit monoclonal antibodies (RmAbs) are distinguished owing to their high affinity and stability. However, the efficiency and availability of traditional methods for RmAb discovery are limited, particularly for small molecules. Here, we present an indirect competitive screening method in nanowells, named CSMN, for single rabbit antibody-secreting cells (ASCs) selection with 20.6 h and propose an efficient platform for RmAb production against small molecules within 5.8 days for the first time. Chloramphenicol (CAP) as an antibacterial agent poses a great threat to public health. We applied CSMN to select CAP-specific ASCs and produced one high-affinity RmAb, surprisingly showed extremely halophilic properties with an IC50 of 0.08 ng mL-1 in the saturated salt solution, which has not yet been seen for other antibodies. The molecular dynamic simulation showed that the negatively charged surface improved the stability of the RmAb structure with additional disulfide bonds compared with mouse antibodies. Moreover, the reduced solvent accessible surface area of the binding pocket increased the interactions of RmAb with CAP in a saturated salt solution. Furthermore, RmAb was used to develop an immunoassay for the detection of CAP in real biological samples with simple pretreatment, shorter assay time, and higher sensitivity. The results demonstrated that the practical and efficient CSMN is suitable for rare RmAb discovery against small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Peipei Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Yuebin Ke
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epidemiology of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 518000 Shenzhen, China
| | - Xuezhi Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wenbo Yu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Kai Wen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianzhong Shen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhanhui Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, Beijing Laboratory for Food Quality and Safety, 100193 Beijing, People's Republic of China.
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18
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Mundekkad D, Cho WC. Nanoparticles in Clinical Translation for Cancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1685. [PMID: 35163607 PMCID: PMC8835852 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of cancer therapeutics brought a paradigm shift from conventional therapy to precision medicine. The new therapeutic modalities accomplished through the properties of nanomaterials have extended their scope in cancer therapy beyond conventional drug delivery. Nanoparticles can be channeled in cancer therapy to encapsulate active pharmaceutical ingredients and deliver them to the tumor site in a more efficient manner. This review enumerates various types of nanoparticles that have entered clinical trials for cancer treatment. The obstacles in the journey of nanodrug from clinic to market are reviewed. Furthermore, the latest developments in using nanoparticles in cancer therapy are also highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepa Mundekkad
- Centre for NanoBioTechnology (CNBT), Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore 632014, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - William C. Cho
- Department of Clinical Oncology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
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19
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Wei J, Xu L, Wu WH, Sun F, Zhang WB. Genetically engineered materials: Proteins and beyond. Sci China Chem 2022; 65:486-496. [PMID: 35154293 PMCID: PMC8815391 DOI: 10.1007/s11426-021-1183-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Information-rich molecules provide opportunities for evolution. Genetically engineered materials are superior in that their properties are coded within genetic sequences and could be fine-tuned. In this review, we elaborate the concept of genetically engineered materials (GEMs) using examples ranging from engineered protein materials to engineered living materials. Protein-based materials are the materials of choice by nature. Recent progress in protein engineering has led to opportunities to tune their sequences for optimal material performance. Proteins also play a central role in living materials where they act in concert with other biological components as well as nonbiological cofactors, giving rise to living features. While the existing GEMs are often limited to those constructed by building blocks of biological origin, being genetically engineerable does not preclude nonbiologic or synthetic materials, the latter of which have yet to be fully explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wei
- College of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Anyang Institute of Technology, Anyang, 455000 China
| | - Lianjie Xu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
| | - Wen-Hao Wu
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wen-Bin Zhang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, Center for Soft Matter Science and Engineering, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China
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20
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Fok HKF, Yang Z, Jiang B, Sun F. From 4-arm star proteins to diverse stimuli-responsive molecular networks enabled by orthogonal genetically encoded click chemistries. Polym Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2py00036a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The integrated use of genetically encoded click chemistries and protein topology engineering enabled the creation of various smart protein hydrogels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Kiu Francis Fok
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Zhongguang Yang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bojing Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Fei Sun
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Greater Bay Biomedical InnoCenter, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518036, China
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