The molecular structuring of complex architectures and the enclosure of space are essential requirements for technical and living systems. Self‐assembly of supramolecular structures with desired shape, size, and stability remains challenging since it requires precise regulation of physicochemical and conformational properties of the components. Here a general platform for controlled self‐assembly of tailored amphiphilic elastin‐like proteins into desired supramolecular protein assemblies ranging from spherical coacervates over molecularly defined twisted fibers to stable unilamellar vesicles is introduced. The described assembly protocols efficiently yield protein membrane–based compartments (PMBC) with adjustable size, stability, and net surface charge. PMBCs demonstrate membrane fusion and phase separation behavior and are able to encapsulate structurally and chemically diverse cargo molecules ranging from small molecules to naturally folded proteins. The ability to engineer tailored supramolecular architectures with defined fusion behavior, tunable properties, and encapsulated cargo paves the road for novel drug delivery systems, the design of artificial cells, and confined catalytic nanofactories.
The
investigation of complex biological processes in vivo often requires defined multiple bioconjugation and positioning of
functional entities on 3D structures. Prominent examples include spatially
defined protein complexes in nature, facilitating efficient biocatalysis
of multistep reactions. Mimicking natural strategies, synthetic scaffolds
should comprise bioorthogonal conjugation reactions and allow for
absolute stoichiometric quantification as well as facile scalability
through scaffold reproduction. Existing in vivo scaffolding
strategies often lack covalent conjugations on geometrically confined
scaffolds or precise quantitative characterization. Addressing these
shortcomings, we present a bioorthogonal dual conjugation platform
based on genetically encoded artificial compartments in vivo, comprising two distinct genetically encoded covalent conjugation
reactions and their precise stoichiometric quantification. The SpyTag/SpyCatcher
(ST/SC) bioconjugation and the controllable strain-promoted azide−alkyne
cycloaddition (SPAAC) were implemented on self-assembled protein
membrane-based compartments (PMBCs). The SPAAC reaction yield was
quantified to be 23% ± 3% and a ST/SC surface conjugation yield
of 82% ± 9% was observed, while verifying the compatibility of
both chemical reactions as well as enhanced proteolytic stability.
Using tandem mass spectrometry, absolute concentrations of the proteinaceous
reactants were calculated to be 0.11 ± 0.05 attomol/cell for
PMBC surface-tethered mCherry-ST-His and 0.22 ± 0.09 attomol/cell
for PMBC-constituting pAzF-SC-E20F20-His. The established in vivo conjugation platform enables quantifiable protein–protein
interaction studies on geometrically defined scaffolds and paves the
road to investigate effects of scaffold-tethering on enzyme activity.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.