The expression in E. coli of synthetic repeating polymeric genes coding for poly(L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine)

Silk-elastinlike protein-based hydrogels for drug delivery and embolization

Silk-Elastinlike Protein-Based Polymers (SELPs) can form thermoresponsive hydrogels that allow for the generation of in-situ drug delivery matrices. They are produced by recombinant techniques, enabling exact control of monomer sequence and polymer length. In aqueous solutions SELP strands form physical crosslinks as a function of temperature increase without the addition of crosslinking agents. Gelation kinetics, modulus of elasticity, pore size, drug release, biorecognition, and biodegradation of SELP hydrogels can be controlled by placement of amino acid residues at strategic locations in the polymer backbone. SELP hydrogels have been investigated for delivery of a variety of bioactive agents including small molecular weight drugs and fluorescent probes, oligomers of glycosaminoglycans, polymeric macromolecules, proteins, plasmid DNA, and viral gene delivery systems. In this review we provide a background for use of SELPs in matrix-mediated delivery and summarize recent investigations of SELP hydrogels for controlled delivery of bioactive agents as well as their use as liquid embolics.

Matrix Mediated Viral Gene Delivery: A Review

Polymeric matrices inherently protect viral vectors from pre-existing immune conditions, limit dissemination to off-target sites, and can sustain vector release. Advancing methodologies in development of particulate based vehicles have led to improved encapsulation of viral vectors. Polymeric delivery systems have contributed to increasing cellular transduction, responsive release mechanisms, cellular infiltration, and cellular signaling. Synthetic polymers are easily customizable, and are capable of balancing matrix retention with cellular infiltration. Natural polymers contain inherent biorecognizable motifs adding therapeutic efficacy to the incorporated viral vector. Recombinant polymers use highly conserved motifs to carefully engineer matrices, allowing for precise design including elements of vector retention and responsive release mechanisms. Composite polymer systems provide opportunities to create matrices with unique properties. Carefully designed matrices can control spatiotemporal release patterns that synergize with approaches in regenerative medicine and antitumor therapies.

Silk-elastin-like protein biomaterials for the controlled delivery of therapeutics

INTRODUCTION

Genetically engineered biomaterials are useful for controlled delivery owing to their rational design, tunable structure-function, biocompatibility, degradability and target specificity. Silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs), a family of genetically engineered recombinant protein polymers, possess these properties. Additionally, given the benefits of combining semi-crystalline silk-blocks and elastomeric elastin-blocks, SELPs possess multi-stimuli-responsive properties and tunability, thereby becoming promising candidates for targeted cancer therapeutics delivery and controlled gene release.

AREAS COVERED

An overview of SELP biomaterials for drug delivery and gene release is provided. Biosynthetic strategies used for SELP production, fundamental physicochemical properties and self-assembly mechanisms are discussed. The review focuses on sequence-structure-function relationships, stimuli-responsive features and current and potential drug delivery applications.

EXPERT OPINION

The tunable material properties allow SELPs to be pursued as promising biomaterials for nanocarriers and injectable drug release systems. Current applications of SELPs have focused on thermally-triggered biomaterial formats for the delivery of therapeutics, based on local hyperthermia in tumors or infections. Other prominent controlled release applications of SELPs as injectable hydrogels for gene release have also been pursued. Further biomedical applications that utilize other stimuli to trigger the reversible material responses of SELPs for targeted delivery, including pH, ionic strength, redox, enzymatic stimuli and electric field, are in progress. Exploiting these additional stimuli-responsive features will provide a broader range of functional biomaterials for controlled therapeutics release and tissue regeneration.

Controlled release from recombinant polymers

Recombinant polymers provide a high degree of molecular definition for correlating structure with function in controlled release. The wide array of amino acids available as building blocks for these materials lend many advantages including biorecognition, biodegradability, potential biocompatibility, and control over mechanical properties among other attributes. Genetic engineering and DNA manipulation techniques enable the optimization of structure for precise control over spatial and temporal release. Unlike the majority of chemical synthetic strategies used, recombinant DNA technology has allowed for the production of monodisperse polymers with specifically defined sequences. Several classes of recombinant polymers have been used for controlled drug delivery. These include, but are not limited to, elastin-like, silk-like, and silk-elastinlike proteins, as well as emerging cationic polymers for gene delivery. In this article, progress and prospects of recombinant polymers used in controlled release will be reviewed.

