Engineering modular platforms to control biomolecular architecture can advance both the understanding and the manipulation of biological systems. Icosahedral particles uniformly displaying single antigens stimulate potent immune activation and have been successful in various licensed vaccines. However, it remains challenging to display multiple antigens on a single particle and to induce broader immunity protective across strains or even against distinct diseases. Here, we design a dually addressable synthetic nanoparticle by engineering the multimerizing coiled-coil IMX313 and two orthogonally reactive split proteins. SpyCatcher protein forms an isopeptide bond with SpyTag peptide through spontaneous amidation. SnoopCatcher forms an isopeptide bond with SnoopTag peptide through transamidation. SpyCatcher-IMX-SnoopCatcher provides a modular platform, whereby SpyTag-antigen and SnoopTag-antigen can be multimerized on opposite faces of the particle simply upon mixing. We demonstrate efficient derivatization of the platform with model proteins and complex pathogen-derived antigens. SpyCatcher-IMX-SnoopCatcher was expressed in Escherichia coli and was resilient to lyophilization or extreme temperatures. For the next generation of malaria vaccines, blocking the transmission of the parasite from human to mosquito is an important goal. SpyCatcher-IMX-SnoopCatcher multimerization of the leading transmission-blocking antigens Pfs25 and Pfs28 greatly enhanced the antibody response to both antigens in comparison to the monomeric proteins. This dual plug-and-display architecture should help to accelerate vaccine development for malaria and other diseases.

In an atomically thin-film/dielectric-substrate heterostructure, the elemental physical properties of the atomically thin-film are influenced by the interaction between the thin-film and the substrate. In this article, utilizing monolayer MoS(2) on LaAlO(3) and SrTiO(3) substrates, as well as SiO2 and Gel-film as reference substrates similar to previously reported work [Nano Res, 2014, 7, 561], we systematically investigate the substrate effect on the photoluminescence of monolayer MoS(2). We observed significantly substrate-dependant photoluminescence of monolayer MoS(2), originating from substrate-to-film charge transfer. We found that SiO2 substrate introduces the most charge doping while SrTiO(3) introduces less charge transfer. Through the selection of desired substrate, we are able to induce different amounts of charge into the monolayer MoS(2), which consequently modifies the neutral exciton and charged exciton (trion) emissions. Finally, we proposed a band-diagram model to elucidate the relation between charge transfer and the substrate Fermi level and work function. Our work demonstrates that the substrate charge transfer exerts a strong influence on the monolayer MoS(2) photoluminescence property, which should be considered during device design and application. The work also provides a possible route to modify the thin-film photoluminescence property via substrate engineering for future device design.

Polerovirus P0 suppressors of host gene silencing contain a consensus F-box-like motif with Leu/Pro (L/P) requirements for suppressor activity. The Inner Mongolian Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) P0 protein (P0(PL-IM)) has an unusual F-box-like motif that contains a Trp/Gly (W/G) sequence and an additional GW/WG-like motif (G139/W140/G141) that is lacking in other P0 proteins. We used Agrobacterium infiltration-mediated RNA silencing assays to establish that P0(PL-IM) has a strong suppressor activity. Mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that the P0(PL-IM) F-box-like motif encompasses amino acids 76-LPRHLHYECLEWGLLCG THP-95, and that the suppressor activity is abolished by L76A, W87A, or G88A substitution. The suppressor activity is also weakened substantially by mutations within the G139/W140/G141 region and is eliminated by a mutation (F220R) in a C-terminal conserved sequence of P0(PL-IM). As has been observed with other P0 proteins, P0(PL-IM) suppression is correlated with reduced accumulation of the host AGO1-silencing complex protein. However, P0(PL-IM) fails to bind SKP1, which functions in a proteasome pathway that may be involved in AGO1 degradation. These results suggest that P0(PL-IM) may suppress RNA silencing by using an alternative pathway to target AGO1 for degradation. Our results help improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in PLRV infection.