Designing optimal ligand-binding proteins

2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 742-742
Author(s):  
Charlotte Harrison
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Binding Proteins

scholarly journals Diversity in the structures and ligand-binding sites of nematode fatty acid and retinol-binding proteins revealed by Na-FAR-1 from Necator americanus

2015 ◽  
Vol 471 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Florencia Rey-Burusco ◽  
Marina Ibáñez-Shimabukuro ◽  
Mads Gabrielsen ◽  
Gisela R. Franchini ◽  
Andrew J. Roe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Tissue Distribution ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Retinol Binding Protein ◽  
Internal Cavity ◽  
Binding Characteristics ◽  
Necator Americanus ◽  
Ligand Binding Sites

Necator americanus fatty acid and retinol-binding protein-1 (Na-FAR-1) is an abundantly expressed FAR from a parasitic hookworm. The present work describes its tissue distribution, structure and ligand-binding characteristics and shows that Na-FAR-1 expands to transport multiple FA molecules in its internal cavity.

Subcellular localization defects characterize ribose-binding mutant proteins with new ligand properties in Escherichia coli

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo Tavares ◽  
Jan R. van der Meer
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Subcellular Localization ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Binding Properties ◽  
General Properties ◽  
Periplasmic Binding Proteins ◽  
Ribose Binding Protein

Periplasmic-binding proteins have been previously proclaimed as a general scaffold to design sensor proteins with new recognition specificities for non-natural compounds. Such proteins can be integrated in bacterial bioreporter chassis with hybrid chemoreceptors to produce a concentration-dependent signal after ligand binding to the sensor cell. However, computationally designed new ligand-binding properties ignore the more general properties of periplasmic binding proteins, such as their periplasmic translocation, dynamic transition of open and closed forms, and interactions with membrane receptors. In order to better understand the roles of such general properties in periplasmic signaling behaviour, we study here the subcellular localization of ribose-binding protein (RbsB) in Escherichia coli in comparison to a recently evolved set of mutants designed to bind 1,3-cyclohexanediol. As proxies for localization we calibrate and deploy C-terminal end mCherry fluorescent protein fusions. Whereas RbsB-mCherry coherently localized to the periplasmic space and accumulated in (periplasmic) polar regions depending on chemoreceptor availability, mutant RbsB-mCherry expression resulted in high fluorescence cell-to-cell variability. This resulted in higher proportions of cells devoid of clear polar foci and of cells with multiple fluorescent foci elsewhere, suggesting poorer translocation, periplasmic autoaggregation and mislocalization. Analysis of RbsB mutants and mutant libraries at different stages of directed evolution suggested overall improvement to more RbsB-wild-type-like characteristics, which was corroborated by structure predictions. Our results show that defects in periplasmic localization of mutant RbsB proteins partly explains their poor sensing performance. Future efforts should be directed to predicting or selecting secondary mutations outside computationally designed binding pockets that take folding, translocation and receptor-interactions into account. Importance Biosensor engineering relies on transcription factors or signaling proteins to provide the actual sensory functions for the target chemicals. Since for many compounds there are no natural sensory proteins, there is a general interest in methods that could unlock routes to obtaining new ligand-binding properties. Bacterial periplasmic-binding proteins (PBPs) form an interesting family of proteins to explore to this purpose, because there is a large natural variety suggesting evolutionary trajectories to bind new ligands. PBPs are conserved and amenable to accurate computational binding pocket predictions. However, studying ribose-binding protein in Escherichia coli we discovered that designed variants have defects in their proper localization in the cell, which can impair appropriate sensor signaling. This indicates that functional sensing capacity of PBPs cannot be obtained solely through computational design of the ligand-binding pocket, but must take other properties of the protein into account, which are currently very difficult to predict.

scholarly journals Computational redesign of the Escherichia coli ribose-binding protein ligand binding pocket for 1,3-cyclohexanediol and cyclohexanol

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diogo Tavares ◽  
Artur Reimer ◽  
Shantanu Roy ◽  
Aurélie Joublin ◽  
Vladimir Sentchilo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Binding Pocket ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Ligand Binding Pocket ◽  
Mutant Proteins ◽  
Periplasmic Binding Proteins ◽  
Natural Ligands ◽  
Ribose Binding Protein

AbstractBacterial periplasmic-binding proteins have been acclaimed as general biosensing platform, but their range of natural ligands is too limited for optimal development of chemical compound detection. Computational redesign of the ligand-binding pocket of periplasmic-binding proteins may yield variants with new properties, but, despite earlier claims, genuine changes of specificity to non-natural ligands have so far not been achieved. In order to better understand the reasons of such limited success, we revisited here the Escherichia coli RbsB ribose-binding protein, aiming to achieve perceptible transition from ribose to structurally related chemical ligands 1,3-cyclohexanediol and cyclohexanol. Combinations of mutations were computationally predicted for nine residues in the RbsB binding pocket, then synthesized and tested in an E. coli reporter chassis. Two million variants were screened in a microcolony-in-bead fluorescence-assisted sorting procedure, which yielded six mutants no longer responsive to ribose but with 1.2–1.5 times induction in presence of 1 mM 1,3-cyclohexanediol, one of which responded to cyclohexanol as well. Isothermal microcalorimetry confirmed 1,3-cyclohexanediol binding, although only two mutant proteins were sufficiently stable upon purification. Circular dichroism spectroscopy indicated discernable structural differences between these two mutant proteins and wild-type RbsB. This and further quantification of periplasmic-space abundance suggested most mutants to be prone to misfolding and/or with defects in translocation compared to wild-type. Our results thus affirm that computational design and library screening can yield RbsB mutants with recognition of non-natural but structurally similar ligands. The inherent arisal of protein instability or misfolding concomitant with designed altered ligand-binding pockets should be overcome by new experimental strategies or by improved future protein design algorithms.

scholarly journals Computational design of ligand-binding proteins with high affinity and selectivity

Nature ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 501 (7466) ◽  
pp. 212-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine E. Tinberg ◽  
Sagar D. Khare ◽  
Jiayi Dou ◽  
Lindsey Doyle ◽  
Jorgen W. Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
High Affinity

Crystal Structure of Bordetella pertussis BugD Solute Receptor Unveils the Basis of Ligand Binding in a New Family of Periplasmic Binding Proteins

2006 ◽  
Vol 356 (4) ◽  
pp. 1014-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Huvent ◽  
Hassan Belrhali ◽  
Rudy Antoine ◽  
Coralie Bompard ◽  
Camille Locht ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Crystal Structure ◽  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Bordetella Pertussis ◽  
Binding Proteins ◽  
New Family ◽  
Periplasmic Binding Proteins
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document