Smart self-assembled hybrid hydrogel biomaterials

Hybrid biomaterials are systems created from components of at least two distinct classes of molecules, for example, synthetic macromolecules and proteins or peptide domains. The synergistic combination of two types of structures may produce new materials that possess unprecedented levels of structural organization and novel properties. This Review focuses on biorecognition-driven self-assembly of hybrid macromolecules into functional hydrogel biomaterials. First, basic rules that govern the secondary structure of peptides are discussed, and then approaches to the specific design of hybrid systems with tailor-made properties are evaluated, followed by a discussion on the similarity of design principles of biomaterials and macromolecular therapeutics. Finally, the future of the field is briefly outlined.

Synthesis of a Collagen Analog in Escherichia Coli Using Recombinant DNA Technology

A family of totally synthetic genes coding for multiple tandem repeats of the amino acid sequence (Gly-Pro-Pro) has been prepared and inserted into the Clal cloning site of the expression vector pJL6. A representative recombinant plasmid, pACI, with an insert of about 340 bp, was established in an Escherichia coli strain bearing a defective λ prophage, to study expression of the CII-collagen analog fusion protein produced from pACI upon heat induction. The in vivo levels of synthetic gene expression obtained showed that the fusion protein was synthesized in E. coli, but was labile compared to other cellular proteins. This degradation could be significantly reduced by the genetic inhibition of a bacterial protease system.

Enhancement of essential amino acid contents in crops by genetic engineering and protein design

The importance and urgency of providing humans and animals with quality proteins are reflected in the growing scientific and industrial interest in augmenting the nutritive value of the world's protein sources. Such nutritive value is determined by the protein content in 'essential amino acids', those that cannot be synthesized de novo and that must be supplied from the diet. It is the object of this review to discuss recent advances in the genetic modification of crops that aim to provide enhanced quantities of essential amino acids.

Production and purification of self-assembling peptides in Ralstonia eutropha

Self-assembling peptides have emerged as an attractive scaffold material for tissue engineering, yet the expense associated with solid phase chemical synthesis has limited their broad use. In addition, the fidelity of chemical synthesis constrains the length of polypeptides that can be produced homogeneously by this method. Template-derived biosynthesis by recombinant DNA technology may overcome both of these problems. However, recovery of polypeptides from recombinant protein expression systems typically involves multi-step purification schemes. In this study, we report an integrated approach to recombinantly produce and purify self-assembling peptides from the recently developed expression host Ralstonia eutropha. The purification is based on the specific affinity of carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) to cellulose. In a first step, we identified CBMs that express well in R. eutropha by assembling a fusion library of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and CBMs and determining the fluorescence of cell-free extracts. Three GFP::CBM fusions were found to express at levels similar to GFP alone, of which two CBMs were able to mediate cellulose binding of the GFP::CBM fusion. These two CBMs were then fused to multiple repeats of the self-assembling peptide RAD16-I::E (N-RADARADARADARADAE-C). The fusion protein CBM::E::(RAD16-I::E)4 was expressed in R. eutropha and purified using the CBM's affinity for cellulose. Subsequent proteolytic cleavage with endoproteinase GluC liberated RAD16-I::E peptide monomers with similar properties to the chemically synthesized counterpart RAD16-I.

Smart and genetically engineered biomaterials and drug delivery systems

The design, synthesis, and properties of novel stimuli-sensitive and genetically engineered biomaterials and drug delivery systems are reviewed. Two approaches to their engineering are presented. One approach is to improve the traditional methods of synthesis, as demonstrated by the example of controlled copolymerization of alpha-amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides. The other approach, discussed in more detail, uses genetic engineering methods. The design of hybrid hydrogel systems whose components derive from at least two distinct classes of molecules, e.g., synthetic macromolecules and protein domains, is assessed. The design of self-assembling block copolymers is discussed in detail. Finally, the pharmaceutics related applications of these materials are presented.

Structure-function relationships in immobilized chymotrypsin catalysis

Specific activities and the amounts of active immobilized enzyme were determined for several different preparations of alpha-chymotrypsin immobilized on CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy of free and immobilized enzyme with a spin label coupled to the active site was used to probe the effects of different immobilization conditions on the immobilized enzyme active site configuration. Specific activity of active enzyme decreased and rotational correlation time of the spin label increased with increasing immobilized enzyme loading. Enzyme immobilized using an intermediate six-carbon spacer arm exhibited greater specific activity and spin label mobility than directly coupled enzyme. The observed activity changes due to immobilization were completely consistent with corresponding active site structure alterations revealed by EPR spectroscopy.

Design of high essential amino acid proteins: two design strategies for improving protease resistance of the nutritious MB-1 protein

Protein design is currently used for the creation of new proteins with desirable traits. In our lab, we focus on the synthesis of proteins with high essential amino acid content having potential applications in animal nutrition. One of the limitations we face in this endeavour is achieving stable proteins despite a highly biased amino acid content. We report here the synthesis and characterisation of two mutants derived from our MB-1 designer protein. The first mutant contains a disulphide bridge designed to cross-link remote segments of the polypeptide chain. The second one is a Tyr62-Trp mutant, where position 62 is buried in the core of the protein. Both mutants were found to be largely helical as per design, and based on thermal denaturation experiments, were substantially more stable than the MB-1 parent molecule. Enhancement of conformational stability in MB-1Trp translated into an impressive improvement of its ability to resist proteolytic degradation. Furthermore, digestion experiments intended to model degradation of proteins in a cow's rumen revealed that MB-1Trp's resistance to degradation compared to that of cytochrome c. Design strategies used for these mutants are discussed with regards to their applicability in creating efficient nutritional proteins.

Characterization of MB-1. A dimeric helical protein with a compact core

MB-1 is a de-novo protein designed to incorporate a large number of the nutritionally important amino acids methionine, lysine, leucine and threonine into a stable four-helix bundle protein. MB-1 has been expressed and purified from Escherichia coli, indicating it was resistant to intracellular proteases [Beauregard, M., Dupont, C., Teather, R.M. & Hefford, M.A. (1995) Bio/Technology 13, 974]. Here we report an analysis of the secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures in MB-1 using circular dichroism, fluorospectroscopy and size-exclusion chromatography. Our data indicate that the MB-1 structure is close to the target structure, an alpha-helical bundle, in many respects and is highly helical in solution. The single tyrosine incorporated into the designed protein as a spectrocopic probe of tertiary structure, is buried in a compact, folded core and becomes accessible on protein denaturation, as per design. Furthermore, MB-1 was found to be native-like in many respects: (a) protein denaturation induced by urea is cooperative and fully reversible; (b) its oligomeric state at moderate concentration is well defined; and (c) MB-1 has very low affinity for 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid (ANSA), leading to enhancement of ANSA fluorescence that resembles that of other native proteins. On the other hand, our analysis revealed two aspects that command further attention. The folding stability of MB-1 as assessed by urea and thermal denaturation is somewhat less than that found for natural globular proteins of similar size. Size-exclusion chromatography experiments and analysis of MB-1 denaturation indicate that MB-1 is dimeric, not monomeric as designed. In light of these results, the utility and the current limitations of our design approach are discussed.

Crystallization and stabilization of MB-1, a de novo designed protein for optimized feeding technology

Milk Bundle-1 is a de novo protein that was designed for application in agriculture. It has a high content of selected essential amino acids, and is intended to adopt an alpha-helical bundle fold. Crystallization experiments with MB-1 have been carried out on the ground and in reduced gravity on board Columbia orbiter during mission STS-80. Rather small crystals were obtained (< 0.05 mm) in both environments. Among other factors, the lack of stability of purified MB-1 has been detrimental to crystal growth. We report here on our progress with regard to optimizing crystal growth conditions, protein purification and protein stability. The first MB-1 mutant we present (MB-1-His) contains a poly-histidine tail, allowing the use of metal affinity chromatography for purification. MB-1-His has been found to keep its original mass for a month at room temperature, a spectacular improvement over MB-1. The other mutant (MB-1-Cys) was engineered to carry a cysteine residue on a solvent exposed face. The exposed cysteine binds readily to p-HMB, and allows for dimerization of MB-1-Cys. The dimer was found to be twice as stable as MB-1 during proteolytic degradation studies.

Biologically active peptides and enzymatic approaches to their production

This review briefly surveys various classes of biologically active and flavor peptides that have been isolated and characterized in recent years, and analyzes emerging trends and advances in biotechnological methods for their production.

Design, expression, and initial characterization of MB1, a de novo protein enriched in essential amino acids

Using recently emerging protein folding principles we have designed a protein enriched in the essential amino acids methionine, threonine, lysine and leucine. Our preliminary study of consensus residues (based on charge, hydrophobicity and volume) of natural alpha-helical bundle proteins indicated that the residues M, T, K, and L could be inserted in an alpha-helical bundle structure. We therefore attempted to create a stable de novo protein, highly enriched in these essential amino acids, that would adopt the alpha-helical bundle fold. The design process was an iterative one. The consensus residues (based on the properties profile) for bundle helices were found considering the four helices taken together, helices I to IV individually, or only their N- and C-termini. Using these data, the helices in our de novo protein were designed by inserting the residues M, T, K and L as often as possible at positions where their volume, hydrophobicity and charge match the consensus found in natural bundle helices. Short sequences of strong turn formers were used to join the helices and adjust the predicted p1 to 7.7, while a number of local and global factors were used to refine our design. Further, the sequence was checked to eliminate various known protease targets in E. coli. The sequence of our de novo protein, MB1, is: MAT-EDMTDMMTTLFKTMQLLTK-SEPTA-MDEATKTATTMKNHLQNLMQK-TKNKE DMTDMATTYFKTMQLLTK-TEPSA-MDEATKTATTMKNHLQNLMQK-GVA+ ++ , where dashes separate long helices from short, turn forming linkers. A gene coding for this protein was assembled from synthetic oligonucleotides, then fused to the maltose binding protein gene under the control of a tac promoter. The fusion protein was expressed in E. coli, purified and cleaved to yield maltose binding protein and our de novo protein, MB1. MB1 was found to be helical, to have the expected molecular weight (11 kDa) and the expected content (57%) of the essential amino acids M, T, K and L.

High level expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of an artificial gene encoding a repeated tripeptide aspartyl-phenylyalanyl-lysine

A chemically synthesized gene, which encodes a 64 or 128 times-repeated tripeptide, aspartyl-phenylalanyl-lysine, has been cloned onto the yeast expression vector pAM82 containing the PHO5 promoter. The artificial gene (LAP gene) contains the untranslated leader sequence of the E. coli lipoprotein gene (lpp) with its transcription terminator sequence. When yeast AH22 cells transformed by recombinant plasmid containing repeated tripeptide gene were derepressed in low phosphate medium, the artificial polypeptides were synthesized to the amounts of about 30% of the total cell protein. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis indicated that the artificial polypeptides synthesized in yeast have molecular weights ranging from about 30,000 and 60,000 and have immunoreactivity with the artificial polypeptides expressed in E. coli. The artificial popypeptides in whole cell extract were insoluble and seem to be synthesized as insoluble aggregates. Electron microscopy showed the presence of inclusion bodies in the cell. These polypeptides can be hydrolyzed to tripeptides with trypsin or chymotrypsin. These properties along with the high expression and easy separation may make the artificial polypeptides a potential raw material for the production of an artificial sweetener, Aspartame.

Peptide production by a combination of gene expression, chemical synthesis, and protease-catalyzed conversion

We describe a new approach for the production of peptides using a combination of recombinant DNA technology, chemical synthesis, and proteinase-catalyzed processing. An artificial substance P-precursor is produced as a beta-galactosidase (1-459) fusion protein containing nine copies of the decapeptide sequence Arg-Leu-Arg-Arg-Pro-Lys-Pro-Gln-Gln-Phe. The fusion protein accumulates in E. coli as insoluble inclusion bodies which are easily isolated and purified. The decapeptide blocks are selectively cleaved from the insoluble fusion protein by alpha-chymotrypsin. Alternatively, a dodecapeptide ester is produced when a dipeptide ester is included in the chymotrypsin reaction mixture. This peptide ester is converted converted to substance P by papain-catalyzed acyl transfer and subsequent tryptic cleavage. These results demonstrate that peptides can be readily produced by a combination of recombinant DNA technology and proteinase-catalyzed conversion. The approach allows incorporation of groups other than natural amino acids into oligo- and polypeptides.

Production of poly(L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine) in Escherichia coli

The dipeptide, Asp-Phe, is the mother compound of a sweetener, aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester). Two 12-mer partially complementary nucleotides that are designed, if expressed correctly, to code for Asp-Phe-Asp-Phe were synthesized to yield long and double-stranded DNA by annealing and ligation. After addition of two stop codons to the polymeric DNA, the DNA segment was inserted between the Escherichia coli trp promoter and a transcriptional terminator derived from phage fd, resulting in plasmid pDF60 that would express a protein, (1Met-10Ile)-(Asp-Phe)61. Another plasmid, pCD111, that would express a fused protein with a constitution of the NH2-terminal 167 amino acids mostly from prochymosin and the following (Asp-Phe)61, was also constructed. The polymeric DNA on pDF60 was very unstable in most of E. coli recA strains, except for strain JM109. Upon induction of the trp promoter with beta-indoleacrylic acid, E. coli JM109 harboring pDF60 formed inclusion bodies which were observed under an optical microscope. However, analyses of the inclusion bodies revealed that they consisted of many species of proteins derived from the host strain with a small amount of the poly(Asp-Phe), which could be detected by an immunological method with anti-poly(Asp-Phe) antibody. On the other hand, pCD111 directed the synthesis of the fused poly(Asp-Phe) as inclusion bodies, which was calculated to be 11.2% of the total cellular proteins.

Cloning and expression of a collagen-analog-encoding synthetic gene in Escherichia coli

A family of totally synthetic genes coding for multiple tandem repeats of the amino acid sequence (Gly-Pro-Pro) has been prepared and inserted into the ClaI cloning site of the expression vector pJL6. A representative recombinant plasmid, pAC1, with an insert of about 340 bp was established in an Escherichia coli strain bearing a defective lambda prophage, to study expression of the CII-collagen analog fusion protein produced from pAC1 upon heat induction. Authentic fusion protein production was demonstrated by nucleotide sequencing, Northern-blot analysis, and in vivo synthesis. Conversion of a wild-type rpoH allele to the rpoH165 mutation was shown to suppress proteolysis of the unstable fusion protein.

Construction and stability of a sixfold repeated artificial gene

The concatenation of an artificial gene consisting of 69 base pairs is described. A simple and versatile procedure was employed which is applicable to any DNA segment bordered by different restriction sites. If applied in the 'continuous duplication mode', it does not necessitate the isolation of any DNA fragment. The addition of adaptor oligonucleotides to one terminus of the segment is required to create complementary ends. The ligation of single-stranded oligonucleotides to single-stranded DNA termini was analyzed and optimized. A simple procedure is described for the separation of excess adaptor molecules. The in vivo stability of constructs containing up to six directly repeated genes was investigated. Up to four copies of the gene appeared stable during transformation of strain HB101. With six copies exact excision of ony copy was occasionally observed after transformations of rec+, recA, and recBC host cells. During long-term growth the hexameric construct appeared stable in all three strains.

Chemical synthesis of a gene encoding the human complement fragment C5a and its expression in Escherichia coli

A gene coding for the C5a fragment of the fifth component of human complement has been chemically synthesized, cloned, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The 253-base-pair gene fragment was built through a two-step enzymic assembly of 16 oligonucleotides, the average length of each being 32 residues. The oligonucleotides were synthesized by using the phosphoramidite method. The gene was cloned in a pBR322-derivative plasmid downstream from the lac up-promoter mutant, UV5-D. The expression of C5a was detected and measured by immunoassay and a radioligand binding assay. C5a from E. coli was comparable to C5a purified from human serum in inhibiting binding of human 125I-labeled C5a to its putative receptor on polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Studies of smooth muscle contraction in isolated guinea pig ileum showed that the recombinant C5a was biologically active and produced cross-tachyphylaxis with human serum-derived C5a. The results demonstrate the feasibility of expressing C5a anaphylatoxin in bacteria and provide a system for mutagenesis of the C5a protein.

Expression plasmid vectors containing Escherichia coli tryptophan promoter transcriptional units lacking the attenuator

Two DNA fragments which contain the Escherichia coli tryptophan promoter operator region but lack the attenuator have been used in the construction of a series of pAT153 based plasmids suitable for the regulated expression of foreign genes in E. coli. The first, a 139-bp HhaI fragment includes 59 bp of the trp leader sequence, ending within the "attenuator peptide" coding sequence, eleven codons from the N-terminus. A fusion-type expression plasmid incorporating this fragment has been constructed. The second, a 99-bp HaeIII-TaqI fragment contains no coding sequence but includes the "attenuator peptide" SD site situated 4 bp upstream of the TaqI site. This fragment has been incorporated in expression vectors which result in the direct expression of cloned gene sequences. To further maximise expression, plasmids with directly repeating trp promoter HaeIII-TaqI units have been constructed.

Cloning and sequence determination of the gene for the human immunoglobulin epsilon chain expressed in a myeloma cell line

Messenger RNA has been isolated from cells of the human myeloma line 266BL which synthesizes IgE of the myeloma ND. A fraction enriched in mRNA for the epsilon heavy chain was copied into DNA and the DNA was cloned in Escherichia coli. A chemically synthesized oligonucleotide probe, based on the experimentally determined sequence of the specific message, was used to screen colonies. The largest epsilon chain cDNA cloned, 2.0 kilobases, was characterized by restriction endonuclease mapping and DNA sequence analysis. It appears to encode the complete amino acid sequence of the epsilon chain, including a signal peptide at the NH2 terminus as well as untranslated sequences at the 5' and 3' ends of the mRNA. The missing part of the previously published amino acid sequence of the ND epsilon chain was determined from the DNA sequence.

Chemical synthesis and cloning of a gene for human beta-urogastrone

A DNA duplex coding for the 53 amino acids of human beta-urogastrone has been synthesised. Computer assisted design of the gene included restriction endonuclease sites for plasmid insertion, a termination codon and two triplets coding for lysine at the 5'-end of the structural gene. The synthesis involved preparation of 23 oligodeoxyribonucleotides by phosphotriester procedures coupled to rapid HPLC techniques. The gene was constructed in two halves by enzymatic ligation of the oligonucleotides and cloned into a specially constructed chimeric plasmid vector. Escherichia coli K12 MRC8 was transformed by the plasmid and clones containing the full gene sequence were isolated and characterised.

Expression of a proline-enriched protein in Escherichia coli

The feasibility of expressing repeated synthetic codons in bacterial cells was demonstrated by showing that repeated codons for proline were expressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant DNA technology was used to clone synthetic polydeoxyguanylate:polydeoxycytidylate into the PstI site of plasmid pBR322. Recombinant plasmid pGC139 was shown by means of HaeIII restriction digestion to contain approximately 41 cloned base pairs; the cloned sequence was expressed as a fusion to an ampicillinase protein. The resulting protein, enriched in proline, was expressed from plasmid pGC139 in E. coli maxicells. Extension of this technology could lead to improvement in the production of amino acids and to nutritional enrichment of single-cell protein